CHAPTER 8

I woke up the next day with my head pounding furiously, signifying a headache, so strong I had to take aspirin for it. I mentally cursed myself for this. Waking up to headache was always a sign of a bad day ahead of me. But I pushed that thought aside and went to prepare breakfast for myself.

While I was in the kitchen,Dani's call came in.

"Drew,I am so sorry for yesterday night. The way I blew you off. How are you? Did you later get the job?",She asked.

Dani sounded like she was in her car driving to work.

"Yeah I did. I mean,I almost thought I wouldn't but yes I did. I was even lucky to get at the first club I went to. It saved me the energy of going to another one". I said to her, actually feeling proud of myself for the first time since yesterday.

"Oh thank God! I am so happy for you. Did you discuss the terms and conditions of the work? I know that's a very important aspect. The rules and regulations,I am sure they have theirs. Right?"

Typical Dani to always worry ahead of time for something like this.

I smiled and said,"Yes yes. They do. Moreover,there's this my co-worker,he sounded very nice yesterday. He was even willing to put me through everything. Dani,you need to see this boy,very gorgeous. I think he and I would be very good friends. I just hope I am not judging his personality too soon though but he gives me good vibes"

"I am glad you are making friends, Drew. So glad. I mean,you never really bothered to make friends anywhere and you always ended up hating everyone so if this boy makes you want to be his friend,then I am sure of him," she laughed slightly,"And anyways,I am so sorry for unloading on you last night, Drew. I know you never want to have anything to do with Daddy and I quite understand that but I was just so burdened,I decided to share. I know you think I am weak for catering for him but Drew,he's our father. We'd never have another one in this lifetime. Please cut him some slacks,okay?" She took a deep breath very audibly and waited for my answer.

I was quiet at first but then I replied very careful inorder not to make her feel bad about her decisions,"Dani,you don't have to apologize for telling me about our father. I sincerely get it. And no,I don't see you as weak for deciding to always take care of him irrespective of the fact he has decided to waste his life away. But you have to understand Dani,he's no longer my problem so telling me inorder to make me feel sorry for either him or even you taking care of him,is not something that would work. I have no emotions whatsoever towards him and I don't think it's changing anytime soon. But if you ever feel the need to talk to me about the burdens of taking care of him,I'd definitely be here listening to you. Okay?"

She seemed very happy at me reassuring her,I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Okay Drew,I am heading to work. Alright?! We'll talk about this later my love. I am almost there. Have a nice day. Don't forget to be early to work. Love you, Mwuah" I heard her blow me a kiss "Make sure you call me to tell me how your day went, don't forget that".

With that she ended the call.

---

I ate my breakfast soon after that. I didn't feel like starting work immediately so I decided to exercise a little bit. I needed also to master the new neighbourhood to an extent so going for a run or a walk would help me better. So I wore my running shoes,my hoodie and my headphones and put on my favorite running playlist and stepped outside.

Once outside,I contemplated passing through Blue eyes' house or going through the opposite direction. Frankly,if I didn't see that man ever again in my life,I'd be the happiest person alive.

But I knew with certainty, that it wasn't gonna happen so I made up my mind there and then that I wasn't gonna think about him ever again. No matter what happens,I'd try as much as possible to get him off my mind. Two days ago,I didn't even know this man. So allowing him invade my thoughts everyday and at the same time being humiliated completely by him all in a space of a short time,was enough for me to make this decision. He'd even be my mortal enemy if possible. I couldn't possibly continue like this. He wasn't worth it. It wasn't as if I had a plan to make him like me but I felt the previous day's embarrassment was so unwarranted. Even though I knew deep down,I deserved his outburst to an extent, I still wouldn't accept that. This man was my enemy henceforth and I would exactly keep it at that. No more,no less. I said to myself defiantly.

I went the opposite direction,ran a couple of houses before I slowed down into a jog and finally a walk. I got to a street and sat down on the street chair inorder to catch my breath a little and rest my legs as well.

My mind wandered. What would my brothers be doing now? Dani hadn't said anything about them since after I moved. I expected her to tell me about them but she hadn't brought them up.

I contemplated calling them. But what would we be discussing? We all hadn't been particularly close. I was always an alien to them,never bothering to become their friend. Although only Dante persisted in getting close to me not withstanding the fact that I didn't really put much effort much as he did.

I mean we did basic siblings stuff together. Like go out sometimes and maybe talk once in a while. But nothing out of the ordinary between us. I wasn't the type to share my innermost thoughts with them, although I doubt if I even anything particularly interesting to share. Infact I was a very ordinary person and I had absolutely nothing or any adventurous tales to tell. I didn't go out at all,didn't party,didn't have much sex,infact the last sex I had was in high school which was very sloppy and quite frankly,I couldn't say I enjoyed the act. So I had nothing to share.

So I doubted my siblings loved me for anything if not that we were blood related. They'd normally describe me as boring and inadventurous but I didn't mind. To me,it was a compliment. I'd rather be that boring than step out of my comfort zone and doing things I'd regret later in life.

But I did miss them a little. My new home was very quiet, something I hadn't experienced in years,even when I spent sometime in the college hostel. The quietness was very much welcomed but i did miss their noise a little. The way Dani was always blasting her Katy Perry music whenever she was cooking or whenever she was alone in her room,or how Damon was always incessantly laughing,that little boy laughed at anything and anyone. Everything was funny to him. It's like he was determined in life to be happy all the time. I wonder if he would change with time,I hope he wouldn't. He deserved to be happy enough.

And then Dominic who never spoke for once. I was quiet but Dominic was quieter. He never spoke,even when spoken to but he still managed to have friends from school. Dominic was good-looking, maybe the best looking amongst us all so I thought his schoolmates might've considered him some sort of a god. A young good-looking guy that never talked much and was always brooding,that was a quality of the best high school life. If he was not good-looking,he'd probably be a creep or a nerd to them. I always knew that was how high school worked. But I wondered how he was to people,was he a bully? Was he kind? Was he considerate? Or just total indifference? His friends seemed to like him a lot though so I guess he was a good enough person but assholes could have friends. I hoped he wasn't,really.

My mind went to Dante. My best brother. Very intelligent,I mean it literally because he always did better than all of us in school, perfect grades and all,he was kind, playful,caring and everything you could wish for in a sibling. He was the closest thing to a friend I had and he definitely was the one I had the strongest urge to hear his voice. I did miss him. He'd force me to play video games with him,which I sucked very much at by the way,he always rained curses on me if I made wrong moves because like he said 'I wasn't a worthy opponent' but I knew he just wanted to use those times to bond with me and even though it didn't look like it, I always appreciated it in my own little. But it was also to his own advantage. Anything he didn't have anything especially money,he'd always ask me and I wouldn't hesitate ever to give to him. My other brothers never really asked me for anything, Dani too never did but due to my closeness with Dante,he was able to always ask me for money. I even found it amusing sometimes. It was always the lunch money with him but I knew he gave some of it to his girlfriend. His girlfriend,a very pretty petite girl,who looked like she was polite enough. I never saw her much but I knew Dante liked her very much,extorting from me just to make her happy. Oh Dante! I laughed in my mind. What a sweet boy.

Before I could even think further,the alarm I set on my phone to remind of the end of my run went off. So I had to get myself back home to start work for the day.

---

I worked for hours,no break. The customers I had the referrals today were very much more than the average customers I normally got and after talking to a whole bunch of them,I was tired out.

But I still had to take a little nap and rest myself for my second job. Working two jobs wasn't easy. I very much knew that when I went out to look for a job as a bartender but working from home sometimes could be very boring and I needed something to take me out of the house and also I really needed to make extra money and be rid of bankruptcy for once after my pockets were drained completely from moving.

I lay on my bed,set my alarm for the next 1hr, closed my eyes, hoping sleep would come but it didn't. Instead my mind wandered again. And as expected,all the events of yesterday that I dreaded thinking about started to resurface.

I regretted taking that food to that man. What was I even thinking? That he would take the food and smile at me and thank me? I didn't even for once reason that at any point of the interaction,was he going to shout at me like I was some middle school kid or like I was a little stain on his cloth that he wanted to wash off.

I went from being intrigued by this man to being completely abhorred by him. Why would he shout at me like that? Because he caught me a few times staring at him? I wanted to punch his stupid looking face.

I sighed. Oh God! I groaned to myself, I wasn't getting any sleep before work at all.