A New Perspective

The apartment building was somewhere in the center of the bustling city. On the one side there was a road that seemed to always be busy. On the other side a park could be seen where many children would play, giving the impression you were in a small town instead of a metropolis.

This building was nothing compared to the skyscarpers that could be seen on the north side, where the road was. The industrial area was a nuisance for someone who lacked vitamin d. Because the high buildings with a minimum of 16 floors didn't even have to try to make the sun and its shine seem like a distant memory.

"There is no elevator?" Nevan's voice embodied the devastation that seemed to take a hold on his heart as he stared at the stairs.

Dax went past his friend without paying much attention to the devastation that seemed to come off Nevan. "Nope, no stairs."

Nevan took a moment of silence. How long did he have to live here? He had no clue. He would have to get used to it. That was for sure. Dax was already ahead when he finally gathered the courage to embrace the change and move forward. It was the first battle in a war that needed to be mastered.

The door was decorated in a tasteless way. It was just a thin piece of alder wood with a lock to give the false illusion of safety. Where had he arrived? At the rock bottom?

Dax hadn't even put a piece of decoration unlike his neighbors who seemed to take decoration on the entrance of their home. A round-shaped silouhette with artificial berries and leaves made the entrance look more welcoming than the blank door of Dax's apartment.

It was fine. All Nevan had to do was to get success in something, anything. Then he could go back to his normal life. The door creaked open, revealing a small space where he was supposed to take off his shoes.

It was about noon. That was why they ate. It was so unnaturally cramped in here. If Nevan stretched out his arm to its full length, he would be able to touch the ceiling fully. This whole apartment was as big as his room back at his mansion. Maybe, his former room was actually a bit more spacious.

This was something that needed time to get adjusted to. Upgrade was pleasant, downgrade wasn't. This was something her grandfather had told him when he was still a child.

The soup, they had for lunch wasn't to his liking. He missed the food he normally had. He missed his mother who would urge him to eat more, the delightful dishes of their cook.

"You are quiet today." Dax remarked while chewing some of the ingredients in the soup. He had only glanced at his friend.

Nevan wasn't in any position to actually complain here. Dax could have easily refused when the rich heir had called him to ask for a place to stay. And honestly? Nevan was very grateful for this. Where was he supposed to go otherwise?

"I just can't believe, I was kicked out."

Dax paused and then shrugged. He had gone through something similar himself. Unlike Nevan, it hadn't really been a downgrade, though. "Your old man said, you had to do something? Like get popular?"

Nevan shoved the empty bowl away. Oh, even though he wasn't full, he wasn't going to ask for seconds. Not of this soup.

"Dunno, actually. I think, he wants me to do something big and tell the world what I am capable of." Nevan recited. Yet, on second thought, it didn't really sit right. "No, I don't know what his intentions are. I don't know what he thinks most of the time, you know." Frustration laced his tone. "He said, I shouldn't use his name."

The room was suddenly enveloped by silence. This wasn't a rare occurence between them. Dax and Nevan knew each other since a long time now and often they had just sat in silence trying to make sense of what Nevan's father meant by his words. Mostly, they failed.

Suddenly, Dax stood up. "Let's go. I will show you around. Who knows, how long you are occupying my place?"

"Don't worry. Once I figure out, what that guy wants, I will be gone. And I will pay my own expenses, no worries."

There was a scoff and then a sigh. "Yeah, who else is going to pay for you?"

Silence. None of them talked. Instead they both went out. Dax showed Nevan around. This was something new, actually. He had never really seen so many families living at the same place. The park that could be seen from the balcony of Dax's apartment was filled with children at this very moment.

They seemed to move in the opposite direction from the city center. The more they moved, the quieter the place got. There was something relaxing about this. Nevan's thoughts seemed all over the place right now. What could his father mean by that? Make a name for himself? How?

Maybe, if he showed that he was capable of something, he could go back. But what was that 'something' in question? Nevan had always been good at everything, hadn't he? He was often envied for being great at everything he did. He had often gotten bored of the activities he had started. Often done it only in spite, as to show, he really was good at everything.

"What are your plans in life, Nevan?" The familiar voice of his savior and friend interrupted his thoughts.

This was a rather sudden question. But one, that had to be thought through before being answered.

"Probably gonna go to college and then take over the family business." It was obvious. Of course, he would take his father's place. Just like his father had taken his grandfather's place.

Dax didn't really say anything at first. The birds chirping had Nevan distracted for a moment. Their steps were the only thing that could be heard in the afternoon now.

"If my son would say that, I would not feel very proud, you know." The words hung heavily in the air. The sentence had been said in a lighthearted tone and yet the weight of them was heavy.

The slight twitch of Nevan's eyebrows went unnoticed. Why was this affecting him so much? Actually, who was Dax to determine if his father was proud of Nevan or not? "Oh, please. We have tried to understand that guy and never succeeded. Who knows what he thinks?"

Dax hadn't responded in any way to this statement. And this bothered Nevan. Why would Dax assume, his father wasn't proud of him? Nevan was good at everything. His parents often bragged about the talent their son had, so there was no way they would be disappointed in him.

Now both friends were at Dax's apartment again. He had gone to work while Nevan was just thinking in silence. What had his father said, again? Find an ambition? Make a name for himself?

What ambition? He had known from a young age, he was supposed to take over the family business. Where did this sudden change of heart come from? The couch creaked slightly as Nevan stood up and walked to his suitcase.

Dax had told Nevan to sleep on the couch. There was only one room beside the living room. That was Dax's room. It really wouldn't be very comfortable to share a bed with a grown man. That was why even Nevan agreed, despite the couch being even harder than the floor he was walking on.

The time was passing so slow. What could he do? There was nothing, he could do expect for following his father's words. Find an ambition. Make a name for himself pursuing that ambition.

The couch creaked again when Nevan laid back down after looking through his luggage. It seemed like Zina had packed a few clothes. He would have to buy new things. Ambition, huh? What could go as an ambition? Something he had dreamed as a child? Something Nevan liked doing?

Nevan's eyes were fixated on the ceiling as he tried to think of something. He would never accept the fact that he was supposed to stay away from his home for that long.

His phone vibrated. At first, he didn't even bat an eye but then he slowly oved to retrieve his phone from his pocket. At the same time something fell from it which he disregarded as his eyes scanned the display.

It was just an unimportant message from an app he barely used these days. With a mere swipe the notification vanished. He sighed and placed the phone away.

With slow movements, Nevan approached the balcony. The children were still playing at the park. It was soccer they were playing. It brought back so many memories. As a child, he would often sneak out to play with his friends instead of going to the private lessons his father had organized for him after school.

From the balcony, the whole playground could be overlooked and yet his gaze was fixated on the children playing. A growl coming from his stomach was the reason, he finally moved away from the spot.

Come to think of it, what was he supposed to eat? After quickly checking the refrigerator, he knew he would eat in a restaurant. Hopefully, his credit card wasn't blocked. Nevan hastily walked down the stairs after grabbing the spare keys Dax had given him and his phone.