Chapter 4

Mrs.Rafferty and Alessa walked down into the kitchen but didn’t stop there. From there they continued toward a long dark hallway that barely let two people walk side by side. One side of the hallway was filled with small wooded doors. They didn’t stop till they got to the end of the sad hallway. Here Mrs.Rafferty opened the door to a very small room with an old bed, and a side table, with a miserably low lamp on top of it. On the left of the bed, there was a cupboard much smaller than the one in the room she woke up in. 

“This is it. I’ll have it clean if you want to wait to move it!” Mrs.Rafferty advised.

“No, I am fine. I’ll clean it myself. There isn’t much to clean anyways.” She commented as she waved her hand in front of her face at the dust that constantly flowed in front of her. 

“Alright then dear. James should be down shortly.” Mrs.Rafferty said before leaving Alessa all alone in this—no other way to describe it—dungeon.

Alessa opened some of the drawers in the cupboard to see if all her stuff would fit. First, a new layer of dust filled the air. Second, she realized, that even though she didn’t have much to begin with, she could not fit her life in this little room. 

She sat on her new bed that creaked under her lightweight and started to cry, tucking her knees to her chest and burying her face in them. 

“Hello!” A knock on the door jolted her. “Oh boy—I am sorry.”

She looked up to find a kind-faced boy with long black bangs covering most of his left eye standing in front of her. He was effortlessly holding the two cardboard boxes she had yesterday.

“Hello, it’s okay!” She awkwardly said, wiping her tears.

“Where do you want these?” He slightly shook the boxes.

She pointed to a random corner of the room, and the boy did what he was told. 

“I am James by the way. I am basically the handyman here. I can fix anything here. Well except the dishwasher.” He apologetically said.

“Alessa.” They shook hands.

“Wow, you're really pretty,” he sheepishly said.

“What?” 

“Um—nothing. What job did you get assigned? Cleaning? Kitchen? Chauffeur? Gardening?”

“Nothing. I don’t work for Kyle. I work for Madison Kelly.”

“Ohh the new girl they are keeping secret. Gotcha. Well if I know Kyle, I know he doesn’t believe in a free lunch. You have to work for your keeps.” He clicked his tongue.

“I don’t want anything he is giving out!” Alessa snarled. 

James laughed. “Listen, I heard about Kyle giving you a hard time. He can be a bit difficult sometimes, but he really is nice. He bats for his people! Always!” 

“I am not now, nor will I ever be his person.” In fact, she hated him and wanted nothing to do with him. He was the first person to make her cry after her father’s death. Today, after a long time, she missed her dad, and it was all because of Kyle Danny!

“I see. Who knows, maybe he’ll do something to change your mind.” James shrugged.

“I doubt it, but thank you for bringing my things down here.” 

“Of course. There is one more box. I’ll get that too.” James offered.

“Thank you!” 

James ran out, but not before bumping into Madison. 

“I am sorry ma’am.” He hurriedly said.

“Oh he is cute” Madison commented after he left. She came towards Alessa and grabbed her hands. “You're not staying down here. Kyle is not going to stop me from moving you back. He won’t say anything to me.”

“Yeah, okay.” Alessa scoffed. “That’s why you're waiting to get married because you have so much power over Kyle.”

“We are doing what’s best for Camelot!” Madison defended. 

“Whatever. I am going to stay out here till I get enough money to move out.”

“I don’t have enough to pay you! I just asked Kyle for enough money to pay the vendors and the rest of the staff. I bargained for you to stay here so your room, board, and food are covered.” 

“What?”

“I am sorry. I didn’t know you two were going to get an instant dislike for each other. I’ve heard of love at first sight but never the opposite. I just want to make sure you were taken care of, and not too far away from me. You know I need you. PHAT needs you.” She proclaimed.

Alessa couldn’t stay mad at Madison. Even though PHAT was Madison's business, Alessa had given her blood, sweat, and tears to its success. She sighed. She would take that pay cut and live here under Kyle’s thumb if it meant they could make PHAT News a success. 

“Fine, but I am staying down here!” Alessa stubbornly said.

“Ugh fine. But during our working hours, you come up. You understand me, and no more washing dishes for Kyle. What was that? Why did you do it?”

“You wouldn't get it. He disrespected my work ethic. Called me riff-raff. Like because I am not rich like him, I don’t matter.”

“I am not rich like him, and he doesn’t treat me like that.” 

“You are Madison. At any moment you can call your father and he will solve this for you. You just have too much pride to ask him.”

Madison's jaws tighten. “I’ve asked him for enough money. I don’t want to ask anyone who holds it against me. At least Kyle asked us to wait for the good of Camelot.” She nodded her head like she was convincing herself.

“See. Kyle talks to you with respect because you come from money. I don’t.” 

“I know Al but—“ Madison couldn’t finish her sentence because James was dropping another box.

“Are you crying again?” He uncomfortably asked.

“You were crying?” Madison snapped.

“I am fine.”

“She was, but I stopped her. Gave her some encouragement to deal with Kyle.” James proudly said.

“Did you? Seems like my friend is not having the best day. Any other ideas you have to make her feel better!” Madison wiggled her eyebrows at Alessa, she rolled her eyes.

“Are you free for dinner?”

“Yes, she is!” Madison answers for Alessa

****

“I know you don’t really know me and we just met, but this is my favorite place in the whole house, so just trust me,” James advised as he covered Alessa's eyes. 

“Okay, but do I smell fries? And a burger?” She asked, sniffing. 

“Yes, you guessed dinner already, but wait till you see the view!” James dramatically removed his hands and revealed their dinner location.

It was magnificent. It looked like Eden’s garden. Neatly cut green bushes surrounded a large blue and yellow-lit foundation. Under the moonlight, the water in the fountain looked like crystals falling. Alessa half expected the sound of clatter. The shrubbery was always designed in twinkling lights.

“Wow,” was all she could say.

“I know burgers and fries are not the ideal food—“

“They are!”Alessa smiled. 

James took a seat on the edge of the fountain and urged Alessa to join. Starving from not having much for lunch, she attached her fries, dripping them into the ketchup, letting them soak in the tomato flavor. As she ate, her belly became full, and her eyes wandered the scenery. She felt at peace even though her life was a mess right now. She was 25 years old, but still, she had no place to live and no career to follow. All those concerns disappeared as she watched the waterfall in the fountain. 

“You got a little something—“ James moves closer. His thumb graced the side of her lips and she jolted back. “Ketchup.” He clarified but didn’t move his thumbs. 

“What’s going on here?” They both separated. “Let me call you back!” Kyle said into his phone. 

“Kyle! Nothing. Just welcoming Alessa home.” James explained. 

“Really? This is what the third girl you bought here this week?” Kyle grinned. “Don’t try so hard with this one. She seems desperate. Did about a million dishes just to get a dusty place to live. Just promise her a roof over her head and she’ll jump in your lap.” Kyle laughed. This was the first time he’s laughed in front of her and her brain was asked to mark how the corners of his mouth curved when he did. 

Alessa, without thinking, took the box of fries, walked towards the mansion where Kyle was standing, and dumped all the wedged potatoes onto his head. 

“What the fuck?” Kyle screeched. He acted fast as well. He grabbed Alessa’s hands and twisted them behind her back, pulling her close, and making her bump into his chest. 

His grip was firm but not hurtful. Alessa was so close she could smell his strong woody cologne, and for some reason, the feeling of euphoria bubbled into her chest. She shook the thought out of her head only to land in those eyes again, and the euphoria exemplified.

“James, give us a minute, will you?” He growled. James scurried away. Leaving Kyle and Alessa alone underneath the moonlight and beside the crystals.