Glitter in the air

The sweat on my forehead had just turned to globs. Moreover, the chilly weather made me hot. Which I know was absurd because the majority of people were now bundled up in thick clothing. The sun hid behind a thick blanket of clouds.

I walked on slowly to the Iris Residence. My eyesight was a little bit blurry and I was feeling a little dazed. I didn't hurry. I could feel the wind's shy touch sticking to my sweaty skin, but I felt nothing but another wave of heat. My green summery dress was forced to dance by the demanding weather, and I felt nothing but sleepiness. The coldness made me feel even hotter which I know wasn't right because the local news lady announced that the weather today would be very cold. I didn't feel that at all. I didn't feel a single particle of coldness in my body.

I didn't hurry at all. I was still waiting to feel that drunken state of happiness, of freedom. To find something or to wait for it to jump in my way and let me know I didn't waste nineteen years on nothing - on just a concept that now seemed to come back to haunt me. I coughed a bit.

Ah, but you didn't waste your life on nothing, you're a maid.

"It's Olive, let me in." I said, monotony obvious in my tired voice. The speaker bleeped with an annoying sound. My head buzzed. The state of my health was not improving at all - rather deteriorating.

As I walked on, I thought about the grandeur of the mansion. It seemed to tick me off a bit and a feeling in my gut was starting to become more and more pronounced. It hardly seemed fair that people as young and good looking as Ryder should be so rich. With so many people getting laid off everywhere, it now seemed a poor choice.

I silently groaned, the marble on the floors taunting me. I walked to the familiar room that I changed my clothes in. Where my uniform laid. The well known black and white. I glanced at the wooden doors. I could still run.

"Hello, Olive. Nice to have you back." Edith voiced her thoughts, with a kind smile on her wrinkled face. I gazed at her silently before snapping out of it and throwing her a haste smile. Was she the reflection of who I was going to be in 40 or so years? When I will no longer be able to change anything and just be the victim of my poor choices? Of my naivety?

I walked into the room and carefully shutting the door, not wanting it to slip and slam into Edith's face. I didn't want her to get the wrong message. I just didn't feel like being cookie-cutter Olive today. Right now I wanted to be mean, sarcastic and defying. I changed my clothes and slipped into the uniform. It was warm. So, beside the fact that it made me crave something cold even more, it also served as a painful reminder of just how far I've gotten without college.

"Clean only Master's bedroom today. The other rooms are not of so high importance." Edith noted, making her way to the crowded kitchen. I looked after her, uncertain if I had hurt her feelings or not.

Even if I had, I could not bring the twitch of guiltiness to grown into a full pang. The best I could do was throw a sympathetic smile after her. Which I did.

After swaying a bit, trying to delay my body for the torture that was about to come, I went to the wide staircases and started climbing. By the time I reached the fourth floor I counted thirty steps. My vision was unfocused and my mouth was dry from the effort of gasping whilst climbing the stairs. I walked to Ryder's bedroom, the artwork in the halls suddenly bothering me. I narrowed my eyes a bit and kept on. I felt like I should've been the one that owned Iris.

My calves were burning. I stepped into his bedroom and I squeezed my eyes shut, to try to block the pain and to focus my vision. It halfway worked. I stood up and looked around his room, to try to pin point the exact things I needed to do around here. I found out my answer relatively quick: the dust in the room was visible even in the dim lighting which represented a problem for me. Something I, in my sickly state, needed to do. There also where fingerprints on his desk and on the laptop's screen. I had a feeling that he barely used that laptop. And the dust on it confirmed my suspicions.

I put the pens and papers away, and started cleaning,

Of course, if I had a mansion the size of this thing, I would put others to work too. To have the perfect clean house, with the perfect employees. I hope Lena is having fun at that party she's at. God Forbid she chokes on something. Or some guest. I'm sure she baked her perfect little low-fat pies that everyone adores and I'm sure Bill popped the perfect wine so they toast to a perfect cause.

Something fell on the floor with a very distinct clinking, making me snap out of my small rant. I held my breath and tried to remember what the object that fell, could be. Nothing amazing was on his desk. Whatever fell, rolled twice on the floor, spreading in different directions. Now that led me to believe that the thing that fell either was something that I had just broken, or there were two items that I knocked over. I silently prayed it was the latter. I could not handle a small crisis right now. I avoided looking at the floor, but what I did see took my breath away.

Holy --

Two. Two beautiful earrings that were a generous size lay on the floor, helpless. The earrings were covered in precious stones. They were outlined with what I could guess was the finest example of well polished and well cut diamonds, and the rest of the earrings were covered in green sapphires that glinted mischievously in the light. Ironically, the sunlight briefly came to enhance their beauty for a couple of seconds.

I breathed in and didn't dare touch them. I fearfully looked at them, trying to think up of ways to leave the room in it's current, half-cleaned state, leaving the earrings to tempt someone else. But I couldn't. They drew me in a little too much.

My eyes widened a bit and my mouth dried even more. My palms were getting sweaty and I could feel hot drops of sweat roll down the back of my neck. I furiously shook my head, balling my hands into fists and then crossing my hands over, making my nails dig in my arms.

Just walk away. Get away from them.

I bent down and reached over to grab them and put them on the table. I heard a few steps outside the door, and it opened abruptly, making me act without thinking. I shoved the earrings into my pockets and I almost felt my heart stop.

"I thought it was empty." Ryder firmly said, sitting on his bed.

Yeah, excuse you too.

"I was just leaving." I announced, hurrying to make my way downstairs and out the door. My chance of putting the earrings back was blown up into smoke by his presence there. I couldn't have diverted his attention. He would've known that something was up. And I couldn't leave them to Edith. Who knows what she would think about me?

So I did the best thing I could.

"Sorry, Edith. I have to go home. I'll be back tomorrow." I said loudly, using the kitchen door as support. I didn't wait for her answer. I skipped.

What Edith didn't know, is that I made no plans to ever go back to Iris. Ever.