When Silver Met River

The alarm clock shrilled 4 AM and I rolled out of bed out of the arms of my little sister Marie, the youngest who was only four, and turned it off before she could start to stir. I had been awake long ago playing with the shadows on my wall and tracing the figures of the wallpaper fairies with my extended hand. It was dark and cold, with the room an icy blue painter’s palette and it reflected my mood.

I tentatively walked along the hardwood floor, side stepping any cracks or creaks and slipped into the bathroom and took a quick warm shower. I limited my time under that warmth, aware that ever since Luke had decided I should pay for three fourths of the bill I was on a strict budget. I counted out five minutes before tearing myself away and throwing myself into the cold room. I fumbled around and threw on my domestic engineer’s uniform, AKA, maid’s. It was more basic than most. A simple black dress that when down to an couple inches above my ankles in potato stack fashion, and held little attention to detail. Under it’s square cut collar I wore a shabby turtle neck sweater with the addition of thermal underwear and two layered pairs of woolen grey tights.

Hardly a killer outfit, but it did the job. And kept attention away from myself; I melted into the equally poor wallpaper of the rooms I worked in. What more it was terribly ageing. That was a plus because my colleagues weren’t aware that I was still in school or else they’d report me instantly for being under eighteen. No, it wasn’t sexy Halloween costume, but dress could easily double up as an everyday outfit which was a serious money saver.

I hummed as I brushed my hair back into a tight bun and gelled it back into place. The blond of my hair of a serious pale tone light like vanilla ice cream, contrasted extremely with the black of my dress. I finished up in the cramped toilets and pulled on my plimpsoles over my two layers of tights and socks.

“Oh shit!” my wristwatch read four twenty and I abruptly realized that today was Friday. I should have woken up earlier to be able to have gone by now. I snatched my satchel from a chair and my coat from a hook and rushed out the door, letting it close with a slam and wincing when I heard Marie wake up crying. I’ll have to let Lucy deal with it.

I charged down the deserted street barely lit by frustrating orange streetlamps, my hand searching inside my bag for my ipod and cell phone. I turned the corner of our street Knollwood, only to see the hourly bus start to pull away as a stray passenger strolled on. “Stop!” I shouted lunging against the currents of the strong winter winds, my cry getting lost in the howls.

“STOP!” I gasped as it turned at the intersection at the end of our road, and when it stalled for a moment I took my chance and threw a stray rock at it’s back and ran towards it again. I managed to come into the view of the mirror and it came to a full stop and the doors opened up with a condescending squeak barely wide enough for me to jump through before it lurched forward and they almost closed on my wrist.

“What the crap was that Charlie?” I cry rummaging in my bag for my ticket and bending over to catch my breath.

“Who do you think you’re talking to,” demanded an authoritative and hoary voice. My eyes rose away from the crinkled ticket in my hand to the red faced man sitting in a booth that was much too small for his diameter.

“Oh.” I breathed out my confusion. “This is the 28 isn’t it?”

“Yes,”

“Well where is Charlie then. The normal bus driver.”

“That old geezer? Ha! He died of a stroke yesterday afternoon. Man like that shouldn’t even have been driving, too old. Could have had his little fit during a shift.”

“But- but, I saw him yesterday he was fine.”

“Yes well we knew it’d be soon, what you moaning about, stop disturbing the driver and step behind the line.”

I didn’t move, in shock that the drive I had been seeing every morning had suddenly died. A familiar taste of bile formed in the back of my throat. “Excuse me; will you be the new regular drive?”

“Maybe. Step behind the line.”

“Would it be possible if you could wait at that last bus stop until I arrive every weekday morning. I normally always come on time, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“You stupid or what. This ain’t a taxi service.”

“but-“

“Behind the line,” he croaked his gaze focused on the road.

I retired back to my usual seat and winced when the familiar pain sensation over took my heart. Poor Charlie, we had seen each other everyday for the past two year.

The ride to town center was uneventful and I listened to my IPod after sending a text begging my colleague to cover for my lateness. I worked in a large hotel chain, where I took care of the rooms. My life. I rushed of the bus and up the steps of the hotel, and to the check in point. My supervisor was waiting for me.

Mrs. McCartos had a long beak like nose on which her large rimless glasses sat peering down at me from her towering height of six feet two. Her arms folded around her clipboard she sat eyes fixed on my approaching footsteps. On her desk was a small carboard box about half empty with my locker items. I gulped my footsteps heavy until they came to a full stop in front of her.

“Sylvia.”

“Mrs.McCartos I am so sorry I over sleep only so slightly. It was an honest mistake.”

“Yes I am sure it was an honest mistake. Why I swear you must be the most honest person in the whole damn planet with all these honest mistakes you make.”

“I am so truly sorry, It won’t happen again,” I begged pleading her with my desperate tone. From the corner of my eyes I saw one of my colleagues look smugly in my direction before turning away with the rest of the onlookers.

“As honest as your mistakes are Sylvia, you are a liar. You said that six times already. No more. Here are you’re things, you may go.”

“I’ve been working here for almost two years, don’t fire me. Please, I need this job, more than you know. I have four children to support.”

“Here you go, your last pay check for the month, 1,890 thousand. Now go!”

“What only this? Where are the other hundred and ten? Plus my extra time and bonuses?”

“Oh cut the crap Sylvia. Do you not think I’ve notice the connection between the reported missing sums of money and the rooms you’ve cleaned?”

“I-I-“ I stuttered having trouble comprehending what was happening.

“I had half a mind to send you to the police, but the guests never feel a need to press charges. Be gone. Out of my sight.”

“I did because-“

“Security!” she shrilled, and made me scurry backwards after grabbing my box of items. I broke outside into the crisp cold air just as the tears started to flow. I collapsed on the curb of the filthy side walk, needing desperately a place to sit and not having a bench in close enough proximity. I didn’t know what I would do now for money. This place had a particularly good pay that was uncommon for a mere cleaner. Luke would kill me if he knew I lost the job he set me up with. I rubbed my bruised wrist trying to stay warm.

“Silver?” I looked up to see Kelly, on of the maids I worked with, hurry down the steps skittishly and clutching a notebook torn out sheet which she thrust into my face.

“Here. This is the new job opening that appeared in the area. You know the Royal Swan Estate down south east of here? The billion dollar mansion billions of tourist flock to see every year?” she snapped out her words speaking especially quick today with her New York accent creeping up.

“I know the place, but how come you’re-“

“Shut up and listen okay. I don’t want to get fired for helping you out. Go there tomorrow morning at ten, they are interviewing a whole new staff, the owner of the whole billion acres of land suddenly decided to pop back in with his billion dollars of spare cash and they are hiring about a billion maids. I’d go but their want under thirty so I am out.”

“Why is he moving back all of a sudden, didn’t he give that place to the national trust?”

“Look kid, I don’t know, okay? From what the papers say there been some business deal trouble or something. Whatever, a job’s a job.”

“Thanks,” I said holding my golden ticket rereading it.

“Look. You’re a good kid, I hear they pay tons better than here. It looks like you needed some help so you’re my charity case of the year. Just be sure to get the job, I don’t want you to start working the corner anytime soon.” She grumbled and ran back inside.

I sat up, the stream of tear a distant memory and a lighter weight on my shoulders. I caught the bus back home early listening to my Ipod and read my daily horoscope.

Virgo
New path will open you when you’ll need it the most, be sure to grab it great love and fortune awaits you at the end.

I was elated by this horoscope, and neatly cut it up and tucked into the side pocket of my satchel. Horoscopes might be nonsense I admit but they were my daily fix. When positive they gave me hope that something my change for the better. And when they were especially good, I saved them.

In front of me I saw a couple on top of one another basically making out with full rigor. The man nipped the girl’s earlobe and she sighed lustfully into the crevice of his neck. They hungry kisses and greedy clutching hypnotized me and I imagined being in a similar relationship. Hot and fiery, while little restraint.

“What are you staring at pervert?” said the women who caught my wandering eyes. “Gosh, desperate that one. Come on honey let’s go up stairs,” she pulled him up to the second level, and sat feeling pretty stupid. I haven’t had a proper boyfriend in years, and was satisphing my cravings for attention by looking at others.

I arrived back home and the rest of the day continued as normal. I prepped my siblings for school. I slipped on my second uniform. A much shorter plaited black and purple skirt that showed of my slim legs under the thick winter tights and white shirt with black blazer and purple vest dressed me into the Royal’s Girstone’s Private school. All my siblings went to this school, dressed in similar fashion, and we all loved it.

In Girstone’s we were kings and queens compared to at home, it was the other world where we escaped the true reality of life and let others believe we were still as happy and happy as we had been before our father’s death. Our parents had paid the full tuition for our whole years at this school and so we had been able to continue just as before. However Lucy and my eagerness to keep people unknowing of our current situation meant that our once high social position had lowered. We kept to ourselves trying to elude the questions people had. We still were quite well liked even respected, and I was head girl. However we led people to think that we were ice cold and uninterested in them to keep them away. Many thought of as stuck up and arrogant because of this. If they only knew. I didn’t have a huge circle of friends, just a couple close ones that I still kept my distance from.

No one knew our situation and that’s the way we liked it. I dropped of Marie, Jessica, Adam and Lucy in their departments before running into the 6th form area. My appearance had changed considerably. No longer was I the scruffy pale blond that looked like an over worked librarian. I had my hair down and flew behind me as I rushed to rejoin my friends under in the stair case area where we had dragged in benches and even a vending machine.

“Silver!” some one cried, “you look really nice this morning, all smiles. What is making you so happy you sexy beast.” teased Martha, flipping through this month’s Elle magazine.

“Not much,” I sat down and surveyed the group of girls that rearranged themselves to encircle me. “Oh didn’t get time to have my dose of coffee this morning. I am not going to be able to understand what Mr. Crocker tries to tell me this morning.”

“Yeah right,” grumbled Alexandria, scowling at an apple she was holding with discuss in her hand, “Miss I speak fluent Italian, Latin and French. Mr. Crocker loves you, he’s asked you to marry about tons of times already. You might say that they are just conversation examples for the class benefit but, you know he is just trying to express his deep illegal love for you.”

“No way, I am not into anything that has a beard,”

“Why not, it’s all the hotter,” she smirked mischievously.

“Moving on,” I said, grabbing her apple and taking a bite out of it. I was dead hungry because there hadn’t been much left after the kids had had their breakfast. “Who is having a party this weekend?”

“Why do you ask this question every single time. You never come, either way. You’re stupid stepfather won’t let you.” Grumbled Rebecca my closest friend who up until now had been starring at the boy’s basketball team practice threw the blinds of the double doors.

“I am interested, and it’s not my fault.”

“We know, we know.” She said flopping down onto my lap. I tried not to wince as she pressed down on some fresh bruises. “But this time Freddy will be there, and I need you to help me land him. I want him so bad Silver.”

“I can help you in school. Outside of that, no can do.”

“I hate you.” She pouted, “Anyway I got the scoop of the day. Did you know what all the teachers were having a meeting about last week?” she questioned confidently sure we would reply negative. “The same thing the governors had a massive debate about the other day. Any ideas yet, girls?” Again we shook our heads but leaned in towards her as her voice grew quiter and more thrilling.

“No? Well it’s the same thing the secretaries were talking about when I had to drop of something today.”

“Oh bloody hell, Rebecca,” mubbled Martha, “get on with it!”

“This is it, there is going to be a new student arriving at Royal’s, but that’s not just it. He’s rich.”

“Pshhh. We’re all filthy rich here,” cut in Alexandria. I looked away uncomfortable and massaged the bruise on my arm again, “This is a private school, top in the whole country remember. Mr. Crawford reminds us every single assembly.”

“Don’t interrupt. This is different. He’s really rich. Like old money. I don’t know much but his family is relocating from Italy to here. And I managed to sneak a peak at the cover of his student file.”

“And,” I pressed my pulse quickening at the potential a new student brings. “Is he my soulmate?”

“You and your soulmate Silver. Believe it or not his file had a photo of him on the cover, and by God girls. I have seen Cupid himself. Gods really do exist and one is coming to our school.”

“Well what did he look like?” I asked.

“Dead hot, and it was only a portrait but I bet he had a good body.”

“but did he look nice, and friendly and sweet…romanticly dashing.”

“Snap out of your fairytale dream Silver,” groaned Martha, getting a bottle of water out of the machine. “I don’t think there would have been a white horse in that picture.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what friendly looks like. He had tanned skin though and dark brown hair.”

“Anything else?” Alexandria begged, she was just as a romantic as I was. The morning bell rang and we stood up.

“Can’t remember any more, anyway you’ll see him soon, he is due in next week.”

“What was the board arguing about anyways,” I wondered as I parted ways with Alex and Martha, and continued down the hall towards maths with Rebecca.

“Oh, well get this. He’s got a record. Looks like we’re getting ourselves a little bad boy. Meow!” she laughed.