The Thin Line

Chapter 5: Let’s get started.

It was another 20 minutes before we reached the main house. And let me tell you- It's huge.

During that short time period I learned that Jim- who I am calling Jimmy from now on- is 19. I wasn’t so off on the whole 'under 20' thing. He likes the color black, hates Brown.

What a coincidence my last name happens to be Brown.

He's been working for the Canterbury family since he was fresh out of High School. Says its great and he loves it. But his face wasn’t convincing me. His whole family works for them including his little sister, Ana.

The one thought that crossed my mind was: Typical family, typical names.

Not Skarleth, or Clay and their funky names. No. I refuse to think of home.

When Jimmy asked me why I was here I said that I needed the money (which I really do), then shrugged and said bad economy. He seemed to believe me.

After he helped me set my bags right on the front steps of the house the big twin doors swung open. The lady from the video came out and following her in a orderly line were three girls wearing maid outfits. They must be my co-workers.

Ms. Manning stepped right in front of me and gave me a short nod, which I took as a greeting.

"Ms. Brown I presume?"

"Ms. Manning"

"Yes. Well let's get your bags on up to your new room" she instructed the girls behind her, "and you will come see me when you are settled in to talk about your contract, yes?"

"Sure" I smiled at her. She didn’t smile back instead she pressed her lips into a tighter line, turned around and walked back inside. Geez, what got shoved up her ass?

The girls came down and each one took a bag and went back inside. They were quiet and swift, but I did notice a girl wave at Jimmy as she was closing the door

My oh my, Jimmy got game!

“Whose she?" I asked. He was caught off guard, "whose who?"

"Don’t play dumb Jimmy! I saw the girl wave at you" I teased him.

"Oh. Her... she's Ana's best friend" he said kicking an imaginary rock.

"And?" I prompted.

"She has a crush on me" he said turning a light shade of pink.

"And?" I asked, seeing how much I could get out of him. “and I may have the smallest crush
on her" he finally managed to spit out. I smiled.

"Well I'll keep an eye out for her, okay, to see it she might happen to let anything slip about you." I told him as I made my way up the stairs. He mumbled something. I reached the top of the stairs and turned to face him, "or is it that your small crush isn’t important enough for me to put in a good word about you?"

He seemed shocked? "n-no...Ok it’s not that small of a crush more like medium sized- practically the size of a continent." he said blushing a darker shade of pink. I smiled, I didn’t expect him to spill so much. He seemed taken aback by me smiling.

Freaking him out is so much fun.

"Don’t worry; your continent crush is safe with me." I said, he smiled and I stepped inside.

Holy…Ships. I’ve stepped into a castle. The lobby was as big as my school’s gym, if I eyeballed it. The floor was made out of what looked like marble. In front of me was a continuing hallway. At the sides of that hallway were tow big spiraling staircases, the kind that you see in movies and only hear about in stories. They led to a second floor which seemed to be more insanely decorated.

I looked around. There were ferns and orchids carefully placed on the floor. Attached to the ceiling seemed to be three of the world’s most gorgeous chandeliers. I felt my jaw hang open as I took it all in.

I jumped as a voice began to talk, “As breathtaking as it is Miss, Ms. Manning if waiting for you further down the hallway”

I turned to the source of the voice to see a familiar looking face, “Ana? Jimmy’s little sister?” I asked. She carefully nodded her head.

Wow. This girl must’ve gotten her looks from her mom ‘cause she is just so cute! With her little blonde curls bouncing when she moves her head, and her porcelain skin! wow- she looks like a keepsake doll in her maid outfit!

I stuck out my arm, “Hi I’m LaVaughn but you can call me Violet.”

She took and shook my arm, but she didn’t let go. “I know” she said as she began to pull me down the never-ending hallway. Wait. Where am I going?

“Sorry, I know this is oh-so rude, but we cannot keep Ms. Manning for long!” she said as she turned a corner. The flooring turned from marble to wood paneling,

“But I haven’t settled in, or even seen my room” I said as I tried to keep up with her, and not trip. As my computer knows, I have the world’s worst balance.

“Its ok, I’ve told the girls to put your stuff in our room” she stopped in front of a door with an empty gold plate in the middle of it. She turned to face me, “It’s a test to see how fast and able you are to get ready and report for duty.” She fluffed my hair, smiled at me then opened the door, pushed me inside, and closed the door.

I was in an old fashioned office, staring at Ms. Manning as she wrote down some things.
That was so quick and I have so many questions. I made this weird gawking noise.

Ms. Manning looked up at me, cocking an eyebrow she asked, “Well aren’t you going to come over here to sign your contract?”

I didn’t move. I couldn’t move- this is one intimidating lady.

“I assure you, its nothing binding. After all you are just a minor.”

“Yes, Miss” I said, shuffling over to her desk. She brought out a flimsy looking packet, and paced a pen on top of it.

“Sign here.” she pointed to an ‘X’ followed by a line, “ it states that you will follow this house’s rules and regulations, that you are also to work for the time that you are here. Which would be until fall when you resume your studies correct?”

I nodded my head as I picked up and uncapped the pen. I sure hope that I’m not signing my soul over to the devil, or this sea witch.

God, I have got to stop watching ‘The Little Mermaid’!

“Yes, just sign there.”

I mentally rolled my eyes. I signed it anyways, and I took my time making a squiggly line over it, what all official looking signatures have.

She crunched up her nose.

Hate waiting do you? Well I already found the biggest button to push for Ms. Manning and its only my first day here. If she were to be a teacher, she’d be murdered on her first day.

“Perfect.” She grabbed the packet from me, “now I just have to sign here to officially seal it.”

She said flipping to another page of the packet, pen already in hand.

A swift knock came at the door, then a maid from earlier came in. It was Jimmy’s continent size crush.

Aww- so cute

“Ms. Manning the Lords family is to be arriving soon” she said, her hands were wringing the apron she was wearing.

"Lord"?

“Oh dear,” Ms. Manning said, standing up she dropped my contract into a cabinet, locked it with a key and took the key with her. Whoa- security much?

Half way to the door Ms. Manning turns to face me, “LaVaughn, your first task is to mop the floors of the west wings entrance den.” She paused for a moment, “you do know how to mop floors, do you not?”

I lifted my arms and let them drop hitting my thighs; it made a slight slapping noise, “uh…yeah sure”

Her mouth turned into a thin line before she gave me a nod and left her office. Great, now to find a mop, a bucket and the West Wings entrance den. What in hell is an entrance den?!

I walked out of Ms. Manning’s office and down the hallway that I had come in from. Luckily, I passed a door labeled supply closet. A mop and bucket were inside, it was those big yellow ones that school janitors use. And it was labeled ‘West Wing Only’ so I’m on track.

I got out of the supply closet lugging the big yellow thing, and asked a manservant that was scurrying by, carrying white folded towels, where the West Wing entrance den was. He said that it’s the West Wings lobby and that if I went to the main doors and made a left, went behind the stairs into a separate hallway. I’d meet a side door and that would be West Wing’s lobby, I mean entrance den. I thanked him and went on my way.

I made it to the main lobby, the ones with the amazing twin spiraling stairs. I stopped right in front of the main doors and made an ‘L’ shape with both my hands.

Okay so West is that way, to my left! Ha- this house is that confusing!

I picked up the handle of the bucket that had the mop inside of it. I heard a clicking sound before I was shoved to the floor by something hard and strong, taking my big yellow bucket down with me. Its contents spilled all over the floor and me.

I growled. I happen to really like this shirt.

I pushed myself up and turned to look at the perpetrator. In the doorway stood the hottest guy I have ever seen bastard!