Sequel: On and On ›
The Good Life
Chapter 1
I kept my eyes locked on my wristwatch watching the minutes tick by until I was supposed to be back at the office. My trance was broke by the worker behind the counter; “Miss?” I snapped up and took the bag of scones and tray of coffee from his hands, I thanked him and turned to head to my car but as I turned around I ran into a boy causing him to drop his coffee which landed on my brand new black and white checkerboard converse.
’Shit.’ I thought, and looked up to the eyes of a boy wearing black square glasses, and a baseball cap covering his somewhat wavy hair. He looked down at my shoes and let out a small, barely audible, “Aww man.” He looked up at me and I couldn’t help but smile at the adorable look of sorrow etched on his face. He was gorgeous. “Look I’m really, really sorry I wasn’t paying attention and-” I cut him off, “It’s really okay, I’m late and I’ve got to get going.” He simply nodded, “okay…” he looked at me expectantly, “Oh, Kayden.” I said when I realized he was fishing for my name. “Okay Kayden, I’m really sorry.” I smiled and said, “It’s really alright…” he finished my sentence with, “Joe.” I nodded. “Well Joe it’s really okay and I really got to go.” He replied with, “Bye Kayden, maybe I’ll see you around.” I headed for my car and placed the coffee and scones on the passenger seat. I sat in the drivers seat and began to pat down the pockets of my jeans and jacket and came to the realization that I had forgot my phone…
“Well isn’t my life wonderful.” I muttered to myself as I shut and locked the door and headed back for the Starbucks...
So, you may be wondering just how I got here? Well, I worked my butt off in school and was able to graduate from my high school half-term in December. Over the Christmas break, my Uncle Tripp, who is a music producer, came to visit us from California, he told me about a one year paid internship that was available at the record label he worked for and asked if I was interested. Seeing that I had no idea what I was going to do with my life, I figured, ‘Why not, maybe it’ll be fun.’
So, my dad talked to a realtor and found me a two bedroom one and a half bath duplex near the label. I was to start work on January 7th and was moved in the weekend before. When I flew in and got to my apartment building with my dad there was a brand new black, shiny Mercedes G-Wagon clad with a huge red bow sitting in my side of the driveway.
My hand shot to my mouth and I let out a muffled, “Daaad?” I looked at him with a smile in which he returned with a, “You deserve it, you’ve worked hard.” I ran to him and hugged him, “Thanks Dad! This is amazing.” You see, my dad’s pretty wealthy but he’s never been the one to flaunt it and throw money around, he wanted me to grow up and be responsible, not be a spoiled brat. So this car, wow. He threw me the keys and said, “You better take care of it, you’ll be driving it for a while. “Yes sir” I replied along with a salute. The rest of the day my dad helped me settle into my apartment and then before he left for his 7:30 flight that night he pulled a wrapped package with a bow, “Another one?” He nodded and I took it from his hands, “Don’t open it until I leave,” I nodded and set it on the kitchen table. “Alright dad, promise you’ll visit?” He hugged me, “As often as I can, pumpkin.” I heard his taxi pull up and began to tear up as he released me; he looked me straight in the eyes and said, “She’d be proud of you, you know?”
I simply nodded my head as he kissed my forehead and turned to leave, as he walked down the front steps and turned back to me, “Kayden?” I looked up and met his eyes, “I love you.” I smiled. “I love you too, dad.” He smiled and waved and continued his walk to the taxi. I went inside and shut and locked my door and walked to the present that was laid on the kitchen table. I pulled at the paper and soon it was strewn across the table and I stared down at a 18x20 frame that held my favorite picture of the 'she' my dad had referred to before her left, my mother. Well of course this brought me to tears; I ran my hand across the smooth glass that contained her picture, and the tears began to well up in my eyes.
You see, my mother died in a car accident when I was nine years old, my dad and I were devastated and it’s been just him and I ever since then. I feel bad for him sometimes because I know he gets lonely and as much as I hate to admit it, I know he needs someone in his life other than me, I just don’t know if I’m ready to accept that…
I attempted to dry my eyes and walked into my bedroom, with the picture in my hands and hung it on the wall above my bed. I then collapsed on my bed and fell soon fell asleep, tomorrow was my first day of work and I could only imagine what was in store for me...
’Shit.’ I thought, and looked up to the eyes of a boy wearing black square glasses, and a baseball cap covering his somewhat wavy hair. He looked down at my shoes and let out a small, barely audible, “Aww man.” He looked up at me and I couldn’t help but smile at the adorable look of sorrow etched on his face. He was gorgeous. “Look I’m really, really sorry I wasn’t paying attention and-” I cut him off, “It’s really okay, I’m late and I’ve got to get going.” He simply nodded, “okay…” he looked at me expectantly, “Oh, Kayden.” I said when I realized he was fishing for my name. “Okay Kayden, I’m really sorry.” I smiled and said, “It’s really alright…” he finished my sentence with, “Joe.” I nodded. “Well Joe it’s really okay and I really got to go.” He replied with, “Bye Kayden, maybe I’ll see you around.” I headed for my car and placed the coffee and scones on the passenger seat. I sat in the drivers seat and began to pat down the pockets of my jeans and jacket and came to the realization that I had forgot my phone…
“Well isn’t my life wonderful.” I muttered to myself as I shut and locked the door and headed back for the Starbucks...
So, you may be wondering just how I got here? Well, I worked my butt off in school and was able to graduate from my high school half-term in December. Over the Christmas break, my Uncle Tripp, who is a music producer, came to visit us from California, he told me about a one year paid internship that was available at the record label he worked for and asked if I was interested. Seeing that I had no idea what I was going to do with my life, I figured, ‘Why not, maybe it’ll be fun.’
So, my dad talked to a realtor and found me a two bedroom one and a half bath duplex near the label. I was to start work on January 7th and was moved in the weekend before. When I flew in and got to my apartment building with my dad there was a brand new black, shiny Mercedes G-Wagon clad with a huge red bow sitting in my side of the driveway.
My hand shot to my mouth and I let out a muffled, “Daaad?” I looked at him with a smile in which he returned with a, “You deserve it, you’ve worked hard.” I ran to him and hugged him, “Thanks Dad! This is amazing.” You see, my dad’s pretty wealthy but he’s never been the one to flaunt it and throw money around, he wanted me to grow up and be responsible, not be a spoiled brat. So this car, wow. He threw me the keys and said, “You better take care of it, you’ll be driving it for a while. “Yes sir” I replied along with a salute. The rest of the day my dad helped me settle into my apartment and then before he left for his 7:30 flight that night he pulled a wrapped package with a bow, “Another one?” He nodded and I took it from his hands, “Don’t open it until I leave,” I nodded and set it on the kitchen table. “Alright dad, promise you’ll visit?” He hugged me, “As often as I can, pumpkin.” I heard his taxi pull up and began to tear up as he released me; he looked me straight in the eyes and said, “She’d be proud of you, you know?”
I simply nodded my head as he kissed my forehead and turned to leave, as he walked down the front steps and turned back to me, “Kayden?” I looked up and met his eyes, “I love you.” I smiled. “I love you too, dad.” He smiled and waved and continued his walk to the taxi. I went inside and shut and locked my door and walked to the present that was laid on the kitchen table. I pulled at the paper and soon it was strewn across the table and I stared down at a 18x20 frame that held my favorite picture of the 'she' my dad had referred to before her left, my mother. Well of course this brought me to tears; I ran my hand across the smooth glass that contained her picture, and the tears began to well up in my eyes.
You see, my mother died in a car accident when I was nine years old, my dad and I were devastated and it’s been just him and I ever since then. I feel bad for him sometimes because I know he gets lonely and as much as I hate to admit it, I know he needs someone in his life other than me, I just don’t know if I’m ready to accept that…
I attempted to dry my eyes and walked into my bedroom, with the picture in my hands and hung it on the wall above my bed. I then collapsed on my bed and fell soon fell asleep, tomorrow was my first day of work and I could only imagine what was in store for me...