Chapter 3: Chapter 3
Today is finally Monday after a long day of Sunday rest. I can't shake the feeling that today is just going to be weird. I think that email was just a junk email and I'm reading too much into it but I also can't stop thinking about that girl. I know what you think but it's not what you think. I mean who is she? A girl who sits behind a computer screen and gets her food paid for and it doesn't even look like she works. Her brother on the other hand to whom I made a short acquaintance with when I tripped over the stairs looked like he was financially stable.
I get it now. She's a trust fund kid. Living off her parents money who is so filthy rich I bet they even own the restaurant I work at. Oh well, can't really dwiddle much into it. To be honest, I haven't been sleeping well last night so I'm kind of tired still. How tired am I? Well let's just say that I woke up before my alarm and I haven't slept since.
It's 9:00 AM and it's finally time for me to get up and get dressed for work. I got a text message earlier asking if I can help out in the mornings by Sal. Normally, I'm not up these early during the weekdays but I figure I could give him a hand. I'm just going to approach this like any other day and work like a regular worker from here on out. I can't have just one email dictate how I'm going to feel for the rest of the week. I have bills to pay. I bet it was Sal sending me that email. He's just trying to play a trick on me. That's gotta be it.
I biked my way towards work to help with the opening and prepping for lunch. I got there before anyone else.
I'm so tired.
I made my way towards the office and picked up the clipboard that was on Sal's desk. Looks like Michael is working with me today but only until 2 PM. Not too bad. I don't think Sal gets in until lunch rush anyways. It should be more than enough help.
I heard a door open behind me and walking in was Michael. He's a pretty average kid, student, short black hair, I wouldn't say that he's handsome or ugly, but I guess I could say he probably has a girlfriend. I really don't talk to my co-workers about their personal life.
"Morning" Michael said to me
"Yo. I got the clipboard here, it looks like most of the vegetables and meats will arrive in about 30 minutes so whenever that gets here I can start cutting and prepping them. Can you handle the dough for the first round?"
"Sure"
I yawned.
"You must have had a pretty crazy night last night." Michael said with a smirk
"I couldn't get any sleep" I replied
"Oh. I see how it is" he laughs
"It's not like that you punk" I was getting ready to throw some of the cheese that was just in front of me. I wasn't annoyed, I was just being playful. It's not every day I get to hang out with people around my age you know.
While I was preparing some of the toppings and getting the crust out of the way I was just staring off into space. I couldn't help but think about how my life would be. It bothers me because I'm always thinking about this, about regret, really just about anything.
Maybe there's something wrong with me? I don't know. It feels like I have been very apathetic lately and all I'm doing is working at a pizza parlor to make ends-meet. I guess I could phone home but I don't feel like talking to my parents again.
"Hey we got that order for 12:30 PM coming in" yelled Michael from the kitchen. I made my way to the front a little earlier to get the counter all warmed up for us to begin placing our food and heating up the ovens so the pizzas can start cooking as soon as lunch rush starts coming in.
Right. The 12:30 PM delivery. I didn't do anything to deserve this right? I still think about the email that I got the other night. The words kept repeating in my head. What am I going to do? What if I got there and it was nothing but a trick? But on the other hand, what if I'm being stalked? Someone must hate me and just wanna play these kinds of tricks on me.
I looked near the front of the restaurant and I could see a picture of the founder and previous owner of the place, Frank Bruno. Sal's dad. Frank's picture was just his face but you could have seen a look of confidence in his eyes probably saying "This pizza joint is going to be the best in town". Sal once told me that when he was younger, his dad wanted a place for him and his friends to hang out since his mother didn't like that his dad and his friends were always coming around making a mess in the house. Coincidentally enough, one of his friends which I believe was the one who helped finance the place in the beginning gave him the idea of this place. And here we are.
Bruno's Pizza.
Speaking of Sal, he usually comes in a little earlier than scheduled so I think he should be here by now. It's about 11 AM.
I went into the back and as soon as I got into the kitchen, Sal came through the back entrance.
"Oh hey Sal" I welcomed him
"Hey, kid" he replied. "Sorry for making you come out this early. I must have forgotten that you asked for the day off today and I was busy scrambling schedules. I just had to ask you last minute to come in the morning before you take off."
Wait. what?"
"What do you mean?" I asked him all confused.
"You texted me over the weekend asking if you were still off Monday. And I was confused. So I dug through my emails cause you mentioned you sent an email and sure enough I found it! I guess I also made a mock schedule but I forgot to get someone to cover the morning so that's why I texted you."
I'm still confused.
"Okay.." I just said to him.
"Don't worry, it looks like you're just scheduled for 12:30 and it looks like you're off then. Can you take the bike this time? You don't have to drive back if you don't want to."
Well it's not that hot today. So I sat there and thought about it.
"Okay sure, I guess I could do that."
My shift ends at 12:30 PM. A coincidence? I don't think not! I have a bad feeling about this and it feels like it's going to end with me dying or something.
It's 12 PM and I pack up the cheeze pizza and a cola in a nice secure bag so it still feels fresh when I get it out. I guess I'll take the bag home since we have tons at work and I'm sure Michael using the car for deliveries will be easier than a bloody bike.
It's actually not that bad today and it was probably only like a 15 minute bike ride since I was able to cut through traffic and take shortcuts I normally wouldn't take when I'm driving a car.
15 minutes later and I'm outside the Hatterfield Apartments. I went up to the gate and I entered the code to unlock it and I made my way upstairs and then straight down passed a few other apartments.
This is just a trick I am saying to myself. I then became aware that I wasn't paying attention the whole time so I decided to quickly turn around and look towards the stairs to make sure no one was following me. I placed the pizza and the drink down and I knocked on the door. I left. At least that's what I normally do. I began to walk down the stairs and my cell phone started to vibrate. I wonder if it's Sal calling me to bring back the bag. Hah. I don't think so.
It's a text message from an unknown number.
Are you going to come in?
That's what the message read and my heart just sank. Is this really real? I walked back up a couple steps and I stared at the door with the pizza still outside. There is no way. I looked around to see if anyone was playing any tricks on me but I didn't see anyone suspicious. My phone vibrated again.
Just take the pizza and bring it in.
Oh. My. God. This is it. I'm going to die. I'll have to comply now. They are watching me. I walked back to the door and I picked up the pizza and the drink. I checked to see if the door was unlocked. It is. I slowly turned and pushed the door open and it's creaking. Making noises. Has it always been like this? My heart is rushing and I don't know what to do. I'm committed now. I walked inside and I closed the door behind me. I see the counter and I placed the pizza just how I did the last time I was here.
I see her sitting there. The same girl from before. This time she's wearing something different but it still looks like it came from the 18th century Victorian age or something. I can hear her typing something and she's really fast. She finally turns around.
Yup. She's pretty. I wasn't imagining things last time I was here. She had long straight purple hair that went down to her chest and her black gothic dress supplements her beauty. I need to stop looking.
"What took you so long?" She asked me.
"Wait just a second, were you the one texting me and sent that email?" I asked back. She just looked at me weirdly and didn't respond until a few seconds later.
"Yup, that was me. I also did a trick to get your schedule cleared for today."
"Wait what. So I really didn't ask off today?" I'm still pretty confused.
"Yup. I did all that so you can come here."
"And for what purpose?"
"I could use a guy like you"
Now I'm legitimately scared, confused, and the rush of regretness is coming back to me. My flight or fight is about to kick in and I need to do something. But really, I just stood there frozen while she kept talking and I couldn't answer back.
"For what?" I asked weakly.
She turned around and pointed at one of her computer screens. She was reading something and stopped.
"So you wanted to be an actor or should I say were an actor before you started working at Bruno's?"
"Where did you get that information?"
"Oh kid, I'm good at what I do. With just simple commands I can find information about anyone, anything, you know the whole universe probably."
I doubt it.
I walked closer to her computer screen and I can see random information about me. My birth date and I could see a copy of my birth certificate. What the hell!
"Is that my birth certificate?" I asked her
"Yup. Once you know how to get into the medical database you can pretty much grab anybody's certificates. Birth, death, you name it."
"That's illegal! This is my private information."
"Quit your yapping. Everything is okay. You gave me permission."
"No I didn't!"
"Well you will soon."
What.
She started typing again and I see many different monitors doing many different things. Is this girl a hacker? What is she planning on doing with me. What does she want? Do I need to stand here?
"So.. Is your name Cleo? Like from the email." I nervously asked her.
"Sure."
Is she being for reals right now?
"Just give me a minute. I'll have to do something soon."
"Like how soon?"
"Like now."
I heard the front door open and to my surprise it's the same man I bumped into last week! I believe this is her brother. He looked right at me.
"This delivery boy again? What did you do this time?" he looked at her when asking the question.
"Don't worry about him," She replied. "What do you need this time?"
"I'm working a case and the defendant I know is guilty for sure but the evidence is being pointed to not guilty and I need your help."
"What are you lazy?"
"Just help me out here. I believe she's lying about her expenses and she's been wandering off hours at a time. I can't use any of my resources at the moment because my hands are tied up. Here's the information about the person."
He handed her a piece of paper. And here I am just standing here like I'm a nobody while they do what they are doing. I wonder what the brother does. Is he a detective? A lawyer? I have this really tall guy in a nice black suit standing in front of me talking about a case.
I began hearing her fast typing again and just less than a minute later she gave him some updated info.
"Yup. I can see that she's spending some money from a credit card and tracked some of her latest movements to some motel just outside of town. I'll have someone from my network follow her around and will update you accordingly. You are right. She's guilty."
"What is she guilty of?" I asked the both of them
"She murdered her husband" they both replied together.
Say what. Now they're solving murders now? What the hell is going on here.
"Thanks. Keep in touch." He said
"Yeah. Sure"
I just nodded and didn't say a word. He left the apartment and now standing in this room it's just me and her sitting down on her chair. She didn't even move and somehow was able to find information about a lady with minimal effort? What movie am I in? Am I being tricked still? Is this a reality TV show? Someone please help me.
"So who was that guy"? I asked. "I know he's your brother but what is he?"
"That's Gerald. He's my older brother. Think he's some big shot lawyer now that he's working as a partner at one of the biggest firms in America." She scoffed.
"He's an interesting character. So what is it that you do, Cleo? I mean do you really just sit here? All Day? Like…. She cuts me off.
"NO! And before you go any further, yes I do go outside. I don't stay cooped up in here all the time. You don't know me. And you won't ever know me. All you need to know is that you're going to be working for me now."
"What do you mean working for you? And what if I refuse?"
"I'll just leak everything about you to your family back in the Midwest. Apparently, you never told your parents about your acting career and how you stooped too low to work at a pizza place?"
"Why you…" I began to get furious. "Why would you do such a thing. That would break my mother's heart."
"You're the one that's lying to them. Now come on Simon. We got work to do. Everything about your precious life is right here in front of me. Don't make me use it."
"So you want to black mail me?"
"I wouldn't call it that. Let's just call it collateral."
"Collateral, my ass! What will I get in return?"
"I'll make you a deal. You help me with this thing and I'll help you with you landing another paid acting gig in a film. Let me put an emphasis on paid and film. Then I won't leak any of your information."
"A paid film? How would you manage that?" I asked but still cautious about the whole thing.
"You don't need to worry about that kid. I have everything under my control. We will meet someone at the park not far away from here. We can walk. I would assume you rode your bike? Have you ever fit two people on a bike?"
"Yeah once when I was a kid"
"Good thing, we're not taking the bike."
"Who are we going to meet and what are we going to talk about?"
"You asked a lot of questions. It's getting annoying."
"Girl, you brought me in here of course I got questions. And I got more of them!" I yelled back at her.
"You need to calm down before I'll kick your ass."
I laughed.
"You are like 5'2. I'm pretty certain I can take you."
"Just go outside. I'll be out in 5 minutes. NOW!"
She turned back around to her computer monitors typing away and I decided to go outside. What am I doing with my life. But she did offer me a paying gig if I help. I wonder if it's going to involve ground work and following someone around like she told her brother. I'm in a really bad spot. I need the money I should be working. I better get paid for this. I got nothing else to do with my life. What do I have to lose?
She finally comes out the door, still dressed the same but this time with an umbrella in her hand. So I don't know what she needed the 5 minutes for.
"Okay kid, we're going to Cheshire Park. It's about a 5 minute walk east. We'll meet one of my contacts there about this job I'm going to need your help with."
"Excuse me, but I've been here not even 20 minutes and I still have no idea what is going on."
"Don't you worry about it. I'll explain when we get there." She then opened the umbrella and began walking down the stairs.
Sigh…
Guess I'll follow her to whatever Hell she's taking me to.
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