"I reckon it's high time to throw in the towel for the day. My body is crying out for rest, and the first light of dawn is already peeking through the window." I drag myself through the maze of packages scattered throughout my new dwelling, finally making my way to my room.

 

Collapsing onto the soft mattress, I release a long, exhausted sigh. Ah, sweet relief.

 

Reflecting on the day, I can't deny it has been a real challenge. Relocating to a new city is no simple feat, and if it weren't for my Aunt Natasha's persistent prodding to settle down in Portland, I'd never have even considered it.

 

But what choice do I have? My parents died in a tragic plane crash when I was just a mere four-year-old(which is quite cliché,tbh), and Aunt Natasha has been my sole guardian and mentor, shaping me into the man I am today. It would be callous to disappoint her by refusing her invitation.

 

Why did she want me to join her in Portland, you might ask? Well, the answer is simple: she wants to teach me the ropes of her business so that one day, I can take the reins. And being the dutiful young man I am, I agreed. But honestly, I'm just a high schooler. Can she truly expect me to divert my attention from my studies to take on such a monumental responsibility? Only time will tell, but for now, I must rest. The fatigue is too much to bear.

 

______________________                     

 

Buzzz* 

 

Buzz*

 

The urgency of the situation slammed into me with the force of a freight train as I shut off my blaring alarm and grabbed my phone from its charger. My eyes bulged in sudden, heart-stopping panic as the time flashed on the screen.

 

"Sweet Mary, Joseph, and all the saints!" I cursed under my breath as I leaped out of bed and darted toward the bathroom. I brushed my teeth with lightning speed, then lunged into the shower, letting the scalding water scorch away the last vestiges of sleep from my groggy mind.

 

I wrapped a towel carelessly around my waist and bolted to the next room, racing to retrieve my suitcase packed with clothes. Time was of the essence, and I couldn't afford to keep Aunt Natasha waiting.

 

As I grabbed my suitcase, I paused for a moment, glancing around the vast, empty house that belonged to my aunt. It was situated in the peaceful Mt. Scott - Arleta neighborhood of southeast Portland. At first, the idea of living alone in this colossal home had been a relief, as I had spent most of my life feeling lonely. Don't get me wrong, Aunt Natasha had always been there for me, but she was a woman with her own business to run and couldn't be with me all the time.

 

But now, as I think about it, heart racing, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia for those days when I had Aunt Natasha's comforting presence nearby. However, I pushed the thought aside. I was happy living alone, and Aunt Natasha knew it too. That was why she had moved me to this house so I could finally feel at ease. And for that, I was deeply grateful.

 

I rummaged through my suitcase, searching for a simple outfit for the day ahead. A white shirt and black pants caught my eye, and I dressed quickly, admiring my reflection in the mirror. "Good enough, I guess," I muttered to myself before dashing out of my room.

 

As I descended the stairs, my thoughts were elsewhere, not paying much attention to my surroundings until I reached the living room. My eyes widened in shock at the transformation that had taken place while I was asleep. The clutter of my packages had disappeared, and the previously unkempt furniture had been arranged perfectly. "The fuck, when did this happen?" I exclaimed, unable to fathom what had occurred.

 

I dismissed the idea of a thief cleaning my living room and setting everything up in such an organized fashion. Instead, my curiosity peaked as I caught sight of a woman tending to the flowers outside. She looked to be in her thirties, with striking features and a white top paired with jeans.

 

"Who's she? Did aunt send her?" I asked myself before making my way over to her. As I crossed the living room, I spotted the breakfast spread on the dining table. The variety of food items made my stomach growl.

 

"Excuse me," I called out to the woman, who had her back to me. She turned around, revealing her pretty face, which belied her age.

 

"Good morning, Mr. William. I was just about to head to your room after watering these plants. Should I take you to the dining hall to have breakfast?" She answered politely.

 

I nodded in agreement, but first, I had to know who she was and how my living room had been transformed so suddenly. "Did my Aunt Natasha hire you?" I asked, approaching her.

 

"Certainly. Madam Natasha hired me as a maid for this house and called up some workers to organize the living room this morning, which I helped out with. Is the decoration to your liking, Mr. William?" she replied.

 

I was surprised to hear that my aunt had hired a maid without consulting me, but it wasn't entirely unexpected. "Yes, the decoration seems fine, but did you do all of this while I was asleep?" I asked incredulously.

 

She nodded. "Yes, and don't be surprised. The rooms are soundproof, so you wouldn't have heard anything happening," she explained.

 

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at my aunt's typical behavior. Nonetheless, I was grateful for the transformation of my living room and the prospect of a hearty breakfast.

 

After the kind woman, who introduced herself as the new house maid, served me a hearty breakfast, I spent another thirty minutes going over some paperwork before finally leaving the house. I booked a cab and gave the driver the location where I was supposed to meet my aunt later that day.

 

As the cab pulled up in front of the posh restaurant, I stepped out into the warm morning sun. The crisp air had a hint of perfume as I approached the entrance. Suddenly, a man in a tuxedo appeared before me.

 

"You must be Madam Natasha's nephew," he said, extending his hand for a handshake. "I'm Luther, Madam Natasha's driver. It's nice to meet you."

 

I accepted his handshake with a smile. "William," I introduced myself. "It's also nice to meet you. Is my aunt in the restaurant?"

 

"Yes, she's waiting for you. You should move fast, or Madam will get mad," he warned.

 

"You're right. I should go. Bye, see ya," I said, sprinting off towards the restaurant. It wasn't hard to spot my aunt, who was seated in a corner fiddling with her phone with a bored expression on her face.

 

"Uhhh!!" she shrieked as I covered her eyes with my hands, waiting for her to react.

 

"Ah, William, this isn't funny. Remove your hands now," she scolded.

 

"You figured it out already? I was expecting you to be confused," I teased, chuckling.

 

"You forgot that this lady over here raised you. How can I not know your smell?" she retorted.

 

"Pfftt, hey, that sounded kind of sus, not gonna lie," I laughed, as my aunt removed my hands from her face with her left.

 

"Tsk, you're no fun," I said, pretending to be disappointed, as I took a seat opposite her.

 

"Why are you so late? I waited 20 minutes for you when I have much more important things to do. And why didn't you call me when you reached Portland?" she interrogated me.

 

"Well, you know," I began, thinking of an excuse. After a short pause, I said to her, "When my plane landed, it was 12:30, and there were so many packages to organize that I forgot to call you," sounding sincere.

 

Technically, it wasn't an excuse, but it was partially the reason why I didn't call her.

 

"Humph, you're my nephew. You should have contacted me even though you were busy. Don't you think I should hear the news of your arrival not from the watchman of the mansion, rather from your mouth?" she scolded me, puffing up her cheeks, fixing her beautiful black eyes on mine.

 

I knew she was trying to show herself angry, but she didn't realize she looked even cuter that way.

 

My aunt was a stunning woman in her thirties, yet she looked like a young college girl. She had blonde hair, slim eyes, and beautiful porcelain skin that glowed like an enchanted crystal. It was truly unbelievable for a person like her not to engage in a relationship, yet it was true – my aunt was single.

 

"Okay, I'm sorry. I promise it won't happen again. Look here," I said, about to prostrate myself (which I would never do, just acting) when my aunt's face turned red as people began to gaze at us.

 

"W-William, it's okay. People are watching. Stand up right now," she whispered, embarrassed.

 

I decided not to tease her anymore. I didn't intend to make her cry – I'm not that heartless. I took my seat again with a nonchalant gaze, as if nothing had happened.

 

"Sigh, you haven't changed a bit since I last saw you. Oh right, how was the house? Was it to your liking? I also sent some workers to decorate your place in a professional way," my aunt said.

 

"The house is okay , but isn't it too big for one person to live in it."

 

"Of course, it isn't, and regarding you living alone, i have also assigned a maid to your assistance, did you meet her?" 

 

"Oh , the maid what she's called again? Oh yes, susan , yeah i have met her, but shouldn't you have consulted me first before hiring a maid. You know i prefer living alone"

 

"I'm not taking arguments on this subject, it's a new city and a big house, obviously i will take initiative to take care of your needs and the maid is a perfect example for that." 

 

"But—" 

 

"NO, BUTS" 

 

Natasha , shutting me down looked at her wrist watch before speaking to me.

 

"we are already too late, we should head out?" She grabbing my hand and interlocking with her's she started to drag me outside.

 

"where are we going anyways?" I asked genuinely curious.

 

"To enroll you to your new highschool where i and your father have previously graduated from the Nightshade Private highschool."