Chapter Thirty Eight - I Want To See You
He was Almost Absorbed by the System
"I think I should come over and visit you now."
"Seriously?"
"I want to see you as well."
"...."
The chance meeting turned marriage meeting had ended due to North receiving an overloaded elevators worth of work and Kez needing to return home to potentially a life time of being floored(*1). But before they had all gone their separate ways, Savannah had pestered Shang into sharing all of her personal contact details and Savannah was not shy about using them; "Have you created any new music tracks recently?" "Can I listen to them first?" "I want to come and see where you live!"
Shang had been reluctant at first, offering short responses; "Yes." "No." "Why?" However under the pressure of the intense whirlwind like hellion that was Savannah, Shang had slowly opened up to the young woman, though they still only communicated via text. To Savannah, Shang represented something exciting, new and different and everything that Savannah wasn't allowed to be. Her simple, understated room within her parents house now looked uninviting and cold. Her friends were polite and boring, the music playing within the background of the fashion retail house where she worked was lame. And her own wardrobe was no muted and plain, she could cry.
"Where do the clothes that you and Wish wear come from?"
"Ground Markets. They are mostly secondhand clothes that have been redesigned."
"Really?! So they once looked like things I wear?"
"Probably, except the knitted stuff. That's more likely from reclaimed wool."
"Do you know people who redesign things?"
"I've met one or two."
"Think they can redesign all of my clothes?"
"???"
"I think I should come over and visit you now."
"Seriously?"
"I want to see you as well."
"...."
"You can play me your latest tracks!"
****
While Savannah was attempting to slip out of the house with a dozen or so outfits (her mother was attempting to get her to rethink her engagement, as surely that nice actor Dante Night would make a better match, it's not just because he is my favourite actor or anything...), Kez was at home, lying stomach down upon his bed attempting to study.
He had not received the expected punishment, thanks to the quick wits of Xavier. The young man had taken him home, via Leilei's place so he could get changed into his boy clothes. His male appearance had startled Xavier at first, for as much as he looked like a girl when he dressed up as Wish, there was somehow no denying he was male when he did not.
As they had approached the apartment door, Xavier had blurted out; "I honestly thought you were a Grounder like Leilei."
"Hmm," Kez had simply replied, his nose wrinkled slightly. "My parents are typical Mid-Levellers. So..."
"Understood," Xavier had smiled. He knew of that sort. His neighbours were all that sort.
The verbal barrage had come from the moment his thumbprint unlocked the door. "Where have you been? Do you know how worried I was? While you were galavanting around, who knows where and your father being of no help, not one message, not one call! Have you forgotten that you have exams this month coming?"
Kez had simply hung his head, finding his feet more of interest than her words. As she had finally took a breath, Xavier had interceded. "Oh, I am sorry, it's my fault!"
Mrs Manning has taken a long look at the older boy, her eyes sliding from the top of his unruly curls to the casual footwear upon his feet. "And you are?"
"I am Xavier Ben Forest, I am an I.T. Technician for First Entertainment," he had slipped his handheld from his pocket, revealing the I.D. it held. The woman had looked at it for a moment and softened her opinion of him. "I met Kez during his school festival and I was impressed with his abilities. I asked him to join me today to meet some colleagues of mine. They were most impressed by Kez. I guess we ended up losing track of time." A good lie ought always to have a splash of truth in it. He allowed the woman to gather her own ideas in regards to his colleagues.
"Oh, how generous of you," she had smiled, warmly. "Thank you for that and for bringing him home. Say thank you, Kez!"
"Thank you," Kez had parroted, a hint of amusement in his tone, causing Xavier to blush.
Mrs Manning had then insisted on seeing Xavier out. "Oh, by the way, have you ever met any celebrities, such as Rush Haven, while working at that company?" Her cheeks had been slightly flushed as she asked. Xavier had just stammered something appropriate as he had watched Kez snickering behind her.
The memory of Xavier's face in that moment had Kez chuckling once more to himself. His tablet chimed indicating that he had received a message.
I miss you.
Heat spread throughout his cheeks and descended to his neck and collarbone. Rush had taken to sending Kez messages everyday from greeting him first thing in the morning to wishing him pleasant dreams at night. He constantly reminded Kez that their meeting each other was not a dream and would not become just a sweet memory. The actor really did seem interested in him beyond his video's as Wish, but it didn't stop the doubts; what did a world famous man, who could wed anyone he wanted, see in a mid-level boy, who pretended to be a Grounder, like him? He wished he could just gaze into the other man's eyes and obtain... what answers? Peace of mind? He wasn't sure. But he hadn't met with Rush since that day as he had had to go to a neighbouring sector to record scenes for an upcoming drama series.
I want to see you. He typed and sent before he could change his mind and delete the thought.
Soon, my love.
****
The news regarding the cancelled engagement caused a fluster of speculations, gossips and curious crowds of fans and reporters to gather in the bridges and corridors surrounding the entrance to First Entertainments numerous floors. In his statement, Rush had simply advised the media that while Honor was a lovely woman, it would not be fair to marry her when his heart held another. "I wasn't wrong to agree to an engagement with the intent of marriage, I had not met that other person then, but it would be wrong to continue with the agreement with someone I can never truly care for, with someone I cannot share my life with, with someone I cannot give children. It would not be fair to the person who I married and it would not be fair to the person who I truly wish to marry. I can only apologise to Honor and hope she forgives me."
As usual, his words gave pause to many couples within their homes who had been reconsidering their lives in hindsight, some realised that their 'neighbour tower was taller(*2)' attitude was unproductive and some realised that they really did marry the wrong person and looked at ways to quietly divorce. Several engagements were broken and others, that were originally rejected due to family pressure, were formed. The Matchmakers sent messages of complaints to First Entertainment and Rush's manager, but the Chairman and Vice-Chairman both turned to them and stated that they would rather their Star Entertainer be happy, just as he worked hard, with all of their other actors, to bring forth great entertainment and make others happy.
With several thousand attempts to discover who the mystery bride of the beloved actor was, from reporters to gossipy makeup artists, from other actors to the assistants who supply the coffee questioning Rush, North and even a very unhappy Honor. The man and his beloved had to lie low. Of course this was easier to do so for Kez. The only hints about him were from speculations of the cafe patrons who had seen him talking to two Grounder girls. In fact, most even assumed the older, blond girl was the person in question.
But this situation meant that he was still unable to see Rush for over two months. His exams were now over and despite the distractions, he felt he had still done very well in them. The final week of school seemed endless as far as all of the students were concerned, all looking forward to the break before another year of school or the first of college began and stole their freedoms. Kez was carefully clearing out his locker and was thinking about where to hide his canvases and music boxes (for he made a second with a little humanoid with pointed fur ears and a bushy fur tail clashing cymbals together. It was inspired by a Grounder's pet.) from his mum, when he received the message.
Meet me at the train station after school.
Sadly, it was not from Rush.
Author's notes;
(*1)floored in this case means the same as being grounded. If they were to say he was being grounded, it would probably mean that he was being exiled to the lowest floors!
(*2)neighbour tower was taller means grass is greener on the other side, things that someone doesn't have always looks better than what they have.
I know this chapter is a little shorter than the others. I have a lot to say and haven't completely worked out how to say it all!