A/N: OMG I have never written an authors note before! Wow! Anyway, hi there! Thanks for taking the time to read my work. I actually forgot about this one, it was sitting in my documents for over a year! I went back through it and corrected a few spelling mistakes and whatnot, I also changed it from first person cause I don't generally wrote first person no more. (It feels like its taken forever 😔) Anyway, that's all I had to say (I think?) Thanks again!
Steven walked into work. Today everything seemed to be going so well. He was sure that today would be a wonderful day.
That was, until he heard his father call out to him.
"Steven!"
He turned and looked at him. "What is it?"
"About that assistant that I was looking for for you-"
"What assistant?" Steven asked, confused.
"The assistant for your expedition, of course! Jeez, Steven."
Firstly, Steven had no idea what assistant he was talking about. Secondly, he was a man in his twenties! He was 100% sure that he did not need an assistant to help him to do something he had been doing for years and thirdly, why would his father pick someone who he had never met? Didn't he deserve a say in this? Steven definitely had a bad feeling about this.
"So, I interviewed a bunch of people last week, but I definitely found the perfect one. With my skills in interviewing I picked the perfect boy for you."
Now that line just sounded creepy.
Steven rubbed his temples. "Ok, when is he going to be here? And anyway, why do I even need an assistant?"
"You aren't getting any younger, Steven."
Really? Not even twenty seven and needing an assistant…
"And he will be here any minute now" his father finished. "Isn't that great?"
Hardly.
"Well, I will see you around." He walked over to the stairs.
Okay.
"This couldn't be bad, right?" he murmured to himself.
"Hi Mr. Stone" said one of the receptionists. "Are you here to meet your new assistant?"
"Hang on… you knew that I was getting an assistant?"
"Of course, your father, Mr Stone, has been looking for quite some time."
"And I was the only one who didn't know. Great."
She laughed nervously. "Well, he is here now."
"Who?"
"Your new assistant."
"Right, of course. Well, I better get this over and done with."
"Right this way." She walked over to the waiting area.
Steven followed her to the waiting area. A young looking teen with jet black hair and the brightest ruby eyes he had ever seen looked up at him.
Steven stepped back, feeling cautious. He wasn't sure what to expect. He hadn't even met him formally.
"Hi Steven, I am Ruby." He held out his hand.
"Hi Ruby" Steven replied curtly, politely ignoring his hand. "Thanks for coming all this way, but you aren't needed. Good luck finding another position-"
"Hey! I didn't come all this way to be fired!"
"Hm, you know what?" he seethed, leaning down to the teens level. "I didn't ask for an assistant, let alone some teenage brat who is too small to even do half the work I do."
The receptionist smiled awkwardly. "Well, I am glad that this is going well, but… I have to go." She walked away.
Ruby chuckled. "Even your receptionist thinks this is going well."
"You're still fired."
"I have already signed a contract that only your father can fire me."
Steven's eyes narrowed. "You know, I am going to go and see him about that." Steven turned and quickly walked away. What a brat! He didn't like him and he had been in the teens presence for two minutes. There was no way he was going on a three month expedition with that brat.
He suddenly felt something heavy hit him in the back and he fell face first to the ground. "Uff-" he gasped, feeling the air escape him, leaving him slightly winded.
"No! You can't!"
"Wh-what?" he looked over his shoulder. The brat had tackled him in his place of work. How irritating.
Everyone was staring.
Steven felt his face heat up. "What are you doing? Get off me!" he snapped.
"No. I am sorry."
"Get off!"
Ruby got off him, sitting next to him. "So-sorry."
He sat up. "You… ugh…" he shook his head.
"Steven?"
He looked at the large ruby eyes, thin brows were knotted.
"Please don't fire me."
Steven sighed, head in his hand. "Were you lying about the contract?"
"Yes."
He sighted. "Why on earth did you tackle me?"
"I panicked. I want this job. I want…" he blushed.
Steven tilted his head to the side. "Hm?"
"I just really wanted a chance to work with you" he blushed, looking down.
"You… wanted to work… with me?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
He sighed. "I don't need an assistant."
"How about I carry all your stuff."
"I wouldn't wish that on you." Maybe he did since the brat had tackled him. He chuckled darkly to himself.
The teens small hands lightly gripped Steven's broad shoulders, ruby eyes looking straight into his. "Please… please! Let me go on the expedition with you."
Steven sighed. "Fine. We will leave tomorrow at seven from mine."
He nodded. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
He nodded. "Okay. Go home for now. You know my address? I don't live with my father."
He shook his head.
"Ok." He passed him the business card. "My address."
"Thank you Steven."
He nodded, wanting to get rid of the kid. "Ok Ruby. Thanks for coming in today."
He grinned. "No problems." He stood up.
Steven stood up and shook his hand. "See you tomorrow."
"See you then, Steven." He turned and practically skipped out of the building.
That had been too much of a trip for Steven, who now wanted nothing more than to go home.
The receptionist from before looked at him. "I thought you were leaving this afternoon?"
"I am."
"Steven!"
"I don't want him around."
"That is horrible."
Steven shrugged. "I don't feel bad about this."
"Okay. If he calls here tomorrow-"
"Tell him I left due to an emergency."
"Okay."
"Well, I am going home. I can't be bothered staying here today."
"All good. Your father is in meetings all day anyway."
He nodded. "Okay. Thank you." He walked outside the building. He was glad he was leaving early. He would able to grab his already packed bags and head to the port.
…
He locked the door, having second thoughts about this. Did he want to leave the kid behind?
Well, absolutely! He wasn't letting someone who knew nothing about rocks and stones go with him! That was ridiculous, and would just be a hindrance.
He taped a note to the door.
Sorry, left early due to emergency
Thank you for your application, and I hope that you are successful in the future.
Steven Stone
Emergency, or urgency?
Well, he had already wrote emergency, so he supposed that would do.
He grabbed his bags and made his way to the port, a good thirty minute walk.
"Ah, hello Steven. You are early."
"Yes. I thought I would catch the last ship out."
"Sorry my friend, you are five minutes late."
"What?" he felt his heart sink.
"But that is fine. The first boat out tomorrow is ten past seven, then thirteen twenty-"
"I need to be on the ten past seven ship."
"Well, there is space, so you are in luck. I will have you in cabin thirteen."
"Thirteen? Luck? Really?"
"It's our last room."
"I will take it."
He nodded. "Okay."
He couldn't believe it. How unlucky.
"Well, Steven, you can stay here tonight. Room two." He passed me a key.
"Thank you."
"Saves you having to go back home."
He nodded, resigned. "True. Thanks."
"No problems. See you tomorrow."
He couldn't believe that he had missed the last ship out. He was kicking himself! What if Ruby caught up? Well, caught on? Now he could be found out. What if Ruby caught on to him leaving early and found him here?
He sighed. It would be okay. He was sure of it. Ruby didn't seem the bright type.
He opened the door to his room and walked inside. Well, at least he was going to catch the earliest ship out.
