Miles glared at the open road ahead of him. "I'll drop you off at Jackson's," he told Jesse. "And pick you up when I can."
Jesse looked just as mad as his older brother. They each had their reasons, though. Miles didn't see the point in a job, nor did Jesse see the point in a team. He'd much rather sulk in his room. "And what should I tell them?"
"How about the truth?!" Miles snapped. "That our parents want me to get a job, and you to do something productive."
"Well, don't have to get like that about it. I just figured, we haven't told them the truth yet, why start now?" Jesse's voice was every bit as angry as Miles's.
"Do you blame me for that?" Miles demanded. "Was that a shot?"
Jesse shook his head. "I don't know who I blame."
"Do you wanna know who I blame?" asked Miles. "I blame the world. And whatever force it is, higher or lower, that causes death."
Jesse looked away as he remembered his father's words: "Miles is a good man to talk to since he understands what you're going through, but don't take his advice, or you'll never be happy."
"People are meant to die," Jesse said quietly.
"BORN TO DIE?!" Miles exclaimed, his voice raised. "Then life is meaningless! All we reach for, strive for is dark and empty! That's why you're wrong!"
"Then what?" Jesse pressed.
Miles paused. In his mind he was thinking of things he'd never thought of before, asking himself a question he'd never known had existed. After thinking, he said, "Then there must be a higher power, a supernatural being who has a purpose for us."
Jesse knew well that Miles wasn't a religious person, so he knew that the idea that he'd just stated was new to him. And because it was new, Jesse didn't press further for answers.
Miles dropped his brother off and then drove away, promising to be back as soon as he could. Then he drove into the city, where he looked for ideas for somewhere to start looking for work. He passed a Best Buy and saw a Help Wanted sign and figured that'd be a good place to start. He pulled into the parking lot, parked the truck, and then walked in. He went up to a worker and asked who he should speak to about a job. The guy led him to the back and walked up to the manager.
"This guy says he's here about a job," the worker told her. Then he left and the girl looked at Miles.
She stuck out her hand. "I'm Shannon."
Miles took it. "Miles."
"How old are you?"
"22."
"Do you lift weights?"
"No, but I am fairly strong. My dad has a farm, and-"
"Ah, a farm boy, are you? They're the best. You can work in the warehouse. You start now, if you want."
"Don't I need to fill out an application or something?"
The girl looked from side to side, then down. Then she took a few steps closer to Miles so that they were standing close together and said quietly, "Applications are for places that can afford to cut people. We need all the help we can get. Do you do drugs?"
"No."
"Do you smoke?"
"No."
"Drink?"
"Um… a little… sometimes."
She smiled. "Honest, too. But that's OK, because you're over 21. Do you have a criminal record?"
"No."
"Then that's all I need to know. Can you start working now?"
"Um… I have to pick up my brother."
"How old is he?"
"17."
"He want a job?"
Miles first thought was "no" since Jesse was doing hockey, but then an evil grin spread across his face. All his brother did was sit at home, and it wouldn't kill him to have a job. "Yeah, I think he does." And if Tuck got mad at him for setting Jesse up like this, he'd simply use the excuse "I thought we could use the extra money."
"Does he smoke, drink, do drugs, or have a record?"
"No."
"Good. You boys can come in tomorrow at 6 and I'll give you the details."
"6… at night?"
Shannon smiled. "Oh, no, farm boy. You're getting up before the sun tomorrow." She patted him on the shoulder and left.
Miles blinked. That was possibly the easiest job he'd ever gotten, and he was still surprised at how easy it had been. As he walked out to the truck he thought about how odd it seemed that she hired him right on the spot, and then asked him to start that instant. Shrugging it off, he started up the F-350 and drove back to the Jackson's where he waited in the vehicle for 10 minutes, then, frustrated, got out and walked up to the door. He rang the doorbell and a blond woman who looked like she was in her mid-twenties answered.
"Yes?" she asked.
"I'm Miles Tuck. Is Jesse here?"
"If you're talking about the guy I'm thinking about, then yes. Come on in." Miles stepped in and then the woman went upstairs. Seconds later, Sarah came down.
"Hi, Scott," she said. Miles didn't realize she was talking to him at first, but then he remembered that that was his fake name.
"Hi, Sarah," he replied.
"You here for Jesse?" He nodded. "He's talking with David in his room." There was a little bit of silence, until she walked closer to him and asked in a small voice, "Can I ask you a kind of weird question?"
"Uh… sure."
"Do you know what kind of girls Jesse likes? Because, I mean, I…" She blushed slightly and Miles nodded.
"Well, he kinda…" Miles thought. It was a harder question than it seemed. The only girl he'd ever liked that Miles knew of was Winnie. How could he describe her? "Exciting, I guess."
"Do you think he likes me?"
"I don't know. We aren't very close. I mean, we fight a lot and stuff. He doesn't tell me much."
"Oh."
Miles shifted his weight a little uncomfortably. He felt like an idiot. Here he was, standing in front of this girl that was a mirror copy of his ex-wife, thinking she was destiny, and here she likes his little brother.
"He just seems so… depressed around me," Sarah commented.
"Oh, it's not you. He just-" Miles had to stop himself from saying "He just found out his true love died." "He just broke up with his girlfriend," he finished.
"I see." Then she smiled a little. "Thanks for talking with me."
"Like I was gonna blow you off?"
Her smile grew. "You could have."
"I wouldn't, though."
Then the two heard two other people walking down the stairs. They both turned to find Jesse and David.
"It's all set," Jesse told Miles. "What about you? That was faster than I thought it would be."
Miles nodded. "Me, too. I'll tell you on our way home. Bye, Sarah. Bye, David."
They exchanged goodbyes and then Jesse and Miles got in the car. Miles smiled a little, remembering getting Jesse a job. He'd have to tell him before they went to sleep tonight, and the sooner, the better. He was just about to tell his little brother, when he realized that he'd be better off telling him in front of their parents. That way, he'd not only have witnesses in case Jesse tried to kill him (not that he could, since Miles was immortal anyway), but he'd also have 2 people on his side. He knew that his money excuse would work.
A/N: sorry for the delay in updating, I've been having a minor block, but I broke through it. All reviews welcome!
