Toris frowned worryingly. "Yes?"
The nun motioned for him. "Come on, boy! There are very important people asking for you!" she hissed. Toris warily walked over to her, when he was close enough, then nun grabbed his arm and pulled him into the office. The first thing he noticed was a very tall man in a crisp, new suit. His blonde hair was slicked back and his eyes were a warm green. Just then he noticed Feliks standing next to the man, and he seemed to be whispering something to him.
Toris frowned slightly. Why was Feliks here, with the man who he guessed was his father? Feliks's face burst out in a grin. "Hey Toris!" Feliks exclaimed and rushed over to him. Feliks turned back to his dad and gestured to Toris. "This is the guy I was telling you about! Dad, Toris. Toris, Dad."
The man nodded and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Toris." he said.
Toris nodded back. "So, Feliks. Why are you here?" he asked.
Feliks's smiled broadened, if that was possible. "I thought you'd never ask! I told Dad about you and stuff, and he suggested that we invite you over for dinner tonight!" Feliks exclaimed.
Toris went white. Over to dinner? At Feliks's house? Oh God, save him. "O-oh! Um, that's very kind and all, but I don't think that's nessicary." he said hastily.
"Of course it's nessicary!" Feliks exclaimed and tugged on Toris's arm. "You found my Dad's wallet, this is the least we could do! Oh! We even agreed to let you stay the night!"
The night? Toris frowned, why go through all this trouble over returning a wallet? Maybe there was such a thing as too nice. Toris shrugged and sighed, he didn't have much of a choice but to accept their offer. "Um, all right, I'll go with you." he gave in.
Feliks brightened. "Great! But, er, we're going to have a business dinner and we can't having you wearing," he gestured to Toris's clothes. "that."
"This is all I have, besides a school uniform." Toris protested.
"Um, Toris?" a voice he recognized as Sister Katyusha said and tapped on his shoulder. "Sorry to interrupt, but I have a suit that might work for you." she said.
Felis visibly relaxed. "Great! Get Toris into that suit, then show me." he said. Sister Katyusha nodded and led Toris off to a closet were some of the nun's belongings were kept. Sister Katyusha opened the closet and rummaged through it for a bit, after a while, she came out with a nice looking suit. It was black, with black slacks, shiny black shoes, and a bow tie.
Toris looked uncertainly at the suit, then to Sister Katyusha. "Are you sure it'll fit me? I mean, it looks like it's for someone who's a little bigger than me." he said warily.
"Oh, of course it will fit you." Sister Katyusha said as she shoved the suit into Toris's arms. "Now, go put that on." she ordered and pointed to an empty room. Toris groaned in protest, but obeyed and went into the room to change. He quickly changed out of his green shirt, sweatpants, and his sneakers. When he managed to get the suit on he examined himself in the mirror. He frowned at himself, he looked like an unhappy rich kid. The suit and slacks fit him perfectly, but the shoes were a bit big. The bow tie he held in his hand, because he had no idea how to tie a bow tie. He had his hair in a ponytail, and decided it didn't look good with the suit, so he let his hair hang down. He just then realised his flat cap was still on his head, and he snatched it off.
He emerged from the room and Sister Katyusha's face erupted in a happy smile. "Oh, Toris! You look so handsome!" She exclaimed and rushed toward him.
Toris smiled sheepishly. "Thank you. Um, will you tie the bow tie for me? Please?" he asked, using his manners for once. He's going to have to remember them for tonight.
"Of course, dear." she said and took it from Toris. When she was done, she led him back to the office. When they passed through the dining area, all the kids gawked at him. He saw some kids whisper and point at him.
"Nice get up Toris!" Gilbert called sarcastically from a table filled with kids.
"Better get up than yours, Gilbert!" some kid joked and everyone laughed. Gilbert's face went completely pink and he frowned at his friends, who were also laughing. Toris even managed a small smile. When they got into the office Feliks' jaw dropped.
"No way that's Toris." Feliks exclaimed and walked up to Toris and Sister Katyusha. "Wow, man! You clean up nicely!"
Toris nodded slightly in thanks. "So, when does this dinner-thing start?" Tori's asked Feliks.
"Oh, uh, it starts at..." Feliks trailed off as he glanced at his wrist-watch. "5:00, so you've got time until we come and get you for the dinner."
Toris sighed, he basically just changed into a fancy suit for no reason. "Well," Toris said. "I'll see you at five then."
Toris sat down on the orphanage's steps and put his face in his hands. What was taking Feliks so long? Toris made a mental note not to trust Feliks with escape plans if they ever robbed a bank together. Which would never happen in the first place, because Toris would be smarter than that, and pick someone he could rely on. He saw a big black car pull up by the curb and Feliks rolled down the window in the back seat. "Yo!" Feliks grinned. "sorry we're late, Arthur took forever to get gas."
Toris heard a stuffy British voice snap something at Feliks, and said Pole just rolled his eyes. Toris walked over to the car and got in, nervously glancing around as he did. "Well come on!" the British voice, Arthur, snapped. "we don't have all day!"
Toris glared daggers at Arthur, but closed the door and buckled his seat belt. As Arthur drove, Feliks and Toris sat in silence. Arthur decided that this was the time to talk about manners and being a gentleman. "Remember Feliks, this dinner is very important to your father's career and you have to act civilized. To make a good impression, of course." Arthur said, with a hidden meaning behind it. He was basically saying: If you screw this up, your father cuts my pay, and if he cuts my pay because of you, you're dead.
"Of course, Arthur." Feliks nodded then rolled his eyes again.
Toris sat quietly in his seat and looked out the window. He usually doesn't use cars, Toris knew how to drive. He just prefered walking, is all. "So Toris," Feliks said. "have you ever heard of the book Behind Enemy Lines?"
Toris blinked and tried to think of the book, he's read so many, it was hard to keep track. "I think so, isn't it about a Jewish solider that survives World War II by pretending to be a German soilder?" he asked.
Feliks brightened. "Yep! That's the one! My Dad wrote that, 'ya know. That's actually what this dinner's about, some publishers are going to talk to him about a sequel." he bragged and started babbling about the details of the book. Toris tuned out the babbling Pole and focused on the British driver. Toris could only see the back of his head, and noticed his blonde hair. He also remembered when Arthur had turned around for a moment, his eyebrows were abnormally bushy. Toris turned back to Feliks who was saying how the solider had been based off of Feliks's great-grandfather.
When Toris opened his mouth to say something, Arthur pulled onto the driveway of an elaborate looking house. Toris's jaw dropped, he had never seen a house like that before. It was bleach white, and looked to be four floors, not including the basement. The yard was humongous, Toris spotted a pool, and a basketball court. His hand twitched, he hasn't played basketball since he was ten. It was his favorite sport, and itched to play. It's have to wait though, he had to attend dinner. Feliks followed Toris's gaze and smiled. "Like basketball, huh?" Feliks asked. Toris nodded vigorously. "Well then," Feliks said. "we could play after dinner then, bet you couldn't beat me!"
Toris let out a laugh. "Oh, sure." he said.
As Toris and Feliks got out of the car, Arthur gave them one last pep-talk. "Remember, don't talk to the publishers unless they speak directly to you, oh, and don't make eye-contact. Ever. It's not polite, and-" Arthur started but was cut off by Feliks.
"I think we got it, Arthur. Thanks for the ride." He said quickly and shut his door. Toris could make out Arthur glare at Feliks, then speed into the garage. "Well Toris," Feliks said and gestured to the house. "whaddya think?"
"I think, that you have a lot of money." Toris mused.
Feliks nodded. "Yep! Boat loads of it."
Toris's inner thief was going crazy. If he saw any amount of money, he would totally lose his cool. But he composed himself and nodded. "If you have a house this size, I would think so." Toris just then noticed Feliks's suit. It was pink, and frilly. He almost laughed, but managed to keep a straight face.
Feliks managed to see through his mask. "Whats so funny?"
"Oh, nothing." Toris lied and strolled over to the house as if it where his own. On his way to the front door, Toris accidentally stepped in a garden of lilies. "Oops." Toris said without emotion.
"Hey! You! Whaddya think your doing?" a voice shouted. Toris froze, and turned to see two men walking toward him. They both wore a white t-shirt with blue overalls and muddy work boots. They both looked alike too, except one had blue eyes; dirty blonde hair; and a cowlick. The other had softer blonde hair, blue eyes with a purplish tinge to it, and a small curl of hair hanging in front of his face. The one with the blue eyes was fuming, the other looked angry, but not as angry. "It took me a week to plant all those!" Blue Eyes exclaimed.
"I helped!" Purple Eyes said quietly.
Blue Eyes glanced at Purple Eyes, as if he just noticed he was there. "Oh yeah, sorry Mattie." he apologized.
'Mattie' nodded. "Toris!" Feliks shouted and came running up to them. "Are Alfred and Matthew giving you a hard time?"
"No way, Mr. Łukasiewicz! Me and Mattie here were just minin' our own business. We were planting some roses when Mr. Big Shot here," Blue Eyes, the one Toris guessed was Alfred, glared at him. "came and started stomping all over the lilies we planted!"
"I wasn't stomping!" Toris protested angrily. "I just walked over here and accidentally stepped on one of them!"
"Well do you know how much one of them costs?" Matthew asked indignantly.
"A lot of fricken money! That's what! From our own pocket too!" Alfred jeered.
Feliks frowned at them. "Guys, calm down. Those things cost like, two dollars per package, and besides, it was an accident." He said.
Alfred still frowned but held out his hand to Toris. "Uh, sorry we kinda, er, yelled at 'ya. Me and Mattie get pretty worked up about gardening." he said and smiled sheepishly.
Mattie nodded. "Yeah, sorry." He said sincerely.
Toris just stared at Alfred's hand and slowly lifted his hand to his. Alfred had a firm grip, and shook Toris's arm so it was floppy looking. "Well, I guess I'll see 'ya 'round." He said after he realised Toris's hand. Matthew waved goodbye and together they set off to resume their planting.
"Well that was interesting." Toris remarked when they entered the house.
"Yeah, their nice guys. just don't get them worked up about planting and gardening. And don't ever mention a gardening race, then they start to fight." Feliks said.
"Why?" Toris asked.
"Just don't." Feliks said.
Toris shrugged and saw that a man was rushing around to get the table ready. He had short cropped, raven black hair. His eyes were brown, and he was wearing a white chef's uniform and was yelling things in a different language to the kitchen. Toris recognized it to be either Japanese or Chinese.
Then another chef came running out with longer brownish-blackish hair tied into a ponytail. The older man yelled at the first man and bonked him on the head with a spoon. Toris frowned at Feliks, who watched with amusement, as if this was a normal occurence. "Hey! Cut it out you idioci!" Feliks shouted and the older man froze mid-wack.
"Oh! Master Feliks!" The older man said in a Chinese accent and bowed to Feliks. The other man glanced at him and bowed.
"Thank you for showing up when you did, Feliks-san." The other man said with a slightly different accent, Toris guessed he was Japanese.
The Chinese man glared at the Japanese but turned back to Feliks. "Everything's almost ready. As soon as this shǎzi Kiku finishes setting the table and helps me finish the meal, we'll be all set."
Kiku frowned when the Chinese man had called him a shǎzi, but he didn't protest. "Thank you, Yao." Feliks said and nodded to the Chinese man. Yao nodded vigorously and gave Kiku one good bonk for good measure, then went back into the kitchen. Kiku glared after Yao, then finished setting the table. Before he went into the kitchen, he bowed to Feliks and Toris, then scurried off into the kitchen.
Toris let all this process. "So, Arthur, Alfred, Matthew, Kiku, and Yao all work for you?" Toris asked, astonished. He actually was impressed on how rich Feliks was. He had people to drive him around, cook for him, and garden! He had a nice life! Toris had to keep himself from asking where he kept his money. He was overwhelmed, to say the least.
"Oh yeah, I have loads more people too." Feliks replied nonchallontally with a careless shrug. Feliks then glanced at his wrist-watch then frowned. "The publishers will be here in about an hour." Feliks announced.
Toris didn't really care. He was to busy studying the house, so just in case he was going to take something. He's know how to get out, and leave as quickly as possible. Toris glanced at a mirror and glared at himself. He prefered the street-wise, crabby looking, orphan Toris. Not snobby, flashy, rich-looking Toris. "Why do you sowl all the time?" Feliks asked. "It looks like you swallowed a lemon or something."
"O užsičiaupk." Toris muttered under his breath. Which meant 'oh shut up'. Feliks's head tipped to one side.
"What did you say?" he asked.
"Oh nothing." Toris replied and pretended to straighten his bow tie.
"Do you speak Polish?" Feliks asked, completely out of the blue. Toris blinked, then nodded slowly.
"Taip. I speak four languages; Lithuanian, English, Russian, and Polish." he answered with a tinge of pride in his voice.
"That's pretty cool!" Feliks exclaimed. "you should teach me Lithuanian sometime." he said.
"Perhaps." Toris replied.
"Let's go up to my room before the publishers get here." Feliks invited and raced up the stairs. Toris frowned and decided to investigate a little.
"Where's your bathroom?" Toris called up to Feliks.
"Down the hall to the right!" he called back.
Toris walked down the hall, then peaked in the room across from the bathroom. It was just an office, a computer and desk were neatly tucked against the beige wall. Papers were cluttered on the desk and some on cabinets and tucked in droors. He closed the door and moved on. He walked down the hall a little more, he tried to open the door, but it was locked. He grinned, something important must be in this room if it was locked. He made a mental note that if he ever comes back to bring his pick lock with him.
Toris decided that he should get back to Feliks, just in case he was starting to get suspicious. Toris headed down the hall and climbed the stairs. The hall way was very long, and had several doors. Toris could easily spot Feliks's room, because it had the words Feliks's Room in flaming letters. Toris knocked on the door and Feliks poked his head out. "You don't have to knock you know." Feliks said and opened the door wider so Toris could enter. Feliks's room was...interesting. It was very big, the color was a dark pink, with white trim. He had a flat screen TV and an XBox 360 neatly placed against the wall. Feliks's bed was a king size, which Toris thought was unnecessary.
"So, what do you think?" Feliks asked and opened his arms.
"Er, it's, uh, nice?" Toris said uncertainly. He glanced out the window and saw that there was a stable for horses, and saw a couple horses trotting around. He also spotted Alfred and Matthew brushing horses and talking. "Alfred and Matthew are stable boys too?"
Feliks glanced over his shoulder through the window, then nodded. "Yep. They love horses almost as much as I do." Feliks said and smiled.
Toris didn't admit it, but he also loved horses. He watched a black horse trot around the yard, it was to far away for Toris to tell whether it was a mare or a stallion, but he admired the horse's black coat shine in the sun as it pranced around the other horses.
"Feliks! Toris!" Feliks's father, Bach, called from downstairs.
"I guess the publishers are here." Feliks said and went to the door. Toris followed Feliks out and shut the door as he left. They walked down the stairs and saw two men in suits and ties shaking Bach's hand.
One of them noticed Toris and whispered something to Bach. Bach laughed and shook his head, then turned his head to the boys. "Boys, come and meet Mr. McGuire and Mr. Shepherd ." he said.
Mr. McGuire seemed a little more laid back than Mr. Shepherd. He had red hair, freckles, and bright green eyes. He looked a little tired, and hung over. He smiled and shook Feliks and Toris's hands. "Please," he said with a thick Irish accent. "call me Connor."
Mr. Shepherd looked a little younger than than Conner and more stern. His eyes and hair were the same color as Connor's, but he had lighter freckles. He just nodded at the boys. "Lets get down to business!" Connor exclaimed and smiled at Bach. "Let's eat!"
Author's Note:
Hola! Sorry it took so long to update, I've got a lot of stuff going on. Softball practice, school, homework, then drawing, reading, and writing. I'm starting to write a book, I think it's pretty interesting.
And it's my birthday on Thursday! I'm probably going to upload something on my birthday just because.
Anyway, thank you for all the reviews!
Review and Favorite please! :)