In love with the arrogant rich boy

CHAPTER ONE

I pulled the door bolt to find out it was locked from inside and I didn't have my keys. I was just about knocking when the door burst open and my sister's boyfriend Peter stepped out. He almost knocked me off the step had I not held onto the railing. As if he had not seen me, he hurried off leaving the smell of cigarette behind. I shook my head and walked in to find Louise sitting on the couch with her head in her hands.

"You're back." She asked when she looked up to see me. She stood up quickly and starts clearing the emptied bottles and cigarette butts from the table.

"Yeah." I left for my room and dropped my school bag on my bed. I came back out into the living room.

"What's up with you and Peter this time around?"

"Just some harmless arguments. He got pissed and... left."

"Look, I think it's high time you stop letting Peter into this house."

" Like it's that simple."

"What isn't simple about it? I don't care if he apologises all the time. He beats you up for goodness sake."

"I'm more afraid of what he'll do if I try to break up with him."

"No! You just don't want to break up with him." I wore tied up the lace if my boots.

"I'm off to work."

"Could you get me a bottle of shampoo on your way back?"

"Sure." I replied as I head out.

Louise and I have been living here for three years now. After our dad lost his job, mum remarried and left. Things have been quite rough since then. Dad has been going around looking for and doing one mini job or the other. He couldn't pay for our house anymore so we had to move to this side of Culver city to live in this apartment which belonged to our grandpa before he died. Dad was always away working and he wasn't able to send us enough money. He couldn't afford to send Louise to college and she didn't seem to care. All I think she cares about is her bully, up to no good boyfriend.

I was already in my senior year in highschool and I worked part time at a shop where I sold crispy chickens and chips. Now, as I arrived at the shop I removed my coat and hanged it on the hook by the door and stood at my counter. My boss wasn't around. She only came back when I was getting ready to close.

"You were late today... Again."

"I informed you earlier that I'll be coming late because of school."

"Thats not how things should work, Nelly!"

She bent over the drawer and pulled out some napkins. "The way you chose to work here is not convenient for the customers or me and I cannot tolerate any longer. You come and go anytime you want and don't even make your deliveries properly."

"If this is about Mrs Danny, you know she's a hotheaded rude woman and you can't blame me for that."

"It isn't just about her. You don't want to listen to me and you always feel that you're right. Can you not see the reduction in our customers since your recent attitude?"

"I have not done anything wrong or undeserved Mrs Rolls."

"I know you'll never accept it. In conclusion, you can't continue working here. I've incurred enough loss for the mean time of your inversed devotion."

I wasn't surprised that she was firing me. I have prepared myself for it a long time ago. She was never contented with what I did and I know I haven't been doing much lately.

"I'll send in your money by the end of next week. You can wait if you're..."

"I was leaving anyway." I murmured and head for the door.

"Don't forget your coat." She said and I stepped back to pull my coat off the hook.

I got into the grocery store to get Louise's shampoo for her.

After picking a big jar of cookies for myself, I got into the toiletry section to get Louise's shampoo. Standing in front of the row, looking for the particular product, I was disturbed by a humming.

I turned around to see a guy shopping behind me. His back was turned to me. He was wearing a grey cardigan. He was humming the tune from the headphones tightly locked over his ears. With one hand in his pocket, he was searching for what concerned him in the row of bottles with the other hand.

I turned back to what I was doing while he continued to hum. Finally, finding what I came for, I picked the bottle. I was turning around to leave when unexpectedly, I felt a blow against my ribs. It was the guy's elbow hitting my chest.

"Ah!" I let out a short yelp. It seems we had both wanted to turn around at the same time and collided into the other. The products I held fell off my hands and hit hard against the floor. The jar broke instantly and the cookies spread across the floor while the bottle of shampoo rolled down.

"Woo! You okay?" He said in a concerned tone.

I looked up at him and saw him clearly for the first time. He had pulled down the headphones and hanged it around his neck.

"What is wrong with you?" I cried out staring at my things on the floor.

"Excuse me?"

"Look what you've done! Watch where you're moving, dude, this isn't some disco floor!"

"You bumped into me too! Why do you have to be so rude? You can't just yell at me like that!" He was obviously surprised by how I reacted to him but I didn't care.

"I can't yell like that? Oh, you expected me to say sorry, huh? Who do you think you are?"

"Someone you apparently shouldn't be talking to in this lunatic manner." He frowned for the first time.

"Wow..." Was all I could say, overwhelmed.

"Out of my way, bitch." He cursed and walked away.

I cursed silently and picked the bottle of shampoo.

CHAPTER TWO

After two weeks, Mrs Rolls still didn't send my money to me and I had no job doing.

I came down the bus after a hectic day at school. It had rained earlier and it was still cold. I hurled my shivering hands into the pockets of my cardigan while I walked through the bus station. I wasn't the type to pay attention to the people surrounding me but I noticed a man particularly from the rest of the crowd.

He was short, dressed in brown suit, and holding his briefcase, he was making a phone call and my attention was somehow drawn to him.

"...yeah, how about the vacancy I told you about? I need someone to babysit Rudy... Yeah, I know right? " He laughed. "The former babysitter just left and I need another one... Twenty bucks... The guy's rich and payment's weekly... Yeah, I have to... " He paused and looked under his arm to see my fist tightly clenching his hand.

"And... who are you?" He asked calmly.

I began with a persuasive grin. "You need a babysitter for Rudy? I can babysit Rudy!"

Still looking at me, he slowly pulled his arm from my grip and talked into the phone.

"Umm, let me call you back."

I got home with a proud and jubilant grin on my face. I just got myself a new job. I walked in and the first thing I saw was Louise sitting on the couch. Though it was cold, she was only in a green singlet which exposed her chubby arms and navy baggy jeans. Her shoulder length brown hair was in a short ponytail like mine was.

"Hey." I called quietly as I walked passed her into my room.

"How's school today?" She wasn't the type of sister to always ask about my schooling or anything else serious going on with me. Asking about it meant she was about to start a serious conversation with me.

"Was great!" I replied and head I to my room. While I took off my cardigan, she could see me from where she sat as I left the door open.

"I want to talk to you about something." I heard her.

"What about?" I asked while I hung my cardigan trying not to reply with the same grimness as her voice.

"Do you have a moment?" She asked and I knew it had to be something entirely serious. I walked out of my room and sat next to her.

"I want to tell you something, Ashley..."

"You sound all worked up and scary, mind telling me already?" I sked calmly but eagerly.

Louise sighed and shut her eyes before opening her mouth. "I really don't know how to tell you this... I'm pregnant."

I was short of words and I only stared at her face. "What?"

"I found out yesterday after I went for my check-up at the hospital. I'm three weeks gone."

"I don't even know what to say. Is it for..." I pointed my thumb towards her belly and she looked at me.

"Yes, it's for Peter." She replied before I could really ask.

"Have you told him?"

"I can't. I don't know how to tell him. He's going to say I'm lying or he's not the owner or... " She dropped her head into her palms.

"Left to you do you want to keep the baby?"

"I don't even know what to do..."

I sighed. "Okay, don't tell him yet. Just wait till you've figured your own decision before you think of telling him, okay?"

She nodded and I sighed. I was going to tell her that I would be going for an interview tomorrow but I decided to tell her another time.

The next morning I took my time to brush my curly brown hair down my shoulders. After talking to Mr Lewis, the man at the bus station, he gave me an address and said I be there in Beverly hills today by 10 o'clock for an interview.

I chuckled once again. An interview just to babysit? Rudy must be some really special kid.

The taxi stopped infront of an estate mansion. I walked through the footpath that led to the front door laid in-between the neat green lawns. The house was lined with neatly trimmed flowers and I could hear the barking of a dog from inside the big house. I pressed the doorbell and I heard it's ringing echo in the room. Immediately, the door opened and there stood a fairly old woman dressed like a nanny.

"Good morning, ma'am. I am... supposed to meet Mr Lewis."

"Come on in." I went in and she asked me to sit down and I did.

"You must be the new babysitter. I'm called Miss Rose, here."

"Thank you, madam Rose." The house was big and well furnished. I didn't need to be told to know that the house belonged to a wealthy business man but Mr Lewis didn't seem like he was the owner. He was way too informal and loud. And as he walked down the stairs, he was cheerful and loud, still in his suit.

"Kelly! You came."

"Yes." I chuckled quietly. "Nelly though." I corrected him again.

He asked me a few questions about myself and told me of how much I was going to love babysitting Rudy. While we were talking, the barking I heard earlier came again from upstairs. It was then I looked up to see a big black hairy dog running down.

I took a few steps back when the dog seemed to be heading towards me. I didn't want to get bitten. The dog was still barking and coming for me. It jumped over me and I screamed in fright. The big dog fell me to the ground and covered my arm in saliva as I blocked my face with it. Mr Lewis started laughing.

"Seems she likes you a lot."

I now sat up with the dog and giggled too although nothing felt significantly funny to me. I just wanted this boring meeting slash interview to be concluded so I know where exactly I stand. Miss Rose came to drag the dog away and I got on my feet. After a brief silence and laughing, I asked.

"So... Where's Rudy?" I asked but didn't get an answer immediately. Mr Lewis and Miss Rose exchanged glances. It felt as though I had asked a really dumb question.

Mr Lewis pointed to the dog. "That's Rudy."

CHAPTER THREE

I didn't say anything. I couldn't say anything.

"You are not saying anything." Mr Lewis urged.

"No it's just... It's just that I thought Rudy was a... a... human being. Not some... dog." I mean I have never babysitted a dog before. Rather I have never dogsitted.

I bent down and patted Rudy's head as it continued to bark playfully. I saw the silver collar on her neck. I held it and on it was imprinted the name 'Dylan'. That must be her owner; my employer. Mr Lewis confirmed my assumption by speaking.

"Rudy belongs to my boss's youngest son Dylan. He's been away in school. The former babysitter left less than a month ago and Dylan entrusts me to get a new person to take care of Rudy. And until I do that I can't go back to my office work. Come on. Rudy's a nice dog. She's cool and not gonna trouble you at all."

Rudy barked at me again. "And she likes you." He added. "The job really isn't demanding. You just have to take care of Rudy nine hours a day. By the end of every week you get paid."

I could not go back now. I mean it couldn't be that hard taking care of a lap dog. Give it a bath and get its food ready in the morning, play fetch during the afternoon, go for a stroll and leave immediately after getting it's food ready in the evening. And the money was good. The weekly payment was even more than what I got in a month at the chicken shop.

"And... Dylan will be back in a few weeks. When he's back you're just gonna be working for five hours in a day cause he'll be here himself. Still doesn't hinder your payment so long you're interested. So?" He stared at me for an answer.

"Yeah! I can do that." I replied quickly. I just wanted to be employed and make some money during this holiday. The money was good and I sure can handle Rudy.

The next day I started working as Rudy's babysitter. I came early in the morning and started my job with Rudy. I was given the list of activities Rudy likes to get in. She sure was a very playful and big dog. I made her a pink bow.

Mr Lewis wasn't here anymore. I guess he had gone back to work. Miss Rose was always around. She was a nice old lady and she made really nice sandwiches and tea. She was always telling me a lot of stories. Mostly about his grandson Mick who was funny and handsome and danced like Micheal Jackson and that he is in police custody for selling drugs.

By the end of the week I was paid by Mr Lewis and my work was going smoothly. Miss Rose was always talking about my yet to be seen employer, Dylan.

"He's some really good lad. He takes his life way too seriously if you ask me but that's all I want. And he's very calm and super handsome too."

As she said that she smiled and winked at me and I laughed. She never stopped mentioning how good looking he was and all. I just laughed and said I could not wait to meet him. But the reverse was going to be the case when I finally meet him. It was going smoothly until the person that I was working for came. After three weeks, Dylan was here.

Thursday morning, I was here early as usual. I had taken care of Rudy and she was out waiting in the lawn. It seems even she knew her owner was about arriving. I started hearing the sound of the gate opening and Rudy started barking loud. I left the kitchen and met Rudy on the way. She was barking in joy and had come to get me outside. She barked and headed for the door wanting me to follow her.

"Alright, Rudy, I'm coming."

She left me and got outside immediately. I stopped at the door to see her standing and barking beside a bike that was parked at the side of the lawn. Dylan removed his helmet.

"Rudy!!" He yelled joyfully as the dog jumped into his arms.

That was when I saw his face. I was shocked to the marrow. I could not believe my eyes when I watched him. He squatted and continued giving Rudy a playful stroke. He removed the bow on her head and looked at it then looked towards the house. It sent a quick jolt to me and I was forced to move from the spot to which I was transfixed. He was heading into the house and I didn't know what to do and I couldn't find Miss Rose. I ran into the kitchen. I didn't know what exactly to do. Whether I should jump out through the window or what?

"Hello! Anybody home?"

I heard his voice from the living room and quickly, I picked out a frying pan and placed it on the cooker.

"Miss Rose?" He called out again and I could hear his footstep getting closer to the kitchen. With my fingers trembling, I abandoned the frying pan and pulled out the scrubbing brush and dustpan. I got on my knees and started scrubbing the already clean floor. My back was turned on him when he got in. I felt him standing at the door and looking at me.

"Hello?" He called out and I still didn't stop what I was doing. I closed my eyes tight, too afraid and embarrassed to look at him.

"Hello?" He said again and I stopped the scrubbing. Slowly I knelt up and turned to face him.

"Hey!" I replied and he paused staring at me. He squinted his eyes and tightened his fists. I think he was trying to recall where he had seen me before or he was just thinking of what to say. He finally spoke out.

"You?... What are you doing here?"