Chapter 14: Thomas

A/N: 30.04.20

Hey loves, so I decided to divide the book into three parts.

Book Title: Accidentally Bent

Part I: The Secrets We Hide

Part II: The Lies We Tell

Part III: (still yet to figure out)

I will upload all of Part I (which I finished in less than a week... which really isn't a good thing tbh).

The reason why I decided to divide this book into 3 parts is because my obsession with writing is unhealthy 😂 I can't stop writing and as much as I love it, I need a healthy balance. So once I finish Part I, I will take a break from this book. I won't pick it up until I finish WLTVO.

I need to stop writing and stu-dying (as our lovely Thomas would say).

Enjoy Part I

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*Thomas's pov*

My eyes widened when I stood in front of Eli's house. No, it wasn't just any house, it was a mansion. Two ladies dressed in uniforms came to greet us at the golden gates. That's right. Golden gates. This place made a five-star hotel look shabby.

"Stop staring, your eyes might fall out," Eli said, but I could tell that he was pleased by my reaction. I followed him to his room, sticking close to his side so that I wouldn't get lost, admiring the fancy paintings and bright furniture. One of the maids was watering the bright green plants and I blinked.

How did they keep their plants alive? Mine died in like... A week.

"How many people live here?" I murmured in awe.

"Just me and my parents. We have guest rooms for the maids and chefs whenever they need to stay late."

Maids and chefs. I tried not to choke.

"Come on, let's get you changed," he said.

"Changed?"

He didn't answer and opened a door that led to his bedroom. It was tidy and someone (which I doubt was Eli) had made his bed. The bed was large enough to fit in at least five people, and his room was bigger than my entire living room.

"Here, put these on," he said, handing me black Levi jeans and a cream coffee sweater made of cashmere. The fabric felt so soft, I thought it'd slip through my fingers.

"Why?" I asked blankly.

"Because you're here for a job interview with my dad and you're not going to get the job if you look like..." he scanned my body. "That."

"I look good and you know it."

Eli let out an exasperated sigh, pushing me into his beautiful bathroom and closing the door, but not completely.

"Hurry up," he snapped from outside.

"Is this really necessary?" I mumbled, but removed my sweater over my head and throwing it aside.

"You have to tidy up if you want to impress daddy."

"I'm looking for a job, I'm not asking your hand for marriage."

He let out an annoyed sighed and I smiled.

I slipped on his cashmere sweater which was surprisingly a little loose on me. The last time I checked, Eli's body was a stick compared to mine.

"Hey, are these even your clothes?"

"They're Steven's."

No wonder they were big, even on me. Steven's brain was in his biceps, his arms had lumps the size of a head.

I felt annoyed putting in his clothes.

"Do they fit?"

"Shut up." Was the first thing that slipped out of my mouth. I angrily pulled my jeans down my legs and kicked them aside, slipping on the pair Eli gave me.

I pulled my belt from the hooks of my jeans and slipped them into the ones that I was wearing. I opened the door and Eli quickly stepped away from the door in surprise.

"You peeked while I changed?" I was too annoyed to be flattered.

"Just making sure you didn't fall and crack your head on the tub."

"Stop flirting, I have a job interview."

He rolled his eyes but I saw a small smile quirk on his pink lips. He studied me from head to toe.

"You should buy better clothes. You look good," he said.

"An insult or a compliment?" I asked.

"You pick."

Eli hooked his fingers into my pants and pulled them forward.

"H-Hey, what are you-"

"Relax."

He tucked in the front of my sweater into my pants to make it fit better or at least, make it look like I didn't buy the wrong size. He then went to the bathroom and wet his hands with water.

"Bend forward."

I didn't bother making him say "please" this time and lowered my head for him. He reached out and started styling my hair. While he was focused on making me look presentable, I studied his face.

Definitely pretty. How did he get his lips to look so pink?

Eli was so close that I could hear his gentle breaths and I liked the way his small hands felt in my hair.

I felt disappointed when he stepped away. He looked at me and then nodded.

"Much better," he said, satisfied with his work. I turned to the side and looked at myself in the mirror.

He was right. I looked less like a street rat and more like someone you'd find studying at a nice, cozy library in some rich city.

The only thing that changed were my clothes, and my hair looked less messy, but I still looked different.

"You're good at this," I said.

"I'm good at everything." He was proud of himself, leading me out of his room.

"You have an eye for fashion?" I guessed. Eli looked surprised, avoiding my gaze.

"What makes you say?"

I shrugged. "You're always analyzing stuff," I said. "Studying the details through that judgemental glare of yours, picking out everything that's filthy and wrong. And you made me look "presentable" in just 10 minutes."

I glanced towards him and could tell that he was avoiding my gaze.

"I like fashion." His tone was cold. Maybe he didn't want to talk about it? Was this supposed to be a touchy topic?

We walked down the hall and stopped at a door. Eli knocked twice before opening.

"Daddy?" He said, popping his head through the crack. His sickening sweet voice replaced the demon child and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"Yes, Eli, come in."

"Thomas is here."

We entered the office. A man with dark hair neatly slicked back sat behind a large desk. He wore an impressive jet black suit. He stood up and took a confident stride towards me with a dashing smile that was charming but which hid something fake beneath.

Yup. Definitely a business man.

"Hello, Thomas, it's nice to meet you," he said. I shook his hand with a nod.

"Likewise, sir."

I could hear Eli snicker quietly at the 'sir' and I tried not to throw him a glare.

"Eli's told me that you have a pair of strong arms. You're an honest worker, too, from what I hear?"

"You've heard right," I said, which made him smile.

"I have a couple of wine boxes in my underground cave and barn. I need an extra pair of hands to carry them to the trucks outside my gate," he said. He started explaining the details, bragging occasionally about his wine company while also complaining about how difficult marketing was.

All my brain remembered was that I'd get paid thrice what I earn at the groceries and would only work on the weekends. The essentials.

"How old are you, son?" he asked. I flinched at the last word but kept a smile.

"16, sir."

"What do your parents do?" I could tell that he wasn't asking simply out of curiosity and his overconfident voice rubbed me the wrong way.

Eli glanced at me nervously.

"My dad loves wine and my mother loves to travel."

Which wasn't completely a lie. My dad would probably die from alcohol intoxication because of his obsession and my mom loved bouncing from one place another as long as it was no where near her kids.

"That's good to know," he nodded, pleased the well-off impression I gave him. "You should invite your family to dine with us sometime. I'd love to get to know them."

Eli stiffened beside me, nervously glancing my way. He was fiddling with his fingers again. He seemed more nervous than me.

"I'm sure they'd love that."

His father and I finished discussing about my contract and he gave me some papers for my parents to sign. I'd either give them to Elle or sign them myself.

"Thank you, sir," I smiled.

"Call me Joseph." He shook my hand once more but as we were about to leave, he glanced towards Eli.

"Eli, your tutor told me that you cancelled your private classes the other day."

"I wasn't feeling good and mom said I could cancel," he said, his voice small and quiet. Eli didn't look at his "daddy" when he spoke.

"Did you go through the university books I bought you? The ones specialized in wine and marketing?"

Wine and marketing? Was that what Eli liked to do in his free time? But when I glanced towards his uneasy face, I had my answer.

"I'll read them tonight."

"Good. I didn't waste hundreds of dollars for my son to be lazy. You're going to inherit my company one day, don't forget that."

Eli flinched but nodded. "I know, daddy."

We left the office and before I could say anything, Eli nudged me with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Sir?" He teased. I felt myself turn red but shrugged it off.

"Felt like the occasion to be polite."

I opened my mouth to ask about what just happened, but he interrupted.

"Do you want to stay over and watch a movie? I have a private cinema on the second floor."

I frowned, running a quick hand through my hair.

"I have to go home," I said. "It's my turn to watch over my little sister Molly."

Eli's face fell with disappointment and my stomach twisted.

"But hey, we can-"

"Whatever." His icy cold tone made me stiffen. His temper switched like a flip.

"Eli-"

"Ask a maid to get you your clothes. Give me back mine at school," he muttered. He stabbed me the darkest glare as if I had just insulted Mother Teresa. "Steven's going to want his clothes back."

The words jabbed me in the chest. Eli stormed away, leaving me in utter confusion.

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A/N: Please don't forget to leave a vote!

I wrote this book on a whim but I'm honestly falling in love with the characters... darn it.

Do you have a favorite/lucky number? Mine is 8 ;)