Page 11 of Room Service

4

Jessi

I was on my way out of the main part of the mansion and heading out when I saw the sense in my mom’s words. I’d helped my mom with her work, and she’d even insisted I spend the night because by the time we were done with everything it was too late for me to have gone home. I turned around, my exhaustion telling me to stay.

It was a mistake.

I knew it even as I agreed with Mom’s suggestion, and I sure as heck was regretting it now.

Of all the people… of all the times… why did it have to be Trent?

I knew I must have looked like an idiot, just standing there and acting like I’d seen a ghost or something. It was rude, and as soon as it occurred to me I tried to shift my expression to something polite, my lips trembling a little as the corners turned up in a smile.

“Hello,” I said, at the very least trying to be civil.

Trent didn’t even bother with that. As soon as I opened my mouth and spoke, he just frowned at me and stormed off.

Maybe he was in a hurry, I tried to tell myself. It had absolutely nothing to do with me.

But then I heard him muttering to himself as he walked off, not even bothering to keep his voice quiet.

“Servants using the front entrance now… my how things have changed around here…”

The words left me stricken, but by the time I turned around, he was already out of sight.

Fuck! Damn you, Trent!

It had been years. Fucking years, and yet he was still the one person that could make me feel smaller than an ant with just a few callous words. If anyone else had said those words, it would have been easy to brush them off. They could have been jealous or their dislike of me would have been petty. I didn’t know exactly how Trent felt about me, but everything he said hit me harder than words from other people.

Just what the fuck had I been doing in all those years we’d been apart? I should have used it to get over this bastard.

Mood completely ruined, I turned back around. I didn’t want to head the direction he’d gone. The chances we’d bump into each other twice were low, but I didn’t want to risk it. Feeling incredibly stung, I headed back to my mom’s apartment in the servants’ wing.

You shouldn’t still feel like this, I chided myself as I felt old wounds tearing open. What exactly did you expect, anyway? You knew it would be bad!

And I had known. I’d had it in my mind to keep away from Trent as much as was humanly possible for the duration of his stay. It probably wouldn’t be long anyway; he’d always been itching to leave, so I doubted he’d come back to stay. As soon as Mr. Thompson was back on his feet and was able to do his work, Trent would probably leave.

Good riddance, I thought, but it was weak.

“Honey? You’re back already?”

I looked up at my mom as I walked into the apartment. It was pretty spacious especially since it was part of the servant’s quarters, the place I’d grown up in. The Thompsons were nice enough to provide their servants with good living. Our family’s apartment consisted of a normal sized living room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a cooking area. Not that we cooked much since there were always leftovers from Thompson’s meals to eat.

It was like we had our own small house within the mansion. When I was younger, I still hadn't grasped the difference between our small space and most of the mansion that belonged to the Thompsons.

“Hey, Mom,” I said, giving her a wan smile. “I’m back. Sorry to bother you again today.”

I was trying my best to keep up appearances, but damn, was it hard. I wasn’t sure if it was something in my face or my voice that gave me away, but Mom looked slightly alarmed like she could tell I wasn’t really fine with just a glance.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Did something happen? You’ve barely been out of this room for five minutes…”

It would be better if I didn’t mention to her that I’d met Trent at all. Let alone that the drop in my mood was because of him. I’d have to explain a bit more, and I was going to keep my crush on Trent a secret from my mother for as long as possible.

“It’s nothing, really,” I said dismissively. “I just saw the sense in your words. I might as well stay a little longer, there’s nothing wrong with it after all.”

She pursed her lips, but I knew she was pleased. “You know I can't stay here to look after you, right? I’m going to be heading to bed. We’ll have a very busy day tomorrow.”

I shrugged. It wasn’t like I needed a babysitter. “I just thought I should get some sleep, Mom, you don’t have to worry so much. Work doesn’t start for a few more hours and I don’t need to go back to my place just to rest when I could stay right here.”