Casval walked down the street towards where his chauffeur was waiting for him. His stride was focused and showed his frustration at what had happened. Though he had admitted to himself that he was in the wrong, it was not shame that caused his surly attitude.
“I’m disappointed in you” was all that Casval had said to turn his company's judging eyes onto him. Now, in his solitude, he found it absurd that such a comment was able to result in this, but he meant it with full malice. In the end, he was glad to have left, as even the bitter cold of the winter’s night stung less than their words. When the pearl white limousine came into view, Casval put aside his thoughts and was welcomed into the car’s warmth by the driver. “Shall I take us home sir?”
Casval was the adopted heir to a wealthy business conglomerate based downtown, and had lived a good deal of his adolescence in luxury. The memories of his impoverished childhood however, served as a reminder for himself to act with his status.
“Sir?” repeated Noa, the young man who sat attentively in the driver’s seat. Casval snapped up from his reflection, and could immediately tell that his master was on edge this evening. Casval merely nodded and slumped back into his seat, trying his best to forget his troubles. “Very well, sir,” said Noa, rolling up the window between the seats.
Noa cared not to think much into his master’s affairs, but still felt concern for him. He had held his position as the driver for only two months now, but he took pride in it and took the role seriously. He snatched the opportunity after years of experience taxiing all sorts of characters from place to place, and even more so from his youthful days carousing the town with his gang. They were a no good bunch, he remembered, but being on the streets again as a profession gave him a sweet sense of nostalgia. It was hard for him to carry a family by himself, so driving gave him an escape from his troubles.
As the car glided down the road without making a sound, Casval sat totally immersed in his thoughts. With the heat of the moment gone, he finally found time to collect himself. It took the young aristocrat a while to fully encompass the situation he had been put in, as well as the consequences that resulted. “Good lord,” he sighed to himself, and began to think of a way to resolve the matter. He stared out the tinted window and towards the lake. It glittered with the dazzling lights of buildings and cars passing by the shore, reflecting them in a way that made it look alive, as if another city existed beneath it, one that was always awake with the busy business of its people. Casval was not a sentimental person, but even he felt charmed by the sight.
His attention shifted down towards the people walking on the lakefront below. Wrapped in blankets, huddled together around crackling fires lit in barrels, the image of the city’s impoverished ruined the tranquil night scenery. Casval felt bitter resent from his position looking down on them, and regretfully returned to the memories of his little outburst. No longer in his good mood and not wanting to retie to bed unsettled, he leaned forward and lowered the window.
“Driver, I’ve changed my mind, turn us around and bring us to Kamille’s.” Casval said abruptly and coldly towards Noa, who immediately groaned out of displeasure once the window had gone back up.
“This kid never gives me a break does he?” Noa muttered as he swerved back onto the highway. He wasn’t being paid extra for working this late and he knew that his wife would be unhappy. Nevertheless, he had to comply with his young master’s request and head towards their destination downtown.
After driving for a little while longer, the vibrant automobile pulled up at the corner of the lively street, still bustling with couples and families window shopping and browsing for all sorts of gifts and goods out here in the cold. Noa parked and exited the vehicle, briefly looking around and scanning the happy faces of children and their parents. He gave a rather dull smile towards them and opened the door for Casval.
“I might be a while.” He said without really acknowledging his attendant. “You’d best make yourself comfortable.” He said without tone and walked down the street and into a building that seemed lacking of any festiveness shown elsewhere around.
Noa mumbled a quick “yessir” and returned to his seat in the car. He promptly rested his head onto the steering wheel and rested his tired eyes, with nothing else to do then think of his warm bed.
Casval entered down past the empty foyer and through lonely hallways. The flickering of dim yellow lights were all that broke the silence, barring the whispers and faint echoes of the adjacent room’s inhabitants. After walking for quite some time, he heard the voices grow louder and louder, with cheers and laughter all about. He reached a pale door at the end of the hall, and reached his hand out to open it.
“Well, look who’s here!” almost instantly came a cheery, soothing voice. “What can I get for you, boss?”
Casval eyes turned towards the barkeep, but he did not respond. He walked leisurely towards the bar counter whilst looking around. The dull glow that resided in the halls had been replaced with a scarlet red. He saw people eating at tables, sitting at the bar, or playing the machines at the back. The place smelled distinctly of alcohol and smoke, yet the soft and cool music playing gave it a bizarrely welcoming atmosphere.
“I’m fine as it is, Kamille.” Casval said, sitting down on one of the stools. “I came for advice and some pity is all.” He said rather grimly, reaching out to grab a cigarette being handed to him by a small, feminine hand.
Kamille was the proud owner of the quaint little joint that Casval found himself in on multiple occasions, often for celebrating or remembering. If only this time could be a bit as cheerful. While he looked quite younger than the eccentric, Kamille was the same age and grew up with him. He never went to school, and frankly wasn’t considered by anyone to be good at much, but by chance he managed to find himself in a place of success.
“What’s on your mind?” Kamille replied to Casval’s unsubtle comment. Despite trying to keep his thoughts to himself in most scenarios, he wasn’t very vague when it came down to it.
“I think that I’ve managed to piss off the higher-ups” Casval bluntly put it. Kamille proceeded to quietly pour drinks for himself and his friend with a concerned expression. He cared for his long-time companion, and greatly respected his position in life and as a man, but when it came to work matters or those amongst high society, Kamille found himself uncomfortably lost.
“Well I’m sure it’s fixable. Just what did you do to those old snobs?”
Casval let out a sigh and stretched a bit in his seat, almost like the topic brought him physical discomfort. “I was at a little get-together earlier this evening, among some seniors of the board. You know, the ones my father likes me to hang around and learn a bit from? Well, somehow I found myself drawn into a conversation amongst them regarding the state of the city’s welfare-”
“Stop right there because I already know where this is going” Kamille abruptly interrupted. “If this is going to be one of your rants about the poor again, I’ll care significantly less. Look, you and I both grew up like that and I get that those elitists bother you, but I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again. You need to forget the past and think about the now.”
“Very well, if you don’t have any better to say than what my father pegs onto me, then I’ll just head on home and try to think of an apology.” Casval rose from his seat and began to walk towards the exit. Kamille quickly paced out from behind the bar and stopped him.
“You know that I’m not the guy to deal with these kinds of problems you got.” Kamille said to his friend, who appeared more scornful than when he had come in. Casval waved him off but the boyish lad would not budge.
“Fine, coming here to you was a mistake, but surely you know someone who I can bring my troubles to?” Casval asked, almost interrogatively. Kamille’s bright manner has seemed to dissipate a bit in front of the man’s rudeness. Kamille knew his friend could be very cold and unsociable and tried to be the more positive one in their talks, but sometimes his attitude became too much.
“I don’t know man, why don’t you talk to someone from the old days if you’re looking to talk about how poor they are? Kamille coldly replied. “You know I don’t talk to any of them anymore” he responded. Casval was not too good at picking up at the meanings of other’s remarks.
“Well then just find one of your workers to bug on Christmas Eve; I’m closing up early anyway.”
“That’s what all the fuss outside is about?” Casval stopped himself and thought for an awkward second, being absorbed in his work made him forget quite a lot of his schedule.
“Way to go, man” Kamille mocked, now feeling a bit more restored by the mention of the occasion. “Look, just get home safe, alright? You’ve got a ride already don’t you?”
“Of course, and um, happy holidays” Casval dimwittedly replied. The acquaintances bid their farewells and Casval walked back onto the street. Now looking around, he felt rather dull indeed for having missed such an important event. He started back towards the car and awaited the door to be opened for him.
…
After realizing that the door had not been opened for a few seconds, Casval leaned towards the driver’s door to peek inside the window. He found his drivers face first towards the steering wheel, appearing to be happily asleep. Becoming frustrated at being put in another awkward situation, and that it was almost mocking to slumber inside the cozy warm car when your master was waiting in the cold. He promptly raised his hand to knock on the window.
Noa was likely dreaming happily about going home, spending the night with his family. What he dreamed though didn’t really matter as it all reflected his desire to not be waiting outside of some seedy bar. He grudgingly arose from his nap due to some irritable tapping. He expected a bum at his window begging for change or something. His annoyed eyes quickly recoiled from scowling at the window when he realized who was looking in directly from the other side.
“I-I’m v-very sorry s-sir” Noa hastily spat out as he nearly leapt out of his seat to open the door for Casval. The man looked at his chauffeur with a look not of anger or chaste, but with a puzzling look of thought. “It’s no problem” Casval said quietly, entering and sitting down into the car. Noa closed the door behind him, heart pacing all the while. He entered the driver’s seat with full griminosity, sure that he would be scolded and lose the pay earned tonight. He began the drive home expecting the worst.
Casval sit alone again reflecting on his thoughts. Kamille had instructed to seek philosophical comfort in one of his employees, and Casval now had one in quite the spot where he couldn’t refuse discussing. Still, it came to his attention the date and thought that he would be too much of a bother. He had also noticed his driver’s awkward disposition after being woken up from his little nap, and that alone seemed to amuse Casval enough to not confront him about it.
