The Boy Who Would Never Be Heard

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP...



"...Ugh..."



When most high school students hear an alarm from their clock or cell phone, they would take one of two paths. They would rise from their slumber like the dead and prepare as slowly as humanly possible. Hygiene, sustenance, attire...and finally transportation: by bus, by car, or on foot. 



Or they would press the snooze button repeatedly before stumbling out of bed and sprinting through the aforementioned process, forgetting the occasional book or article of clothing.



Neil's morning was slightly different. He would wake up at four each morning, get ready, drive to the Harrington manor, get Flora ready, and then go to school. 



"Neil, I'll need you to cancel the meeting I have after school tomorrow," said the eighteen-year-old as she walked down the hall in a white robe. She was trailed behind by Neil, whose indifferent gaze frightened even the most emotionally-numbed servants.



"Yes, Lady Flora," said the sixteen-year-old. He, unlike the workers, was dressed informally and was allowed to go wherever he pleased. Despite this, he did whatever Flora told him. 



"Also, I'm feeling like lobster today. Could you bring me some when lunch starts? I'm sure your teacher will understand..."



No matter what.



"Yes, Lady Flora."



"Oh, and could you feed it to me too? I feel like showing you off."



"Yes, Lady Flora," the edge of Neil's mouth twitched. "...Lady Flora?"



"Hm?" the woman paused and turned her head slightly. Neil approached her. Despite being younger, he was taller...



"Would you like me to put clothes on you too?" he said softly in her ear, placing his hand on Flora's opposite shoulder.



...and much more forward. Flora felt her robe slipping so she clenched onto its flaps and distanced herself from her servant. Her breathing became rushed, her eyes widened, and cheeks pink. She couldn't look at Neil for a moment. This wasn't the first time he did something like this but it received the same reaction nonetheless. Once she recovered from her panicky state she cleared her throat and said "If you're good, I might let you."



Neil yearned to wring her bossy little neck.



"…How are things going with Ian?" he asked when she left her room fully clothed. 



"Huh?"



"Ian. I want to know about Ian!" Neil snapped. He quickly reverted back when Flora gave him a look. "…If you don't mind."



"Oh, that. …I…just need a little bit more time. You haven't been talking to him, have you?"



"Of course not. It would be against my lady's wishes…"



"Then I'll keep my end of the bargain too, okay? It's just…taking a bit longer than planned."



"…Okay," Neil heard that excuse before many, many times. He knew better, and yet he was still with her. He remained by her side for eight years. Why? Was there some other reason involved?



…



Whenever Neil didn't have to serve Flora hand and foot, he would spend most of his time staring at the clock or daydreaming. He gained some popularity over the years. People either stopped caring or never found out about his family situation. Girls would follow him through the hallways and boys would look on with burning envy. He promoted from the quiet, shy kid to the quiet, cool kid.



He wasn't sure how that worked.



His art class was probably one of his favorites. Most of the students were more interested in getting their work done than other people. He didn't have to worry about a random note or feeling eyes on him. He began sketching what the teacher asked for that day. With no distractions, he regressed into his own little world. 



"See that guy over there? …Hey, don't stare!" 



"Sorry! …You mean the brunet?"



There were two girls sitting a few tables away and talking about him. Neil continued working.



"Oh, wow, he's cute…" said the first girl.



"Don't bother. That's Flora's man."



"…No way. That's Steel Neil?"



The boy in question's pencil froze. The hell kind of stupid name…



"Oh sh…I think he heard us!" the girls pretended to be working the entire time.



"The whole class could hear you," Neil said, not diverting his attention from the assignment. The rest of the class stopped to see what he was talking about. The girls stared, mouth agape, trying to think of an excuse. They instead went back to doing what their teacher wanted. One of the girls glanced at Neil before taking out her cell phone. She texted the girl next to her. 



'Besides I heard he has an Oedipus complex : /'



Sending…



Message sent!



Her friend's phone vibrated and she checked it under the table. Her jaw dropped a moment later. She snapped out of it before replying.



'You think he's dating Flora cuz of it?'



'Prolly'



'Ewwww! >_< I mean yeah, poor guy if his mom's like her but yeah, ew'



'Well at least you know how to catch his attention now ;D'



'Haha.'



…



Perhaps Neil's newfound fame derived from the rumor of his relationship with Flora. The student body assumed that they were a couple instead of master and servant. Flora's requests didn't help matters. Before Flora's lunch period started, Neil organized a time the family cook could drop off Flora's lunch. When the time came, he was the one to serve her food on a silver platter. Her classmates was used to the presentation at this point so they paid him no mind. He displayed Flora's food luxuriously, complete with side dishes and a candle holder.  



"Ooh, how exquisite! You shouldn't have…" Flora cooed. 



"Did you already forget that you asked for this, Lady Flora?" Neil rolled his eyes before attempting to leave. 



"Ah-ah-ahhh…Aren't you forgetting something?" Flora said, patting the empty seat next to her. Oh. That. He sighed and sat next to his lady. Flora immediately shifted from her seat to Neil's lap. She wrapped an arm around his neck and pointed at her opened mouth. Neil cracked open the lobster's shell and dug the meat out with a cocktail fork. He proceeded to feeding the person on his lap until she told him to stop.



God, when did he stoop this low, he wondered…



The bell rang, signaling the seniors to return to class. When Neil was on his way back to class, he tried cooking up another excuse for disappearing. He wasn't given enough time when a dim-looking, muscular young man approached him. He had a smug grin on his face and refused to move out of Neil's way. After shifting left and right a few times, Neil gave up and mumbled "What?"



"That little scene in the cafeteria? You had it backwards. The woman's supposed to feed you, dude."



"…"



"How do you do that, man? Having the same look on your face all the time."



The boy made a parodic version of Neil's nonchalant gaze before laughing. Neil crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, silently saying "I don't have all day".



"You sure are one lucky guy, Steel Neil," the jock said. That stupid name again… "Having someone like Flora as your girl. Hate to admit it, but…I'm kinda jealous."



"We're not together," Neil said simply.



"Hmph, then let me have a piece of that then."



"I can't allow that either," Neil's eyes narrowed. "She has a fiancé."



"That right?" 



"Yes. It's for her family's fortune, so she doesn't like to talk about it. After all, who would leave a woman in charge of all that money?"



"Hahaha, good point! She'd probably spend it all on shoes or something."



"Hm…"



"Well, uh, I gotta get going. See ya, man."



The bell rang as if it was trying to save the jock. He hurried away from Neil, who was soon greeted by Flora.



"Nice going!" she gleamed, hugging the boy from behind. "Haven't heard that one in a while. Running out of ideas, hm?" her embrace tightened. "I can't help but wonder, though…Why won't you just say that we're a couple…?"



"Why waste such an excuse on a behemoth like him?"



"Aw, I wouldn't have minded…" Flora giggled. She retracted one of her arms and circled her finger on Neil's back. Neil concluded that the heiress's affectionate persona was more irritating than refreshing…



"If you don't mind me asking…" Neil said, freeing himself from the woman's grasp. "Why did you cancel tomorrow's meeting?"



"Hmhmhm…It's a surprise!" 



A surprise? Maybe she…No, it couldn't be.



…



The next day started the same way as always. Neil got up at four, prepared himself and Flora, and then attended class on time. If Flora needed something, he would slip out of his scheduled courses and accomplish whatever ridiculous request she had. Day in, day out.



"Oi, you know someone named Neil? Brown hair, kinda shy? Should be in year twelve by now…"



"Uh, no. Sorry…"



The visitor groaned as he and his tagalong forced their way through the crowd of students outside. They could hear the girls they spoke to squealing excitedly.



"Oh my gosh, did you hear his voice?!" one of them said.



"Seriously…?" the visitor groaned, taking out a ten dollar bill.



"I told you…" his follower snatched it out of his hand and stretched it over her face. "Americans adore accents." 



"Huh. …'xcuse me, I need some help finding someone," he requested another student's help. After a few unsuccessful attempts, the visitor's patience grew thin.



"Is there a Neil in this parking lot?!" he shouted loudly enough to silence everyone in the area. Everyone looked at him like he was an escaped mental patient. His taller companion bent forward slightly and cupped her hand next to her mouth.



"You never learned his last name, dear?" she whispered.



"Never asked," the visitor shrugged, much to his worker's amusement. Students wondered if he meant Steel Neil, so they looked toward the brunet and led the visitor to him. Neil felt more eyes on him than usual as he waited by his car for Flora. He soon saw a boy smiling at him. Elise was walking behind him in a maid's uniform. 



The boy's hair was different…his voice changed…he wasn't even wearing glasses, but Neil knew…



"I…Ian…?" he said weakly.