The Elites

Chapter 5

Chloe

Chloe bit her lip, staring at the list of things she had to accomplish the upcoming weekend. Pay the bills. Clean the house. Grab her father's medicines. More. She sighed, leaning back on the couch in the game room of the Elites building, wishing for just one weekend she could do nothing. Just be a regular nineteen year old and relax, but the world was never so forgiving. From a young age, she had learned all it did was take and take and take mercilessly.

"Why so glum, chum?" Sophia asked, plopping down next to Chloe on the couch.

Chloe forced a smile, tucking her phone away in her skirt and Sophia beamed at her. Chloe had never told Sophia in detail what she'd be dealing with, but she could tell Sophia worried about her by the way she often dotted on her and sent texts to check up on her frequently.

"Nothing," Chloe said. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing much," Sophia sighed, leaning back against the couch. "Actually, I was thinking on my way here that I wish university wouldn't end. This life is too good and I can't imagine becoming a real adult." Sophia shivered, making Chloe giggle. "Yikes."

"Really? I look forward to the next stage of my life."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just like the stability of a full-time job... It would be nice to be settled instead of worrying about becoming successful enough."

"Successful enough for your dad you mean, right?" Sophia whispered.

Chloe tensed. Sophia knew her father was ill. She also knew Chloe cooked, cleaned and took care of her father after Chloe had reluctantly admitted it when Sophia demanded she tell her why she couldn't hang out on weekends as much anymore and Chloe regretted telling her in moments like this. She hated having someone know her weakness. She hated being pitied because her father hadn't chosen his illness and she could handle it. She was okay despite Sophia's constant worrying.

"Yeah, it's... hard to do all this with a part time job." Chloe paused, already feeling like she said too much. Her father got disability paycheques, but it only came up to a thousand dollars. It wasn't enough and Chloe tried her best to fill in all the other finances with her part time job, but even Sophia didn't know that. Sophia thought she had a job to pay for school. "And with school, it's really hard to balance everything... But, it's okay. It's good experience for when I get a full time job."

"Oh Chloe, is there any way I can help you? I can help you clean! Or help you with your homework, even though you probably would do a better job at it... But please tell me Chloe if you need any help, you seem so tired lately. You don't have to do this all on your own."

Chloe flushed. Her eyes lowered to the rug beneath their feet, wishing she could disappear. She didn't need help. For months, she handled everything and she was sure she could handle it for the years to come. She didn't want to burden anyone with her life. And she didn't have to, so why would she ask for help?

"It's fine," Chloe said. "I've been managing and in just two more years we'll graduate. Things will become easier, I'm sure."

Sophia frowned, but she didn't push. "How's your dad been?"

"He's..." Terrible. Ill. Depressed. Those words flashed before Chloe's mind, but she held her tongue, not wanting to taint the image of her father. Her dad had been the best father anyone could ask for before the stroke and she would always hold onto that image of him. Illness would never change the person he truly was. "Holding up. I think he's struggling with the change, but every day he becomes better. Well, not better I guess, but he learns how to live with his new body and mind. Each day becomes easier."