MASON WILLIAMS AND THE CELESTIAL SYSTEM

The streets of Aleric City were filled with enthusiasm as dusk lingered in the sky. The holiday season was coming to an end, and the beginning of a new semester was fast approaching. Every returning student on campus would consider it as the best time of the year, but for Mason Williams, this evening was like any other one, where he had to work overtime to meet up to his upkeep.

In this part of the city, things were not only expensive, but one must have a stack pocket for society to take them seriously.

Mason stared at the watch in his hand. It was 8 pm, and It was the perfect time for him to pick up his birthday cake since he had just finished cleaning more than thirty rooms at Skyhigh Hotel. A normal human being would be exhausted by now, but as for Mason, hardship was his background.

The MSM Bakery was the best in town, and Mason smiled as the image of his lovely girlfriend formed in his head. Natalia had always wanted to taste a cake from one of the most expensive bakery shops, and since it was his birthday, he decided to surprise her by getting a cake from her dream bakery.

"Why the hell are you smiling instead of working?" A familiar voice sneered. Mason tilted his head to stare at his boss, whose hands were across his chest, and his face was burning with irritation.

Mason quickly wiped off the smile on his face. He didn't expect Adam Morrison to come out of his office to spectate him cleaning the entire lobby before handing him his pay for the past three weeks.

"S-sorry, sir," Mason replied, shifting his eyes to the familiar lady standing beside his boss. He averted his gaze from her, not fast enough not to notice the hate written across her features. "I am done for today, sir," he said with a bow.

Lola, who is the boss's girlfriend, is a year younger than Mason, and is also in the same department.

She scoffs, leaning into Adman's shoulder as she speaks. "Why don't you fire him," she said, her voice filled with resentment. "Why do you still allow this forsaken lowlife to work here anyway? Cleaning an elegant hotel like The Skyhigh Hotel is way off his league."

She sized Mason with her eyes before returning them to Adam, who also stared at him with disgust. Adam, who was supervising his parent hotel, was a year four student at Aleric University.

"I guess you're right, my love. If firing him makes you happy, so be it," He replied, taking her hands. A smile spread across Adams's lips as he placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

Mason's eyes widened at Lola's request to get him fired. Her face beamed in excitement. Mason turns to Adam, who stands proud of his decision. Disbelief washed over his face as they both agreed to fire him even when he did his best and was found better than the full-time workers the hotel employed.

"P-please, sir, I need this job." Mason's voice shook, dropping to his knees. He knew Adam's hatred towards him wasn't just because he was smiling; in fact, the lowlife whom Lola had referred to was the first person she was interested in a few weeks ago when Mason, who had never been to a casino before, was in desperate need of money for his sister's heart transplant. When everyone he could think of refused to lend him money or help, he ended up in a casino downtown. It was the last place he would ever think of, but he had no choice.

Lola, who had gone out with some friends to the same casino, saw Mason win a million dollars, and with his handsome face, she suddenly developed an interest in him. She even went as far as booking a hotel suite to spend a night with Mason, who ended up refusing her not only because he has a girlfriend but because he needed that money for a heart transplant for his sister, who was in critical condition. Adam, who was at the same casino, also had an eye for Lola and immediately hated him for it. Lola interest in Mason evaporated the moment he used the money for his sister's hospital bills.

"You're fired," Adam's voice vibrated as he tossed an envelope to the floor. "Here is your pay for the last three weeks."

Mason, who had been pleading with his knees on the ground, looked up at Adam, knowing that with that smirk on Adam's face, there was no way he would ever acknowledge him and let him continue working at Skyhigh Hotel.

With a long sigh, Mason took the envelope and counted his three weeks' salary. He recounted it with a frown when it wasn't complete. "Sir," Mason called. "This is a salary for one week instead of three." He said, staring between the envelope and Adam.

Adam smiled wide at his words. With that, Mason knew he did it on purpose." That's because your two weeks' salary was used to repair the damage you caused." Adam replied.

"B…but sir, I never destroyed anything while working. I was always careful." he replied, confused.

Mason has been working at Skyhigh Hotel for three months. He was always diligent and careful while cleaning the rooms and bathrooms in the hotel because he knew how important this job was to him and his sister, so he wasn't only working for himself but also for his younger sister, who had been his responsibility since he was thirteen years old and she was two.

"Here," Adam said, pushing a transparent statue that shattered on the ground. "Now you just destroyed an expensive statue. Do you know how much that cost?"

Mason stared at his boss in disbelief and mentally counted to ten to calm the rage that surged through his body. He had endured numerous humiliations from Adam but didn't expect him to go a long way to cut his salary, which he had sincerely worked for and had budgeted for this semester's fee and his sister's medicine.

"Do you have anything to say, Mason," Adam smirked, stressing the last syllable in his name. Mason, who was mute, just stared at his boss, and through the corner of his eyes, he saw Adam's bodyguard watching and waiting for him to make a move. Mason predicted the future, of what would occur if he vent his anger, He then took the envelope and left the building.

After an hour's trek from the MSM bakery shop, Mason finally reached his apartment. He was living off campus because his sister was also living with him.

"I'm home," Mason smiled, closing the door behind him. he stared at his sister, who sat on the floor with her little eyes panning at the TV screen. She tilted her head at the voice and the sound of the closed door.

"Mason!" She called, jumping to her feet as she ran into his embrace. "I missed you!" She tightened her hands around him.

"I miss you too, princess," He said, rubbing her hair. "Where is Natalie?" Asked Mason, his eyes roaming the small living room in search of his girlfriend, Who was also staying with them. The room had only one coach and a TV, which the last occupants left behind.

"She is upstairs," Helen pointed towards the wooden stairs, and the loud noise from the TV muffled her voice.

"Why are you watching TV with the volume so high?" Mason muttered, taking the remote to reduce the sound. "Don't you know it could affect your hearing?"

"It wasn't me, it was Natalie," she replied.

Why would Natalie do that? Mason thought to himself.

The noise of crashing furniture echoes upstairs, followed by the sound of Natalie's voice. Mason's heart skipped. The event of Natalia having another asthmatic attack flashed into his mind, and this made a cold sweat break from his forehead. Mason dashed through the stairs, approaching his room. He pushed through the ajar door. "Nata–" The rest of his words hung in his throat, and Mason turned pale at the scene in front of him.