Ian Cros

With a glare, I flipped off the homeless man as he took two metal garbage lids, banging them together. The girl who screamed glanced at me with a giggle as another man took the objects from the displaced person.

"The world is ending as we speak!" the man yelled, trying to retrieve his garbage lids.

I shook my head, placing my icy fingers into my pockets. The snow blew off the trees, drifting to the path. A runner jogged by me as the Central Park pond reflected into my eyes.

I meandered to the bridge, placing my hand on the stone. My fingers froze while snow clumped under them. A duck below flapped its brown wings, honking at the flock before swimming to them.

"That's Barb," a little girl's voice said. "She lost her husband last summer, so she's been hating the other ducks." The little girl sported a pink winter coat and earmuffs.

"Is that so?" I asked her as she smiled with her front tooth missing.

She reached into her pockets, pulling out little green balls. "They like frozen peas," the little girl said, tossing her handful over the edge.

I watched the ducks swim quickly to the peas, pecking at the water. Some even dove, sticking their feather asses in the air.

"Bread can kill ducks," she said, tossing more peas.

I raised a brow at her before glancing at a couple across the pond feeding the ducks bread. She followed my gaze, glaring at them.

"Hey!" she yelled across the pond, her arms flying above her head. "Bread kills!" She jumped up and down until the couple glanced at her. "You are killing the ducks!"

The man grabbed the woman's arm, pulling her away from the pond as they feared the little girl.

"I'm Isabella," she said with her hand out while I placed my palm on hers. "Not Bella, not Issy, and definitely not Bellie." Her blue eyes glared at me with attitude.

"You can call me Ian," I replied, pulling my hand away.

"You see, now that is a noble name." She dropped more peas into the pond. "Nobody can come up with some cheesy, halfhearted nickname."

She paused, glancing at me as her blonde flyways tangled with her earmuffs. Her pink cheeks with freckles shined from the melted snow on her face.

I smiled with a slow nod, walking away from her. "Okay, bye."

My shoes crunched on the snow, slipping a little as I stepped from the bridge to the path. I pulled on my red beanie, covering my ears a little more.

"So, why are you in these fancy clothes?" Isabella's voice asked beside me.

I glance down to the side of me, seeing her dropping peas on the path as we walk. She kept with my steps, giggling at the ducks following us.

"Where are your parents?" I asked, seeing a duck peck at my shoe.

"Oh, too focused on my older sister's eighteenth birthday party," she replied. "You know, private high school bratty type."

"You are in Central Park alone?" I eyed her, guessing her age. "What are you like, eight?"

She paused with her hand on her heart. "I am ten, thank you very much, old man."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Either way, you shouldn't be out here alone. There could be child predators out here."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you a child predator?" Isabella lifted a duck into her arms. "Either way, I'm not alone. Benny is following us now."

I peeked over my shoulder at a man in a black suit on his cell phone. He had a reusable bag with peas in it tucked under his arm. His eyes connected with mine, forcing me to wave.

"Okay, well, I have a rooftop party to get to," I said to Isabella, hoping it would shake her.

Her big blue eyes lit up as she threw the duck beside her. It landed weirdly on his belly as his green feathers fluffed out. "Rooftop party?" Isabella questioned me. "At the Empire Hotel?"

"Yeah, how did you know?" I asked, now realizing what she had said earlier. "Your sister's party?"

"That's the one," she replied. "How do you know my spoiled sister?" She scratched her chin. "Same private school?"

"Nah." I put my hands in my pockets. "I got an invitation today from her friends." I glanced at her. "A blonde girl and her friend."

"Let me guess, was the blonde girl super dumb?" Isabella asked.

I didn't answer her as I thought of the two girls in uniforms. I should have known they were lying about being in college.

"You probably talked to Selena, which means Ann as well." Isabella stuck her tongue out while pointing her finger down her throat. "Gross girls."

I laughed. "Do Selena and Ann attend the same private school as your sister?"

"Yep, they are like the three horsemen," Isabella giggled, bending over to scoop up a rock.

"There are four horsemen," I replied to her with a smirk.

"My sister, Cortney, conquest because she likes to control everything. Famine, Ann, because she would starve everyone to gain power. And Selena would be war because she loves causing fights between other people." Isabella threw the rock across the park, hitting a tree.

"And what about death?"

She paused and grinned at me with an evil smile. "Death is the second personality they all form together."

I shook my head, laughing at the little kid. "You have some type of imagination now."

A pigeon flew out of our path, shitting on my shoulder. I paused, glancing at the white shit. "Stupid flying demon!" I yelled, scaring more.

Isabella giggled before running behind us and grabbing something from the man following her. She sprinted back to me, handing me a handkerchief.

"Bird's pooping on you is good luck," she said, watching me clean my shirt.

"Is that so?" I replied with an attitude, glaring at her.

Isabella's attention went elsewhere, jogging away, making girly noises to a dog on a leash walking by. She stopped to pet the canine as I kept going toward the streets. With my head down, I crossed the busy road, glancing over to see Isabella and her parent's worker talking to the lady with the dog.

I rushed to the sidewalk in the wind while snow fell from the tall buildings. The solid red brick structure lit up on the top with flashing lights as a guy in a suit opened the front door for me.

As I waited for the elevator, my phone rang in my pocket. Paul's name popped on the screen as I answered it.

"Hello," I said, stepping into the elevator and clicking the button to the top floor.

"Ian, where are you?" Paul asked with anger. "Your father's meeting is in an hour, and he said it is required."

"Sorry, Paul," I replied as the elevator stopped halfway, letting in a group of drunk women.

"Ian, you don't understand," Paul said while the girls eyed me.

"Are you going to Bamford party?" a girl asked with a slur.

"What was that?" Paul yelled in my ear, causing me to hang up on him and pocket my phone.

I smirked at the girls, seeing the wine glasses in their hands. "Yes, are you?"

A girl in a mini dress placed her hand on my chest, falling into me. "Yes, Katlyn is my best friend."

I tilted my head, thinking of the name Isabella said. "I think you have the name wrong."

The other girls laughed, echoing their giggles around. "Cortney, yes, either way, bitch spoiled as fuck," the girl said while the elevator door opened.

The blinking lights flashed into the small space as another girl wrapped her arm around the mini dress. "Shh, potty mouth," she said, dragging her friend out.

I stepped forward as a man in a server outfit handed me a glass with mystery alcohol. The music played in a low tone as the dusk sky painted an orange.

"Welcome," the man said before walking off.

Vast snowflakes drifted down, melting on the ground. The heating lamps had crowds of people around them as they held their hands to them, trying to stay warm. Christmas lights left over last month hung, lighting up the rooftop with white light. I huffed, wanting to escape my dad's meeting, but this was not much better.

"Oh, my Gawd!" a high-pitched scream yelled while I glanced over to see a girl with red hair pointing her finger at the guy controlling the music. "I told you only new songs at my party!"

I laughed, seeing Cortney controlling everyone around her, even her two best friends. She grabbed Selena and Ann by the shoulders, forcing them to take a picture with her in front of an arch full of glitter.

"Cheese," they said simultaneously as a flash of light blinded them.

Ann's eyes glanced my way as she nudged Selena. They both skipped toward me with their arms open for hugs. I put my drink in the air with both palms up as they wrapped their arms around my torso.

"Ian Cros," their whiny voices let out.

As their strong perfume filled my nose, Cortney's shocked expression eyed me. "The Ian Cros," she said with excitement. "My party will be famous," she said with a hop running away.

Selena pulled away, grabbing at a tray with Italian pinwheels while Ann eyed her with disgust. Ann grabbed the food from Selena, putting it back on the tray.

"Selena, you can't eat like that if you want to say fitting that dress," Ann said, brushing her hands together.

Selena pouted her bottom lip toward me. "Do I look fat in this dress, Ian?" she asked with a whiny voice.

I glanced down at her red dress, seeing the silk material loosely around her body like she could gain thirty pounds and still not fill in the dress completely. My eyes met hers for a moment, and I looked at Ann.

Selena pulled on Ann's arm, pointing across the room. "Look, your boyfriend is talking to that new girl," Selena said, forgetting they asked me a question.

Ann's face painted red as she stormed off with anger. She stomped across to the other side as Selena giggled under her breath. Ann pushed the other girl, making her stumble to the ground.

"Off my man, you slut!" she yelled, causing the party to look at the scene.

Selena grabbed my wrist, laying her head on my arm. "Isn't it funny when people fight."

I pulled Selena off of me, patting the top of her hand. "I'll be right back," I lied, placing my untouched drink in her fingers and walking away.

I walked to the edge of the building, leaning against the brick ledge. The skyscrapers lit up down the street while cars blared their horns below. I turned around, half sitting on the stone, glancing at the red sign lighting up the Empire Hotel.

My eyes flickered to the three girls as they watched me with evil grins. Selena waved like a lunatic toward me as I smirked, looking elsewhere and rotating back around.

I glanced to the street, seeing a black car pull up hurriedly. A familiar gray-haired man rushed out of the car, stomping toward the door while a news crew pulled behind the car.

"Fuck," I whispered, seeing Paul, knowing my dad was here.

I looked back at the girls, as they were still watching me race to the exit. Cortney rushed over as I tried to make my escape. She grabbed my arm, pulling at my shirt.

"Ian, where are you going?" she asked as Selena grabbed my other arm.

I yanked my body away from them. "Did you call the paparazzi?" I asked, angrily.

Cortney brought her hand to her mouth with wide eyes. "No," she said, out of breath. "Why are they here?" She smiled, leaning to look at the elevator.

"Ann called TMZ," Selena said with an evil grin, causing Ann to slap her shoulder. "What? You did, didn't you?"

"You are a total bitch sometimes!" Ann yelled at Selena.

I sped to the elevator, clicking the button down. It dinged right away, opening the sliding doors to my father. His eyes met mine as he crossed his broad arms over his chest.

"Ian," he said in a deep tone.

"Robert," I replied with a heavy sigh, causing him to glare. "I know, I know." I stepped into the elevator with him, clicking the main floor button.

"Ian, we only have about thirty minutes to get across town," my dad said as the elevator descended. "You have an important meeting scheduled." His eyes glanced from his phone to me.

"I know."

As soon as the elevator shook at the bottom, the doors slowly opened to paparazzi flashing cameras at us. The hotel security couldn't keep them out as Robert grabbed my upper arm, pulling me through the chaos.

"Mr. Cros, is Ian back to his old partying days?" a lady asked, with her microphone close to his mouth.

He pushed it away, blocking any pictures with his palm as we rushed to the car. Paul placed his hand on my head as I ducked into the vehicle and shut it as soon as my father followed.

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