A Hidden Picture

Forty two

~ Annalise

"Well you know what I think?"

Benny narrows his eyes at me.

"I think that you're a little prick," I tell him.

He rolls his eyes. "And I think that you're a meanie."

I scoff. "You're the one who acts like a little douchebag."

His face heats in anger. "This is why you don't have a boyfriend."

I grin. "My boyfriend would say otherwise."

Benny laughs. "Yeah, okay." He doesn't believe me.

Whatever. I don't need to prove myself to an 8 year old asshole.

"Anise! Anise!" I turn my head to see Gracie coming closer to me, lugging around her pink backpack.

"Hello gracie grace," I greet her.

She grins and plops down next to me, pulling out her math notebook.

"Can you help me with math again?" She flashes me those puppy dog eyes.

I sigh with a smile and grab the pencil from her hand.

"Hey I still need help with reading!," Benny pipes up from next to me.

I look to Ro whose talking to some little boy a few feet away.

"Ro!," I yell.

He looks to me and I nod my head towards Benny. "You're bestie needs help."

His shoulders slump.

"You're evil," Benny tells me.

I narrow my eyes down at him and he cowers slightly.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," he grumbles, turning back to his work.

I smirk. "Mhm."

~

"Okay," Ms. V walks up to us with a smile and two envelopes.

"Hey girl," Ro says casually while taking a sip of his coffee.

Her smile drops. "It's Ms. to you. Ya damn fool." She smacks him in the head with one envelope and then turns to me.

I grin as Ro grimaces and massages his head.

"Anyhow." She rolls her eyes then smiles again. "Here's your pay in cash dear." Her hand reaches out towards me and I feel my expression lifting.

Well isn't today a good day. I take the envelope from her and place it in my bag. "Thanks Ms. V."

She nods with a smile.

"What about me?," Ro whines.

Her long faux locs whip over her shoulder as she spins her head. "Call me girl again and don't be expectin' no damn pay!"

Ro huffs out a breath. "You're the most fabulous woman in earth and I apologize for my wrong doings and I hope deep down in your heart you can forgive me for my actions." He lifts his hands to his heart.

She smirks and places her hands on her hips before slapping the envelope on his chest. "That's more like it now ain't it."

With that she walks away towards the back room.

"How come your envelope was thicker?" His eyebrow lifts.

I cross my arms. "Are you forgetting that I also work here too? Like as a job too and not just an after school helper for kids?"