Lawfully Dysfunctional (DISCONTINUED)

22| Shakes and Ladders

T W E N T Y- T W O
Lawfully Dysfunctional

'You don't know how happy I am that the interns are getting a five day holiday for Christmas.' I told Deli who was on the other side of the country skiing. I held the phone close to my ear and folded the clothes that were lying on the sofa, waiting for their fate.

'I'm surprised your "tyrant of a boss", your words not mine, is letting you enjoy your life.' Delilah agreed. It had been almost three months since I started the internship, and I had become a pro at filing the cases in the correct sequence, quietly sitting in the corners of the court, drafting documents and drinking loads of coffee which I used as payment for the work I did.

'Yeah, but now I'm sort of stuck at home, forced to do the Christmas decorations all on my own.' I complained. 'And don't ask me how, but there's a coffee stain on my ceiling and the walls that needs to be covered up before my parents come back home.'

'How-'

'Don't. Ask.' I warned her. 'I went and bought beige paints but it's too high up!'

'Poor thing.' She laughed and I heard Marc in the background telling her to hurry up. 'Okay I need to go, bye!' She cut the call before I could reply.

I made my way to the back yard to get the paint can out of the shed, and I saw a familiar man walking past my house, his hands deeply placed within his coats pocket and a frown on his face. A familiar face I hadn't seen in two and a half months.

'Dimwit!' I hollered, but he didn't seem to hear me. 'Mr. Vanderbilt!'

He seemed to be taken out of some sort of trance, and looked up at me with wide eyes.

'Freya Palmer.' He nodded. 'It's been a long time.'

'It has. What are you doing here?' I asked him cheerfully, my mind already thinking of a million ways I could use him.

'Really?' My inner voice was back at it again.

'Get your mind out of the gutter Freya.' I told myself.

'I had just come out for a walk.' His cheeks looked flushed with heat. 'I didn't realise how far I had come. What are you doing here?'

'That's my house.' I pointed at the modest little house which I had stayed in from my birth. 'Why don't you come in? I needed some help anyways and it's a bit chilly outside.' That was an understatement seeing that it was still snowing.

He look a little skeptical, and I could understand his confusion since our every meeting had been quite explosive, but he followed me in finally, still looking a little lost, and it was the first time I had seen him this way.

~•~

'I'm so sorry!' I exclaimed, covering my mouth with both my hands and looking at his twisted ankle guiltily.

He looked at me with a slightly pained expression which made me smile sheepishly. After I dragged him into the room where the prominent stain prevailed, I offered him some milkshake(because I had no idea how to make decent hot chocolate) and convinced him to help me paint over the stains while I gave him some shelter, but I guess making him hold the ladder while I danced to Work wasn't a very good idea because I fell right over his leg.