Twice Over

Chapter Fifty Four - Predominate

predominate
verb
1. be the strongest or main element; be greater in number or amount
2. have or exert control or power

Ms Palmers is waiting at the main doors that exit to the car park after school today. She has her usual serious face on, arms on her hips, ready for action. She nods in welcome and takes my backpack.

"Grant is in the SUV, Miss. He has your work bag ready for your next appointment. Will you be needing a change of clothes, Miss?"

"Yay, to Grant being with us. No to needing clothes. Lets get going." We managed to make it to the car without any problems. I did see a few nasty looks aimed at us.

"Two months, just two months and we're out of here." I complain once we're in the car.

"Hey Lills, how was your day?" Awww, I love Grant's friendly style, using my nickname.

"Grant, you have made it a hundred times better with your cherry smile."

"Oh, reading hallmark cards again?"

"How could you tell." I reply, dryly.

"So, where are we off to, this afternoon?" Grant asks as I buckle up and Patricia starts the car and drives out of the school grounds.

"I messaged my hacker friend today and asked him if he was interested in working with us on the Arts and Antiques App. He agreed to meet me after school in a nearby cafe."

"Ooooh, the hacker. Getting more interesting. So, how's school going?"

"Grant, school sucks a donkey riding on a bike without handlebars."

"That bad, huh?"

"Eyva has already spread rumours of my infidelity, my thieving ways, my suicidal tendencies and how I'm proposition the males hunks in school for sex."

"Holy crap, really?" I can see him in the rear vision mirror in the back seat. His eyes are wide open in disbelief.

"Enough about that. What about you, are you joining me at uni next semester?" I wave away the depressing thoughts.

"Yes, I am. I had a good talk with mum and dad and they both agree this is a great opportunity that I need to take, so if you will have me, I'd really like to join you and become your right hand man."

"You're only doing it for the hot hunks at uni, aren't you. Come on, admit it!" I tease.

"I admit nothing! Come on, who do you think I am?" He scoffs in mock indignation.

"A gay valet with tendencies of stupid?" Patricia asked sarcastically.

"Hahaha!" We laughed and joked around until we arrived at the cafe for our next meeting.

We found Dunstin Fredricks, aka HcakerFreddy sitting inside in the corner away from the windows. He was a brown haired, tall guy with a permanent mocha tan and the darkest eyes you've ever seen. He didn't look like your typical hacker geek who lived at home in his parent's basement, playing on computers all day long and living off instant noodles.

Nope. Dunstin Fredricks looked like a typical teenaged popular guy, a sports freak who winks at the ladies saying 'how you doing?'...

When we arrived at his table he was a little surprised. Whether it was because I knew what he looked like, or that I was a pretty girl who'd just walked up to him, I wasn't sure.

"Hey Freddy, I'm Lily Twice. I'm sure you've done your homework on me so I'll skip the formalities. This is my associates, Grant Hepburn, my soon to be study buddy and future accountant. This is Patricia Palmers who is my driver and personal assistant. So, what are you drinking? Need a top up?"