Handcuffed Rivals

28

That afternoon when we came to Mrs. Jennys house, I had not been in such a great mood whatsoever. Dad made it pretty clear that cleaning this garage and helping the witch is the only way he'll have me repaying my dues and I didn't like that at all. Jared did so much nonsense in the past, he barely got this as a punishment. I guess Dad really knew nothing about our neighbor.

„I'm so glad to have some company over. Your parents are such a nice people." The lady talked welcoming us into her home bigheartedly with arms open as wide as the house door. I wondered, how much of an act must that be considering I'm her favorite topic on the gossip lines, every freaking day.

„You're welcome." King faked a smile, even I was jelaous of. His acting skills finally got to be put in use, not only for young girls but, as it turns out, an old ones as well. „Would you like some tea?"

The interaction wasn't directed to me but as he declined, she politely asked me with a tilt of her head if I would be interested then. I shook my head just wanting to get out of here as soon as possible. No tea, no coffee, mhmmm I could use some cookies though. Since Jared ate them all.

„Okay, let me show you what we're working on." Huh, we. Old lady, you don't do shit. You drag poor, innocent students to do it for you. „This!" She almost yelled, pointing out from the small frame of unused doors. The place smelled chaotic and full of stuff, some dirty, some never-seen by the daylight, some just there, I don't even want to know what are they in use of.

She looked excited, I looked like I've see a ghoast. This was so messy, cluttered, I think now would be the time to freak out.

„The fuck is that?" King pushed me through the small, smelly, open doors and looked closely himself „Oh."

„Young man, language!" she acted like our mother, glaring with her white and red, enormous reading glasses that covered half her face. I was glad for that, mean to say this but, I didn't want to know how she'd look like without. „Sorry."

„We have to do what exactly?" I was afraid to ask but someone had to. King looked too uncomfortable around this bitch and I think he finally understood my reaction back at the house. This whole atmosphere was cursed, I'm telling you. She's mental.

„You'll clean it first." I tried to swallow my saliva but there weren't any, on the contrary, I felt my throat dry like a desert „Clean?" This will take forever.

„I can't do it myself dear. I'm old." Closing my eyes, I just wished for someone to tell me there is a hidden camera somewhere and that I'll be on a TV show where everyone would yell 'haha got you!' but hearing no sound, I opened them again and everything looked the same.

„See what you get for taping my butt?" King crossed his arms and excluded the lady from our conversation. He acted like she wasn't around and I decided it wouldn't be a problem for me too. He could be rude, I could be far worse. „I didn't tape your stupid butt!"

„Nooooo, you shared it!" he yelled again making the granny open her mouth soundlessly, shocked to be hearing that. „It's not my fault we're here Mister traitor!"

„I can't be a traitor when we're not friends!" he made no sense, only to himself probably, unclenching his hands „You're definitely cleaning this stuff and I'm watching!"

„Haa? No, no, no, I ain't doing shit without you! You're gonna get those rich, bratty hands on the ground and start picking stuff up, you hear me?" if jumping that hard on the spot didn't make it obvious, how seriously disoriented and nervewrecking I felt, I don't know what did.

„You know what I'll pick? A camera! Like yourself, maybe to film something!" I narrowed my eyes at his comment, not talking it lighty at all. It was a stupid story that lasted twenty-four hours, everyone forgot about it already.

„Enough! Both will work equally because both of you are brats." We turned around to look at the granny, furious at our behavior. „You better have something done by the time I'm back!" she pointed a finger in our direction, mostly Kings but I felt it like she meant for me as well, so I took it like both os us where in the same package. Leaving us there. She created a silent tension, with dirty stuff all around us, dust every corner you looked.

„Maybe we could open up the garage doors on the other side to have some fresh air." I tried talking, seeing as King haven't moved from his previous position. „We can't get to the other side." More of an realisation kicked me, minus his smartass comebacks, I really didn't need that right now, as it became clear this will take days to clean. I didn't want to know how much more time it will take to actually turn this into a library.

„She didn't give us gloves or anything to clean with." I whispered, choosing to not give my response to his previous snappy retort. And he's calling me a brat. „Then ask her."

„Why me? She hates my guts." It was fast and it was on impulse.

His just as much „Well, it's not like she likes me better."

„Are you really afraid of a walking grave?" I whispered coming closer to him so my back wouldn't touch more of that dust from behind me. He made a face „No, you're the one making a big deal out of this."

„Then go ask her, hero boy." I teased, pushing his shoulder with my arm, like a bump with a closed fist. „Fine, what's she called again?" he flexed his muscled like he's batman and I'm watching him in a theatre.

I slapped him again „Mrs. Jenny and you're awful."

„Yo, Jen!" my eyes went wider then wide from his approach, so unmanly like, so street-style like she is his age and this is completely normal to talk to eldery people like that, the lady that supposedly, just a second ago made him scared shirtless from her 'Clean this!' stance. „I need detergents, gloves, a broom, uh, everything."

She came from the kitchen holding two lemonades in her hands „It's all in the back. Here you go dear and help yourself with anything you need. I'm going to take a nap upstairs."

Divine, she gets to sleep and I have to bust my ass out to clean this house. „Thanks and thanks." He took the glasses from her hands and put it right in mines, well the word put is slighty easygoing, he slammed them in me.

„Let's go Coopy, hop hop." I didn't like this. How come everyone ends up liking him more then me?

***