AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You did just fine answering it this time, Dakota, and hardly anyone ever calls the office phone anyway. They all call our cell phones.” I put my phone on speaker and placed it on my dresser as I grabbed a bra and angrily clasped it on. “I already told you I have things to do. So, I’m not coming in just to sit there and play solitaire and Minesweeper.”
“This is Dylan,” he corrected me offhandedly, then asked, “and what’s so important that you can’t come in?”
I stood up quickly from grabbing the shirt I’d dropped and glared at my phone as I thought back through our conversation. That little bastard.
“If I wanted you to know what I was doing, I would’ve already told you. Just tell Dad I’m cramping or something; he won’t want to hear anything else. And don’t bullshit me, Dakota, only Dylan calls me ‘Mini.’ You’re losing your touch.”
“Maybe I call you both. You don’t know me...you don’t know what’s in my head. Maybe I’ll call you ‘Mack’ tomorrow.”
And that’s why I never understood anyone’s attraction to my brothers.
Rolling my eyes, I grabbed my phone off the dresser and spoke over him as he continued rambling, “Goodbye, Dakota,”
After rushing through putting on deodorant and brushing my teeth, I threw my wet hair into a messy bun and didn’t even bother with makeup before heading out. There was no time for that. I had shit I needed to get done.
First things first...I needed to stop at a Starbucks, like, ten minutes ago.
* * *
CONNOR
The note was still taped to my front door when I got home that night. Considering Maci had keys to my place too, that wasn’t saying much. I was surprised my door didn’t have holes in it though. Not that she hadn’t deserved this morning’s prank. Besides, I’d been saving it for almost a year now.
Cracking my door open cautiously, I inspected the small gap, looking for any kind of line or thread. When I didn’t find any, I flung the door open and stepped back.
Nothing...
What the hell? Doors are Maci’s signature move.
I kept my steps silent and careful as I looked around, inspecting every part of my apartment. Going so far as to lift sofa cushions and look under the bed, but there was nothing.
Had the clown and spider scared her that bad? If I hadn’t made sure her car was gone when I’d come back, I would’ve wondered if I’d actually given her a heart attack. As it was, a small part of me was disappointed in her lack of response.
I’d just stripped out of my clothes and was walking into my bathroom when a nearby door shut. It could’ve been any of our neighbors, but knowing it could be Maci, I hurried into the shower. Turning the water on after I’d already set foot in there and had the shampoo bottle in hand, ready to take the world’s fastest shower before Maci could ruin another one.
But the water didn’t come out like I’d expected it to, and a gurgling noise had me turning to look at the showerhead just as water finally sprayed out on me.
Green, sticky water.
A string of expletives left me as I dropped the shampoo, too stunned to do anything more than stand there, staring at the unexpected color before I reached for the handle to turn the water off. Grabbing for the showerhead, I twisted it off and brought it down to inspect it.
What the hell?
What the hell, what the hell, what the actual fucking hell?
Thick green chunks coated the base of the showerhead and were emitting a somewhat familiar scent. A scent I was now covered in.
I slammed my hand against the wall and yelled, “Kool-Aid, Maci? Fucking Kool-Aid? This stuff stains—” My expression and pulse dropped. Shit.
I quickly turned the water back on and lifted the lever so the bath faucet ran instead. When I had as much leftover Kool-Aid powder out of the showerhead as possible, I screwed it back on and dropped the lever to resume the shower, now feeling more rushed than before.
But when I poured my body wash into my hand, my shock deepened. My pulse faltered before taking off as disbelief and frustration surged in my veins.
“What...the hell...is this? Maci Price,” I snapped as I threw the bottle out of the shower and hurried to wash off the massive amount of liquid gold glitter in my palm.
My body was stained with green streaks, the water still had a light green tint, and while most of the glitter had gone down the drain, there was a filmy, sparkly layer on my hand that wasn’t going away.
I was going to ruin her.
