Prompt:
In school, tests started with a class bell and ended with a “pencils down”, outside of school things weren’t so well defined.
This is a continuation of this story, but I’m pretty sure this will stand on it’s own if you don’t feel like going back and reading the other.
In school, tests started with a class bell and ended with a “pencils down”, outside of school things weren’t so well defined.
Like now, for instance. Things were so poorly defined, one might call them vague.
Or murky.
Perhaps hazy was better.
They were definitely pear-shaped.
And egg-splattered.
Bailey was positive that this had to be some sort of test from the universe. Why else would have mistaken her neighbor’s car for her stupid replacement roommate’s car? Why else would said neighbor–said ridiculously hot neighbor–have caught her throwing eggs at his car like she was some kind of twelve-year-old delinquent if it wasn’t a cosmic test? And she was pretty sure she’d failed. Miserably.
She waited until she heard Jack’s feet on the stairs and the sound of his door closing up above. It was a lot later than he usually came home on a weeknight. She hoped his change in schedule wasn’t somehow due to her trashing pelting his car with raw eggs.
Taking a deep breath, she climbed the stairs and knocked on his door. She could make out the sounds of mumbling and a creaking floor behind the door. Neither sounds helped her nerves at all.
The wooden door flew inward so quickly, the motion startled her, and she almost dropped her apology.
Jack looked at her, his face almost impassive except for the hard tilt of his lips. “Can I help you? If you needed to borrow eggs, I’m fresh out, too.”
She lifted the plate of cookies and muffins she’d made. “I wanted to apologize. I thought I was throwing eggs at Aaron’s car.”
Jack just stared at her.
“I suggest you and your boyfriend figure out a better way to work out your issues. Otherwise innocent bystanders end up smelling like rotten eggs by the end of the day from sitting in egg that managed to hit their seats through the open windows. It was a bit distracting for my students and my colleagues.”
Bailey closed her eyes and groaned. “I am so sorry. Also, he’s not my boyfriend. He’s my roommate’s idiot brother who’s subletting her room while she’s in Paris.”
“Let me guess, he’s not paying rent or any bills? Eating all your food?”
“You’ve heard the yelling, huh?” She sighed. “I’m sorry about that, too. Aaaaand this morning I discovered that his friends thought it would be great to steal my laptop, TV, and DVD player. I kinda snapped.”
Jack’s lips twitched. “If it’s any consolation, you’ve got a great arm.”
He surprised a laugh from her. She offered him the plate again. “I should give you these and let you get on with your night. I really am sorry.”
He took the plate and paused. “You’ve had a really shitty day, too . You wanna come in for a beer? And whatever smells so good under the foil?”
Have a beer with the hot neighbor or go back downstairs and deal with Aaron? Allison couldn’t get home back from France soon enough. “That would be great.”
He backed inside and she remembered the other thing she had for Jack. “Here,” she said, handing it to him.
“What’s this?”
She blushed. “A book of gift certificates for the carwash. Just in case.”
Be sure to check out the other authors’ Promptly Penned posts.
This was really cute. I liked it.
Thanks! It was a wangst-free zone around here last night. 😀
OMg.. I loved the egging scene. And this is just as good. Damn, I want you to write this one, too.
I like these two. They might get a story. 🙂