Sunday flew by in a blur, with Paula getting a new season for her show “Baking Hacks”, Axky barely being home, swamped with covert assignments and Vicky simply trying to cope with everything.
The highlight of the weekend, however, was the twins’s homecoming from their friend Kyle’s house.
“Well?” demanded Brielle, hands on her hips, as soon as Jason and Gary stepped in through the door. “What possessed you to fill all the light bulbs with hydrogen sulphide?”
Gary looked terrified and tried to hide behind the slightly taller Jason who sighed and spoke up before Brielle could start yelling again.
“Well we dappled with quite a few alternatives. Among the running were ammonia, mercaptan and methanthiol.” he said seriously.
Brielle looked so angry, she might have popped a couple of veins in her forehead.
“You completely rowdy, insensitive boys. You know I bought the lampshades at a very competitive auction. The tubelight covers were antique! The whole house smells of, smells of—“
“Shit?” suggested Gary from behind Jason who face palmed at his words.
“That’s right.” said Brielle a wicked smile forming on her face. “Since not only have you used questionable vocabulary, you have also vandalized the house, you are both grounded for a month.”
“But Mom!” whined Gary. “I have my football championships coming up!”
“And I have an after school art class!” protested Jason.
“Should have thought about that before you bought all those disgusting pellets, now shouldn’t you?” she said smugly handing them both what looked like a bathroom kit. “Here take these masks, gloves, room fresheners and disinfectant. Find the ladder in the backyard and start cleaning up the mess you made.”
“Mom! We’re sorry!” said Gary, pouting and coming as close as he could to looking pathetic. “We’ll clean up our mess. Just please don’t make us smell like flowers. All your room fresheners smell like roses and tulips and other gross stuff.”
Brielle grinned. “Oh I can assure you this room freshener smells pretty different.”
When Vicky and her mother trotted over for dinner to the Dixon household, they found themselves surrounded by the overwhelmingly sweet smell of candy.
“I feel like Charlie in the chocolate factory.” groaned Gary as he sat down at the table. “Which sane person buys room fresheners that smell like candy canes?”
“It’s loads better than the smell you guys put.” said Vicky with a laugh. “It’s not that bad, this candy smell I mean.”
“Of course you’ll like it.” said Jason shaking his head wearily. “You’re a girl. Can’t wait for uncle Axky and dad to get home.”
They hadn’t had any desert that night, because as it seemed the olfactory senses were enough to satisfy them.
Vicky recalled as she drifted off to sleep that night that dinner was delicious, the boys were back, Brielle had a slightly cruel sense of humour…
And just like that Sunday was over.
***
Vicky awoke before her alarm clock, suddenly nervous and skin breaking out in cold sweat.
Today was the day she’d been waiting for. Almost mechanically, she got out of her bed and set about getting ready for her first day in school.
Wearing a simple orange and white top and a pair of snug fit jeans, she eventually trotted down to breakfast.
“Hey Vicky.” came a familiar voice.
“Daddy!” she said happily. Axky was finally home. Vicky rushed up to hug him as he refrained from ruffling her hair.
“It’s done up so well.” he explained when she looked at him questioningly.
“Thanks Daddy.” she said kissing his cheek. “I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you too Princess.” said Axky grinning cheerfully. “Today’s your first day at your new school, thought I’d be the one to drop you.”
“What about Gary and Jason?” asked Vicky.
“Oh, Brielle is going to drive them herself.” said Axky suppressing a laugh.
Vicky laughed. Aunt Brielle was probably the worst driver in the country. Not because she drove rashly or anything…just that she drove extra safely and went about as fast as snail. Simply put, you could walk faster than her car.
Paula came in that instant, carrying a brown paper bag. “Vicky this is really delicious lunch. If anyone picks on you or asks you to do anything you don’t want to, hand them this food and call us for help okay?” she said looking half serious.
“Okay mom.” Vicky said as she took in a whiff of the paper bag in her hands. Really Paula’s cooking could probably ward off an invasion…the food was so amazing.
“I married pretty great huh.” said Axky fondly, a contented smile on his face. “Hurry up with breakfast Vicky, then we gotta get going. You’ll probably have to meet the principal, get a locker, your timetable although your schedule is already known to you.” he added smugly.
Vicky blushed. It figured that her dad would know about her slightly unethical hacking. But hey she was still learning how to cover her tracks.
Breakfast was over quickly as Paula kissed he husband and Vicky goodbye.
“Enjoy your day Vicky.” she said waving as they got into a blindingly fluorescent orange Ferrari.
“Um daddy?” said Vicky holding in a laugh. “What’s with all the orange?”
“Oh honey, don’t you know?” said Axky putting on his sunglasses and revving up the engine. The race-car responded immediately, the vehicle springing to life. “Orange is the new black.”
“What?” was all Vicky could say as the car glided out into the streets.
Clemondale High School wasn’t all that far away, at least not when you travel in a Ferrari. Vicky reached far sooner than she was expected, butterflies bubbling up in her tummy.
Axky brought the car to a gentle stop as a battered down old Ford Mustang squeaked to a halt beside them.
Vicky felt her heart stop for a second, as Levi jumped out.
“Thanks Mom.” he said waving as the car drove off. He turned to walk into the school building, but paused as soon as he saw a brightly coloured Ferrari and a deeply blushing Vicky.
Levi started to walk up to them curiously, but stopped midway as he spotted Axky.
Vicky guessed what he must be thinking and quickly got out of the car.
“Um that’s my dad.” she clarified from a distance. Levi smiled easily as he nodded and walked up to her. Too close to her.
Axky raised his eyebrows, as he instantly got out and stepped in the small space between them.
“Hey kid.” he said looking at Levi through his expensive sunglasses. The boy was much taller than him but then again many people were.
Levi ran his hand through his curly dark hair as he looked at Axky, a grin on his face. “Hey old man.”
If Vicky felt like someone had hit her in the gut, Axky felt like he was the gut.
“What did you just call me?” he said incredulously.
“I didn’t call you anything.” said Levi looking confused. “No need to get so worked up old man.”
“Old man? OLD MAN?” demanded Axky, taking off his sunglasses. “Can you not see my ever-youthful face?”
Vicky inched closer to Levi and whispered in his ear. “He’s a bit sensitive about his age.”
“I can see that.” whispered back Levi. He turned to Axky and said. “Sorry. I didn’t mean you were old. Guess your car caught my eye and I didn’t notice you were this young.”
Axky nodded appreciatively. “Yes, the car is brilliant isn’t it?”
Levi looked at him questioningly before saying, “No, I meant that it’s obnoxiously coloured. Why the hell would you want to spend your money on a car that looks like an emergency lifeboat to be seen from outer space?”
Vicky felt her jaw drop and could only imagine how offended her Dad was. He was quirky and she loved him for it, but perhaps it was a bit much for a stranger. She wished Levi would stop talking.
But he wasn’t done.
“I know you’re loaded but shouldn’t you be a bit more judicious with this kind of thing? Though considering how much shorter you are then me, you are probably trying to compensate for something, if you know what I mean.” he continued when Axky didn’t interrupt.
Vicky shook her head. This. Could. Not. Be. Happening.
Was Levi intentionally trying to piss off her dad? Did he not know how hard she had to work to get him to agree to this. Yes, that’s right he didn‘t know.
“That’s enough Levi.” said Vicky firmly. Her stammering miraculously disappeared now that she realized how much was at stake. “Stop antagonizing my dad.”
But to their surprise, Axky actually laughed. “I see what you are trying to do kid.” he said looking at Levi carefully before turning away. “Good luck with that.” he said under his breath.
Axky kissed Vicky on her forehead and said with a head jerk towards Levi, “Princess, it’s a big school, maybe look for friends who are a little less of a prat than this guy right here?”
“Yes Daddy.” she said smiling forcefully resisting the sudden urge to kill Levi.
“Okay love. See you later then.” said Axky turning to leave.
“Bye!” called Vicky as he got into the pumpkin—uh car and drove off smartly.
“Sorry I didn’t mean to offend your dad.” said Levi turning to face Vicky, looking not in the least sorry.
“Do not lie to me.” said Vicky fiercely, shrinking violet no longer. “This is my one chance at having something normal and I will not have you ruining that for me. If you cannot be polite, do not make conversation.”
“Look you’re the one who started talking to me.” said Levi getting angry himself. He stepped closer into Vicky’s space trying to intimidate her. “
Vicky found out quickly that it’s possible to love someone and still dislike certain aspects of them. She could not stand the way Levi was now.
You approached me at the party. I’m doing what you wanted me to—talking to you. It’s not my fault I’m honest and your dad has no taste —” Levi was saying, his mouth dangerously close to her face, breath ghosting over her skin. But Vicky had had enough.
She pulled in his collar with her left hand and got ready to disfigure his face with a punch, reveling at the sudden shock on Levi’s handsome face. Oh how lovely the blood would look once she dislocated the jaw, all those kick boxing classes finally amounting to something…
“What’s going on here?” cut through a surprised voice. In an instant, someone was between them, separating Vicky’s hold on Levi’s collar.
“Samthon. Thanks buddy.” said Levi fixing his shirt and sounding relieved. There were angry crease marks all over the top.
“What happened?” asked Samthon, worry evident on his face.
Vicky started to speak, and damn it all to hell, her stuttering was back. “He…he…he,”
“I said some stuff about her dad. To her dad.” finished Levi as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “I was only telling the truth.”
Samthon groaned catching on quickly. “Shut up Levi. Your truth comprises of insults. We all know that.” He turned to look apologetically at Vicky, his blonde hair falling gorgeously on his handsome face.
“I’m sorry for his behaviour. He will drop by to your house this evening and apologize properly. Won’t you Levi?” he added menacingly.
“Yes, yes fine.” said Levi turning to leave. “I’ll stay away from you Vicky from now on. Seems like my honesty is too much for you to handle.”
He stalked off, leaving her fuming. Samthon looked torn between her and his best friend and eventually ran off after Levi.
“So Cinderella just got into a fight.” commented a guy from behind Vicky. She turned to see the lip-ringed guy from the party—David, his name was, wasn’t it?
“I’m not-not cin-cin- cinderella.” she said crossing her arms.
“Yeah whatever you say Princess.” he said with a laugh and tugged at her elbow. “Come on or you’ll be late for class.”
Vicky looked lost for a moment before nodding. Class yes. That is what school was for after all.
She walked side by side with David into the hallways of Clemondale High, a new heaviness settling at the pit of her stomach brought about by a sudden realization.
Levi was a huge jerk.
A/N: Nothing justifies sudden distance and coldness than a fight. Levi and Vicky going their separate ways from now on.
Tune in next time to see how hard it is to avoid someone you have literally every class with.
Thanks for reading!
Do like/comment and share this story. Let me know if you are reading this book first (before Love Me? Like You Do.) 🙂
Lots of love,
Andy
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The Jovial Writer 