Double Assignment

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"Hold up a minute," Tatum heaved another carton box unto his broad shoulders.
"You're really serious about this?"

"Have I ever joked about anything in my life?" I jumped out of the driver's seat and onto the paved walkway.  "I'm fucking serious."

"Wow." Alyssa exhaled as she rounded the corner of the black SUV, stopping beside me and directly in front of the passengers' door, which was threatening to break open with the number of boxes and other things I'd stuffed in there. "Chief Keith did not go easy on you this time."

"It was either this." I frowned, gesturing to the modest-looking house that I'd turned to. It was a modest house to be honest, with glass doors you could hardly see through and crystal clear windowpanes too. Underneath them, were little baskets popping with sunflowers and dandelions alike. It had another flat on top, with a balcony extending like an alcove unto the front porch. It was nice, but it wasn't black. I frowned deeper.  "Or I get to be Susanne's personal nurse till she recovers."

"Damn." Tatum whistled." He really did put you in a tight spot."

"Tell me about it." I yanked the passengers' seat open and quickly caught a box about to tumble over." He knew I'd never take up the Susanne offer, so I got stuck with this."

"But Vivi," Alyssa called." For someone who's not excited about this case, you brought along a whole lot of boxes. Are you planning on going through college all over again?"

"That's another thing." I huffed, balancing two boxes on my arms as I made my way towards the front gate.
"Chief basically packed all this for me. Both from my house and his house. He just couldn't wait to send me away."

"Can you blame the man?" Tatum nudged me in the shoulder. " You're literally a pain in the ass."

"What?" I glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well." He drawled. "I mean you're a handful. In fact, more than a hand and probably a body full if that even makes sense. You're stubborn, annoying, and let's not forget the fact that you're really aggressive too. You leaving would definitely calm his blood pressure levels...."

"Why you tiny moron?" I gritted my teeth. "If there weren't enough valuables to buy you a pint-sized cup of sense in this box, I'd have broken your jaw into two."

"And that's the reply I'm going to miss badly at work." Tatum guffawed, his teeth flashing under the sunlight.
"That office won't be the same without you."

"As flattering as that sounds," I trained my eyes on him, flaunting the biggest frown I could muster.
"I still owe you at least three broken bones."

"I'll keep that in mind for you," Alyssa smirked as we all stopped at the front door.  "Do you need help settling in?"

" Nothing I can't handle." I rolled my shoulder blades, carefully dropping the boxes to the ground. "You both have to report to work soon and I have a roommate to meet. I'd rather not waste your time."

"Okay." Alyssa pulled me in for a bone crushing hug.
"I'll call you often okay? And if you need anything, Tatum and I are here for you."

"Speak for yourself please." Tatum's hands went up in mock surrender. 
"But I'd definitely appreciate some selfies with you and your new sorority sisters in your frilly pink tees and the rest."

"I hate you." I pulled out a vase from the half open boxes and tossed it at an already sprinting Tatum. "And I'd run faster if I were you."

"I love you too." He stopped Midway, clutching the vase in his hand. Damn his stupid fast reflexes. "Let's go Aly."