SERENITY

CHAPTER 19

**Simon.

I watch him get up, avoiding everyone's gaze, and with quick movements head for the kitchen counter. He fumbles around in a bag for a while and takes a sandpaper in his hands. He starts scrubbing a cabinet furiously. We look at each other and thankfully no one mentions anything about the shell game incident. We all know very well that he feels awful, bringing it up again could only make it worse.

-How do you think it's better to split the tasks? I ask.

-Cynthia and I we'll take the paint job, if you don't mind, says Apollo.

-There's enough for everyone, Cornelia says. You start with the painting. Simon and Ricky help Carlo scrub whatever surface needs scrubbing, I'll pick up the stuff that's in the way and wipe up a bit, then I'll help you.

-Perfect, we say at the same time.

We are heading towards the place where the materials we need are. As we walk along, I look at Carlo's back and the movements he makes as he waves his arms. I can't even begin to imagine how much this may have cost him, but I also know he's not going to let anyone get close to him to help him forget. No matter how many times one tried it, it had a bad result. I take the sandpaper in my hands and start scrubbing a worn cabinet. Next to me Ricky is doing the same. Luckily our pace is fast and so by 4pm we are done with all this, we have already cleaned up and are sitting on our pillows tired.

-Do you want to order some food and eat here together?, says Konilia cheerfully.

I take a very quick look at Carlo, who looks worse than before.

-Nah, better not, Ricky and I have to go to my house to see how we can hack the cameras.

At hearing my words, Ricky gets a sour expression of displeasure on his face.

- Oh yes, I forgot about that, she says, clearly disappointed.

-Another time, says Apollo and gets up, Cynthia and I will go and hang out at home.

They greet us and make their way to Apollo's house.

-Well, let's go too, I say.

-Yeah, I should probably go too, says Cornelia.

I see with my peripheral vision behind her, Carlo getting up from his seat. He moves on without saying a word. As soon as he gets to the door, he throws a dry ''goodbye'' and disappears. We stay for a while watching him swim away.

-He'll get over it, Cornelia says nonchalantly.

-I hope quickly, Ricky says.

We also go out and take the way back. Luckily my house, with Cornelia's, is almost next door. First we get to hers, say goodbye to her and then continue on our way to mine.

-Do you think we'll make it?, I ask Ricky, full of optimism.

-I don't really know. I'll do what's possible with the knowledge I have, but these are very high-tech systems, it won't be easy.

-I know that very well, but we have to try as hard as we can, I say as I open the door to the house and hear his belly growl.

I look at him and he looks at me expressionless.

-What? I didn't have time to eat anything this morning, I only ate the donut Cynthia brought us.

A laugh escapes me.

-Because I am also very hungry, first we will eat and then we will get to work, as we know very well, a starving bear fish does not dance.

He looks at me a little funny about the simile, but doesn't say anything. We enter the house and hang out in my room.

-So what do you want to eat?

-How about a shrimp burger with sprouts?

-I'm in!, I say, and I'm already drooling.

-Here it comes, I say as I type the number of the shop into the phone and press the call button.

An hour later and now full from too much food, we start work. I have taken my laptop and put it in front of us on my desk, to my right is my computer.

-Take a look at the programs I've downloaded and tell me if any of them help you, if not we can download a new one or one you know.

He leans forward a little to get a better view and carefully examines the programs on the screen in front of him.

-Burglar. com, really now?, he says and narrows his eyes.

-I inform you that it is a very good program. I've tested it on the cameras in the shop next door and it works great, I've checked it myself.

He looks at me with a look full of wonder, unable to understand what I mean.

-When I first downloaded it we were freshmen. I overestimated my strengths a lot and failed several times, but this program does work. I had hacked the cameras of the shop next door and then went there to try it out. As you know, the monitors where you can see what the cameras are showing are right behind the guy at the counter and you can see yourself.

He nods in affirmative and waits for me to continue.

-So I put in a picture that looks like the one of the store and you can only see the guy at the counter. When I went to pay the screens only showed the guy and not me which means my trick was successful.

He laughs at my narrative.

So you're a natural talent, but why would you try to do that in the first place?

- Well, not to brag about it, but yes I am. I don't know, as I told you I overestimated my strength and just experimented, in the end I didn't do anything wrong.

- Yes, indeed. Just give me a minute to check the program's software.

I notice him as he presses various buttons and is focused on the screen.

-This application seems good to me too, so we keep it. Something else that you want to try?

-No, the other two I have are average, and I think the failure rate is higher than the success.

-Fine, download the diamondeffect. com, I believe we will be able to do our job. Once the boys' parents are gone, we have to go there and start testing, every day is precious.

-Done, I will inform Apollo about our research and that we cannot go further if we are not there to enter their system. If I have time, I'll do a test at the next door store to see if it works.

-Excellent, and now I have to go, I have all this way to go back, he says and gets up from his chair.

-Yes that's right, I had forgotten that and I would tell you to stay a little longer and hang out.

-Unfortunately it is not possible, my grandmother is all alone with my little sister and this stresses me out a little.

-I totally understand, go rest, I will also take a shower and lie down because I was exhausted today, I did not sleep well last night.

-Why did something happen? he asks, but luckily his tone doesn't show that he has anything specific in mind.

- No no, just a bad night, that's all, I say and try to end our conversation and not ask any more questions.

Okay, it happens sometimes, especially with so much stress we've had since, you know.

-Yes, yes, I say in a hurry to catch up with him, in case he wants to say anything else about our adventure.

- Well, time to go. See you on Monday, he tells me.

-See you Ricky, text me when you arrive, I answer and shudder as I close the door, because I felt like I'm my mother.

I head to the bathroom and fill the tub with almost boiling water. I go in and rest my head on the edge of it, tilting it back slightly. I let relaxation overwhelm every inch of my body and then, I don't know for how long, I sink into a deep and sweet sleep, where there are no penalties, no hacked computers and cameras. A sleep that I am free, even from myself.