Straighter than Parallel Parking

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Janice gave a thumbs up. "Win, win, win. All three. How could I ever get anything past you? Honestly, and to think I doubted your inner brotherhood."

Karlo flicks Jane on the forehead, laughing as she rubs it with her forefinger and glares venomously at him. "Channeling my inner brotherhood, is there really anything the matter?"

Janice gave Karlo a light-hearted shove. "Nah, I just wanted to talk to you."

"And you couldn't do that tomorrow like normal people because..?"

"Karlo, either you come with me or I'll lock you out of in the balcony upstairs when you get out of the shower. Bear with me."

"Careful," he warned, "I'm going to be in the same room as you. Might not want to send threats to someone who may or may not draw unmentionable things to you."

"What are you going to do, bore me to death?" Janice let a dramatic interlude fall between her words, as if to actually scrutinize the idea. "Okay, that's possible. But it's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Wow, such a badass."

"I know. You should learn a thing or two." By now, they had already walked down the stairs and were starting to fix the make-shift couch into a bed for Karlo to sleep in. It isn't as uncomfortable as one might think, so Karlo said not a word of objection as he worked on it. He did, however, run upstairs to retrieve a pillow and a blanket, since the climate downstairs was significantly cooler.

Thankfully, once they went through their bathroom routines (hogging, pushing and nagging, of course), they settled in and the lights went out. The silence after a few seconds lapsed, and if it weren't for their obvious breathing, it was dead quiet.

"So," Karlo finally asks, not being able to take the suspense any longer. "What was that very special thing you wanted to discuss? You never ask me to stay over unless it's important. The last time this happened, you confessed that you had a crush on our neighbor."

"That was four years ago!" Janice hissed, bringing the comforter up to her face, thankful that the dark hid the red blush staining her cheeks. "And he was pretty nice, okay!"

"The guy had so much acne, you could've played connect the dots." Karlo pointed out, and then proceeded to get hit by a pillow, which he quickly places under his head with the other. "Thanks, how'd you know my neck was acting up?"

Janice growled. "You're such a prick. You know what, just go to sleep. I won't tell you after all."

"Hey, hey, hey! You don't just get to spring that on me and not say anything about it! That's, like, psychological torture or something."

"And making fun of who I like isn't?"

"... have you seen our neighbor?"

It was a joke, she get's that, but Janice snapped. She hated it when people talked about personality, about their character, but the minute they start to seem just a little less appealing on the outside, double standards come to play. It also didn't help that she was already strung up and anxious as it is. 

"I don't care if he isn't the "cutest" boy ever, alright? It's not like he needs to be. The fact that you don't even know him, and you still said that? Makes me want to do more than psychologically torture to you, Karlo. I liked him for him. You might not think he's cute, but you don't see him the way I do. I think he's fine the way he is, yeah?"

Karlo just fiddles with his pillow case, wondering what had gotten Janice so agitated in the first place. It wasn't like her to just, he doesn't know, lash out like that. "So, what's really on your mind?"