Strings Attached

Chapter Eleven

"Goodness! You guys are going to get sick!" exclaimed Mom as soon as we entered the house. "Bri, go get them a fresh towel! Quickly!"

I smiled. "Mom, we'll be fine," I assured her.

"Theo, why is your hair pink?" she asked, ignoring my comment.

Theodore blushed. "Um... It's a long story," he said, glaring at me.

I smiled. Brianna rushed downstairs with two towels on her hands and handed one towel to me and one towel to Theodore. "Nice hair," she commented.

Theodore glared at me once more as we took the towels and tried our best to dry ourselves.

"To the bathroom. Now," Mom ordered.

"Together?" asked Brianna, amused.

Theodore and I blushed.

Mom frowned. "Very funny, young lady. If you ever make a comment of that nature again, I will ground you for a lifetime."

"Sorry, Mom," said Brianna, laughing.

"Now, go and take a bath immediately!" Mom exclaimed.

"Who are you talking to?" I asked.

"Both of you!" exclaimed Mom.

"But Ms. Walker... I'll be late for my job!" exclaimed Theodore, worried.

"No job is more important than your health!" exclaimed Mom, pointing upstairs. "Go!"

"But... My boss told me--"

"Theo," Mom stared at him firmly, and I knew there was no way he could win this argument. "Up. Now."

Theodore gulped and nodded. "Okay."

"You too, Christina," Mom said.

I smiled and rushed upstairs. Theodore walked behind me, and we both stared at the bathroom with amusement.

"Sorry about that. Mom isn't usually that overprotective," I told him, shrugging.

Theodore smiled. "I think it's amazing," he said.

"What? But she made you take a bath, even when you told her you could lose your job!" I exclaimed.

"Well, she was right. Our health is more important than job. There are millions of jobs out there, but we only have one life," said Theodore.

I smirked. "Well, I guess so."

"Do you want to go first?" he asked.

"No, you go. I don't want you to be late," I said.

"Well, I'm already late." Theodore smiled. "But thanks."

Theodore entered the bathroom and closed the door, but then he opened it and peeked his head outside. "It was fun, wasn't it?"

"It was," I admitted.

He smiled. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." He smirked evilly. "I'm still taking revenge, though."

I shrugged. "And I still hate you, so we are even."

Theodore smiled. "I can live with that."

Theodore closed the door, and I smiled, knowing I did not really hate him. In fact, I thought he was awesome and creative in a way that not many people are.

Theodore was definitely something else, and I was starting to feel like an idiot for having been so distant and nonchalant with him the first days that he lived with us.

Brianna rushed upstairs, and she saw me smiling like an idiot. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing," I said, grinning.