Toto and the Boys I: Jackie

Chapter 13

Jackie shook her head. “No, I need to do this. I am desperate to get Brian out of my life. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“Just kill the guy,” George uttered with a sigh as Jackie slowed me down.

“I want to. I’m no killer.”

You’re a car tire killer, girl. Trust me, you’re a killer.

“I can do it for you,” George added without showing any sign that she was kidding. Georgie was indecipherable that way. She would joke and you wouldn’t even know it until you realized it too late. Dannie and Jackie could read her too well, but there were still moments when both of them would be in doubt whether or not George was serious and not. And right now was one of those moments.

“You’re not serious, are you?” Dannie asked. Jackie had already parked me outside the apartment.

“Of course, I am,” George said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “But I might if it would mean I could keep you from going insane,” she added, looking at Jackie.

“Don’t worry. I got this covered. Things will be okay.”

“I don’t know, Jackie. I have a feeling that this is not going to turn out good for you or anyone else,” Dannie uttered as she climbed off me.

“Very optimistic, Dannie, thanks,” said Jackie, locking my door and following Georgie.

“I’m just saying,” Dannie answered. Their voices trailed away as they entered their apartment.

I’m afraid I’ll have to agree with Dannie, Jackie girl. This is not going to turn out good.

  *****

“Oh, we have a new neighbor!” Jackie whispered beside Dannie. They were spread out in the living room, George watching the news, Dannie typing her lesson plan and Jackie holding a pair of binoculars as she looked out the window to the direction of the house next door. The house was pretty much the same as their apartment and it was also being put on lease, too frequently on lease, as a matter of fact. It was known among the neighborhood that it was an unlucky apartment because no one stayed there longer than a year.

Jackie had always been on constant watch for the next group of individuals who would take the place. It was a hobby for her. They only had one constant neighbor after all and it was the old man next door whom she had been sharing his WIFI without his consent. But he was history now that he eventually activated the security code.

“Hmm…he’s different from the others.”

“Why?” Dannie asked absently.

“He’s alone. The last three were families. The last one was the loudest. Louder than Brian’s singing, actually.”

“Stop spying, Jackie,” George told her. “You don’t know what people can do.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, still focused on the guy sitting outside his apartment, sipping a cigarette.

“He might be worse than Brian, that’s what I mean.”

With that, Jackie turned away from the window and glared at George.

“What?”

“He’s not even like Brian. He’s kind of cute. Do you know how long I’ve waited for someone like him? But he smokes, I don’t think that’s a good thing,” she said the last sentence with a frown.

“Delusional…” Dannie uttered beside her.

Jackie turned to her with her eyes squinting and lunged for her friend.