The Vampire's Claim (boyxboy)

Chapter 4: I Don't Even Know How to Deal With This...

"How did you manage to get grounded for three whole months?" Jace asked, his disbelief bluntly apparent even over the phone.

"Cause I'm freaking brilliant that's way," I sighed, collapsing onto my bed. "And I'm grounded for three months tentatively. Mom's still debating if she's going to kill me or not."

"And she's making you get a job?"

I winced at that reminder. As if social isolation wasn't enough torture, Mom somehow reached the deluded conclusion that getting a job would make me more responsible. Yeah if she, the Queen of Nagging and Punishment, hadn't managed to whip me into shape after all these years I sincerely doubt any job could.

"She already has it lined up and everything," I grumbled.

"Where?"

"No way in hell am I telling you. You're just going to make fun of me," I pointed out curtly.

"Now Kyle," I heard Jace sigh, "We've been friends for ages. Would I really do that to you?"

"Yes."

"Well, there's really no point in our friendship if I can't mock your failures. Besides that, you don't have many redeeming qualities. So where?"

"Fuck you," I snapped pressing end call and tossing my phone into the pile of dirty laundry.

There was no way—no god-damn way—I was telling Jace that I was working at Tweety Sweety, the "haven of bakery goods and all things cutesy". I was forced to take Hailey there once and I swore on my manhood that I would never set foot in that cookie-cutter, rainbow-and-unicorns hell-hole again. As if working at a bakery wasn't bad enough, Tweety Sweety's staff had to wear uniforms. Pink uniforms. With hats that looked like cupcakes.

Why couldn't Mom have a friend who owned an arcade instead of a damn bakery? Worst of all was that I started Monday so I had all weekend to dread it.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Someone said, interrupting my moping session.

I cracked one eye open to see Hailey leaning in my doorway.

"I'm going to kill you," I promised. "This is all your fault."

"Actually, if you want to be technical, it's your fault. You were the one running late. If you were on time, mom would never have seen me alone and I wouldn't have had to tell her the truth."

I grimaced. I really hated her and her cut-throat logic at this moment.

"I had plans."

"Oh, more evasiveness I see. I'll find whatever your secret is, you know I will."

"Did you come just to annoy me?"

Hailey shook her head. "No. Mom wanted me to remind you that trash duty is part of your punishment and she wants it done before she comes home. Which should be soon, in case your procrastinative self is wondering."

"Fine, fine." I mumbled stumbling to my feet and shoving past her. At least Mom had the decency to have the trash tied and ready and waiting by the door. I snatched and hauled it outside.

It was already dark, the only lights were from each house's porches. The streetlights had blown weeks ago and supposedly someone had reported it, but nothing about it had been done so the neighbors started leaving their outdoor lights on instead. It didn't help. The streets remained unbrokenly black.

I threw the bags into the trashcan and scrapped the can down the driveway.

"There," I grunted as soon as it was on the curb. "Now Her Highness can come home to a trash-less house, curtsy of this grounded plebian."