The Resident Badboy

Chapter 7 • Nearly Harley Quinn

             "It's been so long since I was last here," Austin says as he takes the living room in. He smells the air with one long inhale. "It smells the same."

             "Nothing's changed," Bridget comments.

             Wrong. A lot of things has changed and it's the main things about this house that's different. I am alone. I don't have any of my boys living here and my mom's far away.

             "Saving your petty ass comes with a price, Bri," I devilishly tell him. I don't want to wait for Austin's plan. Besides, I believe mine is better.

             Bridget slowly twists her body to look at me, confusion written all over her face.

             "You're cleaning for me," I smile at her, the kind that doesn't reach my eyes and that tells she's so screwed.

             "My foot, remember?" she says.

             My ass. I smirk at her and the boys know I'm up to something. Clueless Bridget starts to look around again when I scream, "Spider! On your feet!"

             Bridget shrieks so loud it echoes around the house. She jumps out of where I pointed my finger at and runs to Austin for protection. The boys start rolling into fits of laughter and I smirk at her.

             "What foot?" I mock and her face falls. Bridget then scowls at me and stomps her way to the couch.

             "I hate you," she says like petulant child. I pat her head mockingly which she swats with her hand.

             "You better start cleaning the theater room," Austin adds with a sly grin on his face.

             "Pop some popcorns, too," Jace hollers before he disappears to the bath room.

             "I am not a maid!" Bridget complains.

             "Right now, darling, you are," I tell her and the boys howls, making our petty ass drama queen groan exaggeratedly. She has no other choice but to do as she was told.

             This night is going to be the longest night I've had in Chicago. I know it because this three will make sure of it.

• • • • •

             "Austin, can you come down here?" Bridget hollers from the theatre room. The tone of her voice sent Austin running to where he is being summoned. If there is anything down there, I think it should be me Bridget's calling, not Austin.

             I decided against coming with him and checking it out. Maybe it's something Bridget can't handle and need strong arms to do so.

             Austin comes back, his face straight and his body rigid. "You haven't came down there ever since you got here?"

             I slowly shake my head as I look up at him. Austin is so tall he gives me a stiff neck when I look at him. "Why? What did you see?"

             "Nothing!" he answers immediately and then averts his eyes away from. "It's just too dirty down there."

Turns out, Jace did what he told Bridget to do. He was the one who popped popcorns and he's devouring them right now, stuffing handful by handful to his mouth. Austin and I watch him with our eyebrows pull together. Times like this that makes me think we're bestfriends with a ten year old. He lifts his head and he meets our judging eyes which he effortlessly ignore and goes back to eating.