NAUGHTY CALEB [I]

Caleb frowned as Eloisa scolded Evie unnecessarily for the third time that day. The first time was because she broke a dish while doing the dishes. She wasn't supposed to be doing the dishes as there were maids who were paid to do that but Eloisa insisted that Evie was a lady and should learn to do house chores. It wasn't that Evie couldn't wash a dish properly but no one would be comfortable washing under the inspection of a 'bossy Missus' or whatever Caleb named her.

The second time was for waking her up from her beauty nap. Evie had simply knocked on the door to tell her that lunch was ready but Eloisa snapped. She warned Evie to stay away from her room and to never wake her up - no matter what.

And now this bossy Missus is bullying his sister with the excuse that she was wasting food. Evie was just making a smoothie but Eloisa made a big deal from it when in reality she was the one who was always eating. Well no matter whatever excuse she used, Caleb felt she was picking on Evie because Evie was prettier than her. He vowed to teach Eloisa a lesson. No one bullied his sister. No one bullied Evie. Not under his watch.

Eva can testify to that.

He entered inside his room and took a book and started scribbling something on the book with his pen. He called it his 'scheme of revenge'. After writing plan A, B and C, he decided to put it in action. The first in his list was to put a cockroach in Eloisa's dress. To do that, he needed cockroaches and so he set off to find them.

***************

Mike was in his room playing video games with Caleb when he heard a scream. He ignored it since it came from Eloisa's room. But it came again. And again. The screams grew louder each time. And there was banging following each scream. He paused the game and dropped his console and went out of the room but Caleb didn't move. He sat on the bed smiling like he was enjoying the screaming and banging coming from the other room. Eloisa was simply reaping what she had sown.

In the other room Mike had just killed the cockroaches flying around. As he gathered them together with a broom, he remembered seeing Caleb carrying some insects in a plastic bottle that morning. He didn't expect that this was his purpose. Surprisingly, even though he knew that Caleb was wrong to do this but he felt Eloisa deserved it.

"Where is your goddamn father when you need him?" Eloisa grunted at Mike in frustration after calling David's phone for the third time without an answer.

"Don't refer to that man as 'my father'. He has a name - David. You can use it whenever you want to talk about him." Mike scoffed and swept the cockroaches into a dustpan.

"Mike, can't you show a little bit of respect to your father?"

"No." Mike speaks indifferently as he emptied the dustpan into the dustbin. "And one big reason why is you."

"What do you mean by that?"

Mike glanced at Eloisa from under his long lashes while running a hand through his hair. He moved closer to her and whispered into her ears.

"Well maybe it's not a big deal to have a mistress nowadays but I don't think anyone brings her into his matrimonial home under the disguise of a cousin."

Eloisa's eyes widened as she heard Mike. She tried to defend herself but she ended up stuttering.

"No it's not like that. I'm not his.... We're not... I mean... You're making a mistake."

"I'm not a kid and I'm not blind either. You are too obvious. But guess what. I won't rat out on you. But from what I heard about mom, she will notice it as soon as she returns and she will act on it. So I advise you to quickly disappear from our lives while you still can. Or you may never get another chance to escape unscathed."

Eloisa curled her fingers into a ball as she gulped. She tried to speak but she could only stutter. She just stood there biting her fingernails and watching Mike as he left the room.

**************

Evie smiled as Mike passed the salt to her. The meal she was having was probably the best meal she had had since that week. This was because Mike wasn't being a jerk and Caleb wasn't playing at the table and Eloisa was not around. She wished Isabel would come back and put Eloisa at her place. But even though she didn't fully understand Isabel's reason, she knew that she wouldn't come back anytime soon.

She was about to take another sip of her recently invented smoothie when Ruth came up to her and whispered something into her ear. That sentence ruined her appetite. And that person could ruin her day.

"Is there a problem?" Mike asked after noticing the change in Evie's countenance.

"No. It's nothing." Evie replied nervously as she stood up to go out.

"Do friends keep secret?" Mike sulked as he spoke to nobody in particular.

"Mike, I'm sorry but this concerns me alone. But if I need your help for anything, I'll let you know."

Mike mumbled some words which only him could hear before nodding at Evie. She thanked him and ran off but he wasn't happy. He knew she was keeping something but what bothered him was that almost everyone knew but he didn't. It meant she didn't trust him enough.

As soon as Evie stepped out of the front door, she saw the source of her troubles - Eva - standing by the gate. Evie slowed her steps and walked majestically to the gate. Eva kept watching her in amazement. She never knew Evie could be this pretty.

"Why are you here?"

Hearing Evie's voice awoke Eva from her trance. She assessed Evie in amazement and admiration.

"So it's true. You are really rich now. I didn't want to believe it but now that I see for myself it still feels like a dream."

"Eva, I don't know what brought you here today but all I can tell you is that this is not a place you can toy around. Leave at once."

"Who are you to order me around?" Eva spoke in a hostile manner. She had always spoken to Evie like that all the time and she managed to oppress her but somehow it lost its effect today.

"I think you're forgetting something. I no longer live with you and your parents so I have nothing to do with you any longer. And besides, this is my house so if you don't want to be thrown out, leave now while you still have the chance."

"I'm sorry. I was wrong. You call the cards here. But I came here because I need your help."

"And that you won't get." Evie dismissed Eva and started walking to the door.

"My mom is dying." Eva shouted out amidst tears. Evie turned around and looked at Eva. Eva hardly cried and she couldn't fake tears either. She was really sincere this time.

"What do you need my help for? I'm not a doctor." Evie said softly. She knew that Veron was sick and that it was serious but she didn't expect it to act up at the time.

"I know we didn't treat you right. Especially me, not only did I bully you at home, I also bullied you at school. I was a jerk to you and I don't deserve your forgiveness but I hope you would consider that mom fed, clothed and housed your brother and you. Even though she did it shabbily, she still did it. So please don't let her die."

As Eva spoke her eyes watered and soon she was crying. She almost went down on her knees to beg Evie but Evie stopped her. She was her cousin after all. She told the gatekeeper to let Eva in and when he did, Eva hugged her. She was taken by surprise but she knew Eva was sincere.

"What can I do to help?" Evie said as she broke free from the uncomfortable hug.

"We need a lot of money for her surgery." Eva's voice was croaky due to her crying. "The little money we saved up Dad wanted to multiply it by gambling but as always he lost. Now we have nowhere to go so I came to find you because I heard you had stumbled up on some luck."

"How much?"

"It's a lot but you can just help with anything. It's..." Eva whispered the amount into Evie's ears and Evie was startled. It was a large amount of money but it wasn't something she couldn't get. She had some savings and she would borrow from Isabel or Mike. Her only problem was that she wouldn't get it back and would be stuck repaying a debt but that didn't stop her from helping.

"I'll see what I can do. But if you really need my help then you must agree to my conditions."

"Anything you want."

"First of all, you can't tell Aunt that you met me or you know where I am."

"Huh? What if she asks me where I got the money?"

"You're a master at lying, aren't you?" Evie threw a scornful look at her.

"Fine, I won't."

"Second, you must never come here unless I tell you to come."

"No problem." Eva didn't need to do much thinking. It hurt her pride to beg from Evie in the first place.

"And thirdly, you are not related to me. If anyone asks you about me, under no circumstance must you tell them I'm your cousin."

"Why is that?" Eva's eyes widened with curiosity but Evie just sighed and dismissed it with a wave of hand. When Eva tried to pry further, she stopped her with a warning.

"Okay, fine. I have no objections." Eva said, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"That's great then. Go home. Come this time tomorrow and wait for me here."

"Okay. Thank you."