8

“It’s that time of year guys. The time when all your true colors be revealed” Stephanie announced in the staff quarters where I was calculating my earnings for the month.

I frowned. No holiday was fast approaching so I was confused.

I became more confused when the guys came in handling out tickets. Matt eventually got to be so I look up to him in question “What?”

“Oh, shoot you’ve not been briefed” I nodded.

“So, every year on my mum’s birthday, we hold our annual birthday filch. It’s a tradition where our family members and friends come together for the sole purpose of being crowned “filch king or queen”. We would break into groups of two. You and your team mate have 24 hours to steal the ‘item of the year’ and maintain it without it being stolen from you.” He explained.

“You guys watch a whole lot of Brooklyn nine-nine huh?” I asked knowingly.

“Whatever”

“What would I get since I’m going to beat your asses tomorrow?” I boasted.

Everyone in the room chuckled like was some sort of a clown. I frowned.

“The winner gets a whole year of free food”

What?! “That’s all?! I get free food as a staff here already. What kind of shitty price is that?” I complained.

“To be honest, it’s the thrill that comes with it that matters” Chris spoke up from nowhere.

“No. still not participating in your useless game” I refused.

“You have not choice girl; you automatically entered the competition the moment you became friends with the guys” Steph said.

“And who says I’m friends with them. They are annoying.” I replied as they all chuckled and left.

After dropping Abby off with Matts grandmother, I headed to the restaurant where the ‘birthday filch’ was taking place.

I can’t believe I’m going to work on a weekend. Well, I’m not exactly working but whatever.

As I stepped into the room, all I saw was nothing. Just fog.

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!!!” I shouted above the music, hoping that someone would hear me.

After searching through the fog, I finally found Chris, looking around with a glass in hand.

“HEY!” I shouted.

“I LIKE YOUR BOOTY!” he said.

“WHAT?” I shouted in utter confusion.

“SHAKE YOUR BOOTY!” He answered and I smacked him on his arm causing him to flinch on instant. He then dragged me to the booth which seemed to be less noisy.

“Hey, why did you smack me” he pouted.

“You’re a perv” I scrunched my face.

He frowned “How? I only asked to go to the booth”

“Oh” that’s what he meant. I mouthed a sorry and he smiled when the rest of the guys walked in, feeling and looking extremely cocky.

“Hey Wren!” Henry said as he walked up to me, a charming smile on his face. I nodded in greeting to him and looked away.

“Rude much?” Jaxx muttered.

“Stop bugging me. Fool” I pressed as I turned my attention to the man at the center of the room who I’m guessing was Mrs. A’s brother.

Wow this family serious have no work to do. Jeez.

Between him stating the rules of the game and Stephanie being extremely giddy beside me, I zoned off to look at Jaxx who seemed unapologetically unbothered.

He just stood there, arms crossed, probably zoned off as well, his eyes fixated or something else, or might I say, someone else.

“Renee” “Earth to Renee” Harlan called as I jumped, my face flushed.

“Come choose your partner” He beckoned. I walked over to where a basket of paper was lying and dipped my hand in as everyone’s eyes were glued to my every move which was so annoying.

I carefully opened the paper but a frown as well as a groan that escaped my lips when I saw my partner; Jaxx.

“What?” I said, looking up.

“You’re supposed to tell us who you got” Stephanie smiled impatiently.

I groaned out loud and pointed to Jaxx who immediately rolled his eyes

Trust me, I wanted better.

“Yes” Henry said.

“They fit just nice” Harlan continued.

I rolled my eyes and walked over to him “What?’ he asked like I was a pest.

“Bitch please, I never wanted your sorry ass in the first place” I spat.

He smiled with the humor “But your sorry ass hand picked up my name”

“Bully” I said, ending the conversation, leaving us in an awkward silence.

I finally spoke up when we were told to start searching cause neither of us budged while the rest already started.

“Let’s do this stuff and get it over with please”

Silence.

“I said let- “

“Shut up” He said and walked off.

Ugh, how dare he. I followed him out the front door and said “You know you could say something other than behaving like a fool”

He rolled his eyes as he turned to me “Everyone knows I usually don’t like participating in this thing so if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be”

He turned around and went straight for his car.

Without thinking, I followed him, hot on his tail we reached his car. As I tried opening the front seat of his car which was evidently locked, he looked at me quizzically and asked “What on earth do you think you’re doing?”

“Following you” I stated obviously.

He bent his head to the side and stared at me “No”

“Come on, I have nowhere else to be” I whined.

“How does that affect me?” he asked as he opened the car door and entered.

Normally, I’m not the dramatic type but desperate times calls for extreme measures.

Ugh, I can’t believe I’m going to embarrass myself for this guy

I leaned on the hood of his car as he started his engine.

“I am not leaving till you open the door for me” I demanded.

He placed his hand on his steering, unfazed.

“No”

“Then we’ll stay right here” I persisted.

“Stupid, get the hell away from my car, I have things to do” he said.

“I have nowhere to go so you’re stuck with me”

“I don’t like you” He announced.

I smirked “Trust me, you have zero taste”

He frowned and kept quiet then all of a sudden, he began horning like a mad man. But I still stood there.

“I’m going to hit you I promise” he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

I smiled.

“Damit Renee, you’re embarrassing me” he said referring to the passersby staring at us like we were shooting a movie which I hadn’t noticed.

“So, you know my name now huh?” I smiled knowing I was winning.

All I needed was one final push and I knew exactly what to do. I called on one of the onlookers that was on his way to his car and whined; “My boyfriend is being very shitty to me just because I di-”

“Fine! Come in” He shouted, not wanting me to embarrass him any further.

I smiled politely “Sorry for wasting your time” and I speedily entered the car.

Amidst my chuckles, he said “You’re so embarrassing” and drove off.

After the most peaceful ride ever, we finally got to our destination. I looked out the window to what seemed like an abandoned building. It was a complete mess, to put it nicely. From outside the boarded windows, the shabby wood paneling and the pealing door that was bolted with iron rods, all looked scary and threatening enough to keep people away.

It was until I saw Jaxx’s retreating figure, did I realize that I was alone in the car. So, I immediately got out and ran to catch up with him in fear of the strangely looking environment.

“What do you do here? Kill your victims and hide their bodies?” I asked as I continued to catch up with his long strides, waving the leaves in my front as I passed.

“Ha-ha, don’t worry, you’re not worth being added to my collection” he smirked whilst I made a mocking face at him as my comeback.

We continued walking till we reached a door which looked less shabby than the one at the front. He put a key in it and turned it to open to reveal the room.

The room was like an art on its own. From the pieces of sculptures to the street art and graffiti on the wall, not forgetting the abstract artworks as well as the finished paintings placed around the room. In all, behind the scary exterior the innards, was a sight to behold.

“There are flies around, shut your mouth” He breathed into my ear, stood upright and walked off to finish off a painting while I stood there flushed.

I cleared my throat and walked over to have a glimpse at what he was doing “Is this your base for creating your art?”

He sighed and put his palette down to face me “I don’t like being distracted when I’m working and to answer your question, no. I have a professional base for that but I only come here to let loose and to make art anyway I want to.”

“I see” I nodded as he resumed his work while I looked around.

“But why this place though” I asked, interrupting his work.

“Could you shut up? You seemed to be doing very well at that in the car” He turned back.

“Just answer me jeez”

He muttered to himself and let out a sigh “I found this place when I was 11 and ever since then, I’ve been coming here. I discovered my love for art in this very place”

“Cool” I stated as I took my seat on the couch just beside the door.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, he asked from his seat; “Do you paint?”

I shook my head.

“Have you at least tried to paint?”

“No”

He stood up from his seat and went into another room I’m guessing was his storage room and came out with an easel as well as sketchpad, placed it down and beckoned on me which I came. He handed the equipment to me and said “Try something”

I took it unsurely and settled down. I don’t even know where to begin from.

I took the paint brush and dipped it in paint, still unsure of what I was doing so I turned around to see what Jaxx was up to, just for our eyes to meet. I looked away awkwardly, cleared my throat and began painting as I was led to.

I just painted my heart away, choosing any color I deemed fit to use, and it wasn’t until I was tired that I actually took a good look at what I did. Although seemed very unusual and unprofessional, it managed to look like a rose in the midst of different leaves, not that I had any clue as to the meaning of my artwork.

Jaxx came and stood beside me, his head bent trying to decipher what I had just painted. “Not bad for a first timer”

“I think I’m going to add painting to one of my hidden talents” I said proudly.

“No please no” he scrunched his face up just as he received a text from one of the guys.

“Time to go” he said.