Blossom can't remember the last time Townsville had a heat wave this bad, probably not since before she was born. Not only was the heat unbearable but the city was also experiencing its worst drought to date—an unfortunate combination. There hadn't been any profound rainfall in months and if today was any indication, there would be none for quite some time. Shady areas, pools, and ice cold drinks offered no relief from this inferno. The only sure way to ward off the heat was to say indoors and blast the AC. Which is where Blossom desperately wishes she were, if it wasn't for two glaring problems. The first being that the AC was completely off limits since the energy bill for it would probably be a whole lot more than they could currently afford and the second being Blossom's desperate need to find a job.
Thus, frustrated and sweaty, Blossom continues her trek through out the city determined not to go home until she has found a job. Blossom had set out on this mission early in morning with high hopes of getting a job and making it home before noon in order to avoid the escalating climate. However, it was currently five in the afternoon and her job prospects did not look great. She was exhausted. She had gone to nearly every bank, office, and even some clothing and entertainment stores in the downtown area. No matter where she went she kept getting the same response; either they weren't hiring or they weren't interested in hiring her.
As the day progressed, and after about the 10th rejection, Blossom started aiming lower with her job prospects. She even went as low as walking into a fast food restaurant to ask for a job. Upon entering the fast food chain, Blossom was hit with a smell of what seemed to be a deep-fried jock strap that completely nauseated her. She took one look at the greasy face of the teen standing behind the register and walked right out. At this point Blossom contemplated just giving up and heading back to the suburbs to ask if a job as a bagger was available at the local supermarket. The pay would be pitiful, but at this point she'd settle for less than minimum wage— her family desperately needed the extra income.
Blossom didn't get it. She was smart, assertive, a hard-worker. Why didn't anyone want to hire her? Ok, yes, she was sixteen and inexperienced and yes, she now smelled like a pig and her once straightened hair was a damp frizzy mess and, what was that? Was…was that her mascara running? Blossom tentatively moved a hand under her eyes to confirm that, yes, her mascara was now running on her sweaty face. Annoyed, Blossom stopped outside a nearby shop in order to check herself in the glass's reflection. Uggh she thought, no wonder no one would hire her—she was a mess—completely unprofessional.
Pulling a napkin out of her purse Blossom began wiping away the smudges left by her mascara when the smell of bacon hit her. It's at that particular moment that her stomach decided to growl, very loudly, reminding Blossom that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. The smell was coming from inside the diner she had unknowingly stopped by. Her stomach let out another growl, urging Blossom to go inside.
Ding
The diner was fairly empty, probably because no one wanted to venture outside with this heat.
"Hey Darlin', I'll be with you in a second. Take a seat." Greeted a portly waitress before she disappeared behind the kitchen doors.
Taking a seat at the counter, Blossom let herself enjoy the cool air. The smell of bacon was stronger reminding Blossom once more of how hungry she actually was. Picking up a menu Blossom began to skim it for the cheapest available item.
"What can I get for you, darlin'?"
Startled, Blossom glanced up at the older waitress asking for her order. She seemed kind, in a veteran-mother-of-too-many-boys kind-of way. Looking down at the menu one more time, Blossom realized that she probably couldn't afford to get anything without wasting her bus fare, and walking home was not an option.
"Oh, um…I'll just have a glass of water please."
The older woman let out a very unlady-like snort "Is that all?"
Annoyance graced Blossoms face. "Yes, that's all." She responded, squaring her shoulders and folding her hands on top of the folded menu.
The waitress offered a small smirk in return as she tuned away from the counter to get Blossom her water.
"What's the matter kid? Not hungry? Darlin' I tell you every time it gets hot-ass hell out there all I feel like doing is sitting by the pool an' eating something greasy and deep fried."
Blossom apparently pulled a face at the waitress's last comment because once she turned around she let out a heartfelt chuckle.
"Guess you're more of a salad girl then."
"Oh, no." Blossom responded hastily, she didn't intend to insult the waitress, but her comment had brought up the nauseating memory of deep fired jockstrap "I mean salads are good but so is chicken…or bacon. I'm just not hungry." And because her day had been going so perfectly, naturally, her stomach decided to growl at that precise moment.
"Yea, well apparently your stomach disagrees. Johnny! One house special, stat!"
Mortified, Blossom tried to convince the waitress, Darcy her nametag read, that she, in fact, was not hungry. "No, it's fine. I'm just tired and it's really hot outside. I just wanted to sit in an air conditioned room for a while, really I don't—"
"Uhh-huh" Darcy cut off her ranting and favored her with an amused motherly glare; one that read 'Who-are-you-trying-to-kid-I-know-you're-lying', or at least that's what Blossom assumed it to mean, she didn't have anything to compare it to. What with her never having a mother and all.
Blossom let out a defeated sigh and let her shoulders drop. She gave Darcy a small bashful smile.
"Thank you."
"No problem, darlin', wouldn't want a young thing like you to starve now would we?" Darcy responds with a small chuckle as she once again disappears behind the kitchen doors. With Darcy gone, Blossom folds her arms and rests her head on the cool marble top. God, this day had not gone as planned AT ALL! If there was one thing Blossom hated, was when things failed to go according to plan. I mean what was the point of a carefully thought out schedule or plan of action if the execution was going to fail anyway? Blossom squeezes her eyes shut. I just wish something could go right for a change.
"What's wrong darlin'?" Blossom felt a warm hand on her arm. Looking up, Blossom instinctively plastered a fake smile on her face. "Everything's fine. Just a little tired, it's been a long day."
Darcy gave her a wary look, clearly not believing her lie as she placed Blossom's meal in front of her. Blossom's stomach growled once more. The meal looked delicious, and Blossom was especially pleased to see that her meal included bacon. Still, Blossom hesitated, she couldn't afford this, not without wasting the little money she had and without it she'd be forced to walk home. With the luck I've been having lately I'd probably end up lost.
Darcy, sensing Blossom's reluctance, said, "It's alright. It's on the house, and before you start your yammering, why don't you just eat the damn thing before your plate gets cold."
Darcy is defiantly a mother. Her authoritative tone left no room for argument. Needing no further prodding Blossom began to dig in to her plate, savoring the appetizing meal. Apart from the delicious and much welcomed meal, Blossom began to also enjoy the peaceful quite of the diner. After some time, however, that peaceful quite is shattered when Darcy asks "You're one of the Utonium girls, right?"
Blossom curses her luck. If she were Buttercup this would be the part where she cursed and glared at the waitress. Sigh. Some days it really sucked to be her. Swallowing her last bite, Blossom places her fork down and makes to leave.
"Thank you for the meal. It was really generous of you." Blossom flashes Darcy a genuine smile, truly grateful for the free meal and the brief respite from the heat.
"Where do you think you're going? You haven't finished your meal yet."
"I'm sorry, but I should get going, it's getting late and my sis-um, my family will start to worry."
Darcy cocks her hip to the side and a frown tugs on her face as she watches Blossom about to leave. "Well…fine. But I expect you back here tomorrow before noon."
Blossom stops in her tracks and turns back around. "Huh?" Not one of Blossom's most eloquent moments, she admits.
Amused, Darcy lets out another chuckle "To work, silly. Only employees get free meals."
Blossom gapes, mouth hanging open like a fish out of water and eyes large like a deer caught in the headlights. Darcy just waits on the other side of the counter, clearly amused at Blossom's baffled state. After an awkward second, Blossom comes to her senses.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware the free meal came with a catch." Embarrassment followed quickly by anger flush through her. But unlike her sister, she doesn't act on these impulses and instead lets out a breath in order to reorient herself. "Sorry, I don't have the money with me, but I can come back and pay you tomorrow."
"Or you could just come back tomorrow, get another free meal while making a little extra on the side." Darcy responds.
Blossom's eyebrows crease in confusion and slight irritation. "Why would I want to come back and work… here?" Blossom admits—reluctantly— that that was rather snobby of her to say, but she wasn't willing to work at a fast food restaurant and a diner is only slightly better than that.
"Why not? You're looking for a job right?"
Is it that obvious? Blossom thinks before a worse thought enters her mind. She knows who I am.
Blossom slowly approaches the counter top. "What makes you say that?"
Darcy gives Blossom a once over and snorts. "Well you surely ain't on a date in that get up, right?"
Blossom looks down at her outfit, what's wrong with my clothes? She thinks. She had on a fitted white button down shirt, which she pressed this morning, and a knee-length black pencil skirt. It was sophisticated, and mature, just like her. This was a classic dress-to-impress outfit; she even had on her favorite pair of Mary-Jane's. Earlier, she also had on a cream blazer, but it got too hot and she had to take it off.
"Not that I date, but I would wear this on one."
Darcy blinks. A second later she lets out a big hearty laugh. "Haha! Oh, Darlin'. That's the best laugh I've had all day."
Blossom tilts her head to the side in confusion.
Darcy takes notices of her confused face. "Oh dang. You weren't kidding were you?"
Blossom's cheeks redden in embarrassment at the realization that she was being laughed at. "Well excuse me, but if you're done with the mockery, I think I'll be leaving now."
"Wait!" Says Darcy once she catches her breath. "I didn't mean anything by it! Really! Listen, how old are you, honey?"
Blossom gives her a suspicious glance over her shoulder, not really sure what she's getting at. "…Sixteen."
Darcy snorts. "You sure about that. Seems to me like you think you're forty."
This time Blossom doesn't bother saying anything and heads for the door once more. She's about to push the door open when she hears Darcy say, "So are you coming tomorrow?"
Blossom whirls around "Seriously? After you've just made fun of me? Why would I want to work here after that?"
"Demeaning isn't it?"
"Well…" Blossom catches the pointed look directed at her, and realizes that Darcy is referring to her previous disgust at working in a place like this. "…yea." finishes Blossom quietly.
Darcy hums. "You know. I think I was wrong about you." Blossom looks puzzled, but before she can voice her confusion Darcy continues. "A long time ago a young girl stood where you stood. She was out of money and out of options, so she stood there and asked with her head hung low if there was any way she could work in this here pristine establishment. Boss took pity on her and hired her on as a dishwasher, 'fore she graduated to waitress that is."
Blossom waits for Darcy to continue, and when she doesn't Blossom asks "What that girl you?"
Darcy lets out a snort "No. It was my mama, about six months pregnant with me at the time. 'Course seventeen years later I stood in that same spot pregnant with my first son. Funny how history repeats itself."
"I'm not pregnant, if that's what you're getting at."
"No. 'Course not. You don't date, remember? But I still think I was wrong about you. See, when I saw you come in all tired, defeated looking, and with not enough money to afford a damn sandwich I thought to myself well here's a girl who's out of money and out of options. Clearly, I was wrong. Right?"
Blossom stays quite. Despite her words, Darcy's tone makes it clear that she knows the opposite to be true. There is no doubt in Blossom's mind that Darcy knows exactly who she is, which is why Blossom is weary of Darcy's 'kindness'. She knows who I am. She thinks; sounding defeated even in her own head. Not that Blossom is surprised that Darcy recognized her, everyone in Townvilleknows who the Utonium's are, which, unfortunately, is not an exaggeration.
Blossom's family is quite well known in Townsville. Her family has made the headlines of the local paper more times than she cares to admit; of course the latest headline has been a source of…irritation for Blossom and her sisters as it has brought a wave of unwanted pity geared towards them—not that the headlines were any less irritating before…well, just before.
The Utonium's are household names in Townville, and the reason for that, ironically, wasn't even a Utonium, at least originally. Barbara Bellum. That's her—was—her mother and she was probably the most beloved person in all of Townsville. If you knew no one in Townsville, you at least knew Barbara. She was Townsville's native daughter, the ultimate girl-next door, and a pillar of the community. She was dedicated to helping the less fortunate and cleaning up crime in Townsville. At one point Barbara even considered running for mayor. Everyone always told her she would be perfect for office. Of course that was before Blossom's father and her sisters entered the picture.
John Utonium, unlike Barbara, was not especially well liked. The reasons for why are fuzzy to her, but she remembers her father telling her it was something along the lines of people not appreciating great minds. It was not until John left Townsville that he became a rising star. He excelled at M.I.T, where he got accepted to on a full scholarship and graduated top of his class. He became attached to various high profile projects and eventually landed a big government job as a consultant, which gave him enough time and money to do his own work; work that to this day still remains a mystery. Despite John's various achievements and awards, his truest achievement, at least to Townsville, was marring Barbara Bellum—the belle of Townsville.
Blossom once found an old newspaper article hidden amongst her father's things. The headline read: FAIRY TALE ENDING FOR TOWNSVILLE'S BRIGHTEST STARS. Underneath is a picture of her father and mother at their wedding cutting the cake. They looked so happy, especially her father. Blossom can't recall a time where her father smiled as wide and as happy as in that photo. Sadly, her parents happy ending would be cut short a year later when, what was suppose to be the happiest (second happiest?) moment of their lives ended in tragedy. On November 18, seventeen years ago, Barbara Utonium gave birth to three prefect little girls and when she closed her eyes to rest she would never again open them. The headline that day read: TOWNSVILLE WELCOMES THREE LITTLE ANGLES, BUT BIDS FARWELL TO ONE. This was perhaps the newspaper's highest selling article.
Every year, on their birthday and on the anniversary of Barbara's death, the newspaper runs an editorial documenting Barbara's many achievements and the growth of her three perfect little girls. Blossom and her sister's hate the editorial. It was bad enough knowing that you were responsible for your own mother's death but to have it shoved in your face all your life, never being able to move past it—that type of pain…it's not something Blossom thinks she could ever put into words, even with her vast vocabulary.
"You know" Starts Darcy, breaking Blossom from her thoughts. "It'd be nice to have an extra pair of hands around here. It gets a whole lot busier than today lets on. We'll even hire you on as a waitress, instead of a dishwasher. With a face like yours, we're bound to get more customers."
Blossom huffs. If Darcy thinks flattery will work, then she is sorely mistaken.
Still…
Blossom bites her lip as she debates whether she should leave or not. Logically, Blossom knows what she should do, what she must do. She needs this job; her sisters and her own well-being depend on it. She knows she should just suck it up, and accept the job offer. Just like a good girl would.
But…
She can't. She just...can't. She knows exactly why Darcy is offering her this job; she basically just taunted Blossom with the reason. Blossom doesn't want pity, not any more than she's already gotten at least. Besides, Darcy isn't exactly the nicest woman in the world Blossom finds it hard to picture them working together. Especially since she finds it so humorous to make me the butt of her jokes.
"Well," starts Darcy once again. Her booming voice breaking Blossom from her thoughts once more. "I can see you need some time to decide. How about you go home and sleep on it, hmm? My shift is almost over, and I don't know about you, but I've got places to be." Darcy doesn't wait for Blossom's reply as she turns toward the kitchen doors. "Oh, and darlin', you better decide fast, 'fore somebody else with no money and no opportunities wanders in through that door. With the way things are now, that might be sooner than you'd expect."
Blossom watches Darcy disappear into the kitchen, the doors creaking as they close behind her, and then exits the diner.
DING
Less than a minute after walking outside, and Blossom can already feel the full effects of the unrelenting heat. A quick look at her watch reveals it's 6pm, even though it looks more like high noon outside; regardless, the sun will be going down soon and Blossom better hurry home if she doesn't want to be caught outside after dark.
The streets after dark are no place for a young lady.
Blossom continues on in the same direction from before she stopped by the dinner. As she walks she notices that there are less people outside than before, and the traffic is less congested. It seems rush hour has passed and everyone is eager to make it home for supper. That reminds her, she told her sisters that she would be back in time for lunch, and clearly, it's way pass lunch. She wonders if they're worried about her. Bubbles most likely is; she can picture her nervously tugging at her pigtails as she waits for Blossom to get home. Buttercup, on the other hand, might not even care. Come to think about it, she might not even be home yet; she might actually get home later than Blossom.
That girl...
Given everything that's happened in the last few months, Blossom has been turning a blind eye to Buttercup's reckless behaviors. She thinks it's justifiable; everyone responds to change differently, and Buttercup is especially resistant to change. Still. You'd think Buttercup learn to have some consideration for herself and those around her. If she keeps acting out, Blossom will have no choice but to sit her down and give her a serious talking too. Not something she's looking forward.
Sigh.
Blossom takes out her phone to call home, but notices that her phone's battery is low. Rather than risk it going dead on her she shoots Bubbles a text letting her know she'll be home soon.
After some time, Blossom checks her watch again. It's a quarter past 6 and she still has about five more blocks to go before she reaches her bus stop, which, unfortunately, is the only bus that travels to and from the suburbs. Has she mentioned how exhausted she is? Because she is exhausted, really, really exhausted. Her feet are killing her; she is actually contemplating throwing away her favorite pair of shoes, because of how much they hurt. The heat isn't doing her any favors either. She may have gotten rid of the mascara stains on her face, but she can feel how red her face is from the heat and the exhaustion. She must be some sight— a short, red, and sweaty girl waddling through town. Who wouldn't want to hire her?
Nobody. She thinks bitterly. Except, that's not the case. After more than 8 hours of searching for a job, she actually found one. In a diner. As a waitress. With Darcy. Blossom groans. Her luck was really turning around wasn't it? Still, it could be worse. She could have gotten hired as a waitress in a diner closer to where she lives, that way everyone from school could come by and make fun of the nerdy Utonium girl. Instead, she can get ridiculed by the rich kids from Central prep, the private school downtown.
Lucky her.
She's being ridiculous. She knows that. But when she thinks about working there, the people she'll see, the things they'll say —because let's face it people will talk; people always talk and it's always about her family— she becomes anxious. She can picture it now, the knowing looks, the pity, the unsolicited advice, and the whispers. Oh God, the whispers. She's been through this before and she knows how it'll go. First, they'll talk about how sorry they are for her and her sisters. Then, they'll talk about how brave she is for stepping up to take care of her family, or for not breaking down in public. Lastly, after some time, they'll start to feel sorry for her again. They'll feel bad for the girl wasting her youth working at a diner. They'll talk about her like a has-been, or might have-been. She might have been successful, she might have done something, gone somewhere…if only her father hadn't died.
If only her father hadn't died.
And just like that the floodgates open. A cold sensation sweeps through her replacing the heat and leaving her feeling numb. She stops suddenly and grips her chest. Her heart hurts, it hurts so much that she is painfully reminded why she made the decision to not think about her father in the first place. It's been nearly 3 months, but it feels as if it were just yesterday that a man in a crisp suit came to her home to tell her that her dad was dead. The pain is still so fresh, so raw; she can't wait until the day where it no longer hurts like this; but, realistically, she knows that day may never come.
She feels something wet hit her hand and that's when she realizes she's been crying. She rubs furiously at her eyes, but it's as if a dam has broken and all the tears she's tried to hold back come flowing out.
I miss him so much!
Since her mother passed away, it's always been just her, her sisters and her dad. As the oldest, Blossom took it upon her self to be responsible for her sisters. And Dad… not that he needed supervising, but he had to work hard to support her and her sisters. It just didn't seem right to add more to his plate. So Blossom made sure she was there when her father couldn't be. She set a good example for her sisters, made sure they were fed, groomed, did their homework, stayed out of trouble. It came naturally to Blossom to take over where her father couldn't. But still…even though her dad worked long hours, he was always there; ready to offer a hug, a shoulder to cry on, or simply to listen.
But now she didn't even have that.
Blossom's aching heart starts to beat faster. She can feel her blood rushing, making her face flush and her palms sweat. Her breath starts to become shorter and shorter as she begins to hyperventilate.
No…Not again…Not now.
She spots a nearby bus bench and sits down. She places her head between her legs and tries to take deep breaths. Her hands nervously grip her hair on either side of her head as she desperately tries to slow her heart rate.
'Cool, calm, collected,' Blossom begins to chant in her head. 'Cool, calm, collected' Her breaths start to deepen as her heartbeats finally start to slow. Blossom lifts her head and places two fingers on her pulse point just bellow her chin. She looks at her wristwatch and begins to count.
"1…2…3…"
When she reaches 60 beats per minute, she drops her arms and lets out a breath in relief as she relaxes into the bus bench. She closes her eyes, wielding the last stray tears to stop falling. I won't think about him anymore. This is the absolute last time. She feels bad for pushing away thoughts of her father. She has so many good memories with him; it seems tragic to not be able to reflect on them. But Blossom can't afford to break down every time she thinks about him. If her and her sisters are going to survive, they need her at her best. This, crying her eyes out on a public bus bench, is not her best.
Shivers start to run through her body, and it takes her a second to realize it's not her crying causing this. The air has gotten considerably cooler. She looks up and notices the sun is beginning to set. She looks down at her watch and sees it's a quarter pass seven.
GASP!
It's late. She really needs to hurry home. Luckily, her bus stop in only about a block away; if she hurries she might make it home before dark. She wipes away the last of her tears and hurries towards her bus stop when, suddenly, she hears a loud noise.
She stops.
She hears it again, a loud crash followed by a blow, coming from a nearby alleyway. The sounds get louder and louder, until she is almost certain that those are the sounds of a physical assault. She is frozen in fear. This type of violence is nothing new in Townsville, in fact, it's quite the opposite. Crime and gang related violence have always been a problem in Townsville, but in recent years crime rates have sky rocketed to an all time high. It's barely safe enough to be out alone during the day, but being out alone at night is a guaranteed way of getting robbed.
Or worse.
I have got to get out of here. She thinks desperately. She looks around trying to formulate a plan to discreetly walk away from this real threat. The opposite side of the street is equally deserted, but there are some shops she's able to go in and hide, if worse comes to worse. She's about to cross the street—which she is not exactly thrilled about since it requires her to J-walk — when she hears a scream that stops her in her tracks.
"HELP!"
Blossom looks around to see if anyone has heard the plea for help. She is the only person on this street, and the vendors on the opposite street are too far away to hear. Not that they'd help. Helping is a sure way of getting yourself hurt.
"HELP!"
She looks back and forth between the alleyway and the opposite street, uncertain of whether she should leave or help. Help? Has she gone crazy? What can she do to help? The sounds of the blows and the man's whimpers get louder. She bites her lip in worry. If she doesn't do something that man might die, but if she does do something she might die. What to do? What to do? She bites harder on her lip, drawing blood. Neither is an optimal choice, but survival instincts tell her that if it's between her and some stranger then her wins.
With her mind made up, she, regrettably, makes her way across to the other, safer, street.
"HELP! DEAR GOD! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"
Before she can make it all the way to the other street, Blossom turns back and runs in to the alley. It's not until she has a clear view of the group of gangsters assaulting the innocent man that she realizes what she's done. Whatever burst of courage pushed her to help this man has quickly faded away, and she is frozen in fear and panic. There are five of them; huge guys with green bandanas over their heads. Luckily, they haven't spotted her yet, their attention solely on the poor man in front of them.
"Please… stop!" yells the man.
"What was that? You want us to keep going? Well certainly. BOYS!"
More of the gangsters join in beating up the defenseless man. It's more graphic up close. She can hear the breaking of bones, and see blood splatter. At one point they smash his teeth in, and the gargling noise he makes as blood spills into his throat, is enough to cause Blossom to loose her lunch. She dries heaves and the sound is loud enough that some of the gangsters notice.
"Hey! Did you here that?"
"If you mean the sound of his nose breaking, than yea! I heard it! Now stop your questioning, Snake. We've got a job to do."
"But I swore…" the one named Snake trails off as he looks around for the source of the noise. Before she is spotted, Blossom hides behind some nearby trashcans. "…Never mind." Seeming satisfied with the lack of witnesses, Snake and the rest of the gang get back to their brutal assault.
"Taa…lll…Mmm…" the poor beaten man tries to speak, but his injuries make him impossible to understand.
"What was that? Got something to say?" taunts one of the gangsters. He kicks him in the legs, which causes the man to yell out in pain, and then raises his hand to signal the rest to stop what their doing. The poor man whimpers in pain but uses the opportunity to speak.
"Taall…HIIIMMM…taaa…bud—cough!" He cuts himself of with a series of coughs and wheezes. If Blossom had to guess, the man has a collapsed lung. The man attempts to speak again "Bud..buuuget. Funds…low." The man struggles to speak and the more he struggles the more confused Blossom becomes. She understands yelling for help, but why is he trying to reason with the gangsters? In fact, why haven't the gangsters left already? They probably already took his wallet and other valuables. What more could they want?
The man that signaled the others to stop, the leader she presumes, cuts him off with a swift kick to the side. The man groans in pain.
"Shut up! Bossman ain't looking for explanations, he's looking for cash." The leader put his foot on the man's face. "And guess what?" He says as he pushes his weight on to the severely beaten man. "He don't see it!" He delivers another swift kick to the side, which the rest of the gang takes as an invitation to continue their beatings.
Blossom watches on in horror. She's so stupid! Coming in here with no plan. Now she's about to watch a poor man get murdered. The beating continues, and Blossom is in a full on panic. OH! If only the police were here. And like a light bulb going off, Blossom realizes she can call for help. She reaches into her purse to call 911. Her hands tremble as she grabs her phone, and when she pulls it out she's devastated to see that her phone is dead. What do I do now!?
"AAAAHHH!"
The man's sharp cry of pain startles Blossom and her shaky hands drop her phone. It makes a loud noise as it clanks against the trashcan bins. The sounds echoes down the alleyway. There is no way no one heard it.
The gangsters stop.
"You heard dat Ace?"
The leader, Ace, looks up towards her direction. "Yea. I heard it Billy." Ace signals for one of them to stay behind with the bloody man, as the rest of them creep closer to where she's hidden. They haven't spotted her yet, but given the fact that the trashcans next to her are the only ones in the alley, it's only a matter of time before they do.
"Who's hiding over there?"
Blossom bites her lip to keep quite.
"Oh. Are you shy? No need to be shy. We aint' gonna hurt ya, right boys?" His voice is a cocky mix of teasing and threating. The footsteps get closer and closer. Each step punctuated by some teasing remark; "We'll be nice. Promise.", "We're not gonna bite." , "I bet you're just some cute little raccoon, huh?" The last remark makes the group laugh, but all Blossom can feel is fear. Pure, unadulterated, fear.
She flattens herself against the wall of the building she's crouching next to, and tries really hard to ignore the dirt and grim that is sure to be staining her crisp white shirt. That's going to be really hard to get out. The leader is close enough to her that she can make out his features; long, slimy looking black hair, a small goatee, and a big pair of black sunglasses that sit on top of his crooked nose.
"Olly olly oxen free!" he chants.
She holds her breath and hopes for a miracle. A second later and the universe grants her wish. In the distance police sirens are heard. Ace and his cronies stop in their tracks.
"Shit! Ace, it's the cops!"
"I hear it!" he shouts angrily. "Let's get out of here!" He signals the rest of his crew to follow. They all run back in the opposite direction of Blossom. She lets out a breath in relief. Before they leave, Ace stops by the bloody man.
"Consider this a message! Next time we won't go so easy on you, or that hot little number of yours." He finishes with a grin, before running off after his crew.
Blossom peaks up from behind the trashcan bins to see, to her great relief, that all the gangsters are gone.
GROAN…
Blossom runs towards the injured man. She is no doctor, but even she can see that this is bad. He's got cuts and bruises all over his face, and his arm and legs are bent in odd angles. He's sure to have severe internal bleeding as well. She feels awful for the man, especially since she's not sure how she can help him. Oh! She wishes she had done something sooner, then maybe he wouldn't gotten hurt so bad.
Stupid! Stupid!
"Heeelll…Heeelllp…me."
Blossom looks uncertainly at the man, but when she sees the desperation in his eyes she pushes all her negative thoughts and feelings aside. She takes out her cream blazer and uses it to wipe away some of the blood. Then she ties it around his head to stop some of the bleeding.
"Here." She says. Then she grabs his hand and holds on to it tightly. "You're going to be airtight." She says in a firm voice. The man attempts to smile, but it comes off as a grimace. She can hear the police sirens in the distance grow louder —closer.
"I'm going to get you some help, okay. I'll be back." Blossom stands and runs out of the alleyway. When she spots the police she throws her arms in the air and yells, "HELP! HELP! STOP!"
The police car stops in front of her, and she starts gesturing toward alley. "There's a man in there! He needs help!" Police officers run into the alley and when they find the man they call for an ambulance.
"This is Officer Brikowski requesting emergency assistance at once. "
The officer gives the dispatcher their location, but all Blossom can focus on is the poor beaten man being helped by the police. He's going to be okay, she thinks hopefully. He's going to be okay.
"You said his name was what again?"
"Ace. And there were two others, um, Snake and Billy I think." Responds Blossom. This is the third time she's had to retell the story since the ambulance arrived, and honestly she is so drained from today's events that if they make her repeat herself again she is going to loose it.
The officer hums as he writes down her statement. "So there were three perpetrators?"
"No." She states yet again. "There were five. With green bandanas on their heads."
The officer hums in recognition. "Yup. That sounds like them."
"Like who?"
The officer finishes writing down her statement, before addressing her. "The green gang."
"Actually it's the gang green." Says another officer as he approaches them. The first officer, the one who identified himself as Officer Brikowski, snorts. "Po-tay-to. Po-ta-toe."
The second officer, the younger one, shakes his head good-naturally, before giving her a big dashing smile. "Anyway. Thank you for your statement. That was a really brave thing you did. That man might not have made it if it wasn't for you."
Blossom blushes at the praise. "It was nothing, really. I didn't even do anything. You guys did all the work."
"Oh, don't be so modest. You were a real hero today." The young officer responds with a wink.
Blossom smiles bashfully. She is no stranger to praise, especially in the academic field, but she's never been called a hero before. And never by such a cute guy. The thought makes her blush even harder.
Officer Brikowski's gruff voice interrupts the two. "Brave, but dangerous. Next time leave the hero stuff to the professionals, dollface. Crime fighting is no place for little girls."
Blossom's ego deflates. "Noted."
"Well," starts the young officer. "We have everything we need, but we'll stay in touch if anything comes up. Like, if we need you to ID the perps."
"Okay." Says Blossom nodding her head, relieved that she won't have to retell the unpleasant tale again. She's about to walk away before a thought occurs to her "What about the man?"
Both officers give her a puzzled look, "What man? The victim?" asks Brikowski
Blossom nods her head. "Do you know his name?"
"Yea. We were able to ID him when we found a nametag in his breast pocket. Name's Jack Martin, works down in city hall. Ring any bells?" asks the younger officer.
Blossom shakes her head. "No. Sorry. Its just…" She bits her lips thoughtfully. "The whole mugging seemed personal. The gang knew who he was. They said they were delivering a message to him. Something about their boss not getting his money…or something like that."
The younger officer is quick to write down the information Blossom has given them. "Wow. Thanks. That's a great lead. We'll have to bring it up when we interview Mr. Martin." he flashes her another dashing smile.
Blossom smiles in return. "No problem. By the way, do you know what his condition is? Is he going to be alright?"
"We don't really know his condition, but based on what the paramedics said we expect him to pull through. Why? You worried?"
"Yea. He was beaten pretty badly. I was scared he wasn't going to make it."
The young officer's smile widens. "Well aren't you a regular good samaritan. There ought to be more people like you."
"There is! You and them sisters of yours. Carbon copies of Barbara aren't ya'?" Officer Brikowski says with a chuckle.
Oh no. Not this again.
"Pardon?" says the young officer. "Who's Barbara?"
Before Blossom can intervene, Brikowski thinks it fit to tell her life story to the cute—err… young officer.
"Barbara! You don't know Barbara? Oh, right. Forgot you're a transfer. Well, let me tell ya' Barbara was a real doll. She was sweet as a peach. A real do-gooder, just liker her lovely daughter here. Anybody ever tell you that you look just like her?"
Only like all the time.
Besides her red hair and the freckles on her cheeks, Blossom is a carbon copy of her mother; same nose, same cheekbones, same chin, and the same hazel eyes. She should be faltered by the comparison, her mother was a real beauty, but frankly, it makes Blossom uncomfortable to continuously be compared to a dead person.
"Thank you." She replies lacklusterly.
"Yea." Continues the older officer in a somber tone. "Mighty shame about what happened to her though."
"Yea. Shame." Responds Blossom, the irritation apparent in her voice.
"That reminds me, I'm real sorry abo—"
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude, but it's really late and I need to get home. My family is probably worried sick about me." Interrupts Blossom before the officer can continue on with his line of thought. It's been a long day and Blossom doesn't feel up to accepting anybody's 'sincerest apologies'.
The older officer clears his throat awkwardly, "Oh. Yes. Well, we best be on our way too."
Blossom is glad that she can finally part ways with the officers. She turns around to leave, but stops when she feels a hand on her shoulder. "Wait." Says the young officer. "At least let us give you a ride. These streets are dangerous at night, and you've already had you fair share of danger tonight."
Blossom hesitates to answer. A ride home sounds amazing, but she isn't sure if he's offering because he feels bad for her now. She turns around and seems him patiently waiting for her with a charming smile on his face. If he does feel sorry for her, he doesn't show it. Not that it matters, rationalizes Blossom. There was no way she was going to turn down a ride home. She's had enough excitement for one day and there is no telling what else could happen if she went home alone so late.
"Yea, ok."
"Ok." says the young officer with wider smile.
"Great!" says Officer Brikowski, completely over his previous embarrassment, "Hop in little lady."
Blossom bites her tongue to keep from responding to the officer's nickname. It isn't the first time tonight that's he's referred to her using some cute little nickname and it's getting on her last nerve. She's sixteen—not five. Not to mention the fact that they're pretty demeaning nicknames.
Blossom favors the older officer with a tight smile and slides into the back of the police car.
As the car pulls away from the scene of the crime, Blossom spares one last look at the alleyway. An involuntary shiver runs down her spine. She wraps her arms around herself and leans her head on the window.
I can't wait for this day to be over.
Blossom was so eager to get home that she didn't consider what it would look like with her arriving in the back of a police car. When the car pulls up to her home, she spots Bubbles sitting in the front window nervously tugging at her pigtails. The face she makes when she sees Blossom is one of pure shock. Blossom hasn't even finished getting out of the car when the front door bursts open and her sisters come rushing out. Surprising still, their aunt, Sara Bellum, rushes out after her sisters noticeably worried as well. Before Blossom has a chance to explain her situation she's interrupted by one of her sisters.
"And I thought I'd be the first one to arrive home in the back of a cop car."
"Buttercup!" yell Blossom and her aunt at the same time.
"I was kidding! God!" Buttercup frowns as she folds her arms over her chest. "So what did you do anyway? Nag someone to death?"
Augh! The nerve of this girl. The day's events have left Blossom in a foul mood and Buttercup's attitude is just about enough to push her over the edge. As if sensing an impending fight between the sisters, Sara steps between the two.
"Buttercup." She starts, her tone a weird mixture of gentle and threatening. It seems to do the trick as not a second later Buttercup's smirk is replaced by an annoyed look. Satisfied, Sara turns her attention toward Blossom. "Blossom, honey, what happened?"
"It's nothing serious, ma'am." The young officer is quick to answer. He stretches out a hand toward Blossom's aunt "Hi. My name's officer Michael Wings, but feel free to call me Mike. Pleasure to make you acquaintance. Are you her guardian?" Blossom thought his smile was cute before, but the mega-watt smile he's giving her aunt is just gorgeous. She'd feel embarrassed for blushing like a schoolgirl if she hadn't caught her sisters doing the same.
Not surprising, Michael's beautiful smile has no effect on her aunt.
"Yes, I'm her legal guardian." Sara responds simply, not bothering to take the officer's hand. "If it's nothing serious could you mind explaining to me why my niece was escorted home in the back of a police vehicle?"
Officer Wings retracts his hand awkwardly. "Oh…um, well…"
"Excuse my partner, Ms. Bellum. He's new, and he tends to get a little fresh with the ladies. Thinks he Casanova or something." Officer Brikowski trails off.
Sara's expression is anything but amused, and poor Michael looks even more flustered than before. "I hope that attitude didn't extend to my niece." Blossom didn't think her already flushed face could get any redder, but today is turning out to be just full of surprises.
"What? No! Oh God no! Do I see like some kind of pervert to you? She's just a kid." To emphasize his point further he takes at least three steps away from Blossom. Well, its good to know that he finds her utterly repulsive; Blossom is pretty sure that her face has turned into a brand new shade of red never seen before.
"Sara!" she yells out utterly embarrassed; she doesn't catch the hurt look that passes over her aunt's face. "He was just doing his job. He helped me and another man…we were being assaulted." She mumbles out the last part, hoping not to make such a big deal out of it.
Naturally, that doesn't work.
"WHAT!?" yells her aunt. She wraps her arms around her niece "Are you alright? What happened?"
"Now, ma'am. It's okay, no need to get worried." Says the older cop hoping to calm down her aunt.
"Okay?! My niece was assaulted!"
"Actually," interrupts officer Wings "Another man was being assaulted. Your niece was just in the wrong place at the wrong time; however, if she hadn't been there that man might not have made it. She saved someone's life tonight, Ms."
The frown melts right off her aunt's face. Suddenly, Blossom has three pair of eyes looking at her in varying degrees of astonishment. "It was nothing…really. All I did was call the cops." She says meekly, uncomfortable with all the attention.
Her aunt is the first to snap out of it. "Oh…. um, wow. I'm sorry. I had no idea. Blossom are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Just tired is all."
Her aunt nods her head understandingly. "Of course. Officers, if it's alright with you, can my niece head inside?"
"Yea, yea, of course. We got her statement already. We just wanted to make sure she got home safe."
Sara nods her head and turns towards Blossom and her sisters. "You girls should head inside and start dinner. I'll be in soon." She turns back around signifying that the girls are not to argue. Buttercup looks like she wants to say something, but is cut off as Blossom quickly shoves past her.
"Hey!"
Blossom ignores Buttercup as she walks toward the house. Buttercup may want to argue, but Blossom is beyond exhausted, and she is past the point of caring to try and hide it. As she walks away she can hear her aunt share some words with Buttercup, before speaking to the officers once more. "What happened? Did you catch you guys that did it?" Sara's voice trails off as Blossom walks away.
She hears foots approaching from behind. From the corner of her eye she sees Bubbles quickly catching up to her. "Hey, Blossom?" She stops when her sister's hand lands on her arm. "I'm really glad you're okay." She says softly. Bubbles' smile is so sincere and sweet that Blossom can't help but smile in return. "Thanks. Me too."
From behind, Blossom hears the loud stomps of Buttercup's boots. Not wanting a confrontation, Blossom quickly makes her way inside. She barely makes it a step inside when she's pushed aside as Buttercup shoves past her, her loud footsteps echoing as she makes her way to the kitchen. Whatever good mood Bubbles manage to inspire in her quickly vanishes, and she is left fuming.
She scoffs. She is so childish.
Bubbles walks in nervously tugging on her pigtails. Bubbles doesn't like conflict, especially between her sisters, which, unfortunately, has been more frequent in recent months. Things haven't been easy since…since their father's passing. His absence has caused some strain, not only financially, but also between the three sisters. Besides acting out, Buttercup has been distant; secluding herself in her room or staying out as late as possible. Blossom is embarrassed to admit that she hasn't been handling her sister very well, and poor Bubbles, who is visibly having the hardest time with their father's death, has been caught in the middle. Blossom can tell she feels hurt by Buttercup's distant behavior, and their frequent squabbles.
Blossom looks at Bubbles now as she bites her lip in worry at the possibility of another screaming match breaking out between her sisters. Her eyes are shiny from the unshed tears that are sure to follow if Blossom confronts Buttercup. She lets out a sigh; she's tired of seeing her sister cry. So, reluctantly, she bites her tongue and goes into the kitchen without saying a word to Buttercup.
Buttercup is already at the table helping herself to the food that, she presumes, their aunt brought.
"Auntie Sara got us tacos." Says Bubbles as she takes a seat next to Buttercup, confirming Blossom's suspicions.
Blossom is about to tell her sisters that she isn't hungry when she hears the front door open and close a second later. "Hey. I'm glad to see you guys are helping yourselves. Their good huh?" Says their aunt with a smile when she walks into the kitchen, but her smile fades when she notices Blossom isn't eating. "Blossom, aren't you eating?"
Blossom is too tired to eat, and to be honest she's still full from the late lunch she had at the diner. However, based on the worried look on her aunt's face, Blossom knows that rejecting the dinner isn't an option. It's not that their aunt thinks they can't feed themselves, because they can; the tacos, like the previous dinners that their aunt has brought them, is more a ploy to get all of them to sit and do something together.
The first couple of dinners that their aunt brought over to the house were very welcomed. The girls were in shock, and not able to take care of themselves properly, but that's not the case now. Now when aunt Sara brings over dinner the girls are expected to all sit together and it's an awkward and boring ordeal for all involved.
The very first dinner was awkward and silent. No one wanted to talk about the elephant in the room, or the missing person at the dinner table. The sisters' interactions have resembled that dinner ever since, distant, awkward, and quite. Her aunt, bless her heart, tried, she really did, and she's still trying; but it's not going to be easy to repair the damage that was left in the wake of their father's death. It will take time.
Blossom sits down next to Bubbles and halfheartedly begins to eat dinner. She really isn't in the mood for dinner, but at least her aunt seems content.
Just one less thing to worry about.
About a minute into the meal and the silence around the table is deafening. It's not like Blossom and her sisters were extremely close before; they are all so different and interested in doing their own thing, but their family get-togethers were never this strained. Family meals were always filled with chatter and laughter. Now the chatter and laughter has been replaced by a tense silence only broken occasionally by the sound of clattering silverware.
"So." Starts her aunt awkwardly. Whatever her aunt is going to say she hopes it's not to ask her about what happened earlier tonight. She tired of having to relive it. "Blossom, where were you today? When I got here your sisters told me you had been out all day. "
Blossom internally winces. She told her sisters she would be out for half the day; well she told Bubbles, Buttercup was still asleep, but she failed to mention why, and with good reason too.
When her dad passed there was a bit of debate over who would get custody of the girls. Their grandparents on their mother's side passed away in a tragic car accident many years ago, while Barbara was in college, and their grandfather on their father's side passed away 3 years prior from liver failure. Since their father was estranged from his mother, and her whereabouts were unknown, there was a real serious possibility that the girls would be placed in foster care. As if losing their father wasn't bad enough the girls would have to deal with losing their home and the possibility of being separated from one another.
It would seem obvious that Sara Bellum, Barbara's little sister, would be the one to get custody of the girls. She was the only family the girls had left. However, there was debate over Sara's ability to provide for the girls. Officials argued that Sara was not fit to care for the girls.
Sara is a 38 year old career woman with no kids, and no husband. If they didn't live in Townsville, and if they weren't the Utonium girls, Barbara Bellum's only children, then Blossom doubts anyone would have found a problem with Sara taking guardianship over the girls.
Sara had to undergo a brutal legal battle with child protective services in order to gain custody over the girls. It was a very difficult time for them, they were devastated over the loss of their father and uncertain over their immediate future—not to mention the fact that the whole ordeal, their father's death and the legal battle, was made public for all to see— but no matter how bad it was for the girls, it was much worse for Sara.
Sara's name was dragged through the mud during the trial. It seemed Sara wasn't as beloved as her older sister was. Any indiscretion, no matter how big or small, Sara ever made was used against her to deny her custody. Sara was apparently a bit of a wild child in her younger days, and there was a lot of evidence to use against her. Sara argued that those mistakes she had made were just that— mistakes done by an adolescent girl. She is a responsible, mature, and successful woman now. She works in city hall as the mayor's assistant, and makes enough money to afford a very comfortable lifestyle.
Sara's work with the mayor gave her a lot of pull with many of the officials, but still many doubts persisted, chief among them was that no matter how successful she was, her income would not be enough to support her and three teenage girls. Eventually, a deal was made. The girls would be placed with their aunt Sara; but due to Sara's income, she would receive federal aid, which meant that legally the state would maintain custody of the girls. Sara Bellum would only be a foster parent.
Sara was understandably devastated. Blossom and her sisters were too, but more so relieved that they wouldn't be separated from each other or their childhood home. Luckily, the girls were allowed to live in their home—which was paid off from the savings leftover from their father's death—as long as their aunt lived with them too. However, their aunt was a busy woman with an apartment of her own near city hall, so it would be a great inconvenience to travel to and from the suburbs everyday.
Sara mostly stayed over on weekends or on days she didn't work, which were rare. Of course, the biggest reason she hadn't moved in to the girl's home was because the only spare room in the house was their father's old bedroom. In the 3 months since his passing no one had dared go in there, not even to collect his things. Sara was respectful of that, and anytime she stayed over she slept on the couch, not an optimal position for a 38 year old.
Blossom bites her lip in distress. Sara is doing her best for her and her sisters, but it's hard not to feel like she's lacking in many aspects. Sara is busy most of the times, she's not always around, and despite how hard she works, financially, the girls are barely staying afloat. Remorsefully, she knows that no matter how hard her aunt tries, she's never going to be able to fill her father's shoes, and, honestly, she shouldn't have to. Blossom isn't sure if she's the only one of her sisters to feel this way, but she feels bad that her aunt, who is still so young, should have to push her life aside in order to take care of her nieces. It's not fair.
"I went out…to find a job." Blossom reluctantly answers.
"A job? Why do you need a job?"
"Well…I thought it would be a good idea to start saving up some money for college…and other things." She finishes lamely.
"But college is two years away, and there's scholarships you can get."
"Exactly, college is only two years away, and scholarships can only pay for so much. How else am I, or any of us, suppose to pay for school? Besides, Bubbles and Buttercup both have jobs."
"Hey don't drag me into this." Complains Buttercup.
"Actually, I'm volunteer." Bubbles adds quietly.
"I can help you girls with school." A sad frown tugs on her aunt's face. "You girls are so young. You should be having fun, not worrying about money or work."
RING!
A loud ringtone interrupts the conversation before Blossom can argue the point further. Sara roots around her bag and pulls out her phone.
"Sara Bellum speaking." She answers. "Uh-huh. Oh…I see." a profound worried look appears on Sara's face. "Yes. Thank you. I'll…" she stops suddenly and looks up at her nieces. "…I'll be there when I can. Goodbye." She hangs up and puts her phone away. Blossom expects her to excuse herself, and leave, but instead her aunt goes back to eating her dinner, the profound worried look still on her face.
"Who was it?"
"Nobody. Just work." replies her aunt nonchalantly.
"It seemed like it was important."
"It…was, but it's not something they can't handle without me."
Of course her aunt is lying through her teeth. She's so engrossed in whatever was said in the phone call that she's completely forgotten about the conversation they were having before. She's probably mentally going over whatever it was they called her about. Blossom always expects her aunt to be the one to break the tense silence around the dinner table, but now that she's preoccupied with work her presences just adds to the awkward tension.
"Aunt Sara." Says Bubbles catching their aunt's attention. "We're almost done with dinner, so if you have to leave we totally understand. We're all probably going to turn in afterwards anyway."
A deep frown tugs at their aunt's brows. "Hmmm…" she begins uncertainly. She looks to be considering her options. Blossom can tell she's torn between being the good guardian and staying with the girls or being the good mayor's assistant and leaving. Sara looks at her nieces with a wary look, if she hopes to decide based on their expressions then she's out of luck. It's not that the girls don't love their aunt, but they can do just fine without her. Besides, Bubbles is right, as soon as dinner is over they're all going to retreat into their separate bedrooms and call it a night.
Sara lets out a deep sigh, having made up her mind. "Are you sure?" she asks.
Bubbles nods her head reassuringly causing her blond pigtails to bounce from side to side. "Yea. It's fine." She responds with a small smile.
"Okay…if you girls need anything please call, no matter what the time, and I'll be here okay." Their aunt begins to put away her things and her plate. Before she leaves she gives everyone of her nieces a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Ugh! Okay we get it. You love us." Says Buttercup annoyed. Their aunt just smiles in response.
"Bye girls. I'll be back soon." Soon is a relative term when it comes to their aunt. Soon could mean later tonight, but it most likely means in a few days. How the state hasn't found out that their aunt isn't residing with them, Blossom has no idea, but she is extremely grateful.
"Bye Aunt Sara." The girls say in unison. That's odd, thinks Blossom. She can't remember the last time they did anything in unison.
The sound of Sara's heels echo around the house as she makes for the door. A minute later they hear the door slam closed and the all too familiar sound of their aunt Sara's car engine roar to life.
If Blossom thought the silence was deafening before, it's absolutely blaring now. Now that their aunt is gone, no one is willing to break the silent tension. Blossom doesn't understand how it got this bad between her sisters. It's gotten to the point that these silences are more boring than awkward now. Still, the silences are much more welcomed than the arguments and fights they occasionally get into. That's probably the reason no one wants to break the silence.
"So…"
Well, almost no one.
"I'd ask if anything interesting happened today, but considering Blossom came home in the back of a cop car I guess it's a stupid question, huh?" asks Bubbles in a self-deprecating manner, hopping to break the strange standoff between her sisters.
The only response she gets is a small snort from Buttercup and a small smile from Blossom. Bubbles looks visibly defeated, her shoulders and head drop, and she continues to eat the rest of her meal in silence.
After a few more silent moments, Blossom begins to feel sympathy for her sister. Just like their aunt Sara, Bubbles is trying to bridge the gap between the sisters; so she decides to indulge her, if only a little.
"I got a job today." Blossom says simply.
"That's great Blossom! Where?" Bubbles asks, a giant smile on her face.
"Downtown."
"Hmmm, that's kinda far. Where downtown?"
"It's a couple of blocks from Central prep."
"Fucking rich kids." Blossom hears Buttercup mumble. "So, what's the job?" she asks louder.
Blossom hesitates, she only now decided that she'd accept the job, but she is no more proud about working at a diner than she was a couple hours ago.
"Ummm…I'm going to be a working at a bistro…as a food attendant."
Buttercup lets out a large and gruff sounding laugh. "HAHA! You mean a waitress."
Blossom shoots her a dirty look. "Technically…yes."
"Wow! Good luck with that, everyone knows how horrible the food service industry is." Still laughing to herself, Buttercup gets up from the table and puts her dirty dish in the sink—without washing it—and heads upstairs. Before she's out of hearing range, she yells out "Don't drop anything! That'd be super embarrassing."
Blossom's face is flushed with embarrassment and anger.
"Just ignore -"
Blossom stands up suddenly, cutting off her younger sister. "I'm going to bed." She says hastily, marching herself upstairs, not bothering to pick up her dirty dish.
As she makes her way upstairs she hears a faint "Goodnight" but she doesn't reply back. She closes her bedroom door roughly, doesn't bother turning on the lights, and throws herself on her bed. She closes her eyes, and wishes for sleep to take her quickly so that she may finally end this disaster of a day. A few minutes later she gets her wish.
AUTHOR'S Note: OMG! Okay, so I have had this story stuck in my head for years! Finally, I was like F***IT! I'm gonna write it. So here it is! Chapter 1. Let me know what you guys think! And just to clarify some things, this will be an origins story to how the girls got their powers and eventually became the power puff girls. So yes, prior to that they are just your typical normal girls. In fact, everyone is normal in this story, including villains. All major villains, and some minor, will make an appearance in this story. And yes, that includes the boys! So there will be major PPGXRRB stuff going down.
GAH! I'm so excited! I'm not even done with chapter 2 yet, and I already know how the sequel to this story will play out.
Mucho Love! XOXO