I like the way your hand fits in mine," Joan whispered.
Phoney smiled softly, looking into Joan's hazel eyes. Her petite, small frame no bigger than his own. He brushed back her jet black hair from her eyes, which flowed from her waist down.
"Yeah. Me too..." he cooed.
—————————————————————————————
Phoney bone sat at his wooden desk, surrounded by a mountain of crumbled papers.
He continued to scribble ideas, crumbling each one, until he growled in frustration.
"I've tried all morning and I still can't..." a knock on the door interrupted him.
"Hey cuz! Whatcha doing?" Smiley bursted into Phoney's office. Not much but a wooden desk, heightened office chair, trash bin, and filing cabinet.
"Not now!" Phoney hissed with a palm on his forehead.
Smiley chuckled "Okay, cuz! I'll leave you to build your paper fort." He slowly shut the door, eyeballing the frustrated bone.
Phoney sighed deeply, "Maybe a break could ease my burn out." He arose from his seat, and threw all the pieces of paper into the waste bin. As Phoney left his office, he passed by Smiley making a blank sandwich in his kitchen.
"God, when will they move out..." phoney thought in irritation. Both Fone Bone and Smiley Bone lived with their eldest cousin for the time being, finances were too much. Phoney didn't hesitate to make them pay rent though, after all, the bills didn't pay themselves!
"Don't cut your finger while your at it!" Phoney spat out.
Before smiley could answer, Phoney dashed to the door. He grabbed his brown, wool scarf and wrapped it tightly around his neck. As he opened the door, a cold breeze hit him, but he persisted and slammed the door.
Luckily, phoney was only two blocks away from the local cafe, Boneville Brews.
The walk was typical, full of stares and glances from passerby's. He didn't care much about it comments and whispers about his last crooked attempt... Just keep walking he told himself.
Eventually, Phoney was at Boneville Brews, and with a ring of the doorbell, the barista knew it was him.
She was a tall, thin bone, face covered in freckles, with her red hair in a bun.
"My usual Jenifer." Phoney mumbled as he grabbed the Boneville Times from the magazine section, then leaping onto the bar stool.
"Mmhm, one black coffee."
As she poured the glass, Phoney realized the cafe was a lot busier than usual. They had more staff up front, and plenty of businessmen surrounded the young girls desperately trying to fulfill orders.
One old man bellowed "Hey! My coffee is cold, I need a redo missy!"
Phoney rolled his eyes and adjusted his scarf. The only thing he hated about the cafe was how it was near so many large corporations, with snobby businessmen. Within a few seconds, Jenifer handed him his coffee simultaneously as phoney handed her a two dollars.
"You know, yours a lousy tipper but an easy customer Phoncible." Jenifer stated.
"Yeah, yeah..." Phoney Bone mumbled as the ditzy bartsia ran back to making more orders.
Phoney typically drank his coffee and read the Boneville Times, looking at the latest stock market predictions.
He could barely concentrate from the gossip he heard from two fellows in suits sitting next to him. One short and stout, with glasses, gray hair with a large bald spot, and a black tie. The other man slightly taller, with a muscular build, bald with a goatee, and had on too much cologne.
At first, phoney was annoyed by their loud gibberish, until he started to pay attention to their meaning...
"Yes, Don. I am not joking around, Lawrence IS retiring!" the bald bone said.
"Wow, I would die to be in his shoes! Who would retire to leave their entire fortune? Why would he do this Craig?" the short fat bone exclaimed.
"Well, that's the baffling part, if I were the owner of BONE ESTATES, I'd DIE working there. The old man's lost his mind!" Craig replied.
Phoney's unibrow raised, and a big grin formed. He thought to himself, "Lawrence J. Bone is retiring?! The richest (besides him of course) bone in Boneville!"
"Woah, woah, gentlemen... You must be joking right?" Phoney intruded.
The two bones looked at phoney with slight disgust. "Well, of course we are serious... what do you plan to do some scandalous scheme to steal their business?"
Both of the businessmen laughed at Phoney Bone.
"Hmph! Like I could jackass. What's gonna happen to the Estates?" Phoney bit back.
"Well, if you must know... he flicked an article from The Daily Bone at him.
Both of the gentlemen rose from their seats, Craig said, "Let's get out of here," he pointed his thumb at Phoney. "I don't want to contract any ignorance from this one."
Phoney held back at witty remark and snatched the article into his hands.
—————————————————————————————
"THE DAILY BONE:
Local News
Former Owner of Bone Estates Retires: Son Found Dead Day After
By: Juliana B. Bone
Lawrence J. Bone, former owner of the wealthiest Real Estate business in Boneville retired this Sunday. On a Monday afternoon, Lawrence's son was found dead from undisclosed causes. The company and fortune was to be passed onto son and hier, Stephen J. Bone, but the current heir is unknown. Lawrence denied any form of interview, with The Daily Bone.
Many skeptics believe the company will either be bought out or passed down to the succeeding generation. Stephen J. Bone was the only child of Lawrence, and had only one daughter, Joan E. Bone. [...]"
—————————————————————————————
Phoney stopped reading, and a crazy idea flood into his brain. The idea so bizarre, it might actually work.
Steal that twerp's heart, steal Bone Estates, become the richest bone in Boneville!
[ Sooo that's the end of chapter 1! Not sure if I'll make chapter two but let me know if you'd like to see more! :) ]