I was heading to my locker at the end of the school day and noticed Bree was yanking her hand that was on the lock of the locker. Raising an eyebrow, I walked over to her.

"What are you doing?" I asked and when she groaned I knew it had something to do with her brothers. Probably pranked her.

"My stupid brothers put glue on my locker!" She exclaimed angrily and after sighing I reached out and stopped her before she yanked her arm off.

"I know how to fix this. Stay here." Bree gave me an annoyed look and I chuckled nervously and left before she could bite my head off. I went to the chem lab and came back with rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs. Within five minutes I had Bree's hand free.

"Thanks." I half shrugged but smiled, "How'd you know that would work?" I screwed the cap on the bottle of rubbing alcohol while answering.

"Some of the group homes I was in had little kids and you wouldn't believe the stuff they would get into. You learn things like how to remove super glue from hands if you're the one having to babysit all the time. I also know the quickest way to put out a fire if you don't have a fire extinguisher."

"That's handy when you hang around my brothers." I paused when she mentioned this, my mind instantly thinking about Chase. "Which by the way, I noticed you're not hanging with either of them lately." I shrugged like it was no big deal.

"Well, after I turned down Adam when he asked me out our friendship hasn't been the same." It was true. The only time we hung out was when it was with his siblings and even then we didn't talk much. We used to pass notes in math class when we were bored, and that stopped too.

"And Chase?" She prodded, and a heaviness settled on my chest from just hearing his name. I had to come up with a believable excuse.

"Well, I realized that you're my best friend and I should be hanging out with you and not him. And when he does stupid things like prank you I don't want to be around him." I was at least honest about that last part. And hanging out with Bree more was fun and I felt bad that we didn't do it much before.

"Tell me about it. At least when he hung out with you he left me alone for the most part."

"Yeah well, we're not going to do that anymore so I'm sorry." Bree chuckled.

"Finally scared you off huh? Like every other girl he's tried to hang out with." This comment made me annoyed and I couldn't stop the words I said next from spilling out.

"Hey, Chase is actually fun to be around when he's not being an obnoxious know it all. He's a nice, sensitive, and sometimes sweet guy that you can depend on." Bree's head tilted and my cheeks went red.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you like him." I scoffed, a little too loudly.

"Uh, no. No I don't. I'm just saying that any girl with half a brain should give him a chance." Bree crossed her arms.

"Harper, is there something you're not telling me?"

"No." I said firmly. She narrowed her eyes, but decided to let it slide and change the subject.

"Hey, uh I'm heading to the mall. I have a job interview at tech town."

"Job interview?"

"Yeah, Caitlin insisted that I go and the only reason I'm doing it is so I can get away from my brothers. It'll be great if you came to cheer me on." I felt there was something Caitlin wasn't telling Bree, but shrugged.

"Sure."

"Congratulations, you're hired." Scott, the manager of Tech Town told us. Bree and I were both shocked.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm just as shocked as you are. The fact that Caitlin already put you in uniform beat out your total lack of work experience." It was true, Bree was sporting the green polo shirt and black pants.

"Here's your tech town name tag." Bree accepted it but tilted her head.

"It says Ming." She told him and Scott smiled.

"Yeah that's the last person I fired. Didn't know the difference between an SSD and a flashdrive." He laughed and it was very annoying. The second I saw him, I knew he was an unpleasant person to be around. He left Bree and myself along with Caitlin who looked more excited than Bree.

"I'm so glad you're working here!" She said happily.

"Me too. I just love not being around my brothers. It's so liberating."

"You know what else is liberating? Now that you work here, I don't have to do all the cruddy jobs. You do." She put a mop and bucket in Bree's arms with a cheeky smile. "Have fun cleaning the bathroom."

"I thought you said this job was fun?" I asked and she shrugged.

"It is. Now that Bree's here I'm having a blast." She walked away with a skip in her step and I had half a mind to chuck one of the phones on display at her. Telling myself I don't want to spend the night in a jail cell for assault, I turned to Bree with a sympathic look.

"I told you that Caitlin had to have an angle." Bree shrugged, not fazed by being tricked by her supposed friend. Caitlin has a few screws loose, I'm certain of it.

"Hey, I'm just glad to do it if it gets me away from my brothers." I nodded reluctantly.

"Yeah, I guess…" My eyes wandered around the store and landed on a boy who was around my age he dropped a box into his shopping bag that he definitely didn't pay for. "Hey!" I shouted and I stalked over to him. He tried to make a run for it but I grabbed the collar of his shirt to stop him. "Don't think I saw you swipe a pair of unpaid headphones into that shopping bag. Either pay up or I'll break that computer over your head and then make you pay for it!" The boy looked ready to wet his pants and I pushed him in the direction of the register.

"You're hired!" Scott exclaimed and I turned to look at the man with confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"I could use someone like you to make sure nothing is stolen." I chuckled.

"You mean, watch people, maybe intimidate them so they don't steal anything?" I asked, and he nodded. "I don't know…" Bree interrupted and grabbed my arm.

"Harper you totally should! We could work together!" I bit the inside of my cheek while thinking. I could use the money since Douglas and Krane ruined my other way of getting easy cash. Plus, I could use this as a way to have an excuse to not be around Chase.

"Uh, sure. I guess I could give it a try." I said finally. Bree gave me a side hug.

"Caitlin, take them to the back to get a uniform and you can start right now."

I never thought a normal job was for me, preferring to do little jobs off the grid with little to no commitment and I could work on my own time. But I was actually having a blast.

I was fixing a computer for a client at the moment since here was no one else able to help at the moment and I told Scott I could do it. With my bionics I was able to be a tech genius and it made me feel confident. Plus, I liked having two new shirts and one new pair of pants for free. Sure, they were for work but still, free is free. I can wear them to school on the days I work.

Bree had just come back into the main part of the store after an hour of cleaning just the bathroom.

"I mopped, I swept and I can guarantee the ladies bathroom has never been cleaner." I was proud of Bree, she didn't mind doing the grunt work. Most kids who come from rich families would rather jump off a cliff than clean. Caitlin on the other hand was put off by this.

"Why do you look so happy about that? You're kind of creeping me out, and that's coming from me." I unintentionally snorted and blushed at the looks I got from the pair.

"Trust me, having to clean a bathroom is still better than being around my stupid brothers."

"Hello ladies." My heart skipped a beat when I looked up from the computer as Chase sauntered in. Bree went over to him while I stood frozen in place.

"Chase! What are you doing here?" Bree asked, just as surprised as I was.

"I just came to see what this Tech Town was all about. Nice set up, you guys have all the latest models." Chase picked up a tablet that was on display. "Except this one, this one is last year's." We know that, at least I did. Scott came over and nudged me aside to speak with Chase. I glared at the back of the manager's head for doing that.

"Uh, I couldn't help but overhear. I can assure you that we only have the latest models on display." Bree laughed nervously.

"Scott, this is my brother and I can assure you that he is leaving." She turned him around and started pushing towards the door. "Buh bye!" Chase walked around her.

"Nope, this model's old. I mean, the shell's different but look at that screen quality. There's no way that's glare resistant." Scott was surprised.

"You're right, this is the old model. No one's ever noticed."

"I noticed. I just didn't think it was a big deal." I commented boredly before going back to my computer. I thought this was the end of the conversation and Chase would leave.

"Well Chase, thanks for stopping by, but why don't you leave and go down to the pretzel hit and lecture people about the dangers of sodium." Bree suggested and Chase scoffed.

"Where do you think I just came from?" I shook my head at him.

"You really should find a new hobby." I said without looking away from the computer.

"Wait, it's probably a long shot, but I'm looking for one more person to hire." My head jerked up and Bree and I shared a mortified look. "Especially with someone of your 'tech'-pertise." We both rolled our eyes. Oh brother.

"Well, I'm glad I've exceeded your tech - pectation." Chase said back, continuing the use of a bad pun. I probably would have found it funny if my plan on avoiding Chase wasn't at risk like a computer without an antivirus software. Did I really just use that analogy?

"What the tech is going on?" Bree exclaimed, voicing my exact thought. But she was ignored.

"So what do you say, any interest in working here?"

"No, nonono, he has no interest in working here. Chase, tell him you have no interest." Chase smirked.

"011100101." I dropped my head and sighed. Binary code? Seriously?

"He just said yes in binary code." Scott said to Bree and she was furious now.

"Oh, I'm wondering what's binary for I hate my life!" Scott and Chase began saying it.

"0110001-"

"I get it!" Bree yelled and I was as furious as she was. Chase knew his sister wanted this job to herself and accepted Scott's offer anyway.

"Welcome to the team Chase. You are Tech Town's newest employee." They walked away and Bree was one step away from having a mental breakdown. I wasn't sure what to say.

"This can't be happening." She said in a quiet voice. Caitlin came over.

"Bree, I've got a very important job for you." Bree put her hands on Caitlin's shoulders.

"Anything to get me away from this." She replied slowly.

"Grab your mop. Someone yacked by the monitors." I grimaced, but Bree wasn't as repulsed as I was.

The end of my shift couldn't come soon enough. I don't think I did too shabby on my first day. I put on my leather jacket as I headed over to where Bree was dusting some of the devices on display.

"Hey Bree, I'm heading out. I'll see you tomorrow." Bree's shift ended an hour after mine did since she had to help with cleaning. I feel bad she's having to do all the hard work, but I couldn't stand another minute in Chase's presence.

"I'll help more tomorrow with the cleaning tomorrow, I promise. But I have to go to your place to sleep standing up for a few hours."

"It's fine. Can you believe Chase?"

"No. I didn't think he'd be so selfish. But we'll figure it out, I promise. This is our thing and he needs to respect that."

"Thanks for having my back." Bree said in appreciation and I shrugged.

"I've learned that it's what friends do."

The next day was Saturday, and I had to work a full 8 hour shift. At around noon when not a lot of people were shopping I helped Bree with mopping.

"Chase is the new guy, why am I doing all the grunt work? " Bree asked frustratedly. She was complaining to Caitlin.

"I have to stay on his good side. He's clearly management material. It's always the creepy little guys who make it in tech."

"Creepy girl seems to be doing well too." I commented from the spot I was mopping by the center display counter. Once the floor was to my liking, I went closer to the pair and dropped my mop in the bucket.

"I'm going to ride his coat trails to the top. And then, gather enough dirt on him to get him canned."

"Can't happen soon enough." I said, shaking my head as I watched Chase chat with a customer who was buying a computer.

"Why do you want him fired?" Caitlin asked and I shrugged at her.

"I have my reasons." Chase finished with the customer.

"Thanks for coming down to tech town, where we always 'tech' care of you."

"You know, you don't have to say that after every sale." Bree told her brother who scoffed.

"You do if you want to be employee of the month, which by the way I already am and it's only my second day." He then pointed to his shirt, "And would you look at that, a name tag with my name on it." I wanted to smack that smug smirk off his perfect face. Really, I thought I told myself I wouldn't think like that anymore.

"Oh yeah, jokes on you, I got Ming's name tag, you got her pants. " Despite Bree's remarks being a low blow, I quietly laughed to myself. Then I decided that since Bree wasn't getting anywhere with Chase, I should try taking some sense into him. It's been a week since I really talked to him one on one and butterflies filled my stomach when I walked over to where he was standing by display with computers.

"You have to quit." I said right off the bat, feeling that bluntness was the only way to do this.

"Why, I like it here. If you've got a problem with it, then maybe you should quit." I didn't expect him to be so cold with me, but I wasn't going to let it get to me. I had been ignoring him all week and I guess he was mad about it. I didn't think it would bother him so much.

"Bree and I were here first!" I told him a little louder and it caught the attention of some customers and unfortunately Scott. He clapped the two boxes he was holding to get our attention.

"Hey no bickering between employees." He scolded, "Now I don't want to play favorites, but I like him more than you." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Not playing favorites, right. " I said sarcastically and I swiveled on my heels and stalked away.

The day dragged on and closing time couldn't come sooner.

"Great day today. Tech Towners." Scott praised, surprisingly. He seemed to only be nice to Chase. "Chase, I think you have a great future here."

"And Chase's sister, you left mop streaks in the ladies room. "

"What were you doing in the ladies room?" Bree asked, both of us girls crossing her arms. Scott looked between the two of us nervously.

"You're good."

"And by the way, my name is Bree."

"Really, might want to stick with Ming." Scott and Chase laughed, making Bree annoyed and my blood boil. "Ok, you guys tidy up, I gotta head to foot world, they're holding a pair of socks for me. Chase, you're in charge until I get back."

Chase smirked at us.

"Hear that? Just like a mission, I'm in charge."

"And just like a mission, you're obnoxious about it." Bree shot back, "I'm out of here."

"Me too." I said, turning to head to the door.

"Come on guys, help me clean this place up or I'll have to tell Scott and you're already not his favorite."

"Have you seen that guy? I don't want to be his favorite." Bree said, but Chase didn't care.

"Just straighten up the display models, dust off the screens and when you're done start vacuuming." I scoffed, as if I would listen to him. Bree on the other hand smirked.

"Sure thing boss." Bree super sped to a display with tablets and made the pyramid of them fall. I nodded with approval when she stopped at my side.

"What are you doing? Scott's going to be back any minute. " Chase exclaimed, glancing at the door with a panicked expression.

"Oh yeah, too bad you're the one in charge, so if the stores wrecked it's on you." Chase glared at his sister.

"Oh you think you're so clever don't you. Well you forgot one thing, I can do this." Chase used his molecular kinesis to put the pyramid back together.

"Oh please, you're going to have to move faster than that." Bree super sped around the store and was knocking down boxes and the electronics on display. I leaned against the counter and watched Chase grow more agitated.

"You're only moving further away from employee of the month."

"Good luck talking your way out of this one, Mr. Employee of the month." Bree told her once her rampage was done. Chase sighed in defeat, making me slightly guilty for letting Bree go so far.

"Great, I'm going to get fired. Why would you do this to me?" Is he seriously that oblivious?

"Because. I finally found one normal thing for myself away from you and Adam and you took it away from me."

"I wasn't trying to. I just like it here. You guys are always mocking my genius but here it's appreciated." Chase looked away, "For 8.95 an hour." Bree's jaw dropped.

"You make 8.95?" She asked and I'll admit I was jealous. Bree then sighed when Chase looked at her with his defeated expression. Oh no, she's giving in. "OK, fine I get it. We both needed this. But if we're going to work together, no more bossing me around. When we're here, you're not my mission leader. We're equals."

"Deal." They shook hands, sealing the deal and making me sigh hopelessly. "Although our paychecks tell a different story." He muttered.

"Chase." I said in a warning tone and he apologized.

"Sorry." We turned to the doors when Scott's voice could be heard getting closer. Oh, maybe we still have a chance to can Chase. I grimaced when I realized I was turning into Caitlyn. Maybe I was going to far. "Scott's almost back. Use your super speed to clean this place up." Bree narrowed her eyes and he held his palms out. "If you want to. No big deal or anything. Totally your call. But if you could make that call soon, that'd be great." Rolling her eyes, Bree got everything back in order in three seconds.

"Thank you. It's not as neat as I'd like-" Bree and I glared daggers at him and he held his hands out again while correcting himself. "-it's better. It's better." He assured.

I decided to leave after that, upset with how things turned out. I took this job to get away from Chase, and now we're working together.

I was so distracted, I made it to my house before realizing I left my house key at the store. I super sped there before it got too late.

When I went into the store, I didn't expect Chase to still be there. I internally groaned while looking for my keys.

"Looking for these?" Chase asked from the back corner counter, holding my key chain in my direction.

"Yeah, thanks." He tossed them to me and I used the magnetism app to catch them easily.

"Hey, can you move that display with computers to the back? Scott wants to mess with it tomorrow."

"Sure." There was no one else there at the moment so I lifted the table, computers and all, with ease and started going towards the back. Since I couldn't see what was in front of me, I bumped into a counter and heard Chase hurry over.

"Here, let me help guide you. " He offered, grabbing the opposite side of the table.

"I'm fine." I insisted, pulling the table out of his grasp.

"If you drop those computers, we can't sell them and you'll be fired."

"I know that, I'm not an idiot. But I can handle this on my own." I insisted while trying to go around him, but he stepped in my way.

"I'm not letting you do that." I let out a harsh sigh and slammed the table onto the ground, so hard it made everything in the store move or jump.

"How many times do I have to say I don't need your help?" I snapped, letting my anger out.

"Ok, what's going on with you?" He demanded, having had enough of the attitude I've given him in the last couple of days.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"Oh really? You look like you want to bite someone's head off."

"Maybe I do!"

"What?" I grabbed the sides of my head and groaned loudly, finally losing it.

"Why did you have to come work here? Everything was great before you showed up. I mean, why did you have to start talking in binary code?"

"Harper, I don't understand what your problem is but-"

"My problem? My problem is I can't do this anymore. " I said, starting to pace with my hand on my forehead.

"Do what?" I shook my head, tears of frustration pooling in my eyes that Chase instantly noticed. "Harper, what's going on?" He asked more gently and it sent me over the edge. I swiveled around and he stepped back when I glared at him.

"Can you do me a favor? Don't talk to me. I'm not your friend. We might have to work together, but outside of that you are nothing to me. So just leave me alone." I finished and was breathing heavily after. Chase was stunned and when I saw the hurt in his eyes I immediately regretted everything I said. Chase's expression hardened and I knew there was no going back.

"Fine." He said curtly, and he left me alone.

"Ugh!" I pinched the bridge of my nose as a few tears fell down my face. This whole thing is so messed up. Why can't I just forget about Chase? Why did I have to start liking him in the first place?

"Harper, what's wrong?" I straightened up and quickly wiped the tears off my face before looking at Caitlin who surprised me. "Are you crying?" She sounded surprised and for good reason. I rarely ever cry, let alone in front of people.

"No!" I yelled before stalking out of the store before anyone else saw me like this. I've officially lost my edge if I'm crying over a stupid boy.