CHAPTER 7 – The Tasks

Early Thursday morning, someone knocked very hard on Julie's dorm door.

"What the?!" she said, sleepily reaching for the alarm clock resting on the table beside her bed. She ignored the banging and tried to go back to her sleep when someone started knocking again. Muttering, Julie climbed out of bed and opened her door.

It was Portman, grinning from ear to ear. "Rise and Shine!"

"Are you out of your mind?! It's five-thirty!" Julie hissed.

"It's Thursday! You're officially my slave for the day."

"The sun has barely risen!"

"What can I say? I want my servant to start very early. You know, I have loads of plans for the day… hey, cute pajamas." Julie slammed the door on Portman's face.

* * *

"Charlie! Phone!" Mrs. Conway called from the kitchen. It was 7:15 in the morning and she was getting ready for work.

"Thanks," Charlie said, grabbing the receiver, "Hello?"

"Hello, Charlie?" a girl's voice replied.

"Yeah, this is Charlie." Why does her voice sound familiar? He thought.

"It's Violet, your official boss for the day, remember?" Violet giggled.

"Yeah, I remember." Boy do I remember!

"Well, as your first duty, I want you to walk me to school this morning, you know where I live, right?"

"Yeah, but I'm going to walk with Linda today." Replied Charlie.

"Just walk with her some other day," Violet said.

"I can't" said Charlie, trying to reason with her.

"Okay, she could come along with us if you really want her to." Violet giggled again.

"Violet, are you aware of the phrase 'three is a crowd'?!" asked Charlie irritably.

"Linda would just have to walk by herself, then" Violet said thoughtfully.

"No, Violet, I…" Charlie started, but Violet interrupted him.

"See you in 10 minutes! Ciao!" she giggled and hang-up.

"Hello?… Violet?" Charlie slammed the telephone back into the receiver in the wall. "Great! Just Great!" he mumbled.

"What's the matter?" his mom asked.

"Nothing, I just have to walk the Queen of the Freaks, Violet, to school today." Answered Charlie glumly.

"Charlie!" Casey Conway reprimanded.

"Sorry, Mom."

"You know better than throw insults to anyone." She said. Charlie remained silent. "You better go."

Charlie, still in his bad mood, asked before going out of the door, "Mom, do you still have those ugly scarves stored in the attic?"

"Yes, I do" Casey said

"Can I have one?"

"Why?"

"I'm gonna use it to strangle Violet if she annoys me again." He answered.

His mom gave him a very stern look.

"Fine, I'm going! Sorry!"

* * *

Jesse, Goldberg, Averman, and Guy were all sitting outside on the steps of the school, waiting for the rest to show up. Around them, people were talking loudly. There were squeals or laughing occasionally, which they figured probably meant that some masters were asking their servants to do horrible things. They even overheard a group of juniors talking about placing their own personal ads on the school paper. They smiled when they saw Charlie approaching them, escorted by Linda, and to their surprise, Violet. He said goodbye to Linda and argued with Violet for a minute, then Charlie skated over to where they were sitting.

"What was that all about?!" Averman inquired. Goldberg smirking beside him.

"Violet ORDERED me to walk her to school today. Not that I have a choice." Charlie answered, removing his skates.

"Speaking of ordered, what are you gonna ask me to do for you, master?" Guy asked.

"Only one thing, but I'll tell you in 2nd period." He answered.

Guy frowned, then shrugged. "Okay, sounds good to me."

"Hey Cake eater!" Jesse called.

Adam was skating toward them carrying his pack. "Hey!" he greeted.

"What's that?" Jesse asked, eyeing the McDonald's bag Adam is carrying.

"My master's breakfast." He replied, sitting beside Guy, taking off his skates as well.

"Wait, isn't Russ your boss?" Averman asked.

"Yup. He called this morning and asked me to buy him breakfast."

"Hmm, maybe I should also ask Luis to get my lunch for me." Goldberg said, rubbing his hands together.

"Sure, Goldberg. Good Luck." Guy said patting his shoulder.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Goldberg demanded, only to be ignored.

"I gotta go meet Russ and give him his meal. See you in History." Adam went inside.

"Me too" Charlie, Guy and Jesse said altogether.

"Hey! Guys! What do you mean, good luck?!" Goldberg called after him, but they didn't look back. "C'mon, Averman. What do you mean?"

Averman just smiled. "Let's get to class."

* * *

"You want me to what?!" Portman shouted. He and Averman were talking at the back of their English class, waiting for the teacher.

"Clean my locker." Averman said.

"No way! Dean Portman doesn't clean anyone's locker. It would ruin my reputation."

"You have to!"

"Says who?"

"Me, and I happen to be your master." Averman snapped.

Portman looked at Averman with disbelief. "Fine!"

"Good. Do it at lunch time." Averman commanded.

"Alright."

"And Portman,"

"What?!"

"While you're at it, I want you to collect my books and bring them to me in my class this afternoon."

Before Portman could argue with him, the teacher went in. Averman smiled to himself.

* * *

Connie was sitting beside Julie in the fourth row of their Science class, going over their noted. There were only a few students inside the room since the bell hadn't rung yet.

"Hi, Connie. I'm reporting for duty." Jesse stopped in front of her. He had just came in with Luis and Russ.

"Oh, hi Jesse," Connie greeted. "You know what? I haven't even thought of anything for you to do yet."

"Cool." Jesse said. "So, does this mean you're giving me the day off?"

"Well, not completely," Connie said thoughtfully. "But you can have the morning off, anyway. Check with me at lunch. I might want to ask you to do some chores for me." She smiled.

"Okay" Jesse went off and took his seat at the back of Goldberg.

"Psst! Luis! I forgot my homework in my locker. Get them for me!" Goldberg ordered Luis, who was sitting in front of him.

"I'm busy." Luis answered.

"Excuse me, Latino! I just ordered YOU to get my homework."

"Can't it wait?"

"No!" Goldberg exclaimed. "What are you doing anyway?"

"My personal ad for the paper."

"What do you need that for?! You have different girls every week!"

"You just don't understand a thing about having a love life." Luis commented dryly, without looking up.

"Look, Lover boy, why don't you just ask Averman to do that for you! I mean, he is your slave for the day, right? Go get my homework, PLEASE!" Goldberg pleaded.

"Yeah," Luis brightened up. "That's a good idea, Goldie!" he got up and went out to Goldberg's locker.

"Thank You!" Goldberg said, looking at the ceiling.

"Speaking of the personals, Connie, have you asked Edward who that Sporty Brunette was?" Russ asked, he took the last bite of his double quarter pounder with cheese, the one Adam bought him for breakfast.

"Yeah, I did. But he said he have no idea." Connie lied.

"I personally don't care who she is. I'm just glad that you people have stopped calling me Sporty." Julie said.

"Hey, which reminds me, Russ, as soon as the lunch bell rings, I want you to stand in the lunch line for me. My meal should be waiting for me when I get to the cafeteria." Jesse said to Russ.

"Okey Dokey." Russ replied, then the bell rang.

* * *

"Dude, you still haven't told me what I'd do for you today." Fulton told Adam. They were on their way to 2nd period class, History, along with Guy.

"Honestly, I can't think of anything for you to do." Adam said.

"Too many maids at home that there isn't anything left for me to do?" Fulton joked.

"Yeah, I guess you can say that." Adam joked back, good-naturedly. They laughed.

Then, they saw Charlie emerging from the Social Studies classroom, looking quite harassed.

"What happened to you?" Adam asked.

"I just spent my morning dodging Violet! And would you believe Mrs. Benning almost gave me detention for being tardy? Good thing she got distracted by the noise outside of the room and I got to sneak to my seat." Charlie replied, shaking his head.

"Tough Luck!" Fulton patted his shoulder. He and Adam went inside their History class.

Guy held Charlie back. "It's second period, what's my task for the day?" he asked curiously.

"It's something quite important." Charlie said seriously.

"So, what is it? I'm dying of suspense here."

"Okay, but before I tell you, you have to promise to do it, no matter what." Charlie said.

"Of course! I mean, that's the way it works, right? I have to perform any wish you have. Go ahead—ask me. Anything!" Guy said.

Charlie took a deep breath. "At lunch time today, you have to ask Connie to the Valentine's Dance next week."

Guy's jaw dropped in shock. "What?!" he cried.

"You have to ask Connie to go to the dance with you." Charlie said again.

"No! I can't! She hates me right now. I haven't even got the chance to apologize to her."

"So apologize already!" Charlie coaxed.

"But I can't ask her to the dance, Charlie! I can't. That's not fair!"

"You promised," reminded Charlie. "It's the only thing you have to do anyway. After that, you're a free man."

"Please, ask me to do anything but that! I'd be willing to do your house chores for a whole week! Just don't ask me to do that!" Guy begged. "Please?"

"Too late, Guy," Charlie said. "I already did." He joined Fulton and Adam inside.