New chapter :) I hope you'd like and I can promise soon we'd see John Paul and Craig at their first meeting ;)

22 September, 2011

She kept wriggling on the small tool and screwing her tiny nose every time new clothes has been handed to her and she didn't has any choice like try it and look at herself in the big mirror in the bedroom. She glanced down skeptically at her new tartan skirt and cotton blue t-shirt hidden under expensive, long, violet coat and at the pair of black, low-heeled shoes. She didn't like her outfit, but her father seemed to have different opinion about it and forced her to wear a tartan trilby on her head.

'I look ridiculous.' She said and pulled her face out as she looked at her reflection.

'Because you're wriggling on this stool like a monkey.' Her father snapped at her and wrapped blue, cotton scarf around her neck. 'You look fine, very classy.' He stated, although she didn't see anything classy about her outfit.

'Kids would laughing of me.' She sulked, but he was unmoved. 'They'd be bullying me to the end of my school.' She growled.

'Don't dramatize, you look great. You just need something warm under the coat.' She moaned as he bended over to picked up another thing from the floor. 'A warm, nice cardigan.' He grinned at her and handed her a brown one with red strips on the sleeves.

'Cardigans are boring and ugly.' She wrinkled her nose, but obediently stripped off from her coat to wear it. 'Again, I look ridiculous.'

'If anyone say something nasty to you about your outfit, it only means they're jealous.' He said firmly and patted her back. 'So don't pay any attention to them.'

'How it comes you're good in choosing clothes for yourself but for me you only chose garbage.' She sulked. 'Just admit you took them from the container behind the building.' She rolled her eyes. 'Why I can't wear the clothes, Sarah chose for me?' She whined and looked with pleading at him. 'They're nice.'

'They're not suitable for walking in them to school.'

'If I'm not going to wear them to school, then where? To walk around the home?' She bristled.

'If you want.' He shrugged and helped her to jump off from the stool. 'Now, take your rucksack and we're heading to your school.'

'Can't I wear something else?' She tried once again, but he didn't listen to her.

'Take your rucksack.' He repeated irate. 'I don't want to be late for work.' He added as he moved toward the living room for his suitcase and phone. 'At what time your lessons finish?'

'At 2.' She rolled her eyes and grabbed her violet rucksack with fairytales on the front pocket. 'Don't forget to come for me.'

'You'd have to wait for me about one hour. You have a day room or something like that there, don't you?' He glanced at her unsurely as she moved toward the front door.

'It's my first day in school, so how can I know that?' She glared at him heavily. 'I thought you already checked it.'

'Well, I did.' He rubbed the back of his neck. 'Just don't remember if it has a day room or not.'

'Yea, right.' She snorted and rolled eyes at him.

'Well, I did!' He argued flustered. 'Don't be so wise and don't chat back to me!'

'It's only a fact, not chat back.' She improved him. 'Can we go, now? I don't want to be late, either.'

'Oy, someone forgot who is in charge here!' He called after her and quickly grabbed his things to follow her. 'Would you slow down? We're not on P.E.!'

31 September, 2011

He was sure he was red like a beetroot and felt like the last idiot sitting there in John Paul's bedroom and flickering through the fashion magazine, while he waited for Mercedes to come back from the bathroom. He smirked as he heard his friend's annoyed voice and something crashed on the tiles. Probably his perfume, but he decided to not check it for his own safety. You never know how you might end with two McQueen's in one, small room.

'John Paul, you can erase nail varnish if you keep doing this!' Mercy's annoyed, nasal voice reached his ears as the door of the bathroom opened forcefully. 'Sit on your ass, would ya?'

'Do I really need this? I'd look enough ridiculous without it.' John Paul snapped in the corridor.

'Yes, you have to. Spike already has his own and doesn't complain! If you decided to take this job, be a man and look like professional!' He wouldn't dare to complain.

'I feel exposed in it!' John Paul complained surely about his new outfit.

'And I'm losing my nerve to you!' She shouted back and Spike was sure she was only a step behind slapping him upside the head. 'Move your ass to bedroom and let me take care about your look. The party is tomorrow, right?'

'Yea, we'd need you to come over tomorrow and help us to fit into our clothes and prepare us for it.' He was sure he was rolling his eyes now.

'No problem. Anyway, did you trained walking in your new shoes? And I mean Spike, also.' Ha, there it was a very delicate subject.

'We tried few times.' John Paul replied casually, but Spike was sure it wasn't enough answer for Mercedes.

'So? How it went?'

'Well, it'd be fine if there'd walls around.' Spike chuckled to himself, hearing his amused voice.

'So you didn't train!'

'We were! It's not so easy to walk in them, you know?' He snapped and moment later marched toward the bedroom and without looking at his friend sat down at his desk as he looked through cosmetics Mercedes has brought with herself.

'I almost twisted my ankle.' Spike added when Mercedes came in and looked at them heavily.

'You'll train tonight then, and I want to see it.' She said firmly and slapped John Paul's hand away while he tried to improve his hair. 'Leave it!'

'I need a fringe over my right eye or better, over my whole face.'

'You look fine, John Paul.' Spike smiled sympathetically to him as he took a look at his new, long blond hair tied high in something like ponytail, and straight short fringe just above his eyes. 'But you have to do something about his face.'

'I already know what to do.' Mercedes assured him and fished for a plastic bag. 'Would you like to be a sweet brunette, Spike?' She asked him with a smirk.

'If I have to.' He replied unhappily. 'Although I don't think anything would help me look better.'

'You have nice legs and waistline.'

'Oh, great. I already feel better!' He said sarcastically, making John Paul chuckle. 'I already regret I took this job. It's gonna be a nightmare.'

'Have more faith, Spike.' Mercy smiled slightly at him. 'You're already good-looking.'

'Not enough for this party!'

'Think about it as a good fun.' John Paul advised with a small smile. 'You'd have what to tell Jasmine for few years.'

'I'm sure she'd like to hear that one!' He chuckled and covered his knees with coverlet from his friend's bed as someone knocked on the door.

'Ah, I guess that's what I was waiting for!' Mercy smirked in the same time as she fished for eyeliner.

'Which is?' John Paul asked, afraid of at what kind of idea his sister could fall this time.

'Someone was ordering the shoes?' Linda's cheering voice reached their eyes, before the owner of it, petite, young woman with raven hair and violet highlights, came in.

'Yea, that's the one for Spike.' Mercedes confirmed with grin, the man didn't like.

'What sho…Oh, my God. You can forget about it!' He snapped, when Linda with cheeky grin waved a pair of high heel, black stilettos in front of his face. 'I'd look like a porno star!'

'Don't be ridiculous. I tried to choose the one which looks innocent and formally.'

'At these high heel and with legs like his he'd never look innocent.' Mercedes stated amused.

'I'm already tall, I can't wear such high-heeled shoes!' He argued, couldn't believe they're just going to force him to wear something like that!

'You'd look fabulous!' Linda assured him with excited smile. 'Besides it's only for one night, Spike. And they're look very casual, not like the one from sex shop or whatever you thought they are.'

'Like we couldn't go there in sandals!' John Paul snapped and rolled his eyes irate.

'Trust me, you'd look great and wouldn't want to take your clothes off after the party.' Mercedes said firmly with a smirk and gleam in her eye. 'And everyone's head would turn after you two.'

'Yea, because it's what we want!' John Paul said sarcastically.

'Well, don't talk for Spike.' She snapped back and sat next to him to look at his face.

'Okay, I don't know how you, but I'm hungry and going to grab something to eat. Are you up for it?' Spike asked and carefully stood up.

'Yea, take some takeaway food for us.' Mercedes nodded. 'Just don't forget to change your clothes before you go!'

'Trust me, I wouldn't dare!' He shouted back and locked himself in the bathroom with his daily clothes, wondering when this hell would end. He swore loudly as his foot stumbled on some blue liquid splayed over the titles and the zipper from his costume stuck in the middle, didn't let him to take it off. 'Okay, I need one of you to help me! I think I'm stuck!' He yelled, close to despair. Was it anything else more embarrassing than this one?

3 October, 2011

Although it was already Monday, his head was still pounding and he felt so thirsty, like he was at some bloody desert. He already stopped count the numbers of glasses of water and painkillers he has taken yesterday and this morning, only tried to focus on the book at his hand and at the group of kids working on the task he has given them few minutes earlier. He hoped for few minutes of relax and time to get over, but four small faces were already staring back at him, wanting for further instruction.

'Why don't you try to write a short story for me, hmm?' He asked them as he closed his book and put it back on the desk. 'About your holiday memories. Where have you been, with whom, what did you see and what you were doing there.'

'It has to be very long story?' The red haired boy, Thomas, asked him.

'About twenty sentences. And if you want you can even put a dialog in.' He replied with a slight smile. 'You have time to the end of lesson and I'd take your exercise books to home to read your stories, okay?'

'But I didn't finish my previous task, yet.' Some girl moaned and watched him with watery eyes.

'You'd finish your task in home for tomorrow, okay? Now everyone open your exercise books and write a story about your holiday memories.' He ordered.

'What if I wasn't anywhere?' The dark haired girl suddenly asked him.

'In that case write about something interesting what happened in your life this summer. Maybe you met a new friend?' He suggested and the girl nodded her head in understanding and smiled slightly. She was a bit shy girl, but very intelligent and clever, and he has to admit she was one of his favorites pupils. She and other girl and boy were one of the lasts pupils who joined the school in the half of September, but surprisingly they very quickly catch up with the material they've missed and now they were one of the bests in their classes.

'Sir, can I write about my puppy? I've got him as a present for my birthday which I had in July.' Another boys asked with pleading eyes.

'Well, July is in the vacation time, isn't it? You can write about your puppy, but don't focus only at him. Maybe try to write about your whole birthday party, okay? Or about your first walk with the dog?'

'Thank you, sir!'

'Okay, so there's any more questions, here? No? Good. Then start writing, you have about half hour to finish it.' He announced as he glanced at his wristwatch. 'I just pop for the glass of water and I'd be back in a minute, okay? Don't even think about trying to throw the paper balls across the class.' He warned them as he picked up his empty glass.

'But, sir, I need your help!' Thomas squealed from his seat.

'In what?' He asked impatiently, with desire looking toward the door of the class.

'I don't know how to spell this word.' He lifted his exercise book.

'What word, Thomas? I don't see it from such a distance.' He began losing his patience and his throat was dry as shavings. He just knew he shouldn't drink so much that night!

'Clicked.' He cocked his eyebrow at him.

'Clicked?' He repeated, not quite understood.

'He meant cricked, sir.'

'Oh, okay.' He licked his lips confused. 'So you played cricket in vacation? With your dad?'

'No, the cricket was playing.' The boy explained. 'He's small and green, sir.'

'Okay, I get it.' He ran a hand over his face, wanting this lesson to end. 'Let me see your work and I'd help you with pronunciation.'

'Thank you, sir!' The boy grinned at him when he unhappily walked toward the boy's desk.

'Sir, can I ask you about something?' The girl with ponytail asked him, making him grit his teeth.

'Sure, go on.' He replied, resigned.

'How you call an insect with red back and funny black dots?'

'I believe it's ladybug.' He replied shortly. 'But what it has to do with your vacation?'

'I saw them on my aunt's farm. There were a lot of insects and some of them even bites!' She replied excited, making few kids squeal.

'Oh, I saw a few of them!' Annette cried with a wide smile. 'How they're calling, sir?'

'It depends on what was it.' He said impatiently.

'It was jumping very high like a rabbit, was very small and bite me a few times in my head.' His eyes grew up in horror.

'Did you tell your parents about that?'

'Yes, and they took me to the doctor and he said even how they're calling, but I don't remember.'

'Maybe it was a flea?' He asked weakly.

'Yea!' She grinned. 'I've got a special shampoo to kill them, but the doctor say they're still there.'

'Eww!' Some kids pulled out their faces in disgust, while he closed his eyes in despair. The last thing he needed now, it's to have a plague of fleas jumping around the school.

'Well, in that case I think you all have to be examine by a school nurse.' He announced and walked back to his desk with a hand in his hair as the skin on the head began itching him. Probably his mind was doing a trick, but he knew that the first thing he'd do after leaving the class, he's going to the nurse and make sure his head is safe and there's no reason for him to panic… Maybe the situation doesn't look good, but he was able to find a good side of the coin. He just couldn't wait to see the bat woman's mine, when he tells her that school is inflicted by bloodthirsty insects. Yea, that definitely would make his day and he'd just get another score in his battle with her. He just felt in bones, her face would be priceless and would go to school history.

31 September, 2011

He reached for the keys of his flat as they slowly began climbing upstairs, with a plastic bag with his new clothes in the right hand. It was already after their dinner time and his little bunny was barely standing straight into her feet, but she didn't has choice like walk on her own, as his feet and shoulders were aching and he only desired to lay down on his bed and stay there until the next morning.

'You didn't have to come so early, dad. Me and aunt Marie didn't finish our game, yet.' The bunny sulked a bit and moved forward as the stairs became so narrow, there was no place for two persons to walk arm with arm.

'Well, I wouldn't say it's very early, sweetie.' He replied tiredly, wondering why he hasn't found the flat on the first floor. 'Normally, you're already taking a bath at this time and going straight to the bed.'

'But it was so funny with aunt Marie.'

'I know, bunny, but now it's time to sleep. I think nothing bad would happen if tonight you'd just brush your teeth and go straight to bed?' He smiled slightly to her back.

'It'd be fine, dad.' She assured him and with a spring steps became climbing on the last steps.

'Good girl.' He muttered and with hanged head followed her, feeling he's ready to sleep even on the stairs, if they don't reach the door in a minute.

'Daddy, we have a guest!' He almost growled with frustration, ready to send back to home whoever was standing there.

'I hope it's not you Hannah.' He snapped irate.

'No, it's some nice man.' She retorted, baffling his father for a moment.

'What nice man?' He asked and quickly followed her, forgetting about his tiredness. He was almost at the top as he noticed his shyly smiling daughter and young man with a short, messy black hair and scruffy beard, in a gray jumper and black tracksuit pants. The man smiled at him, and Spike was sure he has seen him somewhere, but couldn't remember where exactly. Maybe they've met on some party?

'Hello, Spike, how are you doing?' The man surely knew him and immediately stood up. Spike took a look at his tall, slim body and something clicked in his mind. There was something familiar about his warm, deep voice and the gleam in his eye.

'Grey…' The man smiled at him, looking pleasant.

'Yea, that's me.' He nodded. 'I'm sorry to bother you in your own home, but I was wondering how are you feeling. You got a pretty good few kicks on your middle when I saw you the last time.'

'I'm fine, but how did you find me?' His arm slipped around his bunny's shoulders who watched them with curious.

'I leaded you to home, if you don't remember. And well, I asked few people from the building about you and everything was saying you're living here, at the attic. So I decided to wait here for you.'

'You're always checking the people who you saved?' Spike asked him with a slight smirk.

'Only the one I'm finding interesting.' He replied and bite down on his low lip. 'No, that I'm hitting on you!'

'So, you found me interesting in a dark alley, all in blood and bruises?' Grey blushed slightly.

'Okay, you got me! I noticed you before.' He admitted with sheepishly smile. 'I saw you twice in the club you're working and well, you caught my attention.'

'Oh, so you're still not hitting on me?' He asked teasingly and showed his white teeth in a grin.

'Maybe a bit.' He winked at him, before he looked down at the girl. 'But still, I know when to back off, so you don't have to worry about me, stalking you. I'm not messing around with married, straight guys.'

'And what about single gay with a little kid?' He asked without thinking, before Grey has a chance to pass by him.

'Well, I guess it change everything.' He replied with playful smile and this time it was Spike's turn to blush. 'Can I visit you tomorrow?' He suddenly asked.

'What? Oh, no. I'm working.' He shook his head and licked nervously his lips, thinking they're just moving too fast.

'So, maybe I can see you at the club?'

'I'm working somewhere else.' He replied evasively.

'Oh, okay. Maybe next time.' He smiled softly, although Spike could see disappointment in his eyes. 'I'd be better going then, but I hope we'd meet again soon?'

'Why not.' He shrugged and smiled slightly as the man winked at him. 'See you later.'

'I hope so.' He grinned as he almost flew down from the stairs. 'Ah, and one thing more.'

'Yes?' Spike gulped nervously as the man stopped on his track and looked briefly at him.

'You have beautiful eyes, but I don't think you need to use eyeliner to emphasize them.' Spike was blushing furiously now and in mind swearing at Mercedes.

'Yea, thanks for advise!' He called after him and put the key to the lock, wanting to be inside the flat how quickly it was possible.

'Why you have black eyes, daddy?' His bunny asked, watching him with curious.

'I was taking a part in show, sweetie and I totally forgot to clean my eyes.' He replied evasively as he finally opened the door and sighed with relief.

'Really? How cool! Can I watch you?'

'Maybe next time.' He replied through the gritted teeth and pushed her inside the flat. 'Now, brush your teeth and go to bed.' He ordered.

'Daddy?'

'Yes, sweetie?'

'Is this man your new boyfriend?' She asked in the half way to the bathroom.

'No, he's not. He's just my colleague, who helped me one night.' He stuttered and shoved hands into the pocket of his jeans. 'There's just me and you.' He assured her.

'Oh, that's good, because I prefer more Chris dad's than him. He's cool.' She smiled sweetly and closed the door behind herself, leaving her father stood in the bedroom in total shock and confuse.