Chapter 4: Color my world

First thing this morning, 20 questions. Kowalski mauls me with his clipboard and scribbling down any sound or word that came out of my mouth, my small Dollarstore box of cereal was all over the floor thats how many questions I had to answer, each time I tried to sneak a bit they'd attack me as if I had a rador on my hand movements. I groaned as I felt as if being questioned.

I knew what this was about too, they wanted to renovate the room in the back and turn it into my room, even though if I protested against it, that lazy boy was compfy. I knew it would be wrong to decline a gift after all I was just given a home, my theroy shut up and let them do what they want. I walked to the fridge and grabbed a mouthful of old, curdling milk.

" When was the last time you guys got groceries?" I asked as I wrinkled my nose in distaste, Kowalski stopped as if I cut his motor, he shrugged and turned towards Skipper who was at the table with Rico.

" When we were on our Wild Goose hunt back in 92, I remember Manfredi and Johnson were at the front when BAM! A huge missle had hit our camp, we had to live off raw meat for days, our swollen stomachs and killer headaches were our lullibies at night" Skipper reactened his monologue while I stared puzzled at him, he eyed me then straightend his posture.

" Last week presicly" He cleared his throat, I looked back in the fridge, there was nothing in it just fish, fish and more fish with a piece of molded chocolate cake on a pastel colored plate. I shut the door and walked to the recliner, My backpack was lodged between the seat, as I opened it I found my brush, toothbrush and other toilettries. I could feel the penguins eying me supiciously.

" How about I go out and grab some groceries for us? I feel like an Mexican style of food tonight what about you guys?" I asked as I ran my hairbrush through my hair, sure I would be wearing the same clothes as before but who would notice, though I should grab a shower some time today I thought, instead I grabbed my eau de toilette spray and doused myself in it, it would make me smell nice and not like sweat. I erased the wrinkles in my clothing and slipped on my sandals, as I stared at the penguins they looked at me with different looks, as usual.

" Would someone make me a list of what to buy?" I tried my best to smile polietly, instead agitation was on my face, why were they staring at me so hardly?

" Of coarse Sky, however what about your appearence I will gladly remind you that this exhibit is surrounded by 78% water" Kowalski looked at dismissilvly. I glanced towards the ladder.

" What about the ladder I could climb up and the bar is only a jump away" I pointed my fingers towards the stairs.

" It's about 7:00 the zoo is opened now, apparently there will be human observers about to notice your presence" I groaned, I forgot about that. I could have moaped around but that would look bad in front of my roommates I suppose, instead I looked pleading at them.

" Is there another way out without exposure or wettness?" I asked in my sweetest voice I could concur. Kowalski flinced in addle disturbence, I stepped back a bit as he seemed to not match his eyes with mine.

" There is one way, umm through my lab there is an escape pad, go through the tunnel it'll bring you to the tall oak tree of Central park, it's home it an idiotic squirrel if you want your brain cells to die of annyonce I suggest you do not talk to it's inhabant, just keep walking towards your target" Kowalski drew a picture of the escape tunnel and what I infered to be a picture of me in and Indiana Jones cliche. I shrugged as Rico opened the door for me.

I kept that I was living with penguins when I stopped at the Westside Supermarket, it was close to the Central park only a couple blocks down and the prices seemed cheep enough, funny look at me a billionares daughter worried about prices pretty ironic to me. Usually the stereotype is that billionare daughter are snobby ( well Hannah is an exception to that one), people who get what they want ( for me sometimes yes but mostly no) . I'm the weird billionare daughter, one who checks things before she buys them, disturbingly nice and very passionate about many things. I'm more like my mom Hilly, while Hannah is nothing like both her parents, in fact I used to ponder who's daughter she was.

The supermarket was filled with people, it was a little small about 7 aisles but stocked with food to make up for the space. I grabbed a basket and made my rounds, I grabbed one of the Ol de paso taco kits with my favorite part, the seasoning. I grabbed some hamburger meat as well as some fresh cut fish, the boys will apprecute this I said smiling to myself. Milk was a must as well as some other nessicties, I walked to the counter and payed for my items.

Outside the weather was hot, I never payed attention due to the lexury of the air conditions inside the shop, today the sun was beating down on the street. As I checked my watch I found it was only 8:05, I frowned the boys wouldn't finish their renovations or whatever it was, whilest walking through the escape I found a broken down, off the henge door. The window was musted and full of flipperprints and eerieness reaked through it, I couldn't help but feel someones uncanny presence inside, I got a chill down my spine just thinking about it. As I walked down 95th street I passed a clothing shop, I peered through it's windows and looked inside, it was a pretty nice content little shop, plus the clothing selection looked good. I walked in as I placed my hand in my pocket.

It took me an hour but it was worth every penny, I bought an outfit that seemed more like me and not a mirror reflection of Hannah. It was a black shoulderless tanktop with a white atletic stripe going down the side of it. I also bought codroy pants with a silver steel chain attached to the pocket and the hips of them. As I aproched the counter I grabbed a black cross necklace and a black chocker, I felt devious already might as well at more to the look, the woman smiled as she rang it in and handed me the bag. As I grabbed it I walked to the change rooms, stuffed my old clothes in the bag and wore my new ones, I frowned at frizzed, blond hair it would be a lot better straight I thought to myself, as I walked out of the shop a lot of girls stared at me.

I decided to waste my day walking around Manhattan or at least the morning, to be honest I was eager to see what the boys wiped up and how they managed with the room, still though I had to remind myself to be surprised and be unsuspecting. I smiled to myself as I found myself walking down Amsterdam Avenue. I found a lot of people were standing in a line at a place called Pinkberry, as I walked by I found it to be an icecream shoppe, I smiled as I felt a bit of change sitting in my pocket, I walked and found a place in the line. As I recieved my Rocky road ice cream I took a seat in a booth and ate silently, many people were here mostly kids and teens though. I felt out of place even though I was 18. Many people were staring at me presumbly because of my new found goth appearence, actually I liked it. When I finished I took another stroll, I had to be careful incase I wondered to far away from the park or zoo for that matter. When I glanced at my watch it was quarter to eleven already.

It seemed like it never ended, busy streets, many people. I wondered why people bothered to walk when I saw a man yelling at a teen because he nearly pushed him off of the sidewalk, they knew New York they were born here after all. I kept walking down Broadway and searching for shops, I was intent on getting home, hoping for a bus stop mostly as I knew the boys would be wondering where I went, on the way to a bus stop I found a salon. I remembered my hair style and how I wanted it tame, I walked inside and waited for a while, surely the boys could wait for another couple of minutes.

On the way home on the bus, the last 20 cents I had to my name ( at least for now) everyone looked at me, my hair flat as a board, straightened well enough it stuck to my face, at least my bangs had volume as Stella or whatever her name was puffed them up for me. As a bonus she pulled my eyelashes out, they hurt so bad I had to keep my eyes squinted in order to see. When I arrived in Central Park I dashed to the oak tree, mindfull of Kowalski's words I still yet to see this squirrel but his words I dared not to start conversation with him. I pressed a button desiquesed as a piece of loose burch, it opened a value in the grass, I climbed down the ladder and through the dark, musty tunnel, my feet were getting covered in mud and other things I dared not to guess their substances, I keep my eyes peeled towards the front. Inside of the HQ the boys were hustled around the table.

Skipper was reading a newspaper, Kowalski was playing with a speak and spell, Private was watching a program on the TV, and Rico was staring blankly at the table, I passed them all and walked directly to the fridge, I opened the bag and placed the stuff in the fridge. I walked towards them and piroutted for them, when I never recieved attention I growled to myself.

" Hello? I'm home" I tried to sound optimist. Skipper noticed me when he put his newspaper down.

" Well hello Hoo hoo woah! Sky what happened to you?" Skipper's wide eye stared almost made laugh, even though I felt it bubble in my stomach I ingored it dispite it's protest.

" You like? I bought it this morning" I said as I fanned my hands out so I could get a look at myself.

" I can't even see your eyes anymore Sky" Private chirped it was followed by Rico's friendly grunt of agreement.

" Yeah I know I stopped at a salon and got my hair and eyelashes done, a little too much apparently" I whinced as I tried to pull my sticky eyelashes apart. They still were in pain from their prodding.

I still awaited Kowalski's opinon, he was staring at me a couple of times, when I returned the glance he pretended to scribble in his notebook, I rolled my eyes.

" Kowalski whaddya think?" I asked.

" It er looks nice" he added quickly while coughing for a minute or two.

" Hey Sky! Can we show you something?" Private exclamied dismissing the awkward silence. I nodded as he tugged at my hand with his flipper, we walked in the tunnel and towards the door, I barely reconigzed it, there was an oak door on henges with a pink flower painted thoughtfully on it. I opened the door and screamed.

The room was painted a magenta color, a huge lime green canopy was hanging from the ceiling as it fluttered towards a bed. The bed had a white headboard with various colored pillows, some shaped as flowers and hearts. My comforter was a thick rainbow striped blanket to match it a huge fuzzy blew mat was beside it. Beside the bed was a dresser, empty but atop was empty picture frames, a mirror and my backpack sitting on it as well, I smiled as I turned around and in one swoop embraced the boys.

" Thank you so much!" I whispered, I could feel tears but I figured my eyelashes would never open if I did.

I let them go and walked around in my room, I wondered how they even did it this quick but they managed for that I am thankful. When I walked in beside the dresser there was another door. Coyly I opened it and smiled. Inside was a checkered bordered room with a bathtub, toilet, and sink. The bathtub had a rubber duck shower curtain to add to it. I walked in and exclamied, this was really too much.

" You guys didn't have to do this" I yelled out to them, I heard Rico chuckle in responce.

" No problemo Sky just a little homewarming present" I felt my heart flutter at his words. Finally peace and quiet from businesses, a little weird but normal family.

Eh, I'll just stick with weird.

Heyo! Sorry I don't feel as if this is nessarcy but it makes me happy that the penguins opened up to her like that, man makes me wish my pets would make me a room now.....

1995penguin