Grandpa

Flushed

"Nice look, guys," Rory approached the boys with me.

The water had gone out at the house before we went to school. I took mine at four, so it didn't affect me. But, the boys had similar schedules, so they both got affected. And by affected, I mean their hair is still wet with conditioner.

"The shower cut out right before we could rinse. Our whole street lost water pressure," Ethan explained.

"You were both in the shower at the same time?" Rory smiled.

"Different showers, Rory," Ethan corrected him. "Different."

"Well, actually I was in the middle of this deep conditioning treatment. People aren't just born with hair this thick and shiny, all right?" Benny explained. "Hey, sup hottie?"

The girl took one look at him and walked away.

"There is no one at school who's got it worse than us," Ethan groaned. "Hey, wait. Why isn't your hair wet, (Y/n)? We live on the same street."

"I was sleeping over," I shrugged casually, ignoring the blush on my cheeks. I decided to go since the blush was growing brighter and brighter.

~~~

"Noodles. Cheap, easy noodles. Learning to boil noodles is good because some of you will be living alone for a long time," Mrs. Oppenheimer walked around. "And the rest of you who can handle knives without cutting your fingers off will be chopping celery," she glanced at me. "Begin."

I started chopping celery easily, cutting them into sticks. Mrs. Oppenheimer examined me. She walked past me, but I saw a bit of a smile. It was easy because I live alone, and I help Mrs. Keaner in the kitchen when I was over for dinner.

"Gentlemen!" Mrs. Oppenheimer sing-songed, making me snap my head up at Benny and Ethan. "Don't make me come over there. I am not as sweet as I used to be."

"Sorry, Mrs. Oppenheimer," the boys said.

After a few moments of going back to cutting, I heard Benny half yelp, half scream. Ethan and Benny got up from the floor and pinned their backs against the counter.

"I weep for the future of the human race," Mrs. Oppenheimer shook her head at them.

~~~

"How did it make that hole in the sink?" Ethan asked as I walked up to them.

"Let me guess. Something was in the cabinet? It was probably just a mouse," I reasoned.

"No, it had scales," Ethan argued.

I paused. "Okay, now I'm curious."

"Whatever it was, it wasn't friendly," Ethan sighed. "We need you and Sarah."

~~~

"You scared me!" Sarah said as I caught her from tripping. "We need to talk," she straightened herself.

"No, we need to talk," Benny retorted.

"Benny, we're the same we," Ethan said.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Something terrible just happened to Kate in the bathroom. It's like something evil just-"

"Came up through the pipes?" Ethan finished. "I think whatever it was came to the home-ec room looking for dessert."

The bell rang. "I found this, instead of Kate," she held up a tooth.

"We need to go where the pipes go," I said determinedly.