Jerry's Cousin // Jack Brewer X OC

•61•

||HOME ALONE IN SCHOOL||

|CAMI

"Dude, why'd you text us to meet you in the boiler room? They're handing out the new MyPads the school won," Jack said as we entered the boiler room to meet my cousin.

"I still can't believe we had the highest scores in the school district," I smiled.

"Mm. Just so you know I'm the reason we won those MyPads," Jerry claimed.

"You are?" Jack asked.

"Yeah. I stayed home on test day," Jerry pointed out.

"Oh yeah. You did do that, thank you," I nodded. "So, what's new?"

"Uh Mr. Roper combined two chemicals that he shouldn't have. Now the whole science lab smells like wet cat and rotten eggs," Jerry answered.

"You sure that's not just Mr. Roper?" Jack asked.

"Oh. It might be," Jerry shrugged. "Either way those kids are suffering and we've gotta clear that stank."

"What're we supposed to do from down here?" I asked.

"Oh, Cami. This is the nerve center of our school. These valves, gages, and switches control everything," Jerry explained.

"Jerry, since when do you know things?" Jack deadpanned.

"Oh. It's in my blood. I come from a long line of electricians, plumbers, and fortune tellers," Jerry told us.

"Ugh. Don't remind me. Aunt Marie thinks she can 'tell the future'. This morning she told me I would be hung in a room. Whatever that means," I scoffed.

"Ok, when I say 'now', Jack, you're gonna turn that valve, Cami, you're gonna pull that handle, and I will drop this lever," Jerry instructed as we all got into place. "Ready? And now." The heater started growling making me concerned. I looked at Jerry who was snickering quietly.

"This had nothing to do with the stank lab, did it?" I glared.

"No," Jerry laughed weirdly.

"I hate that laugh. What did we just do?" Jack asked just to earn a smirk.

•••

"Just give it to me straight. I can handle it," Funderburk promised as we all sat in his bathroom.

"Sorry, we lost her sir," the poor, poor janitor apologized.

"No!" Funderburk wailed. "I can't believe she's gone! She saw a side of me, few ever did." The janitor rolled the toilet, on a wagon, out of the bathroom.

"Man, look at this place. Got your own massage chair, flatscreen TV, sweet pool table," Jerry approved. "Solid man cave, Funderburk!" They shared a bro hug. They have an odd relationship.

"There are some days I walk around in a leopard skin- it's principal Funderburk!" Funderburk cut himself off. "You three just bought yourself a ticket to Saturday detention. I'm gonna personally supervise while you clean every bathroom in the school, starting with mine!"

"Wha- that's not fair! Me and Jack didn't-"

"-can it, sister!" Funderburk cut me off.

"We thought we were cleaning the-"

"-I said can it, sister!" Funderburk cut off Jack. "You wanna be friends with Jerry Martinez, you pay the price."

"I don't even have a choice. I'm his cousin," I huffed.