Ink Love

INKY 12 - Part 2

ACE'S P.O.V

"Come on Julian! It's not that hard!"

Julian pushed his book across the table, watching it slide across the marble surface and scatter on the floor.

"Easy for you to say, you don't have to submit it tomorrow morning!" Julian whined.

"I'm trying my best to help you but I can't do that with you throwing your books everywhere and giving up at the slightest inconvenience," I said calmly, picking the books from the floor and placing them properly before my little brother.

Julian gave his books an evil look before folding his hands and turning his face away. "I don't want to do this, Ace. Can't you just write down the answers for me?"

"I could do that but how would you learn? You'll never learn anything if someone else always gives you the answers, plus, you won't be able to pass your exams if you know nothing." I reasoned with Julian, watching as his face shifted, letting the realization of possible failure sink in.

"Look, I'm not saying I want to fail, and neither do I want to continue this assignment but based on recent conditions, we could strike a deal. What do you say?"

I raised a brow at Julian. "I'm listening..."

He smiled with a clear evil intent. "You give me very obvious clues and I fill in the answers myself but you are not allowed to tell me the answers and for every answer I get, you give me some of your special cookies." Julian bargained.

"Those cookies have stuff that makes you act... crazy!"

Julian rolled his eyes. "I know the cookies make you high, Ace, I'm not a child."

I laughed. "You are a child, Julian, you're in primary school."

Julian shrugged. "You either agree with my terms or you explain to Mum why your cookies make you see weird things and say weird things." Julian smiled.

I knew this bargain wasn't going anywhere productive. I gave Julian an evil look. "You wouldn't dare do that, would you?"

He shrugged again, stacking his books in a neat pile. "You either agree to my terms or you can explain your addiction to those cookies to Mum when she gets home, which should be any minute from now."

Julian waved a finger in the air, pointed it at the door and the doorbell rang.

"Tick-tock, Ace, what's it going to be?" He said in a sing-song voice.

"Boys! Sophia! I'm home!" Mom announced from the front door.

I looked to the dining door and back to Julian. He would never do that, would he?

"Make a choice, Ace!" Julian smiled.

Mom was walking closer to the dining. "Boys? Are you on the dining?"

"Hurry up, Ace, decisions, decisions."

I looked at the little devil. "Fine! I'll give you the damn cookies!"

Julian pulled his chair out and sat down. "I'm glad we could come to a mutual agreement." He stretched his hand out for a handshake to seal the deal.

Talk about bargaining with the devil.

JANE'S P.O.V

"So, that is the end of this session. I'll see you all next week after we're done with this assignment. Please do try the assignment and not just tell me it was hard." Our virtual tutor said as she ended our class.

"Thank you!" The majority of the class echoed before my screen went black and the call ended.

I dropped my laptop from my lap, placed it on the bed, and lay on my back with a sigh of satisfaction.

"Another day successfully well spent," I said to myself.

I was about to drift off to sleep when someone knocked on my door.

"Come in," I answered, sitting up in my bed.

My mom peeped her head through the small opening in the door. "Hello, my little tech wiz." Mom smiled.

"I'm not an official tech wiz yet; I still have a few weeks of class to take before I get my certificate." I smiled.

Mom walked into my room, shutting the door behind her.

"Well, my little tech wiz," she said, emphasizing on tech wiz. "Dinner isn't going to make itself, so if you're done here, would you kindly join me in the kitchen?" Mom said, scanning the room with a look of content.

My room was always clean, spick and span, like mom would say. The vines and blue neon lights gave it a calm feel when it was nighttime. Mom straightened my sheets as I got off the bed; she was obsessed with everything being in perfect shape. She took the laptop from my bed and placed it on my reading table.

"You know, the whole point of getting you this table is for you to use it. There's no need for you to have a table for your laptop and still do your work on your bed. It would give you bad posture!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes Mother, I hear you." I laughed at her motherly worry. "I doubt a bent back would kill me, but I'll take your advice from now on."

"Even if I know that's a lie and I'll come meet you with your laptop on your bed tomorrow, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and trust your words."

"Thank you, mother." I bowed a little to show gratitude.

We walked downstairs in silence, and as we got closer to the kitchen, the lovely smell of freshly baked garlic bread wafted through the air.

"Hmmmm. Dad is making garlic bread again?"

"Well, it is more than garlic bread. He wants to tickle our taste buds tonight." Mom chuckled like a high school girl.

"I guess he just loves cooking, huh?"

"He sure does, and we love him for it."

I walked into the kitchen, letting the sweet aroma of a variety of dishes seduce my taste buds. I always enjoyed it when dad took time from his busy schedule to make dinner.

There was nothing wrong with Mom's cooking but Dad just added that seductive act to his meals.

"Well, look who decided to grace us with her presence this evening."