Guest UnfortuNATE

Chapter 7: The Spare Room

"Stop with the lovey-dovey and get to work."
They both turned to look at Heart who had her arms crossed over her chest, looking at them with a scowl on her face.
"Oh don't be jealous, honey. Why won't you come here and join us enjoy the morning sun for a minute? Work can wait." Spade bats her eyes on her friend who just gave her a nastier look.
"Or not."
Spade huffed as she stood up and went over her friend, hugging her.
"Don't be too obsessed with work, darling. You'll just get stressed and you'll get wrinkles on your beautiful face then you'll look older than me. Now, show me the smile, eh?"
Ace shook her head fondly at the two as she also stood up. "I'll start with the spare room then," she announced as she pass by Heart, sparing her a wink.
"I thought we'll be doing your room for today?" Heart asked, still not giving Spade the smile.
"Let's do that tomorrow. I'll just be moving the things out the spare room so that you can finally start the make over for our art room."
"But that can wait?"
"Your nagging won't," Ace teased her, making a silly face.
"You big bully!" Heart retorted with a scowl. Her friend just laugh as she run up the stairs.
Since they had just moved a month ago, there had still been jobs left to do in the house.

Ace entered her own room that is still on process of being transformed into her own tavern, suited the way she likes it. Black, red and golden colours starting to adorn it. Her favorites.
She was done with the walls, she just have to move in her furnitures and do some finishing touches.

Although they each has their own rooms for personal things and use, they had been sharing the largest room where they had all been sleeping ever since they had moved in.
She's now wondering if they'll even get to use their own rooms more than the common bedroom. But she only smiles at the thought even though she knew she'd be deprived off her solitude.
Always together, privacy crashers, that's what her friends are. She was the only one in the group who loves to be alone but ever since they proposed to move in together, she finally let go of the thought of solitude. And she's fine with that.
She had long accepted her life would always involve the girls. Them and their pettiness, their dramatic asses, their overly affectionate fusses, their annoying fights, their naggings, and their total dependence on her. She used to hate these before but came to grow accustomed to it. Love it even.
These girls that became her family. She would do anything for them. Anything just so she won't lose any of them ever again.
Again.

"Ace, you okay?" Heart suddenly spoke causing her to drop the book.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. You didn't notice me approaching. You seem deep in thoughts," Heart noted as she push the door even wider and stepped inside her friend's room.
"Woah, this is so cool. So you," she remarked as she looked around.
"Yeah? It's almost finished," Ace replied, bending over and picking the book.
"So, let's get your things from the spare room. I'd really love to see how this turns out. I bet it would be so much cooler," Heart exclaimed excitedly, even clapping her hands.
"You are more excited for this than I am," Ace fondly mused at her friend who is now comfying herself in the bean bag she recently purchased.
"Because I'll be lounging here, and I can't wait," she smiled at her with her puppy eyes.
"That don't work on me, darling. You have your own room," she dismissed her.
"But, I easily got bored in there."
"There's Spade's and Heart's."
"Boring."
"Then let's make your room not a boring one."
"No, I want it here."
"No," Ace flatly refused.
"Pretty, please?"
"Fine, but only when I'm not busy being alone."
Heart laughed in glee.
"You can't resist me," she smiled proudly.
Even though she knew Ace is the kind of person who values her privacy so much, she also knew that they can't leave her alone with her thoughts for too long. Not ever. Again.
"Come on, let's go downstairs already," Ace tugged at her friend's hoodie and dragged her out of her room.

"Hey, what do you want for lunch?" Diamond asked when she saw them.
"Anything would be fine, Dia."
"Spade is suddenly craving for shrimps. Would seafood be great?"
"I love seafood!" Heart exclaimed, eyes round.
I know somebody else who does, Ace muttered which took her by surprise. What was that? Why is she thinking of her now?
"What?" Heart turned to look at her.
"Nothing. Come on, let's get to work," Ace beckoned at her as she walked towards the room at the end of the hall, just across the kitchen.
"You have the key?" Heart asked when she tried to open the door.
"No, is it locked?" Ace wondered. She remembered them leaving it open though.
"I think so." Heart stepped aside so Ace could check. It was indeed locked.
"Spade, darling!" She called out to which the other girl came running.
"You called for me?"
"You have the keys for the rooms, right?" Ace inquired, Spade nodded. "Why?"
"I need it."
Spade looked at the door and tried it before turning to Ace, exchanging a quick knowing glance before going back to her room for the keys.
"Thanks," Ace muttered before entering the room filled with their things.
Spade coughed off a bit of dust when she parted the curtains.
"When was the last time we cleaned here?" she asked, half-complaining before picking up a feather duster and began tapping it everywhere.
"Since last month," Heart replied, prompting to do the same.
"Seems like it had been forever though," Spade grumbled, wondering how it can accumulate that much dust so quickly.
"You can blame nothing. We're in the Philippines," Heart rolled her eyes playfully, covering her nose when Spade hit one of the covers rather hardly.
"Easy, it's coming right at me."
"Sorry, didn't see you there," Spade teased but a bit apologetic.
"You're an insufferable human being," the other girl exclaimed as she proceeds to hit the covers right next to her friend rather strongly and well, you could say they started another childish fight to which Ace could only sigh and then pretend they don't exist, remaining unbothered.

"Kids! Are you even helping Ace? You were doing nothing but spreading dust everywhere!" Diamond's angry voice momentarily stopped the two running around, hitting each other like children.
"Oopsss, sorry mommy." Heart quickly hid her feather duster and then pointed a finger at Spade. "She started it."
Spade pointed back at her with two hands, "No, she was the one who started it. Mine was an accident."
They continued to argue back and forth to which Diamond could only grip her hair in annoyance. She then proceeded to take away their feather dusters and lightly strike their heads with it.
"Stop acting like children. You're fucking grown-ups already," she scolded them both.

Ace then entered the room and was amused by what she stumbled upon; Heart and Spade grumbling at each other, finally doing their job of folding the covers of the furnitures and dusting them off afterwards while Diamond sat on one of the chairs, holding a long stick in her hands, ready to strike if any of them started slacking off again.
"Hey, mom..." she chuckled, waving at Diamond's direction.
"And you, Ace, you can now take your break. I have snacks on the table, go and eat before it gets cold. I kept the juice in the chiller. Also, soda if you prefer."
"Woah, thanks." Ace grinned triumphantly at the two who are now visibly upset.
"How about us?"
"Have you had any work done yet?"
"Yeah, look-..."
"Nothing yet. Now, get back to work. No one's having snacks until I see fit."
Spade pouts and Heart made a crying face when Ace poked her tongue at them then returning a little bit later with a juice in one hand and some freshly baked cookies in the other.
"You're right, Dia. These are better eaten before it gets cold. And, they're so good. I think these would be one of your best ones. Can I eat them all?"
"Sure. All of it. It would go to waste if you won't."
They chuckled at each other when Spade and Heart started to look really focused on their job, cleaning like there's no tomorrow.
An hour later, Dia entered the room with more cookies and some soda, finally calling on the other two. They were back to laughing again in no time.

Unbeknownst to them, another being had been watching them, partly happy seeing them having fun but greatly longing for what was used to be her comfort before. She missed those moments.

A tear fell off the eye of the girl in the painting, unnoticed.