Top Dogs

Sexier in Pyjames

Ricky

At breakfast the table was empty. Stephan was still trying to find information about that mutant and Paige was throwing knives at the wall (apparently to improve her aim). So I sat there, like a loser, next to an unconscious person eating cereal. I nearly fell asleep in my gluggy food. That was until a knife flew past my head. “Are you trying to kill me?” I asked Paige, spitting cereal at her, “because it really looks like you were trying to split my head open like a…coconut.” Knife in hand, Paige raised her eyebrows. “Coconut? You crack coconuts.” I couldn’t help it. I snorted. A knife landed next to my left ear. “Real mature, dick head” I shrugged. “Can’t help it, you’re the one who said it.” A knife landed next to my right ear. Where is she getting all these knives from? We don’t even have that many in the kitchen. “Paige, stop throwing knives, Ricky isn’t as good as he thinks he is.” I scowled at Stephan. “I am pretty damn good. Have you seen me fight?” Stephan raised an eyebrow, “you’re just proving my point.” I liked it better when he wasn’t saying anything. “Shut up and go back to researching.” With a satisfied smirk, he went back to the computer. It was strange seeing anyone else but Montana there. It was kind of like her spot.  I left my abounded food on the table and headed up stairs. It was early morning and fingers crossed that Blue would be there. Maybe my good looks and charm will make her tell me where she is. When I arrived at my room I was met by a bathroom, without any people in it. Woah that sounded creepy. Disappointed, I collapsed onto my bed. “I AM SO BORED” I shouted at the celling, cool I’m going mad. “Ricky?” I sat up, looking around for the source of the noise. Nobody at the door, nobody in the room so that means… “Blue!” I said, letting a grin spread across my face, “What a lovely surprise.”

***

Blue

After the reappearance of Pig, my mind had been on one of those little hamster wheels; constantly turning (even too fast, then I hypothetically fall off and lose my train of thought). It was a Saturday, so that meant no classes. Although that does not equal freedom. Try and go past the electric fence that traps us, and you get fried. With a huge sigh, I rolled out of bed.

And onto the floor.

Groaning, I looked at the numbers on the wall. At the orphanage the time was constantly showing. Glowing letters are projected on the walls that are all synched. 6. 00 Am. With most people still asleep, I decided that a hot shower sounded like a good idea. I made my way to the showers. Some of them in use. I hovered along the rows of doors until I was in front of number 99.  Despite the fact that Ricky’s personality was predominately annoying and arrogant I was still curious. I sucked in a breath and turned the door handle. I threw my change of clothes onto the floor. When I stared at the mirror I was met by my own reflection. I sighed. So much for an interesting day. I started to undress when I heard a shout. I paused. It sounded close. And those steal doors were practically sound proof. Pulling my PJ’s back down I spun of my heels and tried to ignore the fact that I nearly tripped. What I saw didn’t surprise me. Ricky was on his bed, looking lethargic. I scowled at the excitement that formed in my belly. “Ricky?” I asked him. I saw him sit up, his blond hair flattened. His bright green eyes gazed briefly around the room.

The he saw me.

“Blue,” He said, a cheeky grin spreading across his face, “What a lovely surprise.” I watched with caution as he approached the mirror. I ignored the unwanted bubble of excitement that popped in my throat. “I wish I could say the same.” I replied. His face didn’t change. “Yeah, sure. You’re the one in the same bathroom.” My mouth opened a little in surprise. Observant. I took a step back, narrowing my eyes in suspicion. “You’re spying on me in the bathroom?” He laughed. My ‘don’t trust the creepy guy in the mirror’ side of my brain shut down the ‘wow. You again’ side of my brain. “Sadly, no.” The shower sprung to life, two minutes up. I saw Ricky’s eyes dart to the shower, a spark of curiosity in his eyes. “Why does your shower do that?” He asked, taking a step closer.  “To save water” That was partly true. He mumbled an ‘oh’ but his eyes told me he didn’t believe me. “And all the grey? To save colour.” I scowled at him, even though he was probably right. “What about you? You’re still wearing the same clothes” He was. It was kind of gross. Ricky indicated to his baggy jeans and T-shirt. “Only because they look good on me. That being said, everything looks good on me.” I rolled my eyes. Arrogance, check. For the first time I noticed the backdrop. Dark blue walls that were plastered with old and aging posters. And mess on the floor. In a corner I saw a wall, handing from hooks were various weapons. Okay, strange. “Are you in your room?” I asked him, my curiosity getting the better of me. “Yes,” He said, purposefully making his voice go husky, “Why’d you want to know” I tool one step closer and placed my hand on my hip, “Because you have a colourful assortment of weaponry hanging on your wall.” He looked behind him. “Oh. Yeah. I do.” He looked back at me and smiled. “Sexy right?” Yes. “No.”

“Can’t be any sexier than you in your PJ’s” As he said it he looked me up and down. All too aware of the thin cloth that covered me, I did my best not to look uncomfortable.  He must of hinted because than he said; “Much, much sexier if you weren’t wearing your Pyjamas.” I threw a bar of soap at the mirror. “You are a jerk.” A smug look crossed his face. “Insult: Basic. That means Blue is feeling; uncomfortable.” “Jerk. Jerk. Jerk.” I literally just repeated all that was going through my head. He laughed. “You’ve said.” I was panicking, struggling for words. “…shut up” Forget about the excitement, I was feeling pure hatred “Witty” I glanced impatiently at the timer on the door. Five minutes, damn. “Can’t wait to get rid of me?” shit, he was observant. Time to turn the tides a bit. I sat down on the cold, hard tile and curled my legs up and hugged them. “What do you think?” I made sure my voice sounded dejected, not hard to fake when you live in a little bit run down orphanage. I made my eyes as big and sad as I could. I cast my eyes downwards so I couldn’t see his expression. “Aw, Blue. Did I offend you?” I nodded. “How?” More like when. “When you made fun of me.” I looked up, met his green eyed stare. “Just tell me where you are.” I stood up, outraged. “Honey trap, much?”

“Pretend to be all upset, much?”

“Objectify me, much?”

“Sadistic, much?’ Without realising it I had walked up to the mirror, Ricky had too. We were face to face.  “Leave me alone” I spat at him. Without giving him a chance to say something I turned the shower off and walked out the door.

***

Ricky

I let out a frustrated yell when Blue walked out the bathroom. So much for the charming her into telling me. I still didn’t turn the TV off. The empty bathroom was becoming oddly comforting. I sat there for a while, taking in the details of the bathroom. Except that strange timer, nothing gave it away. So where has a timer on the showers and a colour scheme of grey? An institute of some kind? Oh my God I am an idiot. Pulling up my keyboard, I changed the setting on the TV. My desktop picture appeared. An old one of The Breakfast Club, it had Bender, fist pumping into the air. Clicking on the search engine Montana created, I ran a search on Montana Net—pathetic name, I know.  When I typed Blue into the find –a- person section one result appeared.

For some acrobat named The Blue Fairy. Yeah, not her.

Exiting, I but the empty bathroom back on the screen. Shit, I am bored. “RICKY” Stephan’s voice carried up the stairs, urgency riddled through his normally calm tones. Deciding that procrastinating was a bad idea, I trotted down the stairs. “What?” I called, as Stephan came into view. What I saw surprised me. Montana was up, sitting on the couch and rubbing her forehead. Stephan next to her and Paige at her side. A tad unnecessarily, Stephan said; “It’s Montana, she’s awake.”