Trophy Daughter

Chapter 10- Stairs. They're Always Up To Something

PUNS. 

Song has no relation, I just wanted to listen to it as I read it again. 

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The dreaded weekend. I looked up at the mere stature of Barnabas's house, approving of everything. They were rich- that much was clear with the perfect landscaping and material of the house- but it was tasteful. Clean cut and concise, so different from my verging-on-tacky overdone mansion. 

I walked up his driveway, wearing a pair of jeans for once with a nice red sweater. Since I was meeting the sheriff- and had met the sheriff a bit more than other teens my age- I needed to make a good impression. Especially since the last time I saw him was when I was off my face drunk and told him I was trying to turn a new leaf. 

So universe, welcome civilised Circe for a couple of hours, then everything will go back to normal. 

I knocked on the door with a clacker thing that I never learnt the name of, and smiled widely when Sheriff Dumas opened it, big and mean looking. 

Secretly, I think Sheriff Dumas knew that I wasn't trying to turn a new leaf, but he let me off because I was rich. It made sense- I was never held accountable for anything. 

Which was...a lot less fun than people say it is. 

"Circe, I remember my son talking about tutoring you." He gestured for me to come in, and again, I could see the uncanny resemblance he had to his son. While he was taller, older and more filled out, there was the familiar emerald eyes, thickets of black hair swept back from a strong face. 

I nodded, holding out the bag of cookies. "Hi Sheriff Dumas. This may be the first time you see me un-inebriated, so I brought cookies to celebrate!" 

His mustache and beard covered his smile, but I swear I saw it. But Lord, that man was so hairy- even Dora couldn't explore him. Sheriff took the cookies and tipped them out onto a plate, taking a few for himself before jerking his head to the hall. 

"Nice cookies. Baz is down the hall, last door to the left. Don't piss him off too much." 

I winked, taking the plate and turning to the hall filled with Japanese artwork, no doubt a small fortune's worth. "I can't promise you anything Sheriff, but I will say I'll tone my mouth down a bit. Just a bit." 

"Forget what I just said. Piss him off, it'll make my day." 

And just like that,  I knew Sheriff Dumas was on my side. I think. 

I skipped down the hall while precariously balancing the cookies, chucking two in my mouth just so I didn't immediately piss Dumas off. I burst into his room, averting my eyes before I entered, just in case he was doing something unsavoury like English homework. (A/N that didn't go where expected hehehe)

"What the fuck Circe? Are you that inbred that you don't even know how to knock?" Dumas yelled, throwing a few of his pencils at me. Turns out I didn't even need to speak to piss his majesty off.

I swallowed my cookies then put my head out the door. "How was that Sheriff?"

"You can do better." He replied loudly, and I laughed stepping back inside Dumas's room, closing the door and setting the plate on his desk. Barnabas sighed, leaning back in his chair, dressed in a basketball singlet and a pair of lacrosse shorts. 

The boy was in very good shape. It was a shame he knew it. 

Barnabas cleared his throat, "Done checking me out?" 

I held up a hand, taking my time as I drew my gaze slowly over his defined arms, shoulders and right back up to his pretty eyes. "Now I am. I brought the cookies, now let's get studying!"