How To Win A Guy In 30 Days

How To Plot

"Will you come with me?" Marly said as she stopped outside Vanessa's house, the gigantic gate standing as a barrier.

Vanessa got out of the car and looked at her through the window, a smug look plastered on her face. "You are an insult to our friendship, Marly."

Marly nodded, knowingly. "Right. I got my answer there."

"Have fun, girl," Vanessa shouted as the silver Volkswagon speeded away. Even when the car was a hundred metres away from her house, Marly showing her middle finger at Vanessa was absurdly distinct.

Vanessa laughed, thinking about her storming best friend. It was not as though she willingly denied the invitation (it was the actual reason) but her father would not give her permission for a stranger's party. And no one denied the Baltimore Police Commissioner, not even his own daughter.

Vanessa dumped her bag on the floor, threw her jacket mindlessly and jumped on the couch.

"Linda," she shouted at the top of her voice. "Lemonade."

After Vanessa had lost her mother at the age of seven, Linda had become her nanny. The lonely seven year old girl had gotten easily attached to a very pretty young woman in her mid-twenties, her own version of fairy godmother with colorful candy hidden beneath her hat.

"Finally, I have found the source of the stench," Alex said as he walked inside the house, his fingers pressed tightly over his nose.

Immediately, Vanessa jumped from the couch and started picking up her miscellaneous junk scattered on the floor with rapid fingers. Once she had restored the serenity of the house, she sat on the couch stiffly, hands clasped together and placed on her lap.

After work, her father and elder brother would come home sharp at nine for dinner. Unless they had night duties or when her father was extremely busy. Her father belonged to the part of the world which was pristine and clear, he had always scolded Vanessa for being clumsy and unclean.

"Unless I look like an endangered species of Bornean Orangutans, you could stop staring at me," she deadpanned at her amused brother.

Alex shrugged and pulled her braid. "Not orangutans, but pigtails," he corrected.

"Hey," she grumbled and swatted his hand from her hair. "FYI, dumb brother, this is double dutch braids, the most trending sports hairstyle. Oops why I am even lecturing a 90s' kid about fashion?"

"Because you desire appreciation." Alex tapped her forehead.

"No I don't."

"I am a cop, moreover I am your brother. You really don't think I got my face stuck under my ass, do you?"

She scoffed, but didn't reply. She would have continued the argument, but lucky for him, her father would be here anytime. She needed to be on her best conduct.

She looked out the door, expectantly and muttered, "Where is dad?"

Alex walked inside the kitchen, and returned with two cans of soda. "You waiting for someone?" he said as he threw one can at her.

Reflexively, she caught it and kept it aside. "Isn't dad coming?"

He shook his head, bemused by his sister's weird behaviour.

Vanessa looked at Alex as if another head was protruding over his head. Her jaw literally fell to the ground. "For the first time in my life, I cleaned the house, almost swept the floor with my hair, because dad was coming home."

Alex choked on his soda, sprouting some fluid over his uniform as he roared with laughter. "So that is why you went 'I'm-crazy-shit' mode."

Vanessa narrowed her eyes. "I don't go crazy shit, Alexy, I just like to be presentable in front of father. I have unapproved negotiations, remember?"