Life (and Other Things Like It)

Chapter 17

Puck swept the skimmer over the water slowly. He had no reason to go fast. His rate was per time not per hour. Which suited him fine. He had no place to be and this relaxed him. Whenever they got another pool boy, he'd miss this.

It was quiet at the pool even though it was right before noon. It wasn't always. Some of the people in the building liked to swim all day long. Which he understood. It gave him more work.

But no one was there. Usually there'd be one or two diehards watching, waiting for him to finish so they could jump in.

But nope. He was entirely alone. Which he was fine with. He didn't start having a large circle of friends until middle school so he was used to just two people (Nic and Finn).

He continued with the skimmer until anything that was in the pool besides water was out. Then he got to work on the Ph balance.

He usually didn't get much science (math and history being his strengths) but he knew about Ph balances in pools. It really got him how just a bit of imbalance could wreck everything.

Once he was done, he gathered his equipment up and went to tell security that he was finished. He headed upstairs after, looking for food.

M-A-P

Ellen smiled at a customer before turning back to a coworker. "I don't know. She won't talk to me."

Emory, the coworker, put a hand on her arm. "It's okay. My boyfriend isn't into talking either."

"To the point where he shuts everyone out?"

Emory frowned. "Not exactly."

Ellen gave her a look. "She just gets so mad. I've never met an angrier person."

"But you love her, don't you?"

"Of course. I just wish she'd confide in me. I didn't even know she was angry with her cousin until our roommate brought it up."

"Maybe she doesn't want to worry you?"

Ellen had never thought of that. "I wouldn't worry."

"Aren't you worried now?"

Ellen frowned. "Stop making all these good points."

Emory laughed. "We got another customer."

Ellen turned with a bright fake smile. The wheels in her head were turning. She had to let Marcy know that she was there for her through whatever and that she could tell her anything. "Welcome to Puff's. How may I help you?"

M-A-P

Artie wheeled into the den. "You're still working on that?"

"I'm almost done." Literally, Marcy had three more stitches until her quilt was finished.

"Remember that thing you asked of me?" He waited for her to look at him. "It's ready."

"Thing?"

He smirked at her memory. "Operation Douchebag Removal?"

"Oh yeah!" She brightened before frowning and refocusing on her stitching. "Oh well."

"You're really going to do her like that?"

"Why should I care about her happiness?"

"She's your cousin."

"I-" She stopped. She was going to say she didn't care but that wasn't true.

"Come on, Boo Thang. You worked so hard on this."