The following day, on a particular twentieth of September, Guion awoke late, around ten in the morning. However, with the mission not scheduled to commence until eight in the evening, he had the entire day at his disposal. After brushing his teeth, he draped a towel around his neck, having wiped his face dry with it. He switched on the television and tuned into the morning news.
Standing before the screen, he absorbed the latest report. A remarkable event had transpired, a colossal feather had been discovered at the California State Capitol. The footage captured by the cameras confirmed that the feather's size was indeed no exaggeration, it was larger than an adult man, and presumably as hard as steel, having seemingly punctured the roof upon its arrival.
Guion switched off the TV, intrigued by the bizarre occurrence, and made his way to the garage. There, he began an invigorating workout, utilizing tires and dumbbells. His garage was spacious enough to accommodate both, resembling a personal gym with an impressive collection of equipment. He dedicated three hours to his fitness regimen before heading for a refreshing shower.
Wrapping a towel around his waist, he stepped out of the shower, feeling carefree, as he had no immediate plans. To his surprise, the doorbell rang just as he was about to get dressed. Curiosity piqued, he decided to answer it. When he opened the door, he was greeted by Erick, accompanied by Annika, both of them clad in casual attire that suggested they were out for a leisurely day.
Erick sported blue jeans, a grey T-shirt, and a black biker jacket paired with black shoes. Annika, on the other hand, wore a short white dress adorned with delicate black floral patterns and stylish black high-heeled boots. Embarrassed by the state in which they found him, Guion called out to Ms. Geo, attempting to divert attention from his less-than-ideal appearance. "I'm here too, you know!" Erick chimed in, his tone playful. Guion shot him a cold glare, silently conveying a message of disapproval. Realizing his faux pas, Erick feigned innocence, exclaiming, "Damn!"
Guion politely requested Annika to wait outside while he dressed, but before she could respond, Erick forcefully pushed the door open. "Nope!" he declared, striding into the house as if he owned the place, with Annika trailing closely behind. As she entered, Guion stood just inside the doorway, clad only in a white towel.
He was an attractive young man, and Annika's gaze lingered on him, clearly taken aback by his fit physique. "Hot!" she exclaimed, her voice dripping with seduction.
Flattered yet bashful, Guion rubbed the back of his head, a nervous smile spreading across his face. Fortunately, Erick broke the awkward silence, asking if there was a fan in the house, as the heat was stifling. He ambled into the kitchen, rummaging through cooking pots and the refrigerator. Guion noted Erick's blatant disregard for boundaries and sarcastically told him to make himself at home.
After changing into more appropriate attire, Guion returned to find Erick and Annika clad in aprons, enthusiastically preparing pancakes. He was taken aback by the sight of two adults covered in flour, resembling children engaged in a playful food fight. "What's happening?" he inquired, bewildered. "Annika, could you lend him your apron? It's been a while since we worked together," Erick suggested. "Alright," she replied, handing over the apron before heading to the sitting room. "What are you doing?" Guion whispered furiously as soon as her back was turned. "What are you doing?" Erick shot back, mirroring Guion's tone. "You brought Annika here unannounced! What if something goes awry?". "What! Are you a king? I hear you've been crushing on her for six years and haven't said a word!" Erick retorted. "So what? That's my problem," Guion whispered defensively. "So what!? Look at her, you idiot! She's perfect. If you don't make a move now, you'll watch her with some other guy while she drinks your coffee!" Erick pressed. "What guy?" Guion asked, curiosity piqued.
Erick smirked, removing his apron and saying, "Are you worried?" He playfully placed it against Guion's chest and sauntered into the sitting room, sitting close to Annika and draping his arm around her shoulders. "You're done?" Annika asked, intrigued. "Nope! He'll do it," Erick replied, gesturing toward Guion. "He's better at it anyway.'' Guion's irritation flared as he snatched Erick's arm away from Annika's shoulders. "Food is ready!" he announced, forcing a smile."Jeez! You scared me," Annika gasped, catching her breath.
They gathered around the dining table, beginning to eat. "Don't get me wrong, but what prompted your visit, Ms. Geo?" Guion inquired. "Erick!" she replied. "He mentioned it was your birthday and that he had a plethora of surprise gifts for you, and invited me to join. ", "Just you?" Guion asked, surprised. "Yeah! Why did he choose me out of everyone?" she wondered. "When people see me driving around with a guy, they think I'm gay," Erick explained nonchalantly. "What about the other girls?" Annika asked.
"They all look like boys," Erick replied, shrugging, and they all erupted in laughter. "Do you still have that car you bought eleven years ago?" Erick asked Guion. "Yeah, it's in the garage. Why?" Guion responded. "You bought a car when you were thirteen?" Annika asked, smiling. "It's nothing special, really," Guion replied, trying to downplay it. "Is it still operational?" Rick asked, making his way toward the garage.
Guion tried to stop him. "Whoa! Hold up, where are you going?" he protested, but Erick wouldn't be deterred. Guion decided to follow, leaving Annika seated at the table.
"Come along, Annika! You'll love this car," Erick called out, and they both followed him. Inside the garage, they were greeted by a few spare tires, some gym equipment, and a massive monster truck occupying the centre, covered in a thick layer of dust from years of neglect. "What brand is it?" Annika asked, her curiosity evident. "Wait for it…" Erick replied, and Guion pulled off the dusty cover. It revealed a sleek black Mustang with oversized tires. "No way!" Annika exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief. "I told you, you'd love it," Erick said proudly. "How could a thirteen-year-old possibly afford this?" she asked, astonished.
"Well, we were very affluent kids," Erick replied, while Guion struggled to mask his discomfort at the reminder of their past. Erick opened the door, climbed into the car, and discovered a small fridge hidden behind the handbrake. He pulled out a large bottle of white horse. "Damn! It's warm," he said, stepping out of the car. "Isn't it a bit early for wine?" Annika questioned. "Darling, there's never a wrong time to indulge in white horse, you just do it," Erick replied.
Guion chimed in, "You just do it!" as he climbed into the driver's seat, turned on the radio, and selected an old disco track, "I'm Burning Up" by Yvonne Chaka Chaka. He began to nod his head to the rhythm, pointing at Erick, who reciprocated the gesture, and soon they were both singing along and dancing in their seats.
Erick handed the bottle to Annika, dancing around her and chanting, "Drink! Drink!" She tilted the bottle upside down, letting the whisky flow into her mouth before passing it back to Guion, who joined in the revelry. After a few minutes, they were all exhausted, sitting on the ground and leaning against one of the car's front tires, staring blankly at the floor, unsure of what to do next.
Annika took the last drop of whisky from the bottle and remarked, "You know, you two are so different from each other, yet it's nearly impossible to tell you apart.", "It's quite simple, really," Erick interjected, rising to his feet. "I'm the fun one." He strolled toward the door. "And where are you going?" Guion inquired. "I'm going to lock you both in here," he replied mischievously. Annika's demeanour shifted slightly, and she asked Guion, "He's not serious!'', "Right?" she pressed. "Of course not," Guion said, projecting confidence, though internally he felt a flicker of uncertainty.