Laurent chuckled as he watched her scurry to the window. "Silly Sparky," he said under his breath. He glanced at his watch. It was two-thirty, way past his curfew. That was the least of his worries, his father was too busy to care, and his mother was away on a business trip. He remembered his father saying he would not be coming home that night. Tiana and his cousins would be asleep, meaning he would get away with it. He started the bike and drove off, the apartment becoming a speck in the distance.
He parked the bike in the garage and walked to the front door. Unlike her, he didn't have a tree close to his window; if there was one, it would be too short to reach it. He shoved the key into the keyhole and opened the door. He headed straight to his bedroom. He opened the door but stopped in his tracks when he saw Tiana and his cousins in the room.
"What are you guys doing here?"
"Mom's gonna kill you!" Tiana said in a singsong voice.
"She's not here," he said, walking into the room.
"I'm gonna tell!"
"You wouldn't dare."
"But seriously man, where were you?"
He stared squarely at his cousin, Jackie. She was the oldest in the room and had a controlling habit that reminded him of his mother. She had her long brown hair made into a messy bun. Her glasses sat majestically on her nose. She didn't need them, she felt they made her look wiser. Her Cupid's bow lips were pressed into a thin line. Her blue eyes darted to every corner of the room, trying to make the atmosphere less awkward. Her sisters, Marilyn and Kaitlyn had similar expressions on their faces. Unlike their older sister, the twins didn't care that Laurent broke his curfew, they were trying not to laugh. Marilyn, the older twin rolled her brown eyes, causing Kaitlyn to titter. They glanced at Laurent, Tiana, and finally, Jackie, before erupting into laughter. Laurent and Tiana joined in, but Jackie wasn't amused.
"What's the matter?" She cried, "Why are you laughing?"
"We're sorry Jackie, it's just that…"
Kaitlyn doubled over, choking with laughter. Marilyn patted her back softly as she completed her sister's statement. "She meant to say you look like a…um statue?"
"Excuse me?"
"It's more like a fish statue."
"Except she isn't pouting," Tiana chirped. Jackie chuckled and soon, joined in the laughter.
"A fish you say?"
"It's more like a shark."
They nodded their heads, agreeing with Kaitlyn.
"Wait, weren't we talking about Laurent a while ago?"
The girls averted their gazes back at him. "Thanks a lot, Kaitlyn," he said sarcastically.
"I bet he was out with a girl," Marilyn suggested.
"Let me guess, Tracy Alvarez?" Jackie commented, pushing her glasses up her nose.
"Was it Courtney?" Tiana asked.
"Who's Courtney?"
"Very funny, Laurent," she said, rolling her eyes. "Who's the girl?"
"I didn't say I was out with a girl," he shrugged.
"Was it a boy?"
"Is he gay?"
"It's the end of the world!"
"Ladies, chill." Tiana said, "I can assure you that my brother is straight."
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome, now, where were you?"
"I was all over the place."
"Hey guys, check this out!" Jackie said, popping her head out the window. "There's light coming from the lighthouse!"
"I didn't know it still worked," Tiana gasped.
"Why is the light directed at Trinity House?" Marley asked.
"Isn't that where Jacques lives?"
"Why do I have a feeling Laurent was involved in this?" Jackie asked, staring squarely at him.
He raised his hands in surrender. "You've got me!"
"I was just kidding. Wait, why did you…most importantly, how did you do it?"
"Doesn't matter."
"Someone helped you do it. Who was it?"
"Doesn't matter."
"You're ridiculous, I'm going to bed."
"Finally!"
Jackie scoffed as she padded out of the room, pushing her glasses up her nose for the umpteenth time. Marilyn and Kaitlyn followed suit, leaving Tiana in the room with him.
"Mom's not gonna be happy if she finds out you stayed out past your curfew just to pull a prank on Jacques."
"Not now, Tiana. Go to bed, will ya."
Tiana shook her head before leaving the room.
According to him, the greatest joy in life was pulling a prank on a person and then realizing they had been pranked, by you. Although he had called him before, Laurent decided to call Jacques again for fun.
"Hey man, what's up? Have sweet dreams?" He mocked.
"Fuck you."
"Back at ya. You know, this is the millionth time you've said that."
"Fine, you win. I won't hang up on you mid-sentence. Now get that huge torch out of my face!"
"I'm not at the lighthouse, man."
"Who was with you?"
"Does it matter?"
"Where you two getting your freak on at the lighthouse?"
"What if I told you I was with a boy?"
"Then you're gay."
"Fuck you."
"Who was it?"
"Doesn't matter. Besides, Sparky would kill me if I told you."
"Who's Sparky?"
"Doesn't matter."
"You're telling me a girl named Sparky waltzed out of her house with you, tangoed to the lighthouse, and switched the fucking light on?"
"If you put it that way, yes, that was what went down."
"Where is she?"
"Probably at home. Like I said, we aren't at the lighthouse…wait, how did you know Sparky is a she?"
"Knowing you, I bet you two got snuggly at the lighthouse. Since you said you're not gay, I thought 'Sparky' was a she. That is if she is real."
"She is too!"
"You're crazy, ya know."
"I suddenly feel sleepy, good night, idiot."
"How am I supposed to sleep with the freaking light on my face?"
"I'm sure you'll figure it out, genius. Sleep in the guest room or something."
"I hate-"
He ended the call on him again. He took off his jacket, still sitting on the bed. He was about to take his shirt off when he heard snickering behind the door. He growled as he opened it, watching his sister and the twins run off, leaving Jackie staring at him.
"Who's Sparky?"
"A friend."
"Just a friend? Seriously?"
"Believe what you want to believe."
"Do I look like a kindergartner to you?'
"A little, yes."
Jackie pursed her lips in annoyance. "I'll just ask Tiana then."
"Let it go, Jacqueline. She doesn't know who Sparky is."
"Then who is…"
"Good night."
"I'm not-"
He slammed the door in her face and walked back to the bed. He laid his head on the pillow, his eyelids already droopy. He cursed under his breath when he heard his phone ring. He stared at its screen, the call was from a payphone. He left it to ring but suddenly decided against it. He rolled over to the bedside table, picking up his phone. He reluctantly answered the call, pulling his phone to his ear.
"Hello?" He answered in a groggy tone.
"Laurent, is that you?"
"Oh, shit," he thought.