Delaney let out a slight chortle. "So what do we do about your jobs? You're starting school tomorrow and it's going to be really tedious for you. How do we handle them?"
Arlene Harris was a job freak. She did literally everything that paid. She was a waiter at Come n' Go Restaurant; worked as a cleaner in a very prominent company - not the largest tho. She was a delivery girl in a pizza place and served as a mail officer in a mail company. She also babysits children in their vicinity and sometimes worked as a cook too. She was thought to overwork herself, but she knew why she did them. Living with her step mom, and her dad rarely around, she technically became the mom. Despite all the jobs she did, she could only save little for herself as she spent the rest, catering for her family - the family actually.
Arlene's face held a pout. "Didn't think of that. Guess I'll have to quit my morning and afternoon shifts. I'll push them to my night shift or better still, adjust them all to..." She stopped talking when Delaney shot her a glare.
"You could've told me you wanted to die first, then attend college in your ghost form." Delaney said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You'll have to put up with your night shifts only and have some rest during the weekends."
"But I'll run out of cash."
"Easy. You'll simply visit the cash store." "You're only doing your night shifts and that's final." Delaney stated, leaving no rooms for arguments.
"Now that I thought of it, what will you wear tomorrow?" Delaney asked, sounding like she didn't speak coldly some minutes ago.
"Clothes of course. My normal clothes." Arlene said, getting up and walking over to a small termite abode - actually, she called it her wardrobe. She ruffled through and brought out a faded jean. "How about this? I've only worn it for a few times." She called.
"How about you drop that and follow me." Delaney retorted.
"To where?"
"Heaven sounds great, right?"
Arlene gave her a knowing look. "I guess your sardonic mode is currently running. You shouldn't cry when it's my turn."
Delaney laughed. "Yours is simply craziness in display. Besides, we learn from the best." She said with a wink. "Now c'mon, let's leave before Maleficent walks in...again." She said, tugging on Arlene's arm and heading towards the window. She pulled the shutters open and stepped back. "Go first." She said, motioning Arlene.
Arlene made a swift jump, landing noiselessly on the floor. Delaney came down later, crawling on the wall.
Arlene stifled a laugh. "You can't make a simple jump? What are you? Spider woman?"
Delaney glared at her with feigned annoyance. "I would've loved to spank you, but amma give you butt pains and I wouldn't like that. I mean, tomorrow's your first day in school and you definitely need to sit." Delaney said, walking over to her bicycle. She wore her helmet and climbed on the bicycle. She looked over at Arlene who already sat her foot on the pedal, ready to ride.
"You still haven't told me where we are going to."
"Just follow me." Delaney replied curtly, riding off.
♣AT A SHOPPING MALL♣
"You can't force all these on me, Del. It's school I'm going to, not some kinda show." Arlene whined.
There were fifteen shopping bags on the floor and they were still trying to figure out how to carry them all.
"How do we take these home now?" Arlene asked again. She wasn't used to these much clothes, so she was trying to discourage Delaney from carrying them - they were just too much.
Delaney stood, staring down at the bags, hands akimbo. She thought hard; she wasn't ready to give in to Arlene's whimpers. She suddenly flicked her fingers in the air. "I think I know how." She said with a smirk.
She began to stack each carriage basket in their bicycles with the bags, until she was double sure there were no more rooms left for any. Seven bags were still left. Meanwhile, Arlene sat at a corner, watching her best friend strategize. She had given up on trying. Delaney started a repack. She repacked each bag and they were eventually reduced to four.
Heaving a sigh while wiping imaginary sweats from her forehead, she looked up at Arlene. "We'll have hang one shopping bag on each handle, for both handles, see? Wow! I'm a genius." She complimented herself. "We can leave now." She called.
Arlene shook her head in amusement and released a small chuckle. "You're the best, Del." She said walking over to where Delaney stood and gave her her a bear hug. They climbed their bicycles and rode off, heading home.
Delaney's phone suddenly rang. She picked the receiver and placed it on her ear and just before she could utter an 'hello', a voice shrieked from the other end. "Delaney!" She instinctively jerked the phone off her ear, nearly tumbling to the floor, save for her foot which held the ground with the other still on the pedal.
She was definitely going to strangle that fool.