12 | Rainbow Caterpillar and The Chair Pile

It was our third day of couples counseling and I was feeling a bit apprehensive as I drove to pick Everett up. Holly had started digging into our pasts the last session, questioning mostly me. I was hoping she would just interrogate Everett this week. I'm sure I won't be able to come up with any information about our fake relationship, and Everett has a...creative mind.

Everett flung open the door while I was still walking up his driveway. His messy hair was still slightly damp from a shower, and curlier than ever. He was wearing his favourite yellow T-shirt again.

"Hey," he yelled from across the path, waving madly.

"Hey," I said as I neared him.

Everett beamed and stepped aside, beckoning me to come in.

"So why did you want me to come here before the counseling session?" I asked. He hadn't really specified on the phone.

"My dad wanted to see you," he informed me.

"What?" I exclaimed horrified, pausing at the doorway, "Why would—why didn't you tell me?!"

"Chill out dude." Everett cast me a sideways glance, yanking me in and shutting the door. "You left before he could pay you the other day."

"Pay me for what?" I asked, confused.

"The cupcakes!"

"Oh." My face cleared. "He doesn't have to pay me for that...it was part of the bet anyway. But I swear Dr. Wrinkle will figure it out today," I added, "When she finally asks us why we're even in therapy."

Everett waved me off. "Nah she seems pretty clueless. Anyway, those cupcakes were aside from the wager."

"But we didn't bake anything else," I argued as he pulled me upstairs.

Aside from it being part of the bet, I also really didn't want to meet the man I had almost run over the other day.

"It was like a hundred cupcakes for an order, Clementine, you're getting paid for it," Everett stated. "Everyone really loved the decorations you did. They said they'll recommend it for all their friends' kids' birthdays too."

"That's really nice of them," I said, feeling a bit stunned, "It was fun making those."

Everett spun around at the top of the stairs, shooting me a sudden smile. As bright and as fleeting as a shooting star.

"I had fun baking with you too Clementine." His eyes twinkled. "And you're really talented at art stuff."

"No I'm not...I can't draw or paint or anything," I protested.

"You don't have to draw or paint to be artistic! Don't you see, Clementine, cupcakes are your medium."

Everett spread his arms wide at the revelation and I laughed.

"Dad! Clementine's here!" he suddenly yelled, pushing open a door without knocking. "You can go in," he said to me, "I'm gonna go dry my hair."

"Wait, you're just going to leave me here alone?" I hissed.

Everett just shrugged and walked off to my greatest dismay. I loitered for a moment in the hallway but a voice from inside the room boomed at me to enter.

I meekly slipped into what seemed to be a home office. The walls were lined with sturdy wooden bookshelves, holding files and knickknacks than actual books. Everett's dad sat behind a desk, typing something at a computer. He looked up at me, glaring as I walked in.

"You're the boy who tried to run me over," he declared, his tone accusing.

"I didn't mean-I wasn't trying to-I—" I gulped, stumbling over my words. "I'm sorry!" I finally squeaked out.

"Take a seat," he boomed, pointing sternly at the seat opposite him.

I sat at the edge of the chair, chewing nervously on my bottom lip.

"Don't look so upset kid, you're not in trouble. Not that much anyway." He grinned suddenly. "I really called you here to thank you."

I stared at him in shock as he handed me an envelope of cash.

"Take it," he insisted, "And I hope you'll consider taking on any future orders. The customers were really happy, and the decorations were fantastic."

"Thank you, Sir," I mumbled, "And I really am sorry about the other day."

He waved me off, a twinkle in his eye. "Get out of here."

I thanked him again and left the room. Wandering down the corridor, I wondered whether Everett had gone downstairs already.

"Uh...Everett?" I called out softly.

"Come in," came a muffled voice from behind a door. I opened it cautiously, stepping into Everett's bedroom.

The walls were painted butter yellow and emblazoned with colorful posters and rainbow stickers. Knickknacks littered every surface, and there were clothes piled on a chair and strewn around the floor. A large bay window overlooking the garden was piled with cushions and plushies, as was the bed.

There were a few rainbow heart plushies scattered around and one that was half an avocado. I picked up a large caterpillar plushie which had each of its segments in a different colour.

"Oh sorry, it is so gay in here," Everett joked, pointing at the caterpillar, "His name is rainbow by the way."

I smiled. "I like it."

Everett ran a hand through his dark curls, getting his fingers stuck in a knot almost immediately. He just shook his head and detangled his hand, not bothering to pick up a brush.

"Hang on, I'm gonna change my shirt and then we can leave," he said, pulling out another yellow T-shirt from the chair pile. It looked almost identical to the one he already had on.

He took his shirt off before I could leave the room; I didn't even have time to look away. I tried my best to look anywhere else but him, but he got his head stuck in the process of yanking it off.

The warm light streaming through the large bay window lit his body in a yellow glow. His muscles were lean and defined, slight but well-sculpted around his chest and torso.

I hurriedly turned my attention to a poster as his head finally came unstuck.

"Hey are you okay?" Everett asked, sounding a bit concerned, "Should I close the window, you're looking a bit hot."

"Hot?" My voice came out weird and horribly squeaky. I stared at the poster some more.

"I mean, you are very red." I could hear the smile in his voice. "Do you like that band?"

"Yes I love it!" I exclaimed, "Definitely one of the best bands."

I had never heard of it.

"Ooh really? What's your favourite song of theirs?" he asked excitedly, "Most people have never heard of them, I never meet other fans."

"Oh uh...um." I stared at him and he stared back expectantly. His eyes were so freaking pretty. "I like all of them?"

He narrowed his pretty eyes. "You don't know them, do you?"

"Not really," I admitted, my flush deepening, "I don't know why I pretended to."

"Did you want me to think you were cool?" Everett teased, "And think you listen to cool music?"

"Maybe." I smiled despite myself. "You'll have to introduce me to all the cool music."

"I'll share my Spotify playlist," he promised, "And I wanna hear yours too!"

"Okay...but I don't really have that many saved."

"Don't worry, we're going to fix that." He winked.

Like if Everett's dad seems cool ᵔ ◞ ᵔ

Comment your favourite song! Mine is summertime by MCR :)

(◍•ᴗ•◍)

Reading lots of onc novellas? You might enjoy this book by BrianMullin0

Join the search for MetaAppleSoft's Zack Murkerberg, who is wandering somewhere out in the countless worlds of the Virtual Universe, untethered from his recently vaporized earthbound body, before time runs out and Zack's brain waves become digital junk files - and stop Murkerberg's 'killer,' who wants to delete Zack and the Virtuaverse for good...or evil.