The Art Project

Chapter 1

I walk into the messy house with a grimace on my face.

Alcohol

The smell of cigars

Broken stuff. This all looks too familiar, like some wild animals were let loose in here.

The place seriously reeks but thank heavens the cleaning crew is already here and working. The sight of everything just makes me sick in the stomach.

I maneuver around the mess to go upstairs and I almost slip on some spilt alcohol.

I instantly hold onto my precious camera lying comfortably around my neck then exhale hard. If I ever break or lose it I'll go insane, literally.

I take one step ahead and....

"Hold on a minute." This isn't spilt alcohol.

"Ugh!" I scream and gag when the smell becomes so obvious.

Whose sick idea was it to vomit on the floor and not into a toilet bowl? That is so disgusting.

I'm gonna have to throw away my shoes now, but my brother is so lucky they aren't my favorite ones.

I walk up the stairs barefooted and thankfully my path is clean and stain free.

I unlock my room and throw my bag on the bed before opening a window. Down below I notice the red light on in my dark room and I crease my forehead.

Didn't I lock it? Oh no, not again.

I quickly put on some shoes and grab my baseball bat before heading down.

I really hope I'm not going to find another guy passed out in there, or some two naked idiots who thought it was a good place to make out.

I take in a deep breath before stepping into the dark room through the already opened door.

"Anyone in here?"

I walk cautiously with both hands on my bat ready to swing.

I hear some faint shuffling noise ahead and my grip tightens around the wrapped handle.

"Who's there?" I ask so the person will come out of hiding but no one pops out.

I turn the corner and lower the bat to find some photos lying on the floor with a window opened.

Okay, no one is in here, that's a big relief.

I close the window and pick up my photos wondering how they fell when they are supposed to be pegged.

Someone definitely came here by the looks of it and... hold on a second...is that.....ew... and by my chemical trays?

"You have to be s*****g me!" I yell with my hand tightening around the bat.

How did they even find the key to this place?

I admit its hiding place is kind of obvious, but come on. Three times in a row.

I'm guessing the idiots responsible thought it would be cool to make out under a red light. But it'll also be cool if they pick up after themselves!

I sigh and move to my cabinet to look for some gloves. I can't believe I'm doing this again.

I hold up the "deed" with the tips of my fingers and proceed to the bin.

The stupid thing somehow escapes my little fingers and I quickly back up screaming.

I sigh relieved when it doesn't touch any part of my body though and exhale hard before taking a seat to calm my accelerating nerves.

The mere sight of it with its disgusting shape on the floor has me gaging at the thought of what happened in here.

Oh gosh, everything in this room is probably unclean.

I quickly stand like a reflex action and hold my hands up in disgust.

There's no way I'm cleaning this place.

I dump my gloves in the bin and grab my bat before exiting the room.

I find some cleaning crew guys in the living room and I walk up to one of them.

"Hey." I say to the lady and she instantly frowns at me.

Okay.

"I'm so sorry for bothering you-"

Honestly I don't know why I should be sorry when I'm just coming to tell her to do her job, but just to placate her.

"Where is it?"

Oh, she already knows why I approached her.

"In my dark room, at the back." I point with my finger and she nods back.

"I'll go there in thirty minutes."

"Thanks." I quickly disappear from her sight.

The things I go through because of my stupid brother.

I'll have to wait to supervise the cleaning though so nothing expensive goes missing, but in the meantime I'll be gathering my pegged photos before she arrives.

I walk back into the dark room and lean the bat against the foot of the table. I begin unpegging when I hear a faint shuffling sound again coming from my supply closet.

I stop gathering the photos and rather grab my bat as I quietly make my way to the closet door.

Suddenly the door flies open and I swing the bat at whatever comes out like a defense mechanism reflex action.

"Ow!" The person screams as the bat connects with his forehead.

Oh s**t!

I quickly back up eyes wide with realization.

"What...why.... f**k ow!" He backs up against the wall with his hand on his forehead and I drop the m*****r weapon as my hands fly to my mouth.

My heart pounds so hard it collides repeatedly with my ribcage as I stare at Jyronne.

Oh gosh! This isn't happening.

Did I just hit my crush on the head with my stupid baseball bat?

"Please tell me I'm dreaming?" The question flies out of my mouth and Jyronne looks at me.

Someone please tell me it's a complete weirdo I just hit.

"No Zariah, you're not dreaming." He replies in a calm tone and my eyes dilate more.

S**t!