"Thanks for the ice cream," Sandy said to Annie as they walked out of Greasy Aunt's. As she had said she would, the little girl had paid for their treats.
"Hey, uh, can you stay a little longer?" Annie asked.
"Huh?"
"It's still going to be a while before my ride comes," Annie explained, "I'll be bored waiting alone."
"Okay," Sandy agreed against her better judgment. It was getting late and she should be getting home. However, that little girl had just fed her with a yummy treat. What else could she get if she were to accompany her?
Annie led her back to school.
They sat on a bench under a tree. The clouds still hid the sun and the wind was still blowing gently. It was a little warm, though. Annie unwrapped the scarf around her neck.
As they sat quietly, Sandy wondered if she should say something.
"Hey, Sandy," Annie finally broke the silence, "would you work for me? If I pay you?"
"Sure," Sandy agreed impulsively.
(The offer of money had a mysterious way of shutting off her common sense.)
(The offer of money had a mysterious way of shutting off her common sense.)
Annie glanced at her. "Do you know Connie Baker in my class?"
Sandy thought for a moment. Ever since that redhead had introduced herself to her, she had noticed Connie more and more often in school, especially since that girl had always dressed in a trendy outfit like Annie. She was attractive, so full of fascination. She was someone Sandy hoped to be like one day, when she received her fortune.
"Yeah," Sandy replied.
"I'll pay you to do something to her."
"Do what?" Sandy asked. Do something to the pretty girl, the idol she aspired to be? Sure she would! For the right price.
(That was the effect of money on Sandy.)
Annie twisted the scarf in her little hands. "I want you to play a prank on her," she tested the other girl.
"Okay," Sandy said.
When Sandy did not object, Annie continued, "We've gym class on Friday. While we're out, I want you to smear some glue onto the bottom of her desk."
"Okay."
"Connie has long legs so it's likely she'll bump her knee against the bottom of her desk," Annie explained, "When she does that, her skirt will stick. I'll give you some slow-acting glue that won't dry so quickly."
"Okay."
"The glue may not dry at the right time so she can still pull it free but it will still stain her skirt so she'd have to spend the day with a spot of imperfection on her." Annie smirked for a moment. "That's if she's wearing a skirt that day. She usually does, but you should check to be sure."
"But won't I be having class while you're in the gym?" Sandy asked.
"So?" Annie shrugged. "Just make an excuse to the teacher or something."
"Like what?"
Annie turned and stared at her with narrowed eyes. "Like you have to go to the washroom."
"What if I don't need to?"
Annie glanced up at the cloudy sky in exasperation. "Well, you can drink some laxative before that," she suggested flippantly with the wave of a hand. Then she noticed Sandy's blank expression. "Do I have to get you a laxative too!?"
Sandy looked down. "Uh, yeah. That would be helpful..."
Annie rolled her eyes up. "Fine, I'll get it for you." Then she stood up. "Come, I'll show you where she sits."
"Okay."
Sandy left for home after she had been shown Connie's desk. So excited was she at the prospect of being paid that she forgot all about lying on her bed and listening to music. Not that she had much time to do that anyway, since she was home late.
Immediately after Sandy had showered, Momma Lois took some time away from cooking dinner to persuade the teenager to finish her homework. Sandy readily obeyed for fear that Momma Lois would not return to her cooking. However, at dinner time, Sandy found that she did not have the appetite to eat.
She got a lecture for spoiling her dinner again. Sandy the high-school student still needed to grow up.
***
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