Katie is pranked by Victor

Katie furiously scrubbed the frying pan, silently cursing both her stepmother, and the grease that refused to remove itself from the pan.

Another Friday night spent cleaning up after her step-family. What was she saying? It was the same EVERY Friday night. As a glorified servant, Katie didn't have anything that could be considered a social life outside of school. While her friends would be out partying and having fun, she was stuck at home doing chores. Katie may have recently turned 18, but she still hadn't so much as kissed a boy, let alone slept with one; something her step-sister Beverly would bring up whenever she could.

Not that Katie hadn't fantasied doing so. She'd fallen head-over-heels in love with Luke Morgan the moment he'd walked into Wellesley Academy. The problem was, the shy, awkward and inexperienced Katie didn't know how to strike up conversation, and her feelings for him only heightened her awkwardness. It didn't help that her step-mother Gail was doing her best to push Luke towards Bev; something Katie suspected she was doing only because she knew how her step-daughter felt about him. It also helped Bev that she didn't wear have to wear baggy, third-hand clothes.

"Guess who's on his way over," a sing-song voice jerked Katie back to the present.

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw her step-brother, Victor, stood in the doorway of the kitchen. How long had he been there? Was it coincidence that he had brought up Luke while Katie was thinking about him? Or could that little twerp actually read minds?

"Not now, Victor, I'm busy," Katie said dismissively, turning back to the sink.

"Guess! Or prepare to get creamed!"

Facing him warily, Katie saw that he was brandishing two bottles; one of ketchup, the other, mustard.

As she rapidly tried to formulate an escape plan, her eyes fell on the tea towel hanging off the kitchen table.

Confirming her earlier suspicions about him, as Katie dived for the tea towel, he squeezed the bottles. She knew it was a long shot that she'd get there in time, but Katie didn't even get close.

Her shirt, her dark hair, and her face were sprayed with thick yellow and red sauce, and even when she succeeded in snatching up her poor excuse for a shield, her appearance was ruined.

The onslaught only lasted a few seconds, before Victor ran from the room, laughing.

Katie dropped the tea towel and brushed back her sticky hair, spitting out condiments.

Fuming at her step-brother, Katie headed towards the laundry room and scooped up and clean outfit. Surely Gail would understand if she took a quick shower to clean up?

Katie locked herself in the downstairs bathroom and laid her carefully folded change of clothes next to the sink. After double-checking the lock, Katie started up the shower and began to strip...