Tools and essays

All the family members except Watson congregated in their respective rooms. It was unusual for everyone to spend time together unless dad was home. They all just seemed to do their own thing and were quite happy about it. Watson was in the garage prowling for the tools he would need for tomorrow to fix Rina’s apartment. He had made a rough list, but she wasn’t very specific about exactly what was wrong. Maybe he should text her to confirm.

[hey Rina! Sorry if its late, I know you’re probably busy with something. Im just busy going through my garage for stuff to bring to your house tomorrow. Could you tell me exactly whats wrong so I can bring the right stuff, thatd be super helpful!]

[hi Watson, you’re right I’m still doing homework. Let me just send you some pictures of the house that might be better. Hold on]

He receives pictures of a leaking faucet, a few outlets without covers and exposed wire, some holes that need to be filled with dry wall concrete, and a fridge filter that needs to be changed? She can definitely do most of these, maybe her mind is so overwhelmed with school.

[Thank you! Those should be a problem, I think I have everything I need]

[thank you so much again Watson. I really don’t know how to thank you. I don’t know how my parents would feel about a strange American boy alone with me in my apartment fixing it]

[they wouldn’t be okay with it?]

[I don’t know. They want me to focused on school, I think any mention of a boy to them would seem like a distraction even if its just a friend fixing a hole in the wall]

[wow they sound really strict]

[yes they can be, but they are also giving me a lot of freedom being here by myself, so that comes with some strings attached.]

[do they control what you can spend money on as well?]

[yes that too, just food and essentials. That’s part of the problem with this camping trip, I don’t think they would allow me to buy the things I need to go. I don’t have any camping equipment.]

[ohhhh that makes sense. Well im sure we can figure something out! Because you’re going! Worse comes to worse you can stay in mine lol]

[I think that would be inappropriate Watson]

[oh sorry, that was a joke. Humor doesn’t really translate over text]

[oohh haha] [that would be very kind of you, ive never shared a room with a boy before. My parents would never allow it]

[well it seems like youre going to be doing a lot of things this week your parents wouldn’t allow]

[yes it seems so. Watson I have to get back to some school work, goodnight. Thank you again.]

[no problem Rina! Goodnight]

Should be an interesting day tomorrow at Rina’s apartment. He wandered back upstairs and finished off some homework that he hadn’t finished. He remembered Taylor saying something about not doing her homework until he had finished his, maybe he should text her. Why let Cary’s good wingman-ing go to waste.

[hows that homework coming huh]

[ah perfect, just who I was waiting for. I’ll take essay questions 1-15 plz]

[that’s all of them]

[cant fool you]

[she’ll also know one of us copied the other]

[ill change a few words here and there nothing to worry about]

[ugh fine, but youre taking the fall if something happens]

[woah are you serious]

[youre not?]

[I mean I definitely haven’t started the hw yet]

[ive only done the first 7, ill send you those if you send me 8-15]

[ill take plagiarizing for 400!]

[big jeopardy fan are we]

[never actually seen it! Just v excited to only have to do half this hw. Thanks Watson :)]

After about 30 minutes Watson’s finished with his portion of this exchange.

[plagiarism.docx]

[moreplagiarism.docx] [thank you thank you, seriously English is the worst]

[yeah? I don’t mind it too much]

[anything artsy is up my alley]

[yeah I can see that!]

[oh you can?]

[yeah you seem pretty eclectic, just by the way you dress and the tatoos and stuff. Def gives off an artsy>English vibe]

[again, nothing fools you]

[hey these essays are pretty good though!]

[really?]

[no theyre bad, stick to art]

[okay I deserved that] [seriously though thank you]

[yeah for sure :)]

[also thanks for ya know talking to me or whatever] [carys really the only person who will talk to me cause we look the same]

[you’re really cool taylor, people are judgmental assholes]

[wow youre essays are good] [I suck at writing]

[it just takes practice!]

[would love some help]

[lol you want some help with English homework?]

[omg really?? Thatd be great thanks for offering]

[haha we can find sometime this week to get together after school or something and do it. Or you could even come over and we can work on it]

[oh yeah, ive never been to cary’s house. Two birds]

[cool] [I should be getting to bed though]

[yeah okay, me too] [actually that’s a lie im gonna be up for hours but goodnight!]

There seems to be a great rapport between the two of them already. That one small act of saying hello seems to have built a lot of trust. Being siblings with Cary as well probably helps. Watson plugged in his phone and headed to bed.

Some time later his full bladder woke him up with a fury. He stumbled blindly out of his room to the bathroom that all siblings shared. The light is on, someone’s inside.