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Michael taps his foot, idly looking around once the world comes to a halt.
What can I do, what can I use... I’ve tried the sprinklers. They won’t move from conversation. No way in hell am I asking Christine to talk to them or something... Maybe the jocks?
He looks over at them, then shakes his head.
Nope. They probably wouldn’t help anyway, I think they’re Vortex Club.
He scans the building left to right and top to bottom, taking in every detail. All the noise fades to the background as he zeros in on the janitor, who’s hooking his paint bucket on the scaffolding. His eyes flick between the bucket and Chloe, and then Michael grins. Bingo.
He takes a step forward, then rewinds (far back enough that nobody should be paying attention). He looks around one last time, then tampers with the handle of the bucket. He steps back before the maintenance man can walk over, and Michael passes him as he heads towards the sprinkler controls.
Michael turns them on and quickly backs of the room. He’s just in time to hear Chloe screech.
“No way. No fucking way! This is cashmere !” She starts freaking it. “What the fuck!!”
Stephanie and Katrina immediately hover around her, unsure what to do but fussing nevertheless. Steph begins to reach out, but thinks better of it last minute.
“Chill, Chloe. It's just water—”
Chloe smacks her hand away. “Did you fucking hear me? Do you know how much this outfit cost?”
Steph bites her lip, and Kat stays silent. Chloe scoffs at them.
“That’s right, I didn’t think so.”
“You look... great?” Kat tries. Her pathetic attempt at an olive branch falls flat as Chloe ignores the both of them. She’s wet, irritated, and she really doesn’t need this right now.
“I can't even chill on the steps... ugh.”
Just as her satellites are about to go inside for towels, the paint bucket unhooks and falls, splashing fresh paint all over Chloe’s water-stained cashmere— and the rest of her. She screams again as the can hits the ground, face contorted into the funniest expression Michael's seen all day. He almost wants to laugh. I shouldn’t, but...
“
Are you kidding me?!
”
The janitor starts down his ladder as Chloe begins freaking out even more. Katrina tries reaching out this time, with about as much success as Stephanie had.
“Oh my god, are you okay?” she asks. There’s a bit of paint on her, but not nearly as much as what was on Chloe. Her outfit was ruined . The janitor reaches the ground and tries to apologise. As if it’s his fault, Michael thinks.
Chloe doesn’t take any of it, however. She takes a quick step back from the maintenance man, venom in her words as she speaks.
"Get the hell away from me!” Paint drips off her as she moves, still wet. If the satellites wait any longer, she’ll dry like that.
"Chlo, hold on, I’ll– we'll get some towels..." Kat fusses. She grabs Steph’s arm and pulls her towards the dorm steps. “We'll be right back!”
When they don’t immediately go, Chloe hisses at them. “Well? Move your asses before I dry !”
The girls run inside, leaving Chloe alone. She sits back down in the middle of the steps, just barely out of the way of the sprinklers still going off. Michael stims in excitement, celebrating his near victory in his head. Hell yeah , that worked!
Confidence renewed, he makes his way to Chloe. She glares daggers at him once he gets within range, daring for him to speak. “...hey Chloe.”
There’s still venom in her tone as she cuts off whatever else he was going to say. “What do you want, Michael? Can’t you fucking tell I don’t want to be bothered.”
Michael rolls on his feet as he weighs his options quickly. To be or not to be... mean.
In his moment of silence, Chloe squints at him. “...don’t say a single word , Mell.”
That does it.
With a smirk, he reaches around to grab his camera from his backpack. “How about three— Hold that pose.”
The flash goes off with a click, and the camera takes a few seconds to print a photo. He plucks it out, fanning it a bit just as a stim. Chloe looks scandalized, and if looks could kill, Michael wouldn’t exist . He sets his bag down to put away his camera and the photo.
“And no filter needed before I post this beauty.” The smugness in his tone is almost palpable. “Now, move. I’ve had one fucked up day, and I’m going to my room.”
Chloe scowls at him. “You do that.” She scoots over, giving Michael enough room to pass.
“But don’t forget, Mell. I know where you live, and so does Rich.”
He purses his lips, choosing to try to ignore that statement as he makes his way to the door.
[ 🦋 This action will have consequences. ]
Maybe I... shouldn’t have done that? Could bite me in the ass later. He hesitates at yet another doorknob. Not to mention that picture she took of me ... That was unflattering at best .
Michael hears the girls approaching before he sees them, and screws his eyes shut. He groans, changing his decision. I don’t need Rich after me any more than he is already.
He rewinds, walking back down the steps to be in front of Chloe again. She looks up at him once time stops, venom in her tone as she speaks words he’s already heard. “What do you want, Michael? Can’t you fucking tell I don’t want to be bothered.”
Michael rolls on his feet. “...I’m sorry. That outfit was pretty nice.”
She’s silent, raising a brow at him as his words process. “It was great . Emphasis on was .” She sighs. “But there will be another.”
“Well,” he makes a small gesture towards her, “you always seem to know how to pick the right outfits.”
Her mouth twitches, and that’s something in Michael’s book. “I do have some talent. Mr. Jefferson told me—”
He cuts her off. “I’ve seen your pictures. You have a great eye, it’s like, Richard Avedon-esque.”
The tense air starts to lift as Chloe sits up straighter. She bites her lip, then speaks. “...he’s one of my heroes. Thanks, I guess.” Michael offers her a small half-smile that he’s not sure is acknowledged as she goes on.
“Anyway, I hope those sluts get me a towel before they hang a sign on me.”
Michael rubs with the cuff of his sleeve as he looks between Chloe and the door. She scoots over, but keeps him stationary as she starts to talk again.
“You probably deserve a better shot. Sorry about blocking your way... and the
“go fuck your selfie”
thing.”
He shrugs. “I mean. It was funny, I’ll give you that.”
Her lip twitches into an
actual
, tiny smile for a split second. Michael blinks, and it’s gone, back to a neutral, but tired, expression. Chloe pulls out her phone, probably to delete the post.
“It’s just one of those days, you know?”
Michael nods. “I know exactly what you mean. I’ll, uh, see you later. I guess.”
“Au revoir.”
Michael thinks briefly of Madeline as he makes his way back to the door.
Chloe played me for sure, but hey, I’ll always have the memory of playing her right back.
He opens the door and enters, passing Stephanie and Katrina as he goes. Now, I have to get to my room so I can grab Brooke’s flash. Maybe relax a little bit, too.