Petty Rage by Thandiwe Mpofu

Chapter 22

NOAH

Past

ME:It’s 3 a.m.

Kim Possible:Aren’t you in New York?

ME:I’m here.

Kim Possible:Where?

ME:Outside your fucking house.

Kim Possible:Noah…

ME:If you want me to go then fucking say that. If you want to see me like I need to see you, then fucking come out.

Kim Possible:Where are we going?

ME:Does it fucking matter?

Kim Possible:Give me a minute.

Present

After hours of trying to figure out what’s going on with the letters the boys and I all received while at the Brook House with George and Emmett while King supervised via video call like the crap royal he is, I stagger back home tired and exhausted.

I can’t get over that shitty note and the picture that turned my stomach. What the fuck does it even mean?

Why send it to all of us?

Why include the girls—including Kim’s little sisters? And then that cryptic shit:

“One by one, I’m coming for you

Give Daddy Monty what he wants on the day;

or it’ll be the death of three, or all, on you.”

There were six in the picture, who are the three? Is it three Blue Boys? Is that it?

Fuck!

Exhausted, I make my way to my room only to come to a fucking halt when I remember the lack of furniture on my side of the house.

“Fucking Kim Possible.”

I clutch the neck of the bottle I’m holding with a tight grip as I make my way to the guest wing—as if we ever have guests in this damn mansion.

The last time this mansion was alive with credible activity was probably during my mother’s birthday—ten years ago. She had all the elites, all the movie stars, the entertainers and everyone that adored her, come out to celebrate her.

I loved it, and Craig was all into it! He was alive that night, living his best fucking life.

I chug the rest of the bourbon, not noticing the burn anymore.

I try opening the bedrooms but they’re fucking locked. What the hell?

I make my way down the long halls, looking for an open door. I have no fucking time right now to go hunting for the master keys in the security room. That shit will just have to wait.

I’m about to quit and go sleep in the fully furnished pool house or better yet, at either one of the other fucking mansions.

Emmett’s mansion is empty so that would definitely do, and well, King’s mansion might be empty—just stuff since Denise decided to go to the South of France to ‘find herself’.

Then the door at the end of the hall opens easily.

“Fucking finally.”

Almost falling over in exhaustion, I strip out of all my clothes—I sleep better in the nude—turn down the covers, then get in.

At first, it starts out as little twitches, then I start feeling like someone is pinching me all over my body—then the pain intensifies.

My eyes fly open in the dark when I feel the pain… on my fucking dick.

“What the fuck?” I shout, jumping out of bed like my ass is on fire. Reaching for the light switch, I look down at myself only to see fucking FIRE ANTS crawling up and down my body, biting or stinging or whatever the fuck they do.

The ants are all over me, the fucking bed and now on the carpeted floor.

Suddenly, it all makes sense! The locked doors, my furniture all gone… she planned this so well, directing me here where these ants are… fucking going at it on my dick!

“KIMBERLY!”

* * *

“Whoa!! Come and see this room!”

My eyes fly open when I hear the shrill scream that sounds weirdly childish and too high pitched to belong to a random girl I might’ve fucked or not. Last night’s a bit hazy to me.

The fuck?

I glance at the wall opposite my bed where the fucking giant clockface King and Baby Blue sent me hangs. Apparently, I’m always late to everything.

06:47 a.m.

“Lolo, they have a fountain in the house!” a girl screams excitedly.

Lolo? Who the hell is Lolo?

I try to recall what happened last night. How fucking shitfaced did I get? Did I bring a bunch of random people back here?

“Not just a fountain, Casey, they have golden statues in the house and huge paintings of horses!”

“Oh my God! I wish we had a pony!”

“A pony? Where would we keep a pony, Casey? Be sensible.”

“I know, but did you see the big back yard they have? They could have a thingy where horses sleep right here.”

“You mean a stable.”

“What?”

“Horses sleep in a stable.”

“I know that. I’m just playing with you! Look at this!”

Just then, I hear a loud crash that makes me jump out of bed.

“Casey!”

“Oops! Kimmy is going to kill us!”

“Us? Casey, you’re the one who had to touch this when we were told not to lay a finger on anything.”

“Maybe we can sweep all this under that table. No one will ever find out,” the tiny voice whispers worriedly.

“How does that work, Casey?” Lolo asks. “Can you see how clean this place is? They clean the place every day, I’m sure.”

“Then they can clean this up when they come, please, Lolo.”

“I doubt anyone heard us. This place is huge!”

What in God’s name is going on out there?

The voices sound freaking close, like close as in they’re probably in my wing.

I grab a random shirt and a pair of basketball shorts then make my way out of the freaking guest room I was forced to sleep in since my wing still has NO FUCKING FURNITURE!

It’s been a fucking week since Kimberly let loose ants in my bed and my stuff still hasn’t been returned.

Fucking Kimberly.

I haven’t retaliated yet for the ants—though that’s coming—I was too busy trying to figure out this fucking threat… and trying to figure out what happened to Craig. And now there are random voices waking me up this early in the damn morning?

I’m already feeling pissed and ready to curse the fuck out of these intruders only to come to a halt when I almost crash into… two little girls.

“What the fuck?”

“Uh language, mister!” The older one says sassily, her hair long and wavy held together by blue and black barrette thingies. Judging by the sound of her voice, she must be Lolo and the younger one is Casey, but I play stupid.

“Who are you?” I demand, looking down at them.

“We are…” the younger one starts but the older one stops her.

“Uh, remember, we’re not supposed to tell strangers our names,” Lolo whispers, looking at her younger sister with wide eyes. “We don’t know this man.”

Casey’s eyes widen and she backs away a bit. When I see the slight fear in her eyes, I take a step back, an instinct to protect washing over me as her huge doe eyes stare at me with wary. It’s a look that shouldn’t be in such young eyes.

“Hey, I live here,” I say, waving my hand. “Who are you two?”

“Oh?” Casey says, looking up at me. “He says he lives here, Lolo.”

“I know, I heard him,” Lolo whispers.

“Then you talk to him, Lolo, because it’s right on the tip of my tongue to tell him my name.”

“Casey, you know you shouldn’t tell anyone your—”

“My name, I know! But look at him, he just woke up and I doubt he even knows he’s wearing his silly shirt inside out.”

I glance down at my shirt and sure enough, the damn thing is inside out.

“Maybe he’s you know…” Lolo makes a circle at her temple, looking at me.

“You know, you really have to learn to hold it in.”

“I know, I know.”

Then they turn their gazes on me. For some fucking strange reason, they both look so familiar, like I should fucking know them or something but it’s escaping my brain.

“What are you doing here exactly?”

“We are—”

“We can’t tell him that either.” The older one says, cutting her…sister? off.

“Okay, this is ridiculous! I don’t have any qualms of getting you two removed from my house,” I say dramatically placing my hands at my hips.

“This is your house?” the younger one demands, a skeptical look on her face. “But you just said you live here.”

“I both own and live in the house.”

“How is that possible when you look like a homeless mess?”

“Look like…” That’s when I catch my reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall.

What in the…

Frowning, I quickly walk over to the nearest mirror in the hallway and true to form, I look like a fucking mess!

My hair is mussed, covered in banana peels but more than that, my hair is NEON GREEN!

How the hell did this happen? What the hell happened to me last night?

Knowing I have an audience, I look away from the appalling jerk in the mirror and attempt to play it off as best as I can, while my mind races with questions I don’t have answers to.

“I was dying my hair and eating this banana at the same time. I guess I fell asleep.”

“Really?” they both say at the same time looking skeptical.

“Yes.”

“Really?” they repeat.

“Yes, well, I don’t usually look like this.”

Casey and Lolo glance at each wordlessly, then, “Hmm, okay, if that’s what you tell yourself to feel better, we accept.”

Suddenly, it all clicks. The sass, the way they look at me, the way those little noses scrunch up with displeasure…

“You two are Kimberly’s little sisters, aren’t you?” I question, turning around to really look at them.

“Uh, can we answer that now, Lolo?” the younger one literally jumps up and down, excited to answer. “I mean, he might be a mess but he kinda knows Kimmy.”

“How do you know our sister?” The older one demands.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell them that I know their big sister from screwing her on the backseat of her car, then again as she rode me reverse cowgirl in my car as she used me like her fucking toy until she came, and also their sister can ride me like a pro and that she’s also a liar, but I smile and hold my tongue.

“I…”

“Wait, he looks like Aunt Chrissy.”

“Aunt Chrissy?” I almost choke.

“Yeah, Kimmy’s new pretty amazing boss,” Casey says gleefully.

“Pretty amazing huh?” I ask, eyes wide.

“Yes! We to school every single day in her limo that she said we were welcome to use any time.”

“She’s the best,” Lolo says quietly.

“Yeah! Everyone’s always looking at us at school!”

“Are you her spoiled, entitled son?” Lolo asks, looking serious. Uh, middle child.

“Spoiled and entitled? Did your sister tell you that about me?”

“No, it was Auntie Raea,” Casey announces, wrinkling her face in a frown.

“Astraea said that about me?” I can’t fucking believe this! My one best friend selling me out like this and now these little kids know?

“He has a screechy voice, like a mouse,” Casey whispers to her sister.

Kids can freaking humble you but I’m pretty sure these two want to wound my manly ego.

“I think it’s because he just woke up, Casey, or maybe that’s just how he talks.”

“Hmmm, it’s unbecoming.”

Unbecoming?Who talks like that?

“Why would Astraea tell you that about me?” I ask, feeling affronted.

“I’m not really sure. Kim was venting about something to her and Auntie Ivy, and then we heard that about you,” Lolo says. “And so far, I’m not really impressed by the introduction I got of you.”

I blink like a cartoon character form the sixties, not knowing what to say.

I wasn’t expecting this kind of assault on my person this early in the morning from two little girls in their uniforms and hair in girly pigtails and ponytails.

“Anyway, we should go back before we get in trouble,” Lolo says, grabbing her sister’s hand.

“I can’t imagine why,” I mumble, staring pointedly at the broken vase behind Casey.

“Let’s go, Casey. We don’t want to be late and keep Mr. Houghton waiting.”

“Why is that?” I ask, confused as to how they know my mother’s driver.

“If you must know everything, Mr. Houghton takes us to school,” Lolo says, still looking at me with a skeptical eye.

I can’t help but smile at her caution. I like her.

“Then why are you here right now?”

“Because Kimmy lost the keys to the car Auntie Chrissy gave her, so Mr. Houghton came to pick us up early because Kimmy said she couldn’t be late.”

That sly girl.

Over the past week I’ve seen how hard Kim Possible has been working. I mean, she’s totally out of her depth with everything she was tasked to do and I’m confident she’ll screw something up soon. On that, I have no doubt. So not only will I win the bet with my mother, but I’ll win against her as well.

But I can’t get over the fact that my mother is having her driver take Kim’s sisters to school now. Seriously, what the fuck is going on in the universe? How deep are Kim’s fangs in my mother? But then again, Christina Montreal is the type to give a damn about stray cats, stray dogs and apparently, sad, pathetic, stray liars.

When I look down at them, they have their arms interlocked, and it seems like the younger one is leaning on her older sister, just slightly.

Somehow, seeing how close they are and the way they have each other’s backs fucks me up just a tiny bit. I used to have a sibling that had my back but in the end, I don’t think I had his. And I still haven’t read that damn letter.

Kim Possible’s little sisters are sassy and outspoken like she is, and I have to admit, they have to be the cutest little humans I’ve ever seen…with Kim’s face, both of them.

But there are noticeable differences between them.

I know Kim is the only one who inherited those grey, sad eyes from her shitty mother, but that sharpness and all-knowing affect they have, that is all Kim Possible and no one else, not even their crap mother.

I wonder what happened to Luci, but I know better than to ask Kim directly. There’s only so much she can take, even though she’ll say otherwise.

Besides, beyond the facial features, the younger sister looks a bit frail, tired, underweight and maybe even sickly.

Why is that?

“Well, are both of you going to your new school?” I ask, wanting to know more about them for some unknown reason that should’ve made me pause, but instead, I charge in.

They nod, still studying me.

“Do you like your new school?”

“I love it!” Casey says enthusiastically, a big smile on her face. Now, she’s the main character in her story. “It’s so much better than my old school and I love that we get to do fancy stuff we never had the bills…”

“Budget,” her older sister corrects quietly, looking down at her shoes.

“Yes, the budget for.”

Ah, so this is how it is?

The younger is more outspoken than her older sister? But they love each other fiercely.

“And you, Lolo?”

The little girl looks up at me, and my heart almost stops.

“You don’t like your new school?” I can’t help but drop down to one knee as I look at her.

“I mean, it’s all right,” she mumbles.

“Come on, Lolo, you haven’t talked about your new classes at all. Even Kim has noticed,” Casey says, clutching her sister’s hand.

“Kim noticed?” Lolo whispers worriedly.

“She notices everything,” Casey says as if it’s obvious. “You were happy that first week but you’re now quiet.”

“Is something wrong at school, Lolo?” I ask, as a strange surge of protectiveness rushes through me like ice cold water. My hair might be neon green, and I look a mess but I know a sad kid when I see one. It fucks me up.

“No, no,” Lolo says, shaking her head but still staring at her shoes and socks. “It’s going to be fine.”

Going to be fine, huh?

I nod silently, not wanting to spook her.

“It’s just a new school and I’m new, yes that’s it. Everything is new and big.”

“You know what, how about I tell—”

“Laura! Casey! Where are you?”

And just like I’ve always imagined her protecting her sisters, Kim Possible blazes down the hallway, her face pinched with anxiety that’s a tad bit too much for little girls that are just curiously wondering around in a mansion.

But then it clicks for me.

Kim’s fear… is losing her sisters.

“There you are!” she says breathlessly. “I thought I told you two rascals to sit tight and wait.”

“Ah so Lolo is short for Laura?” I raise an eyebrow. Laura’s face goes red with a serious blush! “I like it.”

It’s then that Kim notices me standing there. Her guard quickly slips on perfectly over her features.

She straightens her shoulders, putting on her battle armor, ready to rip my throat out if I make a wrong move against her sisters.

But she doesn’t need it this morning. I just met her weaknesses. The very ones she never wanted me to see, and I think things have happened in the lives of these three sisters that have caused them to be guarded at all times.

“Noah,” Kim greets, watching me warily. I don’t like that look in her eyes. My Kim is fucking fierce not wary, but I get it, these girls are her family.

“Kim Possible, good morning.”

“Kim Possible?” Casey asks with a frown. “Like the cartoon?”

“Exactly like the cartoon, Casey,” I say with a wink. “Doesn’t she remind you of her?”

They both look up at their sister and all I see is reverence, love, and joy as they look at Kim. It takes my fucking breath away.

“Do you have a nickname too?” Lolo asks, looking up at me. I catch Kim watching me, so I whisper.

“It’s a secret.”

“Oh really?” Casey excitedly. “Can you tell us? I promise we won’t tell anyone.”

“Uh, girls, let’s leave Noah alone. It’s time to go.”

I shoot Kim my best charming smile.

I see what you’re trying to do, Butterfly. Game on.

“Actually, I want to tell you but not in front of anyone else.” I force myself to look sad and regretful. “Especially not in front of your sister. She doesn’t know how to keep secrets.”

Both girls gasp, looking offended on my behalf. “Kimmy, you can’t keep a secret?” Casey demands, still leaning against her sister.

“Yeah, that’s not cool!” Lolo echoes. “Shame on you.”

I want to burst out laughing so bad I have to bite my inner cheek just to stop myself.

I can feel Kim’s hard glare on me, but I do my best to ignore her.

“You know what? I can tell you the secret,” I whisper conspiratorially. “We just need to get rid of her.”

“I got it!” Casey whispers back, then she turns to face Kim. “Kimmy, I think I left my medicine at home.”

“What?” Kim asks, looking alarmed. “But I’m sure I…”

“She’d feel better if you’d check in our bags. We left them downstairs in that big room you said was too fancy for no reason at all,” Lolo says while simultaneously snitching on Kim’s commentary of my house.

My brows shoot up, looking at her. It’s then that I spot the green splotches on her fingers.

Freaking green spots!

The same green that’s in my hair.

What the fuck?

“I said the room was too big,” Kim says with a fake smile. “But are you sure your meds are…”

“Kimmy, please go check. We’ll be right down and we won’t get lost because Green head lives here.”

Green head? Ouch.

Should I tell them it’s their sister who did this to me.

“Okay well, I want you both downstairs in three minutes and on your way to school in five.”

And with that, Kim gives me a withering look, but then she looks up at my hair and smirks! She fucking smirks.

“Also, Mr. Montreal, don’t forget you have a meeting in the city today at eight.”

Then she turns on her heel and leaves. I watch as she struts away, her hips swaying from left to right seductively because she knows she just screwed over my day. I totally forgot I had a fucking meeting today and now I have to go with green fucking hair.

“Okay, coast is clear! What’s this secret nickname?” Casey demands.

“I’ll tell you if you tell me two things first,” I say, looking straight at Lolo. She nods, her gaze unwavering at me. “First, what’s going on at school, Lolo?”

She looks away again, starting to fidget.

“Is someone else giving you a hard time?”

She grows still and BINGO!

When I glance at Casey, she gives me a big nod, her eyes wide as if begging for help. Well, say less.

“Okay, second question, why do you take medication, Casey?”

“Oh! We don’t really know what’s wrong with me. I feel a lot of pain sometimes and it breaks Kim’s heart.”

Oh God.

Something in my fucking chest just breaks, but I can’t help the onslaught of anger that drenches down and settles over my head. Why can’t the fucking doctors tell what the issue is? Is this why Kim wants this job so bad?

“Well, whatever it is, you’re going to be just fine because you are strong,” I say seriously, wanting to fold both girls in my arms and hug them close. I swear just one accidental meet and they have me wrapped around their tiny fingers.

“I am?” Casey whispers.

“Yes!” I say seriously. “And you know why? Because my secret is… I grant wishes.”

“Wow,” they both gasp. “Like a fairy?”

“Maybe,” I say with a shrug, feeling damn proud of myself.

“That’s so interesting,” Lolo says, not believing me at all. “Tell me, do you believe in psychiatry intervention?”

“Whoa, how old are you?”

“I’m ten.”

“How do you know all of this?”

“She reads. A LOT!” Casey says, looking at her sister with pride.

Well then.

“Girls who read are pretty incredible.”

“Kimmy says the same thing!”

And because I’m a nosey piece of shit, I ask about her. “Does your big sister read books a lot as well?”

“Every single night she’s always reading,” Casey says dramatically. These girls are something special.

“Yes, especially now that she has time to actually read and relax,” Lolo says.

Hmm, so Kim Possible is a bookworm. I can actually see that. Her curled up on a comfortable chair, wearing nothing but my shirt and some fuzzy socks on with her crazy colored her in a messy bun while she drinks her favorite red wine with a book on her lap.

Fuck! Don’t get hard in front of kids, asshole!

“So do you still want to know my nickname? Only a few people know it,” I whisper.

“Please tell us!” Lolo whispers back. “We’re good at keeping secrets.”

I didn’t doubt that, thought I bet the secrets they keep are more innocent than their older sister-guardian keeps. A little less scandalous and not at all deadly.

Good. They should keep that innocence.

“See, if you want me to tell you…” I trail off dramatically.

“Yes?” they both say in perfect unison.

“Then we all have to become real, true, best friends.”

Casey and Laura look at each other, as if a silent agreement is forming between the two, then they both look at me and nod enthusiastically.

“No, you have to verbally swear to be my friends.”

“How do we do that?” Casey asks.

As serious as ever like our lives depend on this very moment, I promptly stand up, walk over to the armoire in the hallway and grab the wooden ruler I left there some weeks back.

“Repeat after me ladies,” I say seriously and they nod, looking just as serious. “I, Noah Ethan James Montreal… say your names.”

“I, Casey Maya Allory.”

“I, Laura Natasha Allory.”

“Do solemnly swear on this day to be a true friend.” They repeat. “Who’s always honest, always there in times of trouble and to cause mischief.” They giggle but repeat after me anyway. “And to always stay committed to the mission of friendship which is to have all the fun in the world and everything in between to the very best of my ability and naughtiness, from this very second to forever.”

They repeat every word, huge smiles on their faces.

“I now pronounce us best friends!” I announce, feeling so damn light in a way I haven’t in a very long time. The last time I felt like this, I was with Kimberly. Fuck.

“Wait! We have to promise!”

“We just made a vow, though, Casey,” Lolo says softly to her sister.

“I know but still, come back down here, Noah.”

Stunned by the power these little girls wield so effortlessly, I sink to the floor until I’m eye level with them.

“Pinky promise?” I ask.

“Yes!”

It feels like I am surrendering more than my fucking pinky fingers to them. It’s like I am giving them my heart… and I don’t mind.

“There, pinky promise all done! Are you good with that, Casey?”

“Yes!” she squeals.

I have no idea how what happens next happens or when they decide to move in unison but suddenly, they launch into my arms, knocking me down to the floor on my back.

“We’re now best friends!” I hear them squeal in delight.

“Oh, and by the way, you need to go brush your teeth,” Lolo whispers nervously.

I can’t help the boisterous laugh that bursts out of me. Fucking Allory girls.