It was five days away from the opening of the Peace House and there was still an incredible amount of work to be done. Angela stopped dry walling for a moment, wiped her hands on her jeans, and sighed. She knew there was no way it would be completed without some help, and Kenneth had been promising outside help for two weeks now with nothing to show for it. It was hopeless. "This sucks," she mumbled to herself as she kicked the drywall tray in frustration.
"That's not a good sign from my hardest worker." Angela jumped, startled because she hadn't heard Kenneth walk into the room.
She gave him a dirty look. "You mean your ONLY worker. I thought you had something big planned. Something amazing." She enjoyed how he winced at the sarcasm in her words. "I'm tired and I NEED some help here! There's just no way," her voice drifted off and she shook her head. She knew if she said one more word she would cry and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction, prick!
Kenneth scratched his head and looked around the room. "You've done a great job. I know you think I don't notice how hard you work, but you're wrong. And I promise you, tomorrow you'll have some help."
Angela's mood perked up a little at the mention of help on its way. "So you got the students?" Kenneth could tell that's what she wanted to hear, so he paused to choose his words carefully. "I have five guys to help you out, starting tomorrow morning. They'll be here until Friday night. They're not the students, though."
Angela was suspicious. He was being very vague and that wasn't like him. He usually loved to give more detail than necessary just so he could listen to the sound of his own voice. "Five guys? That's GREAT, Kenneth, but do you really think that six of us can finish this? Look at this place! Take a good look!!"
As Kenneth's eyes wandered around the room, she continued. "It needs painted, but hey, before you can paint, you have to finish dry walling! The toilets are disgusting and the SHOWERS? I wouldn't give a dog a bath in them!" She rushed at him defiantly and gritted her teeth. "And I won't even tell you about how nasty that so-called 'refrigerator' someone donated is. You really want to put food in that?"
"Will you calm down and listen for a minute?" Kenneth's words were sharp and his eyes were squinted (as if he could intimidate her). "I've been working hard to ensure that the public knows this place is here, and I've gotten you your help." He glared at her as he added his final ultimatum. "Everything will be finished by Friday. No! As a matter of fact, I want it finished by Friday morning!"
Angela put her hand in his face. "Whatever". She knew it would push him over the edge, and it did.
Kenneth's face turned red and he started yelling. "LISTEN TO ME! I have worked my ASS off making these arrangements and I'm NOT going to have your lousy 'Poor Me' attitude ruin it! You are not the be-all and end-all of this project, Angela. There are other things to be considered, such as donations, public awareness...."
Intentionally cutting him off, she added "Toilets, bathtubs, refrigerators...."
She won. Kenneth was so mad he couldn't even keep his composure. "You know what?! You know WHAT?! You are so SELF-involved you make me sick! I thought you, of all people, would appreciate getting to spend time working with one of THE top recording acts out there today, but I guess nothing is good enough for you. NOTHING!"
Angela didn't want to ask, but the curiosity was there now, so she rolled her eyes to divert his attention from the fact that he'd interested her. "And who might THAT be? Prince? Madonna?" With added sarcasm, she added, "Britney Spears?"
"If you were listening, you would have realized that I said '5 guys'. You figure it out." Kenneth started to walk out of the room, but she chased after him.
"Wait a minute, Kenneth, you have to tell me who it is. I have to set up the work schedule for them. I don't care who they are, but I need some idea…." Angela hoped he would believe the line of crap about the work schedule, rather than the truth, that she really wanted to know.
Kenneth was satisfied with Angela's semi-humbleness, and he was smug that she couldn't stand not knowing enough to grovel a little. He looked her dead in the eyes and replied, "The Backstreet Boys."
Angela stood there for a minute, his words echoing through her mind. Backstreet Boys. No way. Like Kenneth had THAT kind of notoriety. And which ones were they? Damn! What song did they do?
"Angela?" Kenneth was smiling now. "Do you think you can handle working with them?"
She couldn't even figure out who they were, and she didn't like the fact that he thought she should be giddy like a teeny bopper over this, so she shrugged. "The question is, Kenneth, are they going to be able to handle working for me, don't you think?"
The smile and smugness disappeared from Kenneth's face and he walked out of the room. Mission accomplished. Got the info and still won the fight.
Angela looked around at the all the unfinished work and talked to the four walls. "This is fucking great. I ask for workers and he gives me the Backstreet Boys." She swiped her shoulder-length dark brown hair out of her face and laughed to herself, and started acting out how she thought Kenneth expected her to react. "Oh, my, GOD!" She squealed out in mock delight. "It's the BACKSTREET BOYS! Oh my GOD! Can I get their autographs?! Do I get to sleep with them, TOO?!" She clapped her hands, applauding in 'excitement'. “Oh, yay, I'm going to meet the Backstreet Boys!!! Goody!"
Kenneth tapped his foot on the floor behind her to let her know that he was back. "Are you finished?"
Angela could feel her face turning red as she tried to keep her cool, hoping to convince him that she had meant for him to see that. "Almost..."
"You don't even know who they are, do you?" It wasn't even a question, and he couldn't hide his obvious disappointment.
She felt a little bit bad about having been such a bitch to him. "Not really. I mean, I've heard of them, and I'm sure I'll recognize them when I see them, but you should know me better than that, Kenneth. I don't pay attention to that kind of crap. I'm 24 years old. Duh."
Kenneth sighed and looked away from her as he spoke. She really didn't care! "Well, they're very nice boys and I don't want you to give them a hard time. I'm hoping this will be what makes people aware that we need the community's help around here." He looked at her despondently. "I guess I thought you would be a little more excited."
Angela dug deep within herself and feigned excitement for his sake. It
wasn't
often he went out of his way to please her. " I AM excited," she said,
with a
counterfeit smile. "I'm just tired, that's all. In fact, I want to go
home
right now and call Sandra. She'll know who they are. She's into that
kind of
stuff."
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