FELIX

Few years ago after papa died in a car accident, mom sold our house to a buyer who was gentle enough to let me keep the garage – a very long sad story.

Well, the money was meant to take care of my needs, but I was a minor... eh, I still am, not the point. Anyway, my mom who already divorced from papa took me into my stepfather's house and had me trapped with him for the rest of my teenage years.

Why the garage? I just wouldn't let go of all the fond memories me and my papa shared there. I do remember vividly how we used to wash his blue 1979 Austin Morris Mini car, then he'd pat me on the back to say, 'you'll make a good man one day'. I will forever cherish those moments.

However, it does bother me this much that the same garage I feel so overprotective of is what I want to give to Agnes as a present. And what's even scarier is that I don't regret it.

Some revenge plan this is.

Whatever must've crossed my mind to put this idea was sent from the abyss of stupidity.

As for the garage, it's a structure separate from the main house. Inside is a big open space with four windows, two on each sides, a roll up door in front, and a tiny room behind where a chunk of the trash are. The walls are erected with red bricks, so washing off the stain on it will take us hours of cleaning. The flooring is concrete, but I intend to fix vinyl sheet floorings for reason of use, which again cannot be done in a few days.

If I should be perfectly frank, we can't finish the renovation by ourselves before Christmas. The others believe it's a good idea, with the fun and all, but I know the energy and time it demands, especially without Agnes getting suspicious.

Howbeit, I'm still willing to try just to join in the fun of working together with my friends, even though I'm pretty sure I won't love wasting my effort.

#Day 1

We scrub the walls, free the ceiling of cobwebs and move rubbles of wood shavings along with other unnecessary materials out to be trashed.

"Finally! The garage seems presentable now," I tell the boys after the day's work.

"And ready for design," Ronald adds.

"Speaking of, which colour do you recommend we paint the walls?"

"I'm thinking something artsy to depict the arty theme," Xian proposes.

"Certainly, we can't do all that ourselves. None of us standing here are artists."

"That's true."

Xian and Ronald stare vacuously at each other. I hope they see my point now. It's the best way I can encourage them to think this twice before it's too late.

"But we can try something, right, Felix?"

Nope. They definitely didn't. "Yeah, of course." I'd like to see what they come up with though. I pray it's worth all this trouble.

#Day 2

We find materials and tools to fix anything that is broken; Ronald, Xian and I work on that while Yvonne and Tessa buy paint cans, brushes and rollers.

"We're not even halfway through with repairs. Do you guys think we can still finish this before Christmas?" I ask the boys.

Xian and Ronald work efficiently, fixing the bad wires and outlets. It baffles me how handy Xian is with electric stuff, and I've known him since when... forever? Shame on me, I know.

"You know, Felix, instead of raising doubts and slowing down our work, why don't you help us with drinks? For those who are actually helping out," Xian claps back.

"Jeez! Sorry, Xian, don't bite me. I'm just giving my honest opinion."

"Which wasn't needed. You say this is your gift to Agnes, yet, you are the least resolute person here."

"In that case, it is not late to go with plan B, I'm just saying. Whatever aunty Cherry has done to keep Agnes engaged, I'm sure it won't last long because she's already suspicious right from the very first night when she didn't see any of us all through the day, again, just saying."

Xian ignores me and resumes what he's doing.

Here is not the right time and place to deal with our differences and I have already prepared for Plan B in the event that this plan doesn't work. But for as long as we can keep it a secret, that's fine by me.

*

After working many hours, I make up my mind to call my contact to finalize everything. I don't care if anyone accuses me of going behind their backs but I won't jeopardize this surprise in the name of having fun with friends. I step out and walk a distance to put a call through.

As I return to the garage, I'd expect to see more work going. Instead, stepping inside, I overhear voices playing off against each other.

"It's Yvonne's fault! She left the bucket of paint on the floor!" Tessa yells. I snoop unnoticed to listen to their argument.

"It serves you right! You splashed paint on me, remember?" Yvonne yells back.

"I did what! You're the one who asked for it!"

"I did not!"

"You did, too!"

Now, it's official. I'm going with Plan B. There's no way we will make progress in the next three days if we work like this, and I guess I've heard enough.

While Tessa and Yvonne quarrel over who is at fault or not, I wait patiently for the professional interior designers to arrive. Minutes after, four men show up all dressed in their uniforms.

"We should call Felix. These girls aren't helping us one bit," Ronald suggests as I walk inside the garage with the adults.

"I'm with you on that," Xian seconds. "Oh! He's here."

I turn towards the girls. Even when they refuse to talk, they still give themselves snooty looks. "I made the right decision, alright," I whisper to Ronald and Xian. "These guys are professional interior designers. They will finish up the rest."

"Or rather, start over again. I'm sure those girls messed up that room. Can you imagine Yvonne using pink to paint the walls?" Ronald asks.

"And what's wrong with that?" I cock my head. "Shouldn't pink be her favourite colour?"

"Her favourite colour is green. Same as yours," Xian confirms.

I wrinkle my forehead. All of a sudden, a feeling out of the blue, a feeling I cannot describe grips me. That is not fate telling me we are somehow connected to each other, right? Ordinarily, I'm not the superstitious type so it shouldn't mean anything to me. "That doesn't imply anything," I clarify.

"I... never said it did."

"Enough of that," Ronald cuts in. "This is a good decision. That way, Agnes won't suspect we're trying to hide something. I, myself doubted the possibility of this plan in the first place."

"Yeah, whatever," Xian comments dryly. "Well, we won't have to keep Agnes in the kitchen for a long time. I'm sure she's dying of boredom as we speak."

"They will start immediately, just as soon as we get those girls out of here." I signal the workers to go ahead.

"By the way, how were you able to hire them?" Ronald asks me.

"Um... my band mates have a few connections. Bryan's dad owns the company so I just pulled some strings, no big deal."

Xian rolls his eyes coldly and walks out on us to help speak to the girls first. This thing going on between us, it's starting to get annoying.

"You guys okay?" Of course Ronald would have already noticed his behaviour.

"Yes, we are."

"Your mouth says yes, but your eyes are telling me something different."

"Don't bother about it. We're fine." I leave him to join Xian.

AGNES

"Goodness! I'm dying of boredom!" I grunt.

"We need to bake more cookies," aunty Cherry says persistently.

"Can we do this some other time? Please aunt, I need to find Yvonne and Tessa."

"They're at home, I'm sure."

"I'm feeling sleepy," I fake a yawn. Honestly, I'd do anything, cook up any story, just so I can get out of this kitchen.

"Don't you want to learn how to bake cookies? After all that bragging in front of Felix."

"Painting is so much easier. Perhaps one day I'll learn it, when I'm old and toothless." I walk out of the kitchen, not worried whether she would pull me back. Right now, what I have to learn is the reason why my friends are acting so shadily these days.

Unexpectedly, Yvonne and Tessa barge in with temperamental faces. This feud between them is very obvious even the blind can see it.

"What's with the mood?" I ask them.

"Ask her," Yvonne and Tessa echo at once with fingers pointing at each other.

I raise an eyebrow. "Strange seeing the both of you not talking to each other. I will ask no more questions then."

A striking scent hits my senses, something that I can't ignore even if I tried to. I sniff in severally to get more of what I perceive and the scent of acrylic paint is the only odour that comes to my mind.

"Did you bathe yourselves with paint?"

"Huh!" Yvonne reacts in shock.

"Yeah... we were at Xian's place," Tessa replies. "Trying to paint the treehouse in his garden."

I was right after all. They're keeping something from me. Do they think I'm that foolish enough to actually believe such a ridiculous lie?

"Does he even own a treehouse in his garden?" I hear Yvonne ask Tessa with a low voice.

"Does he have a garden?" She whispers back.

They giggle with each other.

"I think he does," Yvonne whispers again.

"We're such terrible liars."

"I know, right?" I cut into their secret chat. "At least you've made up. So, do you want catering lessons?"

"Definitely not!" Tessa says and faces Yvonne. "Do you?"

"Not in my wildest dreams. I'd rather eat them when they are baked," Yvonne answers.

We laugh. It doesn't feel nice to see my friends fighting. Even so, they really can't stay angry at each other no matter how serious their fight is.

Aunty Cherry comes out of the kitchen to meet us. "Since you don't want to learn, no cupcakes nor cookies for you girls. Have fun."

As soon as she goes back to the kitchen, I giggle in secret. Yvonne and Tessa glance hysterically at me but their faces light up immediately I fish out a leather bag with three cookies I hid.

"Huh!" Yvonne almost shouts.

I put a finger across my lips. "Let's go outside."

Later, we escape to share the cookies outdoor. I begin to wonder what this mysterious activity is that makes it seem like I'm purposely kept in the dark.

"So how was catering lessons?" Tessa asks.

"Boring! Don't you ever leave me to my aunt to teach me catering again!" I warn them strictly.

"Don't worry, we won't."

* # * #

If this was a movie adaptation, what should be the most suitable soundtrack?