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would be why I needed a summer job. Clothes may not define a person, but the right clothes certainly didn't hurt as evidenced by the success of my pink bikini. Now that I was finally sixteen, I could earn money for the things I wanted.

Chapter 4
     
    I woke the next morning with Player curled up on my forehead. This did not surprise me. I'd come to the conclusion the night before that Player had dominance issues. After he had successfully scaled everything in my room and perched on the highest obstacle, he was where he wanted to be. Lording over everything below. Waking with him on my forehead was simply another way for him to show me who was boss. Scooping him up in my hands, I rested him on my chest. He started purring loudly as I stroked a hand over his small head.
    "You're too big for your furry little britches," I cooed as he stood up and stretched before hopping down to the floor. I could hear him chasing something around as I continued to veg in my bed, reflecting over the past twenty-four hours. I was pleased with the progress I had made in my personal life. I had met a guy . Technically, I met two guys, but I wasn't sure I should count Turtle Boy, no matter how cute he was. I'd also managed to secure a job at the small ice cream shop that was less than a mile from my house. My past experience working in concession stands at craft fairs swung the job in my favor. Things were falling into place like giant-sized jigsaw puzzle pieces.
    I was in the process of debating whether my bathroom needs were important enough to get up out of bed when Player jumped on my blanket with a big disgusting spider dangling from his jowls. I shrieked and slid back on my mattress, trying to put distance between us. As if he thought I was playing with him, Player followed me and dropped the spider on the bed before pouncing on it again. I scrambled off my bed and reached over cautiously to pat Player's head, rewarding him for his capture. Satisfied at being acknowledged, he sat back and proceeded to munch on his kill right on my bed. "Gross," I gagged, turning away after one of the spider's legs landed on my sheet.
    Note to self: wash sheets before going to bed tonight. "You're lucky you're cute," I said as he licked his chops. "Maybe, though, you can eat your trophies on the floor from now on." Of course he ignored me and jumped off the bed to chase dust mites floating in the air. No respect.
    I left my room to find Butch and Buttercup in the backyard prepping it for the garden they had mapped out the night before. With the exception of my room, the backyard was my favorite part of our new house. There were a few palm trees littered around, providing patches of shade, and a rather large magnolia tree with a gazebo perched underneath in the far corner of the yard that was a perfect spot for reading. The gazebo was painted white to match the house and screened in on all sides to keep out pesky bugs. Inside sat an oversized lounge chair built for two, flanked on either side by little round tables. The space practically begged you to lie down and chill.
    "How about helping me hoe?" Butch asked cheerfully.
    "Is that any way to talk to your own daughter?" I teased.
    He laughed at my joke. That was our relationship. It may have seemed at times as if my parents and I had grown apart during the past few years, but that didn't mean we didn't like to cut up with each other.
    "Sorry. Do you want to help me with the garden hoe?" he clarified as Buttercup threw a handful of dirt his way.
    "Babe, I was just asking our child for some assistance," he said, smiling mischievously. Buttercup reached into the ground for another handful of dirt to threaten him when he once again reworded his question. "Rainbow, my sweet lamb chop, do you want to help us till ? There, how was that?" he asked.
    "Nice attempt, but sorry, I can't. I have plans today," I said, allowing the "Rainbow" slip to go without comment.
    "Oh yeah?" Buttercup commented. I tried not to bristle