At the drop of her voice, she knew she shouldn't ask what this was all about. So she didn't. Connie wanted to respect her private life, she already had enough people trying to figure that out. "Well, besides having to get a job, I'm free most nights. I'd be plenty happy to help out, where it's needed."
Emma broke into a smile. “Really? Wow, that’s really generous of you. You really don’t have to help me out with them, you know. I know you’ll probably be busy on your free nights, and I’d hate to take time away from you.”
"Are you joking? I'd much rather come help you. I'm not exactly the popular type. I don't have any friends that would want to hang out." Connie insisted, holding her phone with her shoulder. "Besides, I owe you. You didn't arrest me when I vandalized your house, and you fixed me up."
Emma smiled and laughed a little. "I'm surprised. With art skills like yours, I was sure you would've been, I dunno a bit popular. I wouldn't really say that you owe me something, but, I don't want to argue with you, so, yes, I guess you do owe me."
Connie kept her thoughts in the back of her head, sighing softly. "Yeah… you would think…" She mumbled, running her thumb over her other nails. "Anyways, if you need help, I'd be happy to come by. If you'd be up to having me."
“Of course I would! That’d be great, and you’d be great help. Taking care of two little devils isn’t always an easy job. It’s always messy, despite my many tries of making sure it doesn’t end like that.”
"Well, if you give me five minutes, I'll be on my way. I should be there in fifteen, tops." Connie hummed, getting up off her bed, and pulled a flannel on over her black tank-top. "See you then?"
“Alright, then. See you.” Emma said before hanging up. She switched off the T.V. got up from the ground and started cleaning up. Every thirty five seconds, she could see her siblings giggling and coming down the stairs and then going back up.
When Emma hung up, Connie quickly pulled a pair of combat boots on over her thigh-high socks. Once on, she pulled on a beanie, and picked her phone up to slip in her back pocket. As she ducked out of her bedroom, and walked into the living room, her mom gave her a look before turning back to her book. Clearly she was still upset with her, but Connie could care less right about now.
Walking out the front door, she grabbed the keys to her car, and left the house without a word. No one really needed to know where she was going.
The giggling was hard to ignore. Clearly, they were up to no good. She finished drying the plates and putting them back in their places before going upstairs to check on the trouble makers. The moment she reached the upstairs hallway, water was poured over her. She looked up, seeing the bucket that was on the ceiling. She must’ve stepped on something that made the bucket pour water over her. She could hear her siblings laughing harder than ever before.
It didn't take long for Connie to get there. Especially since she had been driving. So when she pulled up to Emma's house, she had to stop herself to think this through. This was totally crazy. Instead of it being an accident, or just a quick visit, Connie was just going over to Emma Garcia's house. Shaking that fact out of her mind, she pushed her door open and began to gather herself as she headed up to the door.
Emma scowled and quickly ran to her bedroom. She took out a new pair of clothes and quickly changed into them. She put the soggy clothes in the basket near her bed and tried her best to dry her hair. She slammed the door of her bedroom shut and glared at her siblings as she approached them.
“Downstairs, now.” Emma said coldly.
Emma’s siblings shuddered and quickly went downstairs.
Connie came up to the door, about to knock but hesitated. Maybe she should text her first? Ask if it was a good time, maybe. Rocking back and forth on her heels, she decided against it and just pressed the bell. If it was a bad time, oh well. She'd suffer the consequences, if there were any.
Even after she had made it known she was here, she rocked back and forth on her heels. So maybe she was a little bit nervous. Despite her offer, she didn't really know these kids… and wasn't normally great with them. If they were anything like her brother, she'd be incredibly awkward around them.
Emma huffed and walked downstairs. She made her way to the door, but Jackson beat her to it. He opened the door and looked at Connie. He smiled slightly and then turned around. “Em, you have a visitor!” He yelled.
“No need to yell. I’m right here.” Emma replied as she walked over to him.
“Oh. Thought you were still upstairs.”
She turned to Connie and smiled. “Connie, welcome. Please come in.”
When Jackson opened the door, and smiled, she gave him an awkward smile back. Giving him a half way, she glanced up to see Emma standing there. "Hey," She greeted, stepping through the door with her light smile. "You know, now that I'm not about to faint, you're house is pretty nice." She hummed softly as she glanced over at Emma.
Though something was off. Her hair was wet- though it was probably just from a shower. Brushing it off, she pulled her smile back up. "Anyways, I just need to thank you again… for everything."
Emma chuckled and closed the door. “Yeah, it’s pretty neat.” She paused. “No need to thank me, Connie. I would have done it either way. Take a seat, Connie.”
Emma made her way to the sofa and sat down. Amaya was sitting on the floor, engrossed in a book. Emma put a hand on her shoulder and Amaya flinched. She relaxed when she saw who it was. Jackson took the long way to the sofa making sure to avoid Emma.
Connie sat down on the edge, happy to just even be here. Even if it wasn't a big deal to Emma, Connie found it quite exciting. Though now that she was here, she didn't know what to say.
Glancing down at Amaya, she smiled softly. If these were the only kids, she'd be plenty happy. They were older, so it wasn't legitimate baby-sitting… if that's what you could call it. Jackson looked to be around fourteen, maybe fifteen, and Amaya was probably ten or eleven. But that was just guessing.
"So. .," Amaya began.
"Er. . h-how. .hm. . .um. .god, I'm horrible with all this." Jackson said.
Emma looked at the childern with amusment written all over her face. It was amusing to see how Amaya and Jackson couldn't find a way to start a conversation with Connie.
Connie laughed lightly, resting her chin on her palm. "I'm assuming you're finding it a little awkward that a stranger is in your sister's house, right?" She asked the two siblings in a light hum. Her smile was relaxed, to show she was friendly.
Connie didn't want to scare the two off, so despite her attire, she kept up the most friendly appearance that she could. "Because if I went to my sister's house, and found some stranger there, I would probably be a little weirded out too."
Both children nodded. Amaya, who started to get her courage once again, sat up straight and looked at the older girl. "Are you a friend of Em? I've never seen you before, so you must be a new friend. Right?"
Jackson narrowed his eyes at Connie, and put his hands together under his chin, like if he was praying. "I think I've seen you before. . ., but from where?"
Connie smiled down at the girl, leaning forwards a bit. "You've got it." She hummed and poked the tip of her nose. "Me and your sister only met a few days ago. But, as your brother said, it wouldn't surprise me if once I explained you recognized me."
Sitting back in her seat, she looked over at Jackson, still smiling. "I was here earlier. Though I was bleeding, and had on different clothes. I don't think I actually introduced myself. I'm Connie." She greeted, holding a hand out to Jackson.
Amaya giggled and smiled. Amaya decided there and then that she liked this girl.
Jackson on the other hand did remember Emma helping a bleeding girl earlier in the day. Jackson looked at the outstretched hand and hesitated, but shook her hand. “I’m Jackson,” He replied.
Amaya looked at Jackson and Connie, deciding to introduce herself. “I’m Amaya!” The girl said ecstatic.
Jackson blinked and sat back in his seat and blinked a couple of times before looking at Connie. “Not to be rude or anything, but why exactly are you here?”
Connie smiled down at Amaya, pushing off the couch onto the floor. "I thought I'd offer to help your sister with you two trouble-makers. Though little does she know, I'm just as bad as any other kid." She joked, smirking up at Emma.
"So I might be more trouble, than than I'm worth." Connie hummed, leaning back against the couch. "But I'll behave myself. For tonight, at least. I owe her that much at least."
Connie kept up a little smile, and started to fiddle with one of the few rings on her fingers.
Emma grinned and looked down at Amaya and Jackson who were just looking at each other, talking to each other silently without even saying a word. Emma stood up, “I’ll be back in a minute.” With that, Emma left the living room and disappeared into the kitchen. The moment Emma left, a grin creeped up Amaya’s and Jackson’s faces.
“Well, that’s a shame that you’re going to behave yourself. We were going to do some harmless pranks on Em, and we thought maybe you’d like to help us. But, I guess maybe not.” Jackson said.
Connie laughed lightly, pushing herself into a standing position. "You thought I actually meant that?" She offered in a teasing tone. "You're about to learn very quickly what kind of person I am. What did you two have in mind?" Connie asked with a little smirk, and held a hand out to Amaya.
"As long as Emma won't get too mad, I'd be happy to help." She chirped a little, resting her hands on her hips. She definitely had a mischievous look about her. She wasn't exactly the neat young lady and pretty girl her mother had hoped for.
Pretty, you could say so. Maybe with a little more effort she would be considered 'ideal' in the culture. But neat and lady-like were out the window.