Chapter Text
Everything about this was stupid.
This conversation, the chores, Emily's nagging – all completely pointless.
She knows she was the one to do it last week! There was no denying it. Not after she spent hours in the bathroom cleaning up or after she sneezed for a hundredth time, cleaning the dust. Yet, her sister was here, expecting her to do it again!
They had this arrangement for years, and while Haley couldn’t be described as the most responsible person ever, she sure was the one to hold her end of the deal. Ever since their parents went on their trip, things have been like this. It was a simple deal really. One week, Haley would clean under the cushions, and the other, it was on Emily. It’s been their routine for ages! But it didn’t seem to matter to Emily right now.
“Why can’t you just do this one thing I am asking of you? Just this one! It’s really not that hard, Haley!” Emily was visibly annoyed, which wasn’t something you could see every day.
Usually calm and enthusiastic girl, was now in the middle of their living room, absolutely done with her sister’s nonsense. The disappointment on her face was obvious, but Haley didn't care. It wasn’t her who decided to fuck up their schedule because she was tired!
“Well if it’s so easy, you do it!” Haley wasn’t proud of her behavior. She didn’t want to yell, or argue, or do anything that makes her uncomfortable. However, this was a matter of principal and she wouldn’t back off now. Her sister couldn’t understand it. No. She thought she could just come home, boss Haley around, and mess up her plan for the day. The blond saw how angry her sister was getting, so she started mentally preparing for whatever was to come.
“No way! I do everything in this house and you are not a kid! Take some responsibility!” Emily yelling was another thing she rarely did, and every time it happened, it threw Haley, the only person who could get her to this point, off. Yelling was something she wasn’t about to tolerate, even if it was her sister doing it.
“And you aren’t my mother! Stop bossing me around and just do it as we agreed!” All red from anger, Haley stared at Emily who didn’t budge.
Not impressed with her little sister’s behavior, Emily lowered her voice.
“As long as you are making a mess in this house, and as long as I am the one cleaning after you, I will boss you around. I ask you one time to do me a favor because I am so tired from work and from taking care of you, a grown-ass woman! And you are acting as if I slapped you!”
Haley hated this – hated feeling like a burden, hated having these conversations, hated cleaning the fucking cushions!
“I cleaned it the last time!”
This just made Emily even angrier.
“And I did everything else both last and this week, and every week before that! Would it kill you to do it one more week in a row?!” This was a rhetorical question, and Haley didn’t like these at all. Why ask something if you don’t want an answer?
Before she could continue, the front door opened.
“Hey, Emily! I brought you the-” As she came in, the farmer quickly realized that she should have probably knocked.
The tension could be cut with a knife. Both women were standing in the middle of the room, neither in a good mood. Assuming they might have been fighting, the well-meaning newcomer asked slowly:
“What’s going on?”
Haley wasn’t in the mood for the farmer, or anyone else for that matter. She just wanted her sister to see her point of view and let her be. Having another person here would just prolong this torture. Unless…
“Oh, it’s the farmer girl.”
The farmer made a weird face that Haley couldn’t read. It really wasn’t her strongest suit but in situations like this one, she wished to understand these things better. Suddenly, she heard Emily’s voice next to her.
“She has a name, you know.” Her sister was annoyed but seemed to have calmed down a little bit. Her sigh was one of tiredness. Haley chose to ignore it. Instead, she came up with an idea to get this over with and addressed the farmer once again.
“I bet you’ll understand my point of view!”
Again, the farmer could only give her a look. What the hell does that even mean?
Emily sighed again.
“Sorry to get you involved in this, Alex. Haley is being childish because I asked her to clean under the cushions.” As Emily finished the sentence, Haley made a grimace.
The farmer’s name was Alex? Like… Alex? She didn’t like that at all. She also didn’t like being called childish for sticking to their agreement. It’s literally what adults do: keep their promises!
“I am only complaining cus I did it last week!” Emily rolled her eyes, and so did Haley.
She looked at the farmer, Alex, once again, still making the face. The farmer didn’t seem to mind tho. She looked at both of them and stopped to think for a second.
What is there to think about? The case was as clear as day!
After what seemed like an eternity, Alex spoke.
“Haley, why don’t you make this your one weekly chore? That way, you guys won’t have to fight over it every week.” The answer wasn’t something the blonde expected or liked. However, dislike was not the word she would use to describe her feelings either.
It was kinda insulting that she was expected to do something even tho she was the one who kept her part of the deal, but it was effective. If she agrees, as unfair as it is, she wouldn’t have to fight with Emily! And they would have an agreement that can’t be fucked up by her sister’s mood. So reluctantly, the blonde responded:
“Ugh… fine. I guess this can be my job every week. Then there won’t be any reason to fight over it…”
Ale- the farmer smiled at her, which was weirdly comforting. Next to her, Emily left the sigh of relief. Finally, it was all over.
“Thanks, Alex. Both for this and the cloth!” Emily said, now in a much better mood.
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Here you go and no problem!” She handed the cloth to Emily and gave Haley another look that she couldn’t read, which was frustrating.
The farmer as a whole was something that annoyed Haley. Her unreadable expressions, her name, and the refusal to take advice. The first time they met, Haley clearly told her that she was very pretty and just needed better clothes. So why was this Alex roaming around her house in those same hideous clothes? Such an annoying presence…
Haley started at her until she left, not saying anything even when the farmer said goodbye. Next to her, Emily shook her head before turning to go to her room. Haley stopped her.
“Farmer’s name is Alex? Really?” She said it with such disgust that Emily could only stare back. Seeing that her sister was really expecting an answer, the older one responded.
“It’s Alexandra, but most people call her Alex. You really didn’t know?”
This information calmed her a bit. Alexandra. That was much nicer. Nothing against the name or her friend, but the farmer’s face just didn’t match the energy that “Alex” gave off. Satisfied with this information, she went to get the cleaning supplies, not even acknowledging her sister’s question.