"So you're just going to pretend I'm not standing here?" Jacey asks.

I've been ignoring him for ten minutes. I'm closing and just trying to mop the last aisle.

"You're not even supposed to be in here." I snap.

"She speaks, good I was afraid I'd have to start spilling things around here. Ooh! That's an idea." His eyebrows raise in excitement before running somewhere.

It's my second week on the job and Jacey has been in here on three separate occasions.

"You better not." I stare at him all the way from the freezer section across the store. He held a 2 liter bottle of coke in his hand.
"I'm serious!"

Anger and anticipation built up inside of me as he playfully tosses the bottle back and forth.

"Spill that bottle and I will make it my everyday goal to ruin your life." I threaten.

He furrows his eyebrows, pondering.
"I would love to see it." He concludes before shaking the bottle. "I doubt you could actually do anything so..." He says before showing his teeth.

I inhale shaking my head before he unscrews the cap, tossing it up allowing the soda to fly everywhere.

I duck shielding myself from the raining soda. It lands on the wine knocking several glasses off of the shelf.

"What is going on in here?!" Tina yells.

I didn't even realize she was still in the back.

I'm speechless as she's just looking at me, Jacey ran before she got around the corner.

"I- well-..."

She continues looking at me for an answer.

"Clean it up, don't clock in tomorrow." She waves me off, clearly pissed but being nice.

I pull my knees up to my chest, laying my head down in my arms.

Ok

I tell myself before beginning to clean everything up.

~.~

I get up at 5 A.M. sharp. Last night I looked up River's Creek high school, finding everything I needed to know. Schedules, events, important dates.

Jacey asked for this, all of it.

I studied all of the entrances, cracks and crevices from the school map and images.

The hardware store opened at 5:15. I bought two cans of orange paint, my favorite color. String, rope, wire, bolt cutters and duct tape.

I stop by Mineyard's, the only grocery store open at this time. Tuna, wet dog food, pudding, fresh fish, and gum bought in bulk.

The bags and crates of stuff was heavy but I just had to make it back home.

I didn't have enough information about Jacey to go to the school yet. His locker number, desk, etc.

I only realized this after my dramatic purchase spree. So, I can start with what I do know.

His beloved truck.

He kept it parked on the side of the road like a weirdo for some reason. Matt taught me how to disable a car alarm. I never realized how thankful I'd be for that until now.

I swiftly pop the hood, quickly disconnecting the car battery. I mean it took nearly fifteen minutes, due to me having the wrong size wrench at first.

Then unbolting the cables, all was well and silent when I opened the door though.

I didn't want to do visible damage. I was probably dealing with a snitch here.

So, I lay pieces of the fresh fish under the seats. Front and back, pouring tuna juice into the leather seats.

I'm so tempted to ruin the fuel tank but I want it drivable. Him and his friends can have a blast enduring what his girlfriend probably smells like.

I hate starting out so light but I need this to draw out, last...

I close the doors before hooking the battery back up and softly closing the hood.

I turn to make my way back to the house stopping in my tracks.

You could sneak in...

Would that make me crazy?

I'm already crazy.

Not really.

Yes.

Ok.

I go to the back of the neighbor's house making my way to their backyard.

I just know they have those fancy motion sensor lights. I just stayed under the balcony.

Harper has a play house. I smile at this. Miniature version of this house of but still big strange enough.

I'm not even sure where Jacey's room is...dang it!

Why don't I think about these things?!

I proceed anyway, deciding I'll figure it out once I'm inside.

I try any windows on the bottom floor, then I go upstairs to the balcony. I try windows up there willing to give up, and to my dismay, one was unlocked.

I just knew picking locks to their doors would trigger alarms. Guessing they have those, it's a casement window meaning they open like doors.

I quietly move the light curtain aside making my way inside.

Harper's play room. Toys, puzzles, a whole train with a track. This kid has everything.

The house wasn't as quiet as I thought it would be. The AC hummed, giving a calming white noise.

I slowly creep out of Harper's play room into the vast hallway.

This house has to be at least a hundred years old. It's updated and decorated but the bones were old.

Beautiful though.

I could keep straight or go down another hallway to my left.

I just go with my gut, making a left.

Looking down each room on this hallway, not every room was decorated. Some were rooms full of things covered in drapes and sheets. Others were guest rooms or professional settings.

Jacey's room was right at the end, on the right side of the hallway.

His door was huge and I hoped to God it didn't creek. Slowly turning the knob I gently push the door ajar. No creek, thank the heavens WD-40 exists.

I just know he had to use it on this door.

His room huge of course. Only then did I realize just how tall the ceilings were.

His bed lie in the middle, a grand piano in front of the big glass window. A wide flat screen tv mounted onto the wall, a fireplace under that.

For the most part, there wasn't much in here at first glance.

I snap back into reality realizing why I'm there. It's 6 A.M. I had at least an hour before he wakes up. Assuming he wakes up at 7.

I walk into his bathroom seeing that there's a glass shower.

He probably stared at himself in the mirror while taking showers.

I pour tuna juice on his toothbrush, got as much as I could into the tube of toothpaste. Raw fish and tuna into his shampoo, body wash, and conditioner.

I'm so shocked they were all separate bottles. He's hygienic, this makes it even better.

I find his cologne and mouthwash, you guessed it. Tuna juice into those too.

I quietly walk out of the bathroom. Jacey shuffles around in his bed.

He was too far to see but I did see movement so I duck. Crawling as fast as I could out of there. Knowing I look like I'm straight out of a g-rated horror film.

There was a light on downstairs somewhere so they're starting to wake up.

I make my way back to Harper's play room, escaping out of there.

I run back into their neighbors backyard and snuck back into the house.

"Yes, yes, yes!" I whisper doing a victory dance. I'm pumping with adrenaline.

I can't believe I'd succeeded in completing the first phase of "Anti-Jacey".

Yes, I named this strategic plan. There are four phases. It starts small but it's only going to get worse from here.