Over the course of the next two weeks, Tyla bugged Gerrick, but he kept fending her off saying he was mugged and the money was not his problem.
One morning, loud banging at the front door awakens Gerrick. He opens the door and three large Goths barge in and look around.
“I think you’ve got the wrong place, Costumes are the next level down,” laughed Gerrick.
The tallest of the three walks over. “I’ll bet you’re Gerrick.”
“Yeah, what’s it to you.”
“Just the fella we come to see.”
“For what?” Gerrick starts getting nervous as the other two move in on him.
“I’m Z and you’re in big trouble for scamming Ty.”
“Yeah, ripping her off like that so uncool,” adds another.
“Yeah, uncool,” the third Goth completes the chorus.
“Well, I was . . . I am, I am going to pay her back . . . really!” Gerrick is backing away.
The three follow closely, yet to lay a hand on him.
“Well, you can just give it to me now. If not, we’ll just take it,” growled Z.
“I don’t have it! Really, I haven’t got the money!” whines Gerrick.
John walks in from his gym work out. “Who’re your friends, Gerrick?”
Gerrick moves toward John. “They’re not my friends. They’re trying to shake me down for money I, uh . . . borrowed from Tyla.”
John takes a drink from his water bottle. “Really, well I’ll just leave you guys to it. Tyla hiring hit men, who would have thought?”
Z walked over to John squaring off and matching his height. “We’re here to get her money back, so who’s coughing up?”
John growled, “Hey, if she was naïve enough to believe Gerrick, it’s not my beef.”
“She’s only 19. It’s her first time on her own and you wankers had to take advantage,” growled Z.
The other two Goths closed in on John. “Yeah, wankers preying on her.”
Tyla walks in and sees the developing situation with her roommates.
“Zenith, no! I didn’t mean for you to come.”
“Hey, Ty!”
“Hi Danti, your hair’s grown back. Hey Darrol.” Tyla grabs Z and pulls him aside.
“What are you three doing here?”
“You said you got fleeced and were scared. Dad said you’re thinking of going home.”
“I said I missed home and I was stupid.” She throws her arms around Z. “I do miss you, mum and dad”
John looks at the exchange and turns to Danti. “So he’s the boyfriend?”
“Nah, her brother. Her very, very protective brother.”
Z notices Gerrick heading to the door.
“Hey! You don’t you leave until you give Ty her money,” bellows Z.
“Let it go Z. It’s okay” pleads Tyla.
John is enjoying Gerrick’s cowering position. “No . . . I do believe you should give her money back, Gerrick.”
“Got it!” They all turn to see Darrol coming out of Gerrick’s room with rolls of money and bag of grass.
“Hey! You can’t fucking well touch . . .” Z grabs Gerrick’s shirt and gets in his face.
“You took advantage of my sister. There’s nothing you own that isn’t mine now.”
Z grabs the money, counts out $150 and gives it to Tyla. “The rest is my petrol money.”
“Z!” pleads Tyla.
“And the grass, lets just say it’s present for me being so easy on you.”
Z hugs his sister. “Okay, I’m going. But you take care and don’t trust anyone.”
John laughs.
The other two Goths hug Tyla. “Keep it cool baby sister.”
Z looked at Gerrick and held a finger out. “If I hear you upset her again, it’ll be more than your stash I’ll be taking . . . dig it?”
Gerrick nodded and they left.
Later that night over dinner, John is filling Julie in on the confrontation between Gerrick and the Goths. Julie is laughing, but Tyla just smiles and shrugs. “Poor Gerrick.”
“He deserved what he got and I wish I could have seen it. Your brother’s a hit man,” chuckles Julie.
Tyla laughs. “No, and please don’t say anything to Gerrick, but Zenith, Darrol and Danti . . . well they belong to a performing arts company. It was all an act.”
John choked on his dinner. “Actors? They where just acting?” John begins laughing.
Tyla smiles. “Zenith is a lovely guy but he’d no sooner step on a daisy than punch anyone.”
“Shit! He’s a brilliant actor. He should have his own academy,” laughs John.