(no subject)
Title: Lessons
Author: Meghan
Plot: Caroline and Cassidy have had enough of their lessons and begin planning a lesson of their own one Miranda will not soon forget.
Authors Notes: Taken from Somniesperus’ prompts. #’s 12 and 29.
Characters: Roy, Cassidy and Caroline, and Andy
Part 1 of 1
Time moved slowly when you were bored. Time moved even slower when you were bored and angry. The tick and tock of the clock never in their twelve years of life had ever been this menacing. It felt like they had been sitting here for days. Maybe even years! The clocks, all of them-they were sure it was a conspiracy-informed them it had only been ten minutes from the last time they had looked, say ten minutes ago. Lessons upon lessons had become a normalcy in their lives. It was expected of them to do well in all aspects of their academic careers and to obviously be given the best musical, dance, singing, rather the best lessons New York City had to offer.
They of course excelled in everything they were given to excel in, why one might ask? It was simple. It was expected. Failure was not an option. Failure was never an option. No matter the fact they couldn’t stand tights or having perfect posture or even knowing how to laugh and eat as if you have a secret. It was something expected of them, so they dragged themselves through the lessons. Through the instructions of stuck up old women who saw themselves as the most beautiful creatures to grace the planet, and a stiff middle aged gay man that needed to find himself a man. They smiled and were the ‘perfect little pupils they had ever had’.
Please.
The moments they were the happiest at these lessons were when they heard Roy’s voice from the intercoms and doorways. Today they didn’t seem to have found any luck. They had been here for an hour already and had another hour left and the only thing on their identical minds were how they were going to get back at their mother for this lesson. They had to admit that they’d been rather good the last few weeks, no incidents concerning their mothers assistant. Seemed this ‘new’-she’d been around since before Paris-their mother favored this woman. So they left her alone.
(Besides she gave them the unpublished manuscript for Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows, she was forever off limits! Until today.)
Now, after weeks of curbing their tricks and pranks it was as if they were heading into withdrawal and as much as this addiction should be eased from their systems it couldn’t be done. Not after today. Not after they had to sit in the most uncomfortable chairs for two hours, their backs at a ninety-degree angle and their chins stuck out evenly above their chests, arms flat and stiff against the wooden arms of the chairs. No, this lesson was not one they could let their mother get away with forcing them into. They could be at the park playing with friends, like normal children right now if it weren’t for their mothers insistence on these horrid lessons. So no matter the trouble they would find themselves in, they couldn’t stand this any longer! Tonight, was the night they’d finally find the perfect way to get back at their dear mother. Oh yes, tonight was the night they planned their own doom.
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Roy, their lifesaver arrived five minutes early, bless the bald mans soul. Five minutes less of their own living hell. The moment they reached the door they both ran down the stairs. Forget ‘gliding down the stairs with a smile that should convey nothing but everything at the same time’. Screw that! They slouched as they ran down the stairs just to spite the old bat watching them run down the stairs. The safety of the car was always a warm welcome. Always a wonderfully warm sanctuary compared to the cramped apartment rooms they saw day in and day out.
“How’s the bat lady doing today girls?” Roy asked as he pulled away from the curb, watching as the twin redheads slumped into their seats and sighed in relief. He smiled and turned back tot eh road. “That bad?”
The girls could be little devils when they wanted to, but so could any child. If Roy thought enough about it he’d be able to name more then ten kids that were worse then the twins seemed to be. After all, deep down they were both sweethearts.
“Worse.” Cassidy answered as she threw her forearm over her eyes. “She used the ruler today.”
Caroline groaned at the mention of the ruler. One day she was going to grab the wooden measuring tool out from that woman’s hand and snap it in two, just to see what she’d do.
“She didn’t…” Roy’s eyes darkened at the thought the woman would hit either of the girls with the ruler.
The first time she’d done it and the girls had told him, he’d had a few words with the strict old woman about how to treat children. It turned out she had only tapped them with it, but that was no excuse and she had no right to even touch them. Mrs. Lark had taken his threats and large overwhelming form to heart and never touched the girls again, not even a pat on the shoulder. Of course he’d heard she still used it, but never touched them with it again. If the woman had been scared of him, he’d have loved to see how she’d have reacted if Miranda had been informed. Roy really didn’t fancy the idea of having to hide a body.
“No but that thing sure can make one loud crack when used to hit the table.” Cassidy said and leaned back into her seat content to relax now that they were on their way home. Caroline just groaned again and kept her eyes closed. Roy smiled at them from the front seat and drove the two young ladies home.
“Thanks Roy.” The girls echoed as they rushed out of the car and up the stairs of their townhouse. Both turning to wave at Roy when they reached the top of the stairs. Roy waved back and waited until the door closed behind them before driving off, content to leave the girls with their nanny. After all, Miranda wasn’t due home for several hours. She had another banquet to attend to tonight. Like always.
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Caroline walked into the living room and threw herself down on the couch unceremoniously. A content sigh left her lips as she hit the soft plush cushions. Cassidy sat across from her in the armchair that was deemed hers years ago. She dropped her bad down beside the chair and snuggled into her seat and closed her own eyes.
“One of these days I’m going to kill her.” Caroline said, the first actually words she’d spoken since they left school.
“Well, just as long as you don’t leave any trace evidence.” Caroline smiled and opened her eyes to lock onto her sisters.
“Nah…that’d require be too much work.” Caroline stated as she sat up from her prone position.
“You have always been the lazy one.” Cassidy commented as she smiled and laughed along with her sister.
“Yes, I’m more like dad.” Caroline admitted and wasn’t afraid of having her mother overhear her comment. “You’ve always been more like mom. You organize everything, just like her.” Not to mention you’ve absorbed her vocabulary and facial expressions.
“Yes, and you leave everything lying around all the time which only annoys the both of us.” Caroline pointedly stated.
“I’m not perfect and I’m happy to say I don’t have an OCD complex like the two of you.” Cassidy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in feigned indignation.
Caroline just smiled and imagined a light bulb appearing over her own head. An idea struck her. An idea so perfect and well defined and planned out that Cassidy and mom would be proud of her. An idea so perfect her smile slowly curved into a knowing smirk. A smirk Cassidy had to admire at times and fear in others.
“Caroline…” Cassidy said slowly as she shook her head and sat up. “…whatever it is think about first.”
“Oh…I’m thinking about it.” Caroline rubbed her hands together in glee. “Its perfect.”
Cassidy closed her eyes for a moment and then sighed at her own curiosity. “I know this is just going to get me into trouble, but what’s perfect?”
Caroline’s smirk turned into a bright smile as she leaned even further over towards the coffee table that separated them and clapped her hands together; for effect!
“What’s the one thing mom hates more then anything.” Caroline asked as she held up her right hand holding up the proper number of fingers, being one, as she held her twins eyes.
“Grandma Ray.” Cassidy answered simply because it was simply known that Miranda Priestly hated her second mother in law more then her own mother and almost anything/one. Everyone knew that!
Caroline rolled her eyes and shook her head. “No, not grandma Ray.”
“Oh…” Cassidy still smiled. “…then dad.” Caroline had hoped for a twin moment here, she didn’t get one.
“No! Not dad either.”
“Oh then Jacqueline Follet.” Cassidy continued to smile even as she was zip for two. This one was another no brainer. So then why were all of these wrong? Was she on the wrong track?
“No not her. But did you ever wonder why mom hates her so much?” Caroline asked, getting off track for a moment.
Cassidy didn’t even grant her with an answer to that question. “Stephen.”
“No.”
“Irv Ratiz.”
Sigh. “No.”
Damn! She was sure that was it. Her smile slowly slipped.
“President Bush?” She was striking out all over the place.
“No.”
“Nigel?”
“No…” Wait. “…mom hates Nigel?” Caroline asked surprised.
“No.” Ha now it was her turn to say ‘no’!
They both realized how many people their mother hated. Okay, she’d never admit to hating any of them, she’d just pretend they don’t exist and that in the world of Miranda Priestly informs you that she hates you. “Now can you just tell me what it is?”
“Mom hates incompetence.” Caroline stated, such a gleeful expression crossing her face as she spoke the factual statement.
“So…?” Cassidy asked, unsure where her sister was going with this.
“So…what if we that’s how we can get back at her!?” Caroline knew Cassidy had taken the fun out if it the moment she guessed Grandma Ray, but hadn’t taken away her excitement until now. “Oh come on you’re taking all the fun out of this!” Caroline whined as she stomped her foot against the hardwood rug covered floor.
“I’m not trying to.” Cassidy admitted as she rolled her eyes at her sister’s immature response. Cassidy made sure to leave out ‘not yet, at least.’ She’d rather have her sister smiling then frowning, and then soon planning a hoax on her.
“Oh…” Caroline said and then smiled again. “Good.”
“So how do you plan to use incompetence against mom?” Then it hit her. “You can’t use Andy! Oh no, oh no, oh no! We can’t. We musn’t!”
“I’m not going to.” Unless I have to. “Geez…you think I want to be sent to military school? I know just as well as you that Andy…or Ahn-dray-a is off limits.” Caroline rolled her eyes. “I’m not stupid.” Then a moment and a thought later. “Mustn’t? What are you some English orphan?” Well, she’d never heard any English orphan say that in any of her movies, but had hear time and time again a little orphan girl say “oh no, oh no, oh no”, in Annie. But…she’d leave her mistake alone.
“I never said you were stupid!” Cassidy shot back. “And hey!”
“Hay is for horses!”
“And horses live in stables.” Cassidy said and then looked as if she had no idea what she had actually spoken.
“That’s the gayest comeback I’ve ever heard.” Caroline said as she clutched her stomach, her laughter hearty and shoulder shaking worthy.
When the going got tough Cassidy could always rely on one thing. With a quick movement she reached up and pulled down the skin below her eye and stuck her tongue out. The evil eye! Caroline rolled her eyes as she shook her head at her sister’s immaturity. Cassidy groaned as Caroline continued to laugh.
“Are you going to tell me the plan or are you just going to lie there laughing?”
Caroline soon calmed her laughter down to just a few quick chuckles before clearing her throat and taking a deep breath. “Okay…okay…” Another deep breath.
“Your idea? The one that’s going to get us grounded for the next year…” Cassidy prompted.
“Well…it’s more like three years.” Ha. “And that’s if we’re lucky.”
“Great…” Cassidy groaned as she leaned back into her chair. “…wonderful way to convince me to go along with the plan Cara.”
“Shut up!”
“Make me.”
Glaring ensued.
“Ugh…can you just listen to my plan?” Caroline asked, why was it that whenever Cassidy had a plan she would always be ‘all ears’ and whenever she had an idea Cassidy always caused problems?
A thought later…
Oh, right, Cassidy barely ever had any devious ideas and when she did it was such a shock that one had to stop and listen in fear that the moment would pass and you’d wake up.
“Fine. Go ahead. But keep in mind…you’re the one that mentioned military school.” Cassidy said as she held her finger up.
Caroline rolled her eyes and wondered if what they said about doing that too much would cause her eyes to get stuck.
“The idea is simple, really. Phase one is the easiest. We switch her phone!” It was sheer brilliance! She was positive about it! Miranda Priestly had everything important on that phone. Files upon files of her most guarded secrets, her own schedules, phone numbers, addresses, memos, passwords, everything! Her phone was her lifeline!
Cassidy just looked at her sister with astonishment. All this time…wasted on that idea!? Cassidy stood up from her chair shaking her head as she moved towards the kitchen. Her hand waving at her sister, her face no longer facing her mirrored face across the room.
“Cass…” Caroline whined. “..wait!” Caroline jumped up and grabbed her sister’s hand.
Cassidy stood still, and turned to her twin. “What?”
“Where are you going?” Caroline asked confused.
“Getting something to eat before I go up and do my homework.” Cassidy turned to leave but was thwarted as Caroline grabbed her arm again.
“But what about the idea?” Caroline looked at her so hopeful but no matter how wistful the idea wouldn’t work.
“What about it?”
“You haven’t heard the rest of it.”
“Do I need to?” Cassidy asked with impatience.
“Yes!”
“Fine.” She moved back over to her armchair and sat down. Caroline moved to stand in front of her armchair, this time closer to her, just in case she needed to tackle her to the chair if she tried to leave before she was finished. What, its what sisters did!
“Well..? Go on…” Caroline shivered at how mom-ish Cassidy just was with those words and the hand flick.
“Her phone has everything on it. Phone numbers, dates, and appointments , personal files and passwords. It’s how everyone really important gets in touch with her. So if we take that and…”
“She’ll be left with an office phone, a computer at work and here, and two assistants that know exactly where she needs to be at all times.” How could Caroline forget about that?
“Yeah…but she doesn’t actually count on them! She has her own schedule emailed to her phone everyday and emails her plans to Emily.” This caught Cassidy’s interest.
“How do you know that?”
Caroline shrugged. “I heard her talking about it with Stephen one time. How if he did it maybe he would be where he was supposed to be when he was supposed to be. Blah blah blah… ”
Caroline shrugged, overhearing arguments between Stephen and their mother had become common and they were glad it had stopped, even if that meant that he no longer lived here. Besides, he wasn’t good enough for their mom! She deserved someone that actually cared and didn’t want to use her like he did to boost his own career. But…this wasn’t about Stephen.
“Once we have the phone we can copy everything onto my laptop and start phase two.”
“Which is?” Cassidy liked this plan more and more.
“Email different times to Emily, and put those same times and places into mom’s phone. So they think it was just a mistake on both parts.”
“Yeah, like mom would admit she made a mistake.” Cassidy chuckled and shook her head at the mere idea of it.
Caroline smiled. “The beauty of it all will be that she’ll blame Emily for it!”
Cassidy smiled at the thought of just getting Emily in trouble. Besides…after the first mistake in the schedule they’d realize something was wrong and fix it so it wouldn’t actually coast the company or their mother…too much money.
“Then the next day we’ll put phase three into action.”
“Which is what?” Cassidy asked slowly.
“Phase three depends on what we find on the phone.” Caroline said slowly, realizing the snag in the possible phase three. I’d all depend on the passwords and files that they found and could use for phase three.
“Okay…so how do we get the phone?”
“Well…if you remember a couple months ago when we went shopping for the new phones…” Caroline pulled out her own phone and Cassidy smiled. “…I warned mom that our phones could become mixed up on accident if we both got the same cover.”
“This plan is perfect to get her!” Cassidy said as she grabbed her sister’s phone and smiled. The moment their mother came home and put her phone down on the table they’d make the switch. It wouldn’t be that hard…one of them would distract her while the other made the switch. Then would do the same thing to switch the phones back. This really would be perfect!
“I know…now what we can we do to make sure we don’t get into trouble is…” Caroline opened her mouth to tell her sister her plan when Andy walked into the room. Andy was holding a bunch of cleaned pressed clothes and looked confused as she walked into the living room. Caroline and Cassidy eyed each other curiously before turning back to Andy. What was she doing at the house and in here…and why was she looking at them like that?
“What do you two mean by ‘this plan is perfect to get her’?” Andy asked looked at the girls curiously. By the way they’d been conversing about a new prank-Andy would admit it-scared her, when she didn’t know what they were planning. After all, from what she’d heard from Emily she’d had it easy up till now. Last thing she needed was to walk right into one of their pranks (again) and this time actually lose her job. She’d just realized she liked her job (and Miranda but that was (for) is another story).
Cassidy and Caroline looked at each other then turned with matching smirks to Andy.
“Nothing.” They both started giggling and grabbed their bags before they rushed past Andy and up their stairs. The sounds of their giggles echoing through the house.
Andy sighed and watched the two girls rush up the stairs. With a shrug of her shoulders she moved back to the front hallway, smiling at the mere thought of the girls actually pulling a prank on their own mother. Andy started to laugh. Sooner or later the girls were going to have to realize their conversations echoed and carried into other rooms from the living room. One day, that would be their downfall, but today Andy would ignore their sudden interest in high jinxing their own mother. She’d always believed Miranda was off limits when they were conceiving new ideas and new ways to entertain themselves. It seemed she was now fair game.
Andy had to wonder what Miranda had done to warrant an attack from her own children. Then again, if what Roy told her was true, she had had it coming for a while now. Well of course she had it coming, she’s had it coming for decades, its just a humorous thought that she’d finally get whatever it was that was coming to her, by her own children. Andy laughed again, chanced a look up the stairs and then shook her head before walking out the door back to the car, throwing a silent ‘good luck’ the twin’s way as she closed the door. She’d make sure that their prank only lasted for one missed appointment…then would personally make sure it was fixed. The rest of the prank, she’d just have to wait and see but that she could fix. If she somehow ended up being praised for being able to fix Emily’s incompetence, and perhaps her own, then so be it. With a smile of the many fantasy ideas of how Miranda might repay her slowly filtered through her barriers and she slowly walked back to the car. The ride back to Runway was going to be entertaining.
The prank would turn out to be interesting as well.
THE END
Be looking out for a sequel where the twins have finalized their prank and put it into motion.