chapter 2 to the loser, the toils

"...Laundry twice weekly, before we're up - but don't wake us when you come in. Ironing shirts on demand. And the mini-fridges in our rooms are not to be left empty for more than an hour..."

As Troy continued to deliniate, Ellie stood stone-faced, noting everything down so hard that she thought her pen would go through the pad.

It was the day after the race, and the victorious boys of Upsilon Block were planted comfortably on the sofa, grinning smugly. The girls were lined up before them, receiving a their list of instructions in their new role as servants.

In the corner of the room, a man was installing a camera. For the duration of the experiment, the block's two lounges, hallway and kitchen were to be rigged up to camera feeds. The idea was to enable Ellie to keep a proper evidence-based record of the interactions in the house as the project progressed. The cameras would also ensure that none of the girls reneged on their duties.

Duties that were becoming increasingly numerous and so demanding that Ellie was only surprised none of the guys had thought to suggest maid's outfits, as Troy continued:

"...Fresh milk every two days. And whenever Chloe has to bake something for her classes, she's to make double the amount so that we can have some." With a raise of his eyebrows he added, unkindly: "And it's strictly off limits to the girls. It'll do you three good to cut down on the sugar."

Pausing for a moment, Troy licked his upper lip. "Say guys, all this talking is making me hella thirsty." He looked over at Joe and Chad with a grin. "Anyone fancy a beer?"

Of course, both nodded eagerly. And the girls knew what was coming next.

"Sarah?"

The blonde bobbed forward. "Yes?"

Troy's handsome features morphed into a malicious sneer. "Seeing as you think you're sooo good at running, run along and get us some beers from the fridge."

With an exaggerated curtsey, Sarah departed for the kitchen, still hobbling slightly. Fortunately her injury had turned out only to be a sprain and, being in great shape, she was recovered quickly. Still, Ellie felt it was grossly unfair of Troy to have her running around after him already. But she bit her lip. There were limits to what the boys could demand; for example, no tasks could be set between 9am and 5pm, as these would interfere with lectures and classes. But the practical result of this would be that the girls simply had to get up earlier to do bulk of their chores early in the morning. Anyway, Ellie doubted Sarah's injury was bad enough to get her out of serving beers. Even if it was, Sarah would insist on doing it anyway; if she didn't, it would just mean one of the other girls having to, and the pretty blonde wasn't one to put on her friends.

"Aaaaah, that's better," said Troy, after swigging several large gulps of beer. He wiped his mouth with the bak of his arm. "Now where were we?"

"Breakfast!" cut in Chad excitedly, almost making Ellie jump. While Joe had made several suggestions of tasks for the girls, this was the first word Chad had spoken since sitting down. She'd thought he'd fallen asleep - which was a pretty reasonable assumption. The lazy eyes and scruffy mini-mop of hair didn't denote a man who bounced out of bed with the lark.

Ellie smiled sweetly. "But Chad, dear, you don't eat breakfast. You're never up in time."

"Who said anything about getting up?" Troy cut in with a lopsided smirk. "We want our breakfast in bed, right guys? Every day." Chad and Joe grunted amd nodded their eager assent, as Troy took another swig from his bottle before continuing:

"So Chloe, add this to your weekly shopping list: bacon, sausages, eggs, waffles, ham; and flour, uh, sugar... everything you need to make pancakes." He leaned back and gulped more beer. "We want the works. You can judge the amounts, and make us some milkshakes to wash it down and Sarah why the hell am I holding an empty bottle?!"

Ellie could bear it no longer. As Sarah hurried back out to the kitchen she opened her mouth: "Er, Troy. Just in case you're forgetting, Sarah seriously injured her ankle yesterd-"

"The exercise will do it good!" blurted Troy, not welcoming the reminder of the previous day's events. Indeed the vain superstud had tried to put it all as far behind him as... well, as far behind him as he had been behind Sarah before her fall. It was one of the main reasons he was being so bossy now. Although technically he'd won, the race had been a very public blow to his pride. He was desparate to reassert himself and wipe out the blot of embarrassment. Well, thankfully he had the perfect opportunity. Sarah liked running, did she? Well good: for the rest of the year he intended to run her ragged.

"Now then," Troy smiled, accepting another beer. "Ah yes. Dinner. This is where you girls get to show off. We'll eat in the canteen on weekdays, don't worry. But at weekends, you're cooking. There are no specific demands. You can make us whatever you want. But be warned," here he turned his gaze on Ellie in particular, "if we're not satisfied...well, let's just say there are plenty of other tasks we can think up. That goes for breakfast too."

Troy punctuated the sentence with a boozy belch. He waved his bottle in the air.

"Sarah!"

"Um, those were the last ones. I-"

Troy stared at her. "Well, go and buy more! Sheesh!"

"I'll go with you," put in Chloe quietly. "I can pick up the shopping too."

"That's more like it!"

As Chloe and Sarah departed, Troy leaned back and looked at Ellie, clearly trying - with apparent difficulty - to think up some inane job for her to do.

Just as he seemed to be at his wits' end, his stomach gave a loud grumble.

Looking up with mock shock, Troy placed a hand on his midriff. "Didn't you hear that, Ellie? Those beers have given us a hunger!" He nodded towards the kitchen: "Better see what you can whip up, chef. I think there are some Nachos in the cupboard, and a few spring rolls."

Chad and Joe snickered at this insult to Ellie's culinary capabilities. She sighed, but there was no way out. Bowing sarcastically, she turned for the kitchen.

"Ellie..."

The brunette spun back round to see a victoriously smirking Joe.

"Make it snappy, okay? You got three hungry guys in here!"

What else could Ellie do? Somehow managing to smuggle a smile onto her face, she emitted a small groan of assent and once again she left for the kitchen, pursued by the sound of boistrous laughter.