Rent or Forfeit 01

Chapter 1: New Beginnings

Following his sisters, Sarah and Monica, into the spare bedroom of their modest apartment, Tommy Jenkins exhaled deeply as he gently set down his suitcase beside the bed. Inside was a pitiful collection of his earthly belongings: some worn-out clothes, his game console, and a handful of trinkets. Scanning the room, he couldn't hide his disappointment as he prepared to face his new reality.

“There isn’t even a TV!” Tommy moaned as he turned to face Sarah. “How am I supposed to play my games without a TV?”

Sarah, five years Tommy's senior, was far from thrilled at the prospect of having her younger brother stay with them. In fact, if she had her way, she would have left him to fend for himself on the streets. Forcing a smile, the blonde-haired woman tried to conceal her true feelings. "We've never needed one in here before. But if you really need one, I'm sure you can find a cheap second-hand one online," she said through gritted teeth.

With a weary turn, Tommy faced the large full-length mirror on the wall. He had no money for a TV - second-hand or not - making this already frustrating situation even more unbearable.

(See image 01)

Staring into the mirror, flanked by the two sisters he used to torment in his younger years, Tommy knew he had hit rock bottom. At eighteen, he should have been preparing for university, but after partying and skipping classes throughout his final year of A-levels, he had failed every subject. Now penniless, he faced the prospect of being homeless if Sarah and Monica decided not to take him in.

Things had turned sour on his eighteenth birthday when, instead of receiving a new game for his PlayStation, Tommy’s mother announced she had cancelled the rental agreement and was moving halfway across the country to live with her latest boyfriend, Jeff. She had never been the most loving of mothers, but this move was cold, even by her low standards. With nowhere else to go, Tommy packed an old suitcase that had once belonged to his departed father and trekked across town to find the only people who might consider helping in his time of need - his estranged older sisters.

Having just returned home from a shopping trip, the sisters clashed fiercely for nearly ten minutes after opening the door to find their scruffy, bearded brother begging to be taken in. Still haunted by memories of living with him, Sarah strongly opposed the idea. However, Monica, the younger and more compassionate sister, took a different approach. Though she too, harboured less-than-fond memories of living with Tommy, the thought of him out on the streets alone broke her heart. After a frank conversation with Tommy, in which he promised to find a job and turn his life around if allowed to stay, Monica convinced Sarah to give him a chance, provided he contributed to the monthly rent.

For the first few days, Tommy kept true to his word. He woke up early to scour job listings, even submitting his CV to a few prospective employers. However, as the days turned into weeks, his efforts in the job search gradually dwindled until they were forgotten entirely. A month later, Tommy had contributed nothing towards the rent. He spent his days lounging in the living room, devouring every scrap of food in the fridge, and hogging the main TV to play his computer games. By rarely showering or changing his clothes, he had quickly turned the once-pristine apartment into a foul-smelling pigsty.

The sisters initially tolerated their younger brother's behaviour, believing he was genuinely trying to find a job. However, as Tommy continued to disrespect their privacy and the shared living space, their patience wore thin. The tension reached a boiling point on a fateful Friday night when Sarah returned home after a gruelling day at work to find Tommy unconscious on the sofa, surrounded by empty food packages and a drained gin bottle - the very bottle she had planned to enjoy with her friends that evening.

Wanting to kill her good-for-nothing, lazy brother, Sarah marched over, ready to wake him from his stupor and give him a piece of her mind. However, before she had the chance, Monica arrived home and intervened to defuse the situation. Although frustrated herself, Mónica tried to remain calm and logical as she consoled her older sister. As she listened to Sarah rant, an interesting idea occurred to her. She shared her thoughts with Sarah, who, after considering them for a moment, quickly warmed to her idea. It was a little unusual but full of fun, involving some tough love to teach their slacker of a brother an important life lesson. They hoped this kick in the backside would be the wake-up call he needed to take responsibility and make something of himself.

As the sun set on that fateful evening, Tommy's eyes fluttered open, groggy and disoriented from his drunken slumber. However, as he tried to shake off the cobwebs, he was met with the furious glares of his two older sisters, their anger palpable as they issued an ultimatum. From that moment on, he was to pay his fair share of the weekly rent. If he didn’t have the money, he would suffer a forfeit. Refusing to comply would mean packing up his suitcase and taking his chances on the streets.

In his bleary state, Tommy failed to grasp the seriousness of the situation. "Sure thing, girls,” he slurred, his words thick with sleep. "I'll find a job tomorrow. Promise."

Monica, noticing her sister's face flush with rage, knew she needed to intervene quickly. "That's great, Tom," she exclaimed, her face breaking into a wide grin. "But we're starting right now. Do you have this week's money?"

Shifting upright, Tommy raked his fingers through his long, unkempt hair, which, after missing more than a few haircuts, now cascaded down to his shoulders. "Uh... Well, I’m a bit short at the moment, Mon. Can I get it to you in a few days?" he replied, clearly confused by the situation.

"Sorry, Tommy boy," Sarah said, jumping into the conversation. "You’ve had plenty of time to come up with the money, and to be honest, I don’t really believe you’re trying anymore. So, it looks like you’re going to need to pay a forfeit or leave." Producing a bright purple hat that she had once worn to a wedding, Sarah held it out to her brother. Inside were ten pieces of folded paper - five written by her and five by Monica. Each contained a task, something embarrassing that Tommy would never choose to do of his own free will.

"What's this?" Tommy asked, squinting as he peered into the fancy headpiece.

"My God, do you ever listen?" Sarah exclaimed in frustration. "These are your forfeits, dummy. Now, pick two, then choose one you’re going to do."

Tommy was unimpressed. "Err... I don’t really feel up to playing right now, Sare," he said, his drunken mind slowly grasping the rules of the game. "Let’s do this another time, yeah?"

"That’s a shame, Tom," Monica answered, leaning in. "I spent ages convincing Sarah to give you a chance. To prove that you want to change. But I guess I was wrong. Your bag’s already packed and sitting by the front door. I put £50 on top - that should get you food and somewhere to sleep for a few days," she added, her voice cold and firm.

Tommy’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked towards Monica. Usually the nicer sister, her stern stance signalled that the situation was more dire than he had realized. Clearing his throat, he peered down into the hat once more. "I pick two but only have to do one of them, right?" he asked, glancing up at Monica. "Exactly," she replied, nodding her head as Sarah tutted loudly behind her.

With a sense of trepidation, Tommy reached into the hat and pulled out two small pieces of paper. Unfolding them, he read the shocking options aloud. The first: 'Learn how to apply makeup and wear it every day,' made his top lip curl in disgust. The second: 'Shave off every hair below your eyebrows and keep your skin smooth after. All long pants are banned,' was no better, causing him to groan loudly as he hunched forward. Looking back at Monica and then glancing towards Sarah, Tommy searched for any hint of a smile - some indication that this was all some sort of joke or prank. Unfortunately for him, all he found were two extremely serious faces staring back at him.