Joy stood in the bathroom as she talked to Bridget and Joyce about the situation. She was tying the knot of a gray kerchief bandana under her long blonde hair as she talked. She had on a gray t-shirt, blue jeans, and Converse sneakers. They discussed at length what the plan would be.
"This place is filthy."
"You just noticed?" Joyce asked.
"You have?"
"I constantly battle the grime on my own end."
"Bridget?"
"I just leave when she gets OCD with it."
"I am not OCD!"
"I didn't say you were."
"Good!"
"I didn't say you weren't either!"
"Hey!"
"Have you two seen the kitchen?"
"I already attacked the appliances a while ago," Bridget replied.
"I just left when she got OCD with it," Joyce said with a smirk.
"That is that much less hard work for us!" Joy said.
But that was 3 months ago...," Bridget trailed off.
"So who gets where?"
"I will take my room and the kitchen!" Joy started.
"I will take the bathroom," Bridget claimed.
"That leaves the living room for me," Joyce flatly added.
"Sounds like a go then!" Joy directed.
"It is!"
"Then let's get to it!"
"To the cleaning!"
Joyce went to her bedroom and grabbed a pink ponytail for her hair. She then got a lime green elastic headband and put it on. She was wearing jeans, white and pink sneakers, a white t-shirt, and a thin gray hoodie with the zipper open down to her breasts. She grabbed cleaner and went to work on the living room table.
Bridget went to the bathroom, pulled out her wide white headband, and put it on her head before taking out a black pony. She had a black t-shirt and red sweatpants on with her white sneakers. "Windex, I need Windex," she muttered as she pulled out her phone to find a text from Nichole. She shut the door to the bathroom upon reading the text.
"Planning some fun... You game?"
"What fun?"
"Put some friends in a bind

"Who?"
"The 3 J's"
"Joy. Joyce, Jenny?"
"Yeah. Go or no go?"
"It's a go! We are cleaning the place."
"We will come help then! Don't wear yourself out."
"OK."
"Give us 15."
"Will do"
=============================================
Jenny let out a groan as she tied the knot of her camouflage bandana headband under her hair which was in a brown ponytail. She had on a pink t-shirt and blue jeans with her bright pink sneakers. Nichole had on blue jeans, a bright blue t-shirt, blue sneakers, and a bright red headband; it was disgustingly cheerful.
"Nichole, why did you volunteer me to help?"
"Why not?"
"I'd much rather be sleeping."
"Come on! The work will be great!"
"I already have a job as it is!"
"Work-study isn"t work."
"Nichole..." she prodded.
"C'mon, Miss Lazypants! Let's go!
They left the dorm and locked the door behind them. They said little as they went down the elevator. As they walked along, they talked.
"Nichole, why?"
"I wanted to help. It gets us out!"
"Yeah, but we spend enough time there as it is."
"So? We can help them finish faster."
"I would rather be filling out financials for a professor..."
"Oh, that is boring, and you know it!"
"It isn't cleaning someone else's place for no reason though!"
"You want compensation?"
"I want cold, hard cash!"
"Ok, Ms. Marner," Nichole said rolling her eyes.
They continued on this sour note. Jenny realized that Nichole was only tying to help, or so she thought, so she brightened her mood by giving Nichole a playful punch on the arm. Nichole smiled inwardly, knowing that there was devious plots afoot! As soon as they arrived, Jenny and Nichole went right to work helping Joy and Joyce, respectively.
Nichole knew her timing was important, so she pushed Joyce to work in the living room first. Together, they dusted everything in sight: TV, the stand, lights, fans, and door jams. They made sure everything had no dust, doing all but white glove on it. The window and TV glass were scrubbed before they vacuumed the floor, getting the dust bunnies under the couch, which they had to move.
The kitchen was brutal because the sink and appliances were covered from months of maltreatment. This was going to require much elbow grease, so they took deep breaths and got right to it. Progress was slow, and before long they were wiping sweat from their brows. Joy was having second doubts, but then she remembered that she had to pay a penalty if the apartment wasn't kept clean.
Bridget worked alone in the bathroom. Fortunately, there was just a mirror, sink w/counter, toilet, floor, and shower stall, all crammed within an area 5 feet on each side at best. She got to work, taking it easy as she wanted to get it clean but get it done with making herself too weak to overpower her soon-to-be captives. They had spray cleaner Joyce brought from home and used frequently, so that made the shower easier.
It was a matter of getting the others tired now.