Love Me Love Me (English)

9

Brian

There was a hole in my bedroom wall right behind the headboard. I punched it in when I was eight because I'd just gotten a bad grade. Nobody ever bothered to plaster it over. My mom pretended not to see it so every morning I'd hit it again, always in the same place to not give Amelia a reason to worry.

My sheets were always in a heap in the morning, a battlefield on which I was forced to fight against the night. Every night I found the sheets reorganized in perfect order by Ms. Maria, but I knew they'd go back to the way they were. I tapped my phone to turn off the alarm, but I was still tired. I dragged myself to the window.

A figure on the lawn came into view. Amelia was vaping. I pulled up the blinds.

"First thing in the morning? It's 6:40, what's your deal?"

"Chill. I only take two hits before breakfast," she yelled from downstairs.

I'm gonna kill him. Hunter had been back for less than a week, and he had already started slinging his usual shit: prescription pills, weed, and party drugs of all kinds.

"I'm not taking you to class high. Get back inside," I threatened. Now time for the usual morning routine—shower, boxers, shirt, pants, and jacket.

I was put together and well groomed enough to look like my mom's son.

It was a shame that I only saw my dad's reflection.

I went downstairs. Amelia was pouring maple syrup onto a pancake.

"She's already in court."

My mom was a defense attorney.

I poured some coffee as Amelia laughed at her phone.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"The girls and I are throwing a party."

"Seriously? Why? But most importantly, where?"

"Calm down, not here. It's to celebrate June moving here."

I was glad June was fitting in, but it didn't seem like a good enough excuse to raise hell. Also that would mean that Ari would drag me to something I had no interest in being at. "Not at his place," I clarified.

Amelia poured cold milk into a steaming cup of coffee and looked me up and down.

"James has the biggest house out of—"

"Not at his place," I said, putting my foot down.

"Besides, he and June can't stand each other, so I doubt he'd be up for it."

I turned around suddenly to hide my rage. "Did you already talk to him about it before telling me? Don't you understand why you shouldn't talk with that—"

I clenched my teeth.

"Brian, chill. I'm not talking to James. I just want June to understand that she's fully part of our group."

My sister talked a big game about being a rebellious, nonconformist bad girl, but she was actually the most naïve.

"It's just an excuse to make trouble. And we've had enough of that." I shook my head as she scoffed loudly.

"Let's go. We'll talk about it later. Is Ari coming this afternoon?"

"I don't know," I said curtly.

"All right let me know, so I can give you some privacy." She made a mischievous face that I pretended not to see.

Also because there was nothing mischievous about my relationship.

"Cut it out."

"You were fun once upon a time, Brian." Once.