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v. protect the bros

Since I can remember learning how to count, I’d had a crush on Reese. As the years went by, I watched him grow and get even more attractive, making that crush develop into something stronger—dare I say, borderline obsessive.

No, I’m not saying that, but he’d been it for me. We’d gone to the same schools since preschool and I remember every class we’d had together since but had never spoken to him. Not once.

It happened in the last few weeks of ninth grade when my friends had finally pushed me hard enough to talk to him.

There’d been minutes left to the first bell and Reese had been pulling books out of his locker. After a pep talk from my girls, I’d gone over to try my luck.

We’d exchanged short hellos and even though most of my senses had shut down the second he looked at me, I had detected that his tone wasn’t exactly friendly. Not the same how he’d spoken to everyone else.

I’d pushed the thought away and asked him what I always wanted to; if he’d wanted to hang out sometime.

Know what he’d said to me? That he was busy.

And while being busy isn’t a crime, he’d said it in a harsh tone that told me we’d had a problem. That time ‘round, it had been hard to ignore. Especially since he’d turned around and walked away right after.

Heartbroken hadn’t come close to describing what I’d felt. I cried for days. I was pathetic at age fourteen, but I learned my lesson and stayed clear of him ever since.

Then today happened.

Between leaving Starbucks, the end of my shift at Buffalo Wild Wings, and coming home, it’s been difficult keeping my mind straight. I’ve been zoning out and forgetting things because that kiss messed with my head.

A knock at my bedroom door pulls me out of another trance. I smack the side of my head as I make my way to the door. “Get it together.”

The knocking starts up again, more insistent and demanding this time, making me stop and stare at my door in annoyance.

Opening the door, I say, “Brother, what can I help you with?”

“Is it true?” Kellan brushes pass me, walking into my room like he owns it. Typical.

Blinking, I present my room to the now vacant doorway. “Come in. Get comfortable,” I say sarcastically.

“You jump the guy after he was a type-A douche to you the first and last time you spoke to him?”

When I turn back to my room, he’s already sitting behind my desk across the room. His arms are crossed over his broad chest and he’s giving me his ‘big brother mode’ look. He and Kory wear it when they’re getting ready to ruin my life.

“We had to carry you around the house for weeks-”

I cut into his exaggeration. “I thought we all accepted and laughed at the fact that I was a desperate kid back then.” I throw my hands up and walk back over to my bed to put my heels on. “Can we let it go?”

He still goes on, talking about the most embarrassing moment of my life, and I drown him out as I clasp the small buckles on my sandals before getting up.

I hold my hands out and grin at him. “Party ready? Yeah?” I ignore his blank stare and wave him off, going over to my vanity. I shouldn’t have asked him anyway. He only cares when he’s trying to get me to change.

“Did you really have to make out with him? In public?” That comes from my doorway and I stare at myself lazily through my vanity mirror—questioning my life.

“It was a dare! Are you happy?” I glance at Kory who’s leaning against the doorjamb, then at Kellan. I snatch the nude-colored gloss I’m sporting for the night to touch-up my lips. “And I’m sorry that I wasn’t about to wimp out because it was him.” And it ended up being not that bad. They don’t need to know that though.

“You still have feelings for him.” My gut churns in discomfort at how easy it is for Kellan to throw it out there.

“Actually,” I say, closing my gloss and stuffing it in my purse, “I don’t. I don’t expect anything to happen with me and that- I mean Reese.” I smile at them through the mirror, but if I can see how fake it is, so can they. “And I have a party to get to. I’ll appreciate it if you guys gang up on me some other time.”

“I thought we spoke about Diez,” says Kellan.

“Skies,” I whisper under my breath. “Brothers.” I slip the chain-linked strap of my purse onto my shoulder and take a few steps back to check myself out.

I twist at various angles, then run my fingers through my wavy hair. I didn’t do much with it, but it went with the look. “I’m going to say this again-” I face them, finally. “I’m not a kid. I’m not helpless. And I sure as heck don’t need you to be telling me what I can or can’t do. Okay?” I smile at them sweetly, reveling the silence that follows.

“The party is open to everyone,” I announce, already leaving. “If you two ever want to stop being a drag, you’re welcome to stop by. Spy on me if you think it’s your brotherly duty.”

Kory doesn’t stop me as I brush past him through the doorway, however, a thought makes me pause. I ignore the faded scent of weed on him and ask, “Are you ever going to tell me who she is?”

He lets out an audible breath, a smile curving the corner of his lips. My eyes narrow on the black and white ink etched into his skin—numerous objects crawling up from beneath the collar of his shirt. He didn’t have masses of ink, but the last time he’d counted he’d been at twenty-five.

I let out a low, “Huh,” when Kory doesn’t reply and step out of the room. “Turn my light off on your way out,” I say over my shoulder. I move my bracelets up on my wrist to check my watch the same time honking and booming music sounds from outside and car wheels crunching against our gravel driveway.

“I’m coming! Do you want the neighbors to call the police?” I call over the loud music. I can feel the vibration of the bass even from here.

This is the norm whenever Von picks any of us up. I can’t put all the blame on her, though, I do the same thing when the roles are reversed. The Jos’ in our group are quieter in nature. It’s a nice balance.

I spin around the second the night air hits me, heading back inside.

“Where are you going?” Jodene shouts after me.

“Coat,” I call back. It isn’t cold, but it never hurts to be prepared.

I hear the car door closing as I hurry back upstairs for the specific coat I want. If it wasn’t for those overprotective tools, I wouldn’t have left it in the first place. I slow down as I’m passing said tools on their way downstairs.

“The girls are downstairs, they might be feeling frisky. Good luck.”

What my friends love the most about being at my house are my brothers. Ironic, since they’re my least favorite things to come home to. According to the girls, my brothers are beautiful opposites; Kellan, tan with muscles and mystery; and Kory, pale with tattoos and recklessness. Those aren’t their exact words, but that’s the best way to put it without being crude. Or throwing up in my mouth. Sure, I can say my brothers aren’t bad looking, but I don’t need details, and from my friends, that is.

Downstairs, I’m already sporting my black trench coat and bounding toward the door when I hear laughing in the kitchen. A quick peek outside confirms that the girls are in the house, so I follow the sounds. I shove the swing door that leads into the kitchen, dragging my feet pathetically.

I’m just in time to hear Yvonne say, “Can one of you just dare me to jump this man already?” She’s standing dangerously close to Kellan, staring into his eyes all swoony, while he tries and fails to hold back a smile.

She says stuff like this all the time to him that it’s not a surprise anymore. She’s been smitten with him ever since she moved here. Only she doesn’t believe in permanent relationships in high school.

My brother, on the other hand, has a fixed mindset and is a control freak so he doesn’t go for many things or relationships that won’t be permanent.

They’ve hashed it out in the past and continue to do so because Yvonne seems to forget each of those conversations every time she sees him.

I shake my head the same time she starts speaking to him in French. I swear it’s her mating call.

“Excuse me,” I cut into whatever nasty things she’s saying in her native language while walking over to the dining table. I grab an apple from the bowl of fruit sitting in the middle of the table. “We had an agreement, remember? No going after my brother if I can’t go after yours,” I sing, biting into my apple tauntingly.

Von keeps her eyes on Kellan for another few seconds before turning to fix me with a challenging stare. “You know that’s not fair,” she says, her voice almost hissing. “At least your brothers are in the right age group. Mine is old.”

Yvonne’s older brother has been her legal guardian ever since she came here. She knows, just like her, half the reason why I go to her house is because of him. Doesn’t matter that he’s almost half my age. He certainly doesn’t look it, and he’s been single for a long time. Only, every time I try to talk to him alone, she barges in and snatches me away. She’s a lot more protective of her brother than I am of mine, and he’s a grown man.

“I didn’t think you were so shallow that age would throw you off, VV.” I grin at her distasteful grimace. “Don’t be ageist.”

“Who even says that?” she retorts, a funny look on her face. “And I’m not going to have you messing around with my brother only for them to throw him in jail.”

“V, I’m eighteen-”

“No,” she says slowly, before she turns back to Kellan and sighs wistfully. I snicker. “Every time we almost have a breakthrough, she messes us up, don’t you think?”

Kellan runs his hands over buzzed hair, shaking his head slowly. “Good night, Yvonne,” he says simply and gives her one of his rare smiles. He turns to the stove where a skillet is sizzling with whatever he’s making.

“I love a man who knows how to cook for himself,” Yvonne says silkily.

Facepalming, I shake my head in silent shame because it’s obvious she has none.

“Okay, sweety. It’s over, let’s go.”

I look up to see Jodene pulling Von away by her arm.

Yvonne makes a scene by craning her head back and promising to come back later, to which Kellan begs her not to in a bland tone.

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