Eighteen-year-old Brianna Scott was pissed. She had gotten in yet another fight with her parents, this time because she had the audacity to stay out past midnight. She had graduated high school, what did they expect? She wouldn't be a little girl forever. She was all of ten minutes late, and they wanted to ground her for 10 days. As she stomped her way, she reflected on the last few years.
Her older brother had graduated when she was 14. He had moved out when she was 15, and by then he stayed out much later than midnight! Marc was her hero and nemesis at the same time. He had chosen to take a less traditional route these days and had eschewed college for an apprenticeship with a local electrician's union. He had done well and was about a year away from journeyman. He had even bought a house already! She practically worshipped him still. They had been inseparable for years, mostly because both of her parents worked. He was her brother, partner in crime, caregiver, her everything for several years... then he just left. He had cut off most of the contact they had for a while. When he showed up to her graduation party, she was ecstatic. She had cornered him and asked what the issue was, and he just told her he couldn't tell her, but he also couldn't be around her. He was damn sure going to tell her now, as she was walking to his house.
When she finally arrived, it was late. She checked her phone, it was 11:30 (and 9 missed calls from her parents). She didn't care anymore, so she walked up and started beating on the door. It took a minute, but the porch light finally came on and the door opened.
"Bri... what are you doing here?"
"The 'rents and I had a fight... I just need a place to stay to cool off."
"Here? I told you, I shouldn't be around you..."
"And you wouldn't tell me why either... Look Marc, I just walked six miles to get here. I'm your sister who you practically raised. Let me in."
Sigh
"Ok... for tonight. I'll take you back tomorrow. Did you tell Mom and Dad where you were going?"
"Fuck them!"
"I'll take that as a no. Come in, we'll figure something out."
They went in and Marc excused himself to the bathroom. He shot a quick text to the parents so they wouldn't worry and stared at himself in the mirror. His sister was a five-foot two-inch firecracker, with red curly hair down to her shoulder blades and curves everywhere. "Dude, it's one night. You can do this." He wiped the sweat off his face with a damp rag and went out.
"Ok, Bri, what's up? This is not like you at all."
"I went out yesterday with my friends, we got back at 12:10... they want to ground me for 10 days! We had a couple of beers each and they smelled it on my breath. GAAAH! They won't let me grow up!"
If only I could've stopped that too, Marc thought. "They are just looking out for you. You know they care."
"I know... but when you did things like this, you didn't get in trouble. Why me?"
"I dunno... you're a girl, I guess."
"So?"
"Hey, I really don't know. You guys need to talk."
"I'm too mad at them right now. Do you have anything to drink?"
"Yeah, but isn't that what got you in trouble in the first place?"
"Shut it Marc."
Marc went to his cabinet and brought out a few things. "Name your poison, Bri. Rum, whiskey, vodka, or tequila." He heard her mumble something and giggle. "What?"
"Tequila... Amanda calls it 'Whore in a Bottle'."
"Huh?"
"Like Hole in a Bottle, but with tequila, apparently it's a panty-dropper for her."
"With Amanda, everything is."
"Hey, that's my best friend you're talking about! But, yeah, you're kinda right."
"Why don't we have a couple of beers?"
"Nope, too late now. Tequila, my good man. Chop-chop! And you'd better have limes!"
He did have limes, and he got out two shot glasses and some salt. "Mom would kill me if she knew what I was doing..."
"She's gonna kill me in the morning before I can tell her how awful you are anyway."
"Here it is, drink up! No throwing up in my house though."
"I'm not a drinking virgin, I can handle a shot!"
"Hope so. To us, children of the Scotts!" With that, he licked the salt, shot the shot, and put a lime in his mouth. He looked at her expectantly. She hesitantly did the same as him, choking on the shot a little but getting through it.
"That was your first tequila shot, wasn't it?"
"Yeah... not too horrible though. You probably bought cheap stuff, that's why I choked!"
"Try again, Bri. This stuff is sixty bucks a bottle. I don't drink it often, but when I do I like decent stuff."
"Ok... maybe I'm just not used to it. That means we have to do another shot!"
They had a second shot, then a third. After the fifth one, Marc stopped pouring. He felt pretty lit, so he knew she was.
"Wassa matter, pussy? Too drunk to have morrrre?" she slurred.
"No, but you are. You're kinda fucked up, Bri."
"I'm fucked uuuup? At least I didn't abandon my sisser when she turned fitteen! You lefff me Marc! Whydja do that?"
"I told you, I can't tell you. Trust me when I say I shouldn't be around you."
"Thass fuckin' wrong, Marc. You... you fucked me up, y'know? I loved you, and you jusss left. Left me alone with
them
. No essplanation, no warning. You drive me craaaaazy. Iss your fault I never had a boyfrenn. Never! Thass on yoooooo!"
"That doesn't even make sense, Bri. How can I keep you from getting a boyfriend if I'm not even home?"
"Stooopid. You're stooooooopid. I juss toll you. I love you, Marc."
"I love you too, Bri, but what does that have to do with it?"
"Nonononono... You donn unnerstand. Marc, I love you... wrong. I love you like... like a boyfrenn...like... I wanna marry you. You screwed me up, iss all your fault."
Marc was floored. He didn't know what to say, but he knew what he had to say. "Look, Bri... I had to leave. I knew then that I was in love with you too. I love you too, and I love you wrong too. I didn't want to ruin you."