AllFreeNovel
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Three seconds after I duck out of her room, a shoe slams against the wall in the hallway, her laugh preluding the projectile and erasing the sorrow surrounding us.
Margret’s escalating. The verbal attacks are bad enough, but now she’s putting hands on Jasmine. Shivers skate across my skin, thinking about what could happen if I’m not around to intervene.
Closing my eyes, I shake those pointless thoughts aside. There’ll never be a day that I wouldn’t be here to look out for my twin. After we leave for college, our first step is to find an apartment together off campus. Our grandma’s already offered to pay the rent while we’re attending school. Until then, giving Jaz a relaxing fun night after the bullshit she dealt with today is the best medicine.
My shirt sticks to the sweat drying on my overworked body as I strip it over my head, only stopping to look in the mirror that covers my bathroom door. I flex, bouncing my pecks up and down, and watch my abs flex with each movement. “Welcome to the gun show,” I say, dipping my voice down low.
Laughing at myself, I remove my shorts and strut around in my boxers. When I toss them into the heaping pile of laundry in the corner of my room, an offending smell permeates the air after impact. As I glare at the insulting corner and wonder how I can get Jasmine to throw it in with hers, reality sets in… I want to clean before Marisol arrives. What the fuck. I sure as shit don’t want to clean for Alex, since I loathe laundry, dishes, and pretty much any other chore. Just thinking about her coming over has my eyes frantically dashing around the room, seeing for the first time what a fucking pig I am.
It’s hypocritical of Margret to insult Jasmine because of her cleanliness, since I’m the slob of the family. Before hitting the shower, gathering the crap around my room is priority number one, since it’s going to take the longest.
Once everything is in its place, I dig new clothes from my drawer, realizing how tired of everything I’ve become. I want a life where I don’t have to worry about Jasmine. A place she can be worry free, and turn into the amazing person she’s meant to be. I’ll have to admit, I’m not looking forward to seeing the assholes she’ll end up dating. Feeling more like a dad than a brother most of the time, I’m not sure if I’m ready for that.
Climbing in the shower feels like heaven. The coach ran us ragged today with Cardio. It’s easy for him to shout from the sideline since he’s in no way, shape, or form, involved in running. His potbelly is a testament to that.
By the time I exit the shower, I can hear my sister’s music through the wall. Good. That means she’s doing better.
Hurriedly, I dress since the pizza still needs ordered for delivery. We’ll flip through the streaming channels to find something to watch. Drinks will come with the pizza. I find myself pacing, making sure our night is set. Why the hell am I nervous?
There’s a knock on my door, interrupting the internal rambling. No one else comes to my door other than Jaz, so I toss it open while I finish tugging down my tank. “I told you, you don’t have to knock.”
“Like I want to walk in on your naked ass, or who knows what else you’d be doing. Wow, you cleaned.” She changes the subject instantly and pins me with her eyes, batting her lashes like the sarcastic shit she is. “Did you do this all for little ole me?”
“Shut your face. I didn’t want people to think of me as anything less than completely awesome.”
Jasmine flops on my couch, turning the TV on. “Did you think of anything to watch?”
“No. I was just about to order pizza. You find the movie and I’ll order the pizza. What kind do you want?”
“Jalapeno and pineapple for me, please.” She doesn’t even bother looking at the disgusted face I’m giving her. She’s just gross.
“Are you insane?” I ask, just as the lady answers, “Big Al’s Pizza, where the pizza is done right.”
Jaz smiles but keeps her eyes glued to the TV. I’m hoping that smile is for my comment, and not whatever she plans on watching tonight. Please, dear Lord, don’t let it be Cry Baby again. One can only hope.
The pizza shows up a few minutes before Alex and Marisol arrive. There’s a small hush over the room when they first enter, clueing us in that Marisol’s been gossiping, and told Alex everything.
Marisol, bless her heart, breaks it by flopping down next to Jasmine with a big smile, and asks, “So, what did you find for us to watch?”
My chest expands. She’s always there for my sister, even when she doesn’t have all the details. Jasmine’s grateful and shiny eyes smile at her. They share a thousand messages with no words with that one look.
“I thought to start us out, we would pick one, and then the guys would get to choose one.” Great.
“Do I even want to know?” I ask. Alex groans. He remembers the Cry Baby marathon too.
Jasmine hits play and immediately I know what we’ll have to sit through. ‘You’re the one I want,’ echoes in the background.
“Seriously! Not again.” Alex flops down next to Jasmine. “How many times can you two watch Grease? Marisol even watches it alone.”
“Ask me that again right before I die, and I’ll be able to get you a better quote.” Marisol giggles, knowing Alex and I hate any movie that involves singing. “Eat some pizza and shut your mouths. We’re trying to watch a movie here,” she says, sliding the box of pizza at us.
“Oh no, that’s your nasty creation.” I slide the Jalapeno and pineapple pizza back to them.
Marisol’s eyes pop open wide. “You didn’t!”
“I did!” Jasmine confirms.
Marisol squeals like she’s won the lottery. Flipping the lid over, she grabs the biggest piece of pizza she can find. I don’t know how they both stay in such good shape; they eat like they’re starving.
