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45
AVA
When I get backto the apartment, the guys are there and their voices are loud.
Ugh. I just cannot deal with more of their drunken obnoxiousness. It’s barely noon. I’ll bet anything they went to one of those brunches that offer ‘bottomless bloody Marys’ or something like that.
I should have stayed on that park bench where I’d been enjoying my coffee, but when a large blob of bird poop landed right next to my thigh, I figured that’s when I needed to get moving.
The few blocks back to my apartment were lovely and peaceful. The city was surprisingly quiet, probably because people were gone for the weekend. I wandered along, something I never allow myself to do because I’m always in too much of a hurry, or otherwise tell myself no self-respecting New Yorker ever would meander, enjoying the pre-war architecture like a silly out-of-town tourist.
That’s just stupid.
But my peace is shattered when the guys’ booming voices greet me before I even get to our door.
“Hey, what’s all the noise—” I start to say once inside.
The guys immediately silence themselves, surprise covering their faces. Which makes no sense because, after all, I live here.
“What is this?” Andy booms, waving around a piece of paper like a maniac.
Jasper just looks like he’s in shock.
Ugh. What the hell are they up to and why is my brother shouting?
Boneheads, both of them. They need to realize they’re not in college anymore and grow the hell up.
I shake my head in his face. “Andy, shut it. There are other people in this building who don’t want to hear your big mouth.” I push past them and head to my room to finish my letter.
But when I get there, it’s not on the printer where I left it.
Oh.
Fear and shame wash over me. Have I been discovered? Does Andy have my letter, confessing my most personal thoughts, meant only to be shared with Jasper, Ethan, and Leo?
How did he get it? What was he doing in my room? He spent the weekend on the living room sofa. He had no reason to go in my room. But he is my brother, and still seems to think what’s mine is his, just like he did when we were growing up.
Asshole.
He’s mad I got together with Jasper, not to mention the other guys. I know it. He always told his friends to stay away from me, which is stupid in itself, but was maybe acceptable when we were in high school. But we’re adults now, so he can suck it.
Still, I don’t want to deal with him and his rage, so I consider locking my bedroom door and leaving via the fire escape. But when I look out my window, I realize I have no idea how to operate it and am not about to jump four stories down, no matter how my brother is banging outside my door.
As he continues to roar unintelligible words, which I am not sure are directed at me or Jasper, I clench my fists hard, hard enough to dig my nails into my palms until it hurts. I tense as my heart booms in my ears, and realize I am not down with Andy’s bullshit.
Not one bit.
I fling my bedroom door open and charge at him.
“Hey, asshole, my life is none of your business,” I holler back, snatching the paper out of his hand, now crumpled and smeared.
His mouth drops open in surprise, only for a moment though.
Jasper’s eye glasses are on the ground, one side of them shattered, and his fists are balled, ready to strike Andy for what I guess is not the first time, given the drop of blood under his nose.
Really? Fucking Neanderthal meat heads.
I get up in Andy’s face, and he really, truly, takes a step back. I’ve never done this before and am not sure who’s more surprised, him or me.
