Class Of 96': 1994 (BxB Mystery)

October 31, 1994 - 10:58 P.M

 "What the . . . " Innes stumbled as Luka tightened his grip around her elbow and dragged her out the party into the halls. She lost her footing and tripped. She's already drunk due to the fruit punch and her whole worlds spinning. "Whatduya' think . . . you're doin'?"

Luka sighed at the sight of his sister being blackout wasted. "You're drunk."

"M–Me?" She let her brother help her up and struggled to catch balance, her floppy ghost costume creasing.

"Yes. And you almost knocked a tooth out of your classmate. Are you okay? Do you feel like vomiting?"

She scoffed, her body fighting to stay conscious. "Hic . . . No."

" . . . " Luka pinched the bridge of his nose in worry. He couldn't even see Innes' face. All he could see was a pair of sunglasses on a mattress. "Don't get drunk again. Please."

She can barely make out his face. "Your costume is fuckin' stupid."

He pursed his thin lips. "Innesa, look. You get violent when you're drunk. You get physical."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree . . . " She mumbled, looking away.

"What?"

"I said . . . " Innes took a deep breath. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Luka slightly tilted his head. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She pierced her bloodshot gaze at him. "Do ya remember . . . uh, I . . . Do ya remember those, uhm, brown bottles laying on the countertop and . . . whenever we see that we know we should go to our room and . . . hic . . . if we didn't we would hear yelling and the—"

"Innesa, let's not do this. It's late."

"No, no . . . and your dad would come out, all drunk like I am, and beat the shit outta you? Yeah . . . I took a sip of his brown drink once. I felt just like this . . . like my body was made outta water. Ugh . . . "

Luka's jaw tensed as he bit down his tongue. He couldn't help but flash back on the times he would come home to his father drunk. Up to now, he still doesn't want to go home. "You're fine. You just act like him when you're drunk. And don't mention that agai—"

"Shut up!" Innes shoved him hard and tried straightening her posture. Luka stumbled back in shock, almost yelping. "Don't say that . . . like he's my dad. He's your dad." She lowered her voice. "Mom's a slut . . . "

He felt his skin prickling with agitation and exhaustion. He doesn't want to argue with her again. It's like that's all they do. He hates how she got his father's attitude. She's right. Even if he isn't her real dad, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

"Innesa, let's not do this again. I'm tired. It's late. Can we please just resolve the problem and . . . act right for the rest of the night? Please?"

"You know what . . . ?" She tilted her head. "I don't even know if you're my real brother."

"Let's not do this." He was no doubt tired. But he has to understand Innes isn't in the right mind. She's never in the right mind. "I am your brother, Innesa."

Slap!

"Then you're a horrible brother."

" . . . " Luka widened his eyes as he takes a slap to the face. His body freezes in shock. 'Then you're a horrible brother.' To Innes, those words meant nothing. But to Luka, that was his world.

They both stood in hollow silence, tension creeping into them.

Why? Luka couldn't understand why Innes would say that. Why?!? All he did was care for her, check on her, and correct her when she was wrong! He cares for her more than anything in the world. Isn't it nice to hear the one person you would sacrifice everything for, say you're a horrible person? For all the love that you give, all you get back is violence?