Stars

Failed Admission

"Let go of me!" my brother hisses at me harshly.
I roll my eyes and grip his shoulders with my hands as he tries yet again to tug out my arms.
"Shh! You're going to get us in trouble. Now zip it!" I snap back.
He stops struggling but growls in warning. I scowl at him and look around at all the bustling people snapping pictures and chatting away excitedly. My brother tests my grip once more and I whack the side of his head with the flat of my palm. He yelps but stops wiggling.
We made it this far and we are not bailing. It took hours to get in here and I will not let my fidgety brother ruin my chance.
With determination, I push through a few more people, tugging my brother along with me. Women and men let out yelps of surprise as we push through, shrugging to get to the admission entrance. Glittering colors and rough materials flash across my eyes as we shove through the crowd.
My brother and I stand out like sore thumbs in our oversized hoodies, worn shoes, and torn jeans against all the shimmering dresses and neatly pressed suits. My hair is a wild mass of black waves and overgrown bangs, with a streak of bright red woven inside. My brothers hair is dirty blonde, streaked with dirt and grime, and sticking up in many directions. We don't smell that great either- like dirt and greasy fast food- but the perfumes and colognes of ever other guest here beats out our scent.
Someone's shoe clicks against my ankle as I dodge a woman's purse, and I'm sent sprawling into the legs of a sharply dressed man, dragging my brother down with me. The man lurches forward and stumbles into the waiter holding a plate of drinks. People scream as the glasses go tumbling over me and my brother, as well as the man I hit.
Alcohol splatters over my body and wine glasses shatter over our heads. The man I had run into spins around, furious. Red wine soaks the front of his silver tie and white under shirt.
I stare up at him fearfully and my brother huddles under my body in fear.
"Umm. I'm so, so sorry sir, I was just...um," I stutter, getting to my feet and trying to brush glass from my hair. My brother grips my body and skuttles behind my back, trying to pull me back into the crowd.
"Where are your parents?" the man addresses me with a sneer.
I gulp.
"They're getting food for the performance. My brother and I were hungry," I lie, hoping he'll buy it.
He looks us up and down skeptically.
"Are Charie and Caleb's kids?" The woman beside him asks us. I assume it's his wife because she links her arm with his and brushes her dark hair from her heavily made up eyes.
I nod wildly, though having no idea who Charie or Caleb is.
"Yes. We are. We were just going to try and get seats. We didn't mean to hit you and I apologize for my clumsiness," I say pleadingly.
The man groans and his wife bites her lip.
"Why don't we go get your parents. Then you can be sure you won't hit anyone else anymore," the man says, placing his hands over our backs and trying to usher us trough the crowd and toward the concessions, "I'm sure I saw Charie over here anyway."
My heart races and leaps to my throat and I struggle against the man, snatching my brothers shoulders.
"Hey!-" he begins and reaches for us once more, but me and my brother are already deep in the crowd before he can catch us.
People scream and jump out of our way as we sprint through the nicely dressed men and women. A few more paces and we'll be at the exit. With a cry of frustration, I shove through the last of the people and my brother and I burst through the exit doors, rushing into the ally and shoving the door closed behind us.
We stand against the wall, panting for just a moment, until my brother breaks the silence.
"I told you not to try and sneak in," he grumbles.
I glare at him and brush a lock of hair from my sweaty face.
"Shut up Carson, we almost made it. If you hadn't tried to run off I never would've had to drag you around and shove through everyone!" I snap back.
He crosses his arms and gestures to my wine soaked clothes.
"If you hadn't run into that man we wouldn't have been caught!" he shoots back.
I growl at him and shake my head, brushing glass from my shoulder.
"Whatever. We gotta get outta here before security shows up, so quit yapping and c'mon," I say, running off into another alley, with Carson sprinting in my wake.