Because You're Different ✔

36. Expulsion

Sam

It was June's birthday, and she was crazy happy again — I mean, weirdly happy. We were having breakfast in the kitchen. Nathan had dragged me out of bed at six thirty am so I could help him and Charlotte prepare. I hated him, really. Couldn't we have done a birthday dinner instead? June could've cooked something herself then, and we wouldn't have had to cut back on sleep. But no, my brother was a dipshit.

A bigger dipshit than I'd ever realized. Because here she still was, Charlotte Stuck Up Bitch I'm-Better-Than-Anyone-Else, burning pancakes and messing up making tea. If anyone had to stop thinking with his dick, it was Nathan himself. Seriously, dude? What did you see in this girl? At least, Lena had never been arrogant.

"Alright, which present do you want first, June?" Charlotte asked, perfectly dressed in too much pink, or whatever that color was. She had two packages lying next to her plate, which were delivered yesterday, neatly wrapped up with strings June would never be able to open. "Sam's, Nathan's, mine?"

June smiled a huge smile, her eyes finding Nathan's for a second. "One of yours would be nice," she said, and Charlotte handed her one of the presents. She had to take it with her left hand; the other was partially covered in syrup. "I already got Nathan's last ni...—"

"—You're wearing grandma's ring!"

I hadn't intended to shout it out loud, but I was so shocked by seeing that green stone I couldn't keep it in. That was grandma's! What was she doing with it? Where had she found it? It was supposed to be in gran's jewelry box upstairs!

She frowned at me. "Yeah, you and Nathan gave it to me. I said thank you only thirty minutes ago."

Shit. I thought that was for the food and all. "You just decided you could give it to her?" I shot an angry look at my brother, who seemed as confused as the rest.

"I asked you. You said it was a good idea."

"What? You didn't ask me!"

He stared at me like I dropped a book on my head again. "I did. Two weeks ago, you were..." He sighed, pinching his nose. "...on the Xbox."

Dipshit. I never listened when I was playing games. That was common knowledge. "Couldn't you have waited till I was done?"

June was shifting in her chair. "Sam, if you don't want me to have it...—"

"Of course he wants you to have it," Nathan interrupted. "It's yours now anyway. Sam, tell her you want her to have it."

I looked sideways, to her hand, currently forming a fist. It was a nice ring, I guess, and well, if she liked it... It wasn't like grandma could still wear it. I probably should be glad he gave it to her and not to Charlotte. Oh, this was a great opportunity to mess with her and get rid of her forever. Of course, it was June, so it wasn't as effective as if it'd been another girl, but it was going to be fun anyway. I grinned, casually taking a bite of my pancake. "Yeah, you can have it," I said, my mouth full. "When's the wedding, though? Today two years from now?"

June tensed. She wasn't the only one. Charlotte's eyes seemed to zoom in on the stone, frozen with her spoon full of yogurt in midair. "What are you talking about?" June said, avoiding Charlotte's gaze like she'd actually done something wrong.

I shrugged, pointing my fork at Nathan. "He asked me for permission. I said yes. You're wearing gran's wedding ring..." Suddenly, something dawned on me, a very vague memory. "And didn't he propose to you like two years ago?"

June hit me on the shoulder. "That wasn't serious, and you know it. Stop trying to scare poor Charlotte." She sent a sweet smile in the direction of the girlfriend, but there was a mean glint in her eyes that she wasn't able to hide. No wonder. She must've hated that girl even more than I did. "Don't listen to him. He's just an ass. I'm sure Nathan doesn't have any intention marrying his little sister, do you, Nathan?"

I think he was the most confused out of everyone. He hadn't said a word yet and seemed to have trouble finding the right ones now. "What?" he blurted out. "Little sister?"

Charlotte laughed, taking his hand and caressing it; the sight was nauseating. "Sam, always the jester. I'm sorry, June, but you're not going anywhere with my man."

Ugh. Barf. Something crashed onto the floor, clattering loudly. June's fork, of course — this must've been the thousandth time she'd dropped it. I bent down to get it, escaping the awkward situation for a moment. Underneath the table, I noticed she'd dug the nails of her other hand into her leg. Weird. It wasn't that bad.

When I came back up, Charlotte and June were smiling at each other in an abnormal way. Too toothy. It scared me a little, to be honest.

"I would keep an eye on him, Charlotte," I said, deciding to make it worse. Oh, wouldn't it be awesome if I could make her cry and explode? "You don't know him like I do. I mean, he opens up doors for all the girls, and he buys June all these expensive things, and now he's playing with both of your hearts, giving out wedding rings and stuff — he's a downright player, my big bro."

"Sam!" It was both Nathan and June this time, and you would've thought I'd actually announced I was going to drop two dictionaries on my head. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She might've been saying it, though I could see she was enjoying this. Yes! Maybe it'd be just the three of us soon again.

"Only the truth, Junie," I said, shrugging. "You always want me to tell the truth, so I figured I'd go ahead and say it."

"I don't know what you think you're doing," Nathan said, laser eyes activated, "but I really hope you'll quit your bullshit right now because I'm not having any of it."

Charlotte abruptly got up, storming out of the kitchen. More laser eyes, and he hastened after her, leaving the food to get cold. Just let her get away. We wouldn't miss her.

"Sam, what were you thinking?" June said, shaking her head like she was actually mad at me. Oh. Maybe she was.

"I don't want her here anymore," I said. "She's a bitch."

"She's your brother's girlfriend!"

"Yeah, well, he can get another one. You're not telling me you like her, are you?"

"Actually, I do! — Most of the time."

She wasn't making any sense. She really seemed to mean it, while not long ago, she'd told Charlotte to fuck off. Girls were exhausting. "Then why were you enjoying this? And don't say you weren't, because I saw you were."

She stared right at me, not budging in any way. "I was at first, when it was still a joke. Then you just got mean. Seems like you spent too much time with Jennifer." And without finishing her breakfast, she marched away, no idea where to.

Well, nice birthday. If they weren't going to eat any more, I was. Content with the drama I caused, I stuffed myself with another piece of pancake.