An hour and a half later, I was at my mother's doorstep. Traffic wasn't so bad, being as the sane half of the population was asleep, but the idiots of the world were going out to clubs or bars or wherever they go on a Friday night. I inhaled deeply as I knocked on the wooden door. I heard a grumbling and feet trimming on the hardwood inside. I began to question why I keep doing this.
The door swung open to a fat, greasy Marc. "The hell are you doing here?" His voice was scratchy thanks to smoking since he was twelve. His eyes were bloodshot, either he got into alcohol or some kind of drugs. I needed to get my brother out of here.
"I'm here for Vic." I stepped towards the door, but he moved in front of me and closed the door behind him.
"Says who?"
"Says me. And mom gave me permission to pick him up if I want to hang out with him. So, kindly move so I can get my brother."
"Well I say you can't. Go home." His beady little eyes squinted at me, and it made me want to pull my fist back and smash his face in. I didn't. I turned and acted like I was gonna get in my car. And I did.
I started my car and pulled out of the driveway, Marc was satisfied and walked back inside. I drove around the block and parked in the gas station parking lot then hopped out of my car am jogged back to my mom's house. Vic's bedroom was in the back of the house, and thankfully mom lived in a single story. Vic and I had done this before, he knew that three taps on his window meant I couldn't get him out through the front door. I looked over my shoulder and hopped the fence and quietly walked to the back left corner of the house, where my brother was kept prisoner. His little nightlight was right under the window, letting a soft light deep through the blinds. I removed the screen and tapped on the window, and crouched down waiting for Vic to open the blinds. A minute went by, he must have been checking to make sure Marc wasn't around. If he didn't hurry I'd get a Charlie Horse and fall over. Just as I about to stand up to stretch, he opened the window and tossed his overnight bag outside, an he tumbled after it. We worked to close the window and place the screen back in.
"What took so long?" I whispered as I situated his bag on my back and took his hand in mine.
"Marc was walking around in the hall. I didn't want to get caught." His voice was soft and slightly sleepy. He was walking slowly, and I knew he was gonna pass out on the way back to my house. I didn't mind, just as long as the kid wasn't in that hell hole.
We hopped the gate and quickly jogged back to my car. I tossed Vic's things in the back seat and he climbed into the passenger seat, put his seat belt on, and turned on my radio once my car started. He loved listening to 97.7 during road trips, supposedly the rock music kept him awake, but only because he liked to sing along to the occasional Green Day or Lincoln Park songs they played. But if none of them were played within half an hour, he always switched it to 105.9, a local pop station that played the same five songs over and over, until he fell asleep. It only took two repeats of All About That Bass by Megan Trainor until he passed out.
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Once I pulled into my driveway and the car off, it was almost four in the morning. I was utterly exhausted. I carried my little brother into my guest room, reserved for him and a roomie, once I make the time to put in an ad for the newspaper. I gently placed in under the covers and tucked him in, kissing his forehead as the comforter was pulled up over his shoulders. Before I left, I turned on the owl nightlight I kept plugged in just for him. Just before I closed the door, I turned and smiled at his sweet, sleeping form. And then he let out a snore that could shake the building and the moment was ruined.
I rolled my eyes as I walked down the hall to my room in the back of the apartment. I kicked off my flip flops, and shimmied out of my yoga pants, leaving me in a loose T-shirt and my Happy Bunny panties. I pressed the heels of my hands to my eye lids and yawned. My shoulders slumped and my head fell back as I remembered I still needed a glass of water. I groaned and trudged back to my kitchen, grumbling about how far away it was from my bedroom. After pouring myself a glass of water, I walked back to my bed and placed the glass gently on the night stand before flopping into my bed. Not even bothering to crawl under the covers.
++++++++++
"Via! Via, wake up."
"Go away, can't you see I'm sleeping here?" I throw a pillow at Vic and try to curl up under my covers. Then I feel someone crawl in beside me and cold feet are pressed against my bare back.
"Good Goddess I'm up!" I scream and jump out of the bed, more like fumble around under the covers until I fall over the side of the bed, still covered in the blankets. I shimmy out of my cocoon and glare at my little brother. He gives me the most innocent smile while sitting crossed legged in the center of my queen sized bed.
"I love you, Via." He knows he's in deep shit, but he's hoping that the innocent little boy face will work.
I look at the alarm clock, 7:34, it's so not going to work. The left side of my lips curve into a smile, and Vic's grin fades instantly. "Oh, I love you too, Vic. Now come here you little maggot." I lunge across the bed, just as he squeals and slithers onto the floor and runs to lock himself in the bathroom. I ran after him, and almost face planted into the door. "You can't stay in there forever.
You're gonna get hungry at some point." I smirked.
"I already ate." Came a muffled reply.
My smirk faded and a pout replaced it. Then I realized something. I still haven't peed yet, and this was the only bathroom in the apartment. Shit.
"Have to pee, don't ya?" I could hear the smile in his voice.
"Maybe." My right leg slowly started to cross over my left. What was it you were supposed to think of to make the urge not so strong? And why can't I remember it at this very moment?
A chuckle came from behind the door. "I'll come out if you promise not to strangle me."
I growled. "You woke me up early. I got three hours of sleep."
"So did I. I'm not grumpy."
"You didn't have cold feet pressed against your back." I stuck my tongue out at the door, then screwed up my face once I realized what I was doing.
"Either way, the door isn't opening until you promise not to strangle me." I could hear the sense of victory in his voice. God this kid was definitely related to me. The manipulative little maggot.
"Fine. I won't strangle you or poison your food."
There was a few seconds of silence and then a soft click signaling that the door was unlocked. Vic was smart enough to get out of my way and make himself scarce as I ran in the bathroom an shut the door behind me. It was only after I had sat on the cold porcelain and done my business that I remembered what it was that made the urge not so strong. Sex. Of course, it would be something I haven't had in about two years.
