I take a step closer. “Do we have a problem here?” I tip my chin up.
“You tell me. What’s your deal with her?”
“Why don’t you ask her yourself. I’m sure she’d love to fill you in on the night she fucked me over.”
“Wait a minute,” he snaps his fingers, “You’re the ex she told me about, aren’t you? She never mentioned a name, but she said the guy was a real asshole.”
“Must be me.”
“In that case, stay the hell away from her.”
I let out a sinister laugh as the words leave his mouth. “Gladly.” But, my thoughts are saying something different. Him telling me to stay away just makes me want to do everything but.
“You must be here to fix the air,” Kip says to our guest, appearing out of nowhere. He takes note of the small space between me and the guy with a tool bag in his hand whose name I don’t even know. The tension is too thick to be ignored.
“Yeah, he was just getting back to it.” I stare the guy down as I step back, then turn around.
“Oh, by the way, Taya just said that Harper is coming now. Just thought you should have a heads up,” Kip hollers, as I walk away.
I turn my head over my shoulder and look back to no-name. “Good. Can’t wait to see her.” I smirk devilishly. Before he can even respond, I’m out of his sight.
All of the boxes are stacked up against the walls in each room. It’s best to leave them packed until tomorrow. More room for party guests and less mess laying around.
I pull on a black t-shirt when I notice the air kick on. “Thank fuck,” I shout, throwing my arms in the air. Looks like the new boy toy is good for something, after all.
“Kegs are here,” Kip says, as he walks past my bedroom door in a hurry.
Kipper is a goofy mofo and loyal to a T to his friends. He’s tall and lanky, and the chicks love his curly blonde hair. I still forget sometimes that him and Taya are together; even when they’re not, they are. Our group always consisted of the five of us. Now we’re down to four—as far as I’m concerned. If Kip blows this thing with Taya, both chicks will be out.
I rake my fingers through my black hair and rummage through one of the boxes in search of my Tom Ford, Fucking Fabulous Cologne. It may just be a name, but this stuff makes me smell fucking fabulous and the ladies dig it.
“Hurry your ass up, there's a shitload of people here now.” Kip walks past my bedroom door back toward the living room.
“So, show em’ the beer. What the hell do they need me for?” I yell, but he’s long gone. I’m not their entertainment for the night, the booze is.
I finally find it and give myself a couple sprays. Sweeping the air with my hands and taking in the smell of leather and sage. “Fucking fabulous,” I mutter, under my breath.
Voices echo down the hall, and I can already tell that tonight is going to be epic. I walk into the living room, and that’s when I see her. She’s not aware of my presence yet, but I take in all five foot-four inches of her. Her blonde hair cascades down her back in bouncy curls. She’s wearing a light blue dress that sits mid-thigh and a pair of wedges that add an extra inch to her height. Harper is gripping a bottle of water, laughing at a conversation between her and Taya, and....wait, a minute. What the hell is she doing here?
“Marni!” I holler across the room, walking in long strides to her side. I pull her in for a hug. “I didn’t know you were coming here.”
My little sister looks all grown up tonight in her tight mini skirt and crop top. Her waistline shows, along with the lower part of her stomach. I look around the crowd of guys and tug her top down in an attempt to cover her stomach. “What the hell are you wearing?” Her coal black hair, the same color as mine, is straight and long, hanging to the middle of her back. The only difference in resemblance is our eyes; she got Mom’s eyes, the color of rain clouds, greyish blue, and I got Dad’s, black as night.
“Quit it.” She smacks my hands away. “I’m not a little girl anymore, Axel.”
It’s true, and it’s heartbreaking. Marni may be the only human in existence who loves me for me. I say may be, but, in reality, it’s true. Dad sure as hell doesn’t. Mom is gone, and the one person I thought may have, well, she’s standing here with her back to me because facing me means she has to face what she did to me.
“So, what are you doing here? Just decided to hop in your car and drive three hours for a party?” I say, looking back and forth between her, Taya, and Harper. Both the other girls are giving each other weird girly signals that I assume mean let’s get away from here. “You two can go away now.” I give them the out they are looking for in a demeaning tone.
“Axel!” Marni huffs. “Stop being such a jerk.” She turns to Harper. “Just ignore him, he’s had a stick up his ass ever since you dumped him,” she says, pointedly.
I laugh. “It was more like a knife in the back, but same thing. I’ve pulled it out. You’re welcome. Now go fetch yourself a beer or something, away from me.”
Harper flashes me a smirk and sticks up her middle finger, before pulling Taya by the arm and walking away. “You really need to find yourself a new insulting gesture, that one's getting old.” I raise my voice, making sure she heard me.
“Really?” Marni’s shoulders drop. “You’re still doing this?”
“Doing what?” I look down at my hands, realizing that they are empty. Some guy walks by with a full cup of beer, and I grab it from his hands. Sloshing some of the foam over the rim.
He gives me an evil eye and throws his hands out. “Dude?” he spits. I nod to him, insinuating that he needs to keep on walking. When he does, I tip it back and take a drink.
“That’s gross. Do you even know that kid? He probably drank out of that.”
“Nah, the foam was fresh. Not that I care. Beer is beer.”
Marni gives me a look of disgust. “Back to Harper. You really need to ease up on her.”
“When did you get all warm and fuzzy? And, when did you two become bff’s?”
“She’s a nice person, Axel. Unlike you.”
“Unlike you, too.” I laugh. “If I remember right, you took your keys to the side of a chick's car because she bought the same prom dress as you.”
“Totally different.” She crosses her arms over her chest.
I throw my arm around her shoulders. “Little sis, like it or not, we are the exact same breed of fucked up.”
“Nah, you’re fucked up in here.” She puts her hand over my heart. “I’m fucked up in here.” She uses the same hand to tap her head. She forces out a laugh, using humor to hide her truth.
That’s what it is—her truth. In reality, we both just feel too much for this fucked-up world. The one where parents die, money buys friends, and love destroys us all. To come out on top, we use deep-seated animosity and venomous words. Hurt others to heal ourselves. I’m still not sure how well it’s working for me. Marni seems happy, though, and she’s been through the ringer, just as much as I have, if not worse.
Marni spots a few people she knows and wriggles out from my arm. “Ok, catch ya later,” I mumble, but she’s already gone.