Page 39 of One Night

I don't know how or when it got this bad between them but every year it gets worse. They say they still love each other. But shouting? Screaming? Sleeping in separate rooms? How is that love?

"I really need you here this year," Britt says. "Leah isn't coming."

"Why not?"

"Because she doesn't want to be here. She said if you don't have to come, she shouldn't have to either."

"I'm a long ways away. That's why I'm not coming. Leah's only an hour away. She should be there."

"Kira's coming home. Why can't you ride home with her?"

"She's flying home. Austin bought her a ticket."

"Mom and Dad would buy you a ticket. Please? I don't want to be the only one at the table with them."

I sigh. "Can you invite one of your friends over? Mom and Dad are less likely to fight if someone they don't know is there."

"I guess I could do that. There's this new guy at school I've kind of been hanging out with. His parents are divorced and they let him do his own thing. I bet he'd be able to come over."

"Who is this guy?" I ask in my protective big sister voice. Britt's really pretty, with long blond hair, perfect skin, a great body. Because of that, every guy in her high school wants to date her. She's had boyfriends, but nothing serious, and I worry that someday soon some guy will try to take advantage of her sweet, trusting ways. I keep warning her about guys but I'm not sure she listens to me.

"His name is Lark. He just moved here from Virginia."

"Lark? What kind of name is that?"

"I like it. I think it's cool."

"Are you dating this guy?" I ask.

"No, we're just friends."

Based on her defensive tone, I don't believe her.

"Britt. Are you dating him or not?"

She pauses, knowing I can tell when she's lying. "Okay, we're kind of dating but not really."

"What does that mean?"

"We hang out and we've kissed a few times, but it's nothing serious."

"Are you planning to do more than kiss him?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Britt, don't do it. You're too young. Wait until you're older."

"Like you did?" she asks sarcastically.

I had a serious boyfriend at her age so she thinks I had sex back then, which I did, but I never told her that. She just assumes I did.

"Just don't do it, okay? You'll regret it. But go ahead and bring him to dinner. It'll give Dad someone else to focus his anger on." I smile as I picture my dad glaring at this Lark guy, wanting to kill him. My dad is super protective of us. He's hated each and every one of our boyfriends.

"I don't want Dad fighting with Lark."

"He won't. He'll just shoot questions at him and give him the death stare. If Lark survives, then maybe he's not so bad."

"He's not bad. He's really nice. I think you'd like him. Oh, crap, I'm late. I told Stacy I'd meet her at the gym in five minutes. I gotta go."

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