Page 17 of Rhet

“You always want to be the older sibling Rhet. No, we’re good.” He states.

I stare at his reflection in the mirror, knowing that he still wants to say something.

“What?” I ask when he doesn’t spit it out.

“I still don’t like what you did to Carson and Charlotte.” Trent picks up another one of my colognes and smells it.

“I still don’t like what Carson did to you. That leaves us both at a stalemate then.” I place my hand on my hips.

“You’re never going to forgive Char are you?” Trent asks.

“Who is that?” I ask as I scratch my head.

“You gotta learn to forgive. I like the smell of this one.” Trent says as he waves a brown bottle in the mirror.

“I don’t like to give second chances. Take the cologne.”

Tugging my t-shirt over my head, I pull at the neckline and then look at myself in the mirror.

“Forgiveness is your path to a great life. Are you going to comb your hair?” Trent asks.

“No, especially when I want girls’ fingers to run through it tonight,” I say as I wiggle my eyebrows.

“You are leaving me for a girl? Where did my sweet brother go?” Trent laughs as he fixes the t-shirts on the shelf that shifted when I pulled down the black one.

“I will never leave you, bro,” I say, feeling the need to tell him. “But I’m a free man and Natalie has these knockers.” I gesture a squeezing motion with both of my hands.

He stops and shakes his head. “I’m so happy our parents didn’t use protection the night they conceived you.”

I laugh out loud at this. “You’re disgusting, but I’m happy mom didn’t swallow you either.” We both break out laughing.

Trent pats my neatly folded stack of t-shirts. “Ok I will see you tomorrow.” As he walks to the door, he looks back at me and smiles slowly.

“Rhet, try to be good.” Trent puts his hands in his pocket.

“Never. Being bad is so much fun.” I grab a bottle of cologne and spritz it.

“I love you, bro.” He stares at me solemnly.

“As you should. See you in the morning,” I say.

Trent nods and leaves.

* * *

After only threehours at the party, I signal to Tarek that I’m leaving. I honestly wasn’t having a good time. Every time Natalie tried to talk to me, I walked away. Something isn’t right, I think as I rub my chest. It’s been hurting most of the night.

Stepping outside, I head straight to my car. Maybe I can pick Trent up and we can have dinner together. I take out my phone and dial him.

“Hey, its Trent leave a message after the beep.” His voice echoes in my ears.

“Hey, where you? Answer your phone bro.”

I make it all the way home with no call back from Trent. I pull into my garage at the same time as my parents. Ignoring dad calling my name, I try Trent again. It goes straight to his voice mail. Something isn’t right.

I walk past the kitchen into the atrium.

“Trent what the fuck man? You normally would answer by now.” I mumble as I glare down at my unanswered phone.

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