Page 234 of Vicious Saint
Alright. I’ve earned that one.
“You’re right.” I take heavy steps to stand in front of her. “I am an asshole, even to you on occasion.”
She scoffs again, arms folded as she looks away.
“But you know why I am…why Ihaveto be.”
“Doesn’t make it right.”
“Of course it fucking doesn’t.” I sit next to her. “But now is not the time for you to wander through a trail of woods at night for a party.”
“You’ll be there, though. And Stanley.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
The shot to take Levi’s advice is presented to me at this moment, and maybe he’d be right. Maybe Theory would understand the predicament I’d be in if shit popped off when she’s with Hendrix.
Or at least wait till tomorrow to fight me.
But on the off chance Levi’s wrong, and my sister starts suspecting, or worse, meddling, I can’t. I’d risk losing too much.
No.
The truth between all of us has to wait until everyone can hear it.
I can see the wheels turning in Theory’s head, and eventually, she concedes. “Who are you going with?”
“Levi and some girl he’s been with for a few weeks.”
“Levi’s with someone?”
I snort. “If you count fucking and ducking on repeat as being with someone.”
A few seconds pass before she responds, “Well, good for him I guess.”
“Easy for you to say, you don’t have to hear them in the back seat of my Rover.”
My sister’s unamused expression turns to visible discomfort as she pulls at the buttons of her pajama shirt.
Shit.
I never was great with sexual boundaries. Even verbal ones.
Slapping my knees, I stand and announce, “Alright, Imma head out.”
“’Kay…”
“I love you, baby girl. You know that right?”
Theory smiles up at me, muttering a resigned, “I love you too, big bro.”
Defiance. Fight. Plead. Surrender.
Every stage of my sister’s failed rebellions.
If only my stepsister would’ve caught on to the cycle sooner.
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