Blood Rivalry

I had a weird, horribly annoying nervousness. I jumped when I realized there was someone turning the doorknob at the same time I was. Having to make eye contact for the first time thrilled me. In a not so thrilling way.

"Oh!" I said. "We were just about to have a drink."

"Good idea." She said with a tone I couldn't decipher.

"Right here." I said strolling in my new, black, studded heels. "It's the only way to go. It's right next door. Can't lose. Do you have a fake ID?" I don't think I sounded sarcastic.

"Heh." She pervaded my body with wretched tingles from her pointless laugh.

I watched her turn and jump with open arms to my brother. She already had me not liking her. Her name fits her. In fact she fits her. She's typical. Her long black hair flips out everywhere in layers. The chunks of hot pink blend how they should. Her piercings are the norm for these days.

Not my days. When piercings were hardly accepted and you really did make a statement if you had them. No, she is the regular teenager of 2008. Nothing different, nothing new, not even anything old. For in my book, old is like the coolest old person you could possibly know giving you the best baked cookies you've ever had while sitting and talking about the year 1932. It might be typical and already in history, but it is unique. Oh what a paradox. And she...isn't different, or unique.

"Hailey!" My brother yelped so innocently and happily. "How are you? All of you guys?"

Here we go, I am on my way to my masquerade. Except masquerades are mysterious, mature, and sexy to me. Wrong. I am on my way to, to, well, I just need my damn mask. Why am I here anyway?

"Oh my god Chris, like we're good." She snapped. I wondered if she was real.

So they talked and talked. And I sat and sat. What could such a smart boy possibly talk about with her?

"Give me a Sam Adams, Cherry Wheat." I was surprised such a rundown, no name town had my cherry beer."

"Five dollars." Said the lady behind the bar. I gave her a five. No tip yet.

I sat and gulped, and stared. I had to break this Hailey down. Her eyes were that of a stoner. Her smell was of the greasy munchies she'd eat afterword. Mentally she was not attractive at all. She talked like there was no one like her. And she glanced in the bars mirror every minute. I think she's breaking herself down for me.

"Let's go back to the house." I said not meaning to literally slam my empty bottle down. Still giving no tip.

They didn't mind, they didn't even have a drink. And I just wanted to find a way to move. I was hoping I could just go to my brothers and hide in a bedrooom, but my morbid mind wanted to see more. I wonder what is running through his head.

"So, some old guy at the store gave me twenty dollars." She was telling him, not me.

"For what?"

"For being hot." She replied, with an everyday normality. "That's what he said. A twenty for being hot."

I think the milk and cookies I had earlier curdled with my beer, right in my stomach. I think she really feels good about herself, she really thinks she is the daydream of any man over twenty one. Not under.

I felt like I was the third eye in some statutory mind rape. But Chris has a woman. A pretty damn cool sister in law to me. They are two lucky people. Too bad she's working right now.

After all the talking, of everything I predicted to myself about her, was over, we went outside to quench all of our one common something. Tobacco.

Hugs and good nights. Fakes and reals.

"Maybe again tomorrow." She said. And again I couldn't decipher what I thought of her tone.

My brother and I inhaled our smokes and went back inside.

Maybe again tomorrow? I think not. Then again who am I to tell that to Chris? Blood can always find a way I suppose.