I have three basic rules to live by
Don't draw attention to myself.
Make it through another year.
My brother's friends are off limits.
My junior year, each and every single one of those rules will be broken.
**~~**
Blaine has always been the type to...
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"Someone's in a good mood," I said before taking a sip of the beer in my hand. Lucas sighed and lifted himself onto the open tailgate. He cradled the bottle in his hands and picked at the label with his thumb.
"Yeah," he looked up to his sister, "We'll see how long it lasts."
"What do you mean?" I watched her dance with Joe. Unlike the other girls, she kept space between them and only touched him when he spun her around. The wild grin stretching across her face told me she was enjoying every minute out there.
"She's hooked on some guy, and I promised not to go after his sorry ass." A truck could have plowed into me and I wouldn't have felt it.
"You really think you'll need to?"
"If he's stupid, yeah." He took another sip and I tore my eyes from the beauty's silhouette as the flames glowed behind her. "I want her to be happy, but I've heard the idiots at our school. All they ever see is a piece of tail they want for a weekend. She shouldn't have to endure that."
"Do you know who it is?" He clearly didn't know if he was strangling the bottle instead of me.
"Not yet. She mentioned something about telling me, but not when." Lucas took a moment to scan the male population surrounding us. He had to be trying to pinpoint the guy she was hiding.
"Maybe you'll like the guy." A dry chuckle left him before he took another sip.
"Maybe."
Joe was carrying Blaine on his back as they returned to us. She was giggling like a mad woman as Joe set her down. It had been a while since I saw her this relaxed. She wasn't putting on a show or being reckless.
"Some guys are saying you're losing your edge," Joe thumbed to a crowd of soccer players. Owen was part of the mix looking over at us. Blaine gave him a disgusted once over before looking at her brother.
"No fighting tonight, Luke," Blaine begged stepping up to him.
"No fighting," he agreed finishing his beer. He nodded toward Joe and they headed for round two.
"Your brother pretty much just called me a sorry ass," I looked at Blaine as she jumped up onto the tailgate. She picked up the still unopened drink and fought with the cap. I took it from her and twisted it off.
"Did he," she took a swig from the bottle after I handed it back to her.
"Yeah, then he stared down all the guys within sight."
"So much for easy going," she sighed looking up to the sky.
"When do you want to tell him?"
"I wanted to tonight, so we could actually hang out. Instead of awkwardly tip toeing around."
"Here he comes," I smiled at her, leaning a little closer. "Ready?"
"Ready," she returned my smile. Lucas was walking toward us alone with two bottle in one hand and one more in the other. "So, Luke."
