Senior Standoff | RETIRED VERSION

Season 3 - Episode 9 | NOT REVISED

The smell of eggs and bacon reached me when I left my room Sunday morning, still half asleep. Ky sat at the kitchen table next to Mom. Dad was finishing the eggs. I sat down at my regular seat and pushed my messy hair out of my face. We were supposed to sit here and act like we liked each other. But I couldn't. Not when the brother I knew was gone.

Hell Weekend wasn't over yet.

I kept my phone on my lap, sneaking glances when I had the chance.

Aspen Faust: I need you

Scarlet Tanover: what's up

Aspen Faust: I'm cashing in. Ky is all high and mighty because he got Asher arrested last night. Help me out.

Scarlet Tanover: his stash is in his closet. Have fun.

As breakfast began, I looked up at Ky. Did he feel bad about what happened? Unlikely. But he would.

I waited for the right moment, fear closing my mouth every time I wanted to speak up. If I didn't, Ky was going to keep thinking it was okay to mess with me, Asher, and Scarlet the way he had. Someone had to take him down a peg. But, damn, was it hard to sink to his level.

"Mom, Dad, I... I think you should know about something," I said finally. Ky looked up at me, full of curiosity.

"What's that?" Mom asked.

"Ky has been doing some pretty awful things lately. Honestly, I don't think I even know who he is anymore," I said. I wished it was a lie.

Ky snickered.

"That's your payback? Tattle on me to Mom and Dad because you think I've been mean to your jerk boyfriend?" he asked.

I ignored him. "Ky's been hiding weed and God knows what else in his closet."

"What?" Mom and Dad snapped. They jumped up from the table and rushed down the hallway. Ky stared at me, eyes popping out of his head.

"Are you fucking serious?" he spat, standing up. "You fucking hypocrite!"

"Same to you for getting Asher arrested. And Scarlet has plenty more if you want to keep trashing on people. Doesn't feel so good, does it?" I asked.

He ran down the hallway, footsteps thundering up the stairs. I followed him. When I made it to the doorway, Mom and Dad were tearing his closet apart. I leaned against the door frame. Ky was losing his mind.

Mom pulled a shoe box out and yanked off the lid. In her fingers, a plastic baggie full of weed. Her eyes narrowed and turned to Ky.

"Kyle Eric Faust. What the hell else are you hiding in here?" she hissed.

"I... Mom... you..." Ky sputtered.

"Nice," I whispered.

Dad found another box, this one with condoms and a couple cans of beer. I blinked. I wasn't surprised Ky had been holding on to those, but I definitely wasn't expecting it.

"You know what?" Dad said, throwing the beer back in the box. "Your mother and I will talk about this, and then we'll let you know what you're going to endure. Brace yourself. It won't be pretty."

They took the boxes down the hall. I took a few steps into the room and shut the door. Tears rolled down Ky's face, which he tried to scrub away with his hands. He sunk onto his bed.

"You bitch," he cried.

"No kidding," I said. "I didn't like doing it, but I had to do something. Do you realize how you've been treating everyone? How else was I supposed to get your attention?"