Bear
I’m drunk. And it’s hot as balls in South Florida. Therefore, I’m also sweating. But I don’t give a shit because I’m drunk.
Almost all my brothers are back on campus now.
It’s the night before sorority Bid Day and we know we’ll be raging all day and night tomorrow, but that didn’t stop us from getting a head start tonight.
My Little, Josh, is currently doing a keg stand that I know will land him on his ass but I can’t help but hoot in encouragement.
“You better not let me down, Little Bro! I’ll kick your ass!
” I smack him hard on the back and he sputters a bit, but keeps going.
Josh is kind of a douche. Okay, he’s a really, really big douche.
But I’m doing my best to mentor him into being a half-decent guy.
I’ll never understand his obsession with fake tanning, but no one can keep up with me in the gym like he can and I respect him for that.
I wanted him to be my Little from the start of his rushing process last spring.
A Little is someone you can bond with, but more importantly someone you can guide.
Although, I’m not sure I’m much of a mentor.
Suddenly, I’m picked up on a few of my brothers’ shoulders and carried to the other keg.
I grab it with my hands just in time to avoid smacking my chin against the metal and my legs are lifted up into the air.
Then the nozzle is in my mouth and I have a two second warning before the beer starts flowing.
Challenge accepted.
After forty-seven seconds counted out loud, I kick my feet a little and they drop me to the floor with a roar of approval. I almost spit out the last swig of beer when the room settles and I’m face to face with Skyler.
“Not bad, Bear.” She grins. “Although I’m pretty sure you’ve done better.”
I shake my head. “How the hell are you here right now? Tomorrow’s Bid Day.”
“What Siomara doesn’t know won’t hurt her. I figured I could trust you and your brothers to keep it quiet.”
I frown, unsure if I trust them as much as she does. I scan the room for our president and drag Skyler with me when I finally find him. After whispering the situation in his ear, Matt whistles loud enough to quiet the entire house.
“Listen up!” he shouts above the music. “See this girl right here?” He gestures to Skyler and her face flushes a bit, but she stands straighter and gives a wink.
Always so sassy, that one. “No, you don’t.
You don’t see her at all. She isn’t here.
She never was. Got it?” There’s a cheer of understanding and Matt nods once. “Carry on.”
He smiles back at us and throws his arms around Skyler’s shoulder. “There. Problem solved. If anyone finds out you were here, let me know and I’ll haze the shit out of these fuckers. I don’t care if they are brothers.”
Skyler giggles a little. “Why thank you. And what do I have to do to pay off that favor?” She quirks a brow and tilts her head a little.
A sly grin creeps over Matt’s face. “I can probably think of a few things.”
“Alright,” I throw my hands up and back away from them. “I’m leaving the two of you to settle your debts. Find me when you’re ready for shots, Sky.”
She gives me a wink and Matt’s eyes scan the length of her toned body in the tiny shorts she’s paired with a loose t-shirt.
I know without a doubt that she dressed herself tonight.
Usually, her sisters were dressing her up – sororitizing her or whatever.
She’s far from a dress and pearls type of girl.
But tonight, in her natural form, I think she’s prettier than she ever is when they doll her up in all that makeup and shit.
I get asked all the time if I’m into Skyler.
Some of my brothers have steered clear of her even after I assure them we’re just friends.
For a while, I wondered if maybe there was something between us that we just weren’t seeing – something we were giving off that made other people look at us the way they did.
But, at the end of the day, Skyler is more like the baby sister I never had than anything else.
I just care about her. And, surprisingly, she cares about me.
Plus, that girl can play some poker. And that is something I’ll always respect.
“I’m sloshed.” Josh grins and lifts the red plastic cup in his hand to his mouth once more. “What’s up with Skyler being here?”
“She snuck out. Keep your mouth shut about it, Little. I mean it.”
“I’m not saying anything,” he says, his hands up in mock surrender. “She single?”
I nod toward her and Matt, who are now cozied up on the back couch, her legs in his lap and his fingers playing in her hair as they talk over their drinks. “Technically, yes. Not sure if that’s going to matter much tonight, though. Matt moved in right after his little announcement.”
Josh’s shoulders deflate. “I want to bang her so fucking bad, dude.”
I smack him hard across the back of his head and he curses, spilling some of his beer. “The fuck, man?”
“You know better than to talk about her like that around me. Show some fucking respect, douchebag, before I make you.”
“Whatever,” he mumbles, still rubbing his head as he stumbles off toward the beer pong tables. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out to yet another call from my older brother. Great.
He’s been calling me all day, but until now I hadn’t been drunk enough to answer. I almost always have to be intoxicated to deal with his shit. Who knows what kind of state he’ll be in tonight.
“Hey,” I answer simply, maneuvering through the house to find a semi-quiet spot. I settle on the back hallway that leads to the bathrooms.
“’Bout fucking time you answered your phone. What the hell are you doing?” His voice is high-pitched and springy and I know without even asking that he’s high off pills.
Doubly great.
“I’m partying. Sounds like that makes two of us tonight.”
There’s a grunt on the other end. “You implying that I’m high, little bro?”
“Depends. Are you?”
He pauses, then sighs. “Listen, I didn’t call to fight with you. I need your help.”
Here we go.
“Let me guess, you need money?”
Another pause.
“The fuel pump went out on the car and I had to use the last of my check to pay for it to get fixed. I found a guy to do it for less than the shop was asking, but it still wasn’t cheap.
And now the boys don’t have food.” His voice trembles just a little when he says that last part, but I’m not sure if it’s because of his high or the content he’s spewing.
“I just need a little bit, Clinton. A hundred bucks for gas and food. Please.”
I curse under my breath and glance across the room where Skyler is watching me intently, her brows furrowed. “You can’t keep doing this shit, Carleton.”
“What shit? It’s not my fault the fucking car went to shit.” I wait for him to just admit the truth, but instead he grows more frustrated. “You know what? Whatever. My bad for thinking you would want to help your fucking nephews.”
“Stop.” I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. It’s not even worth arguing with him over where his money really went. Regardless, his sons don’t deserve to starve because of their father’s piss poor decisions. “Give me twenty minutes to get to the store. I’ll wire you what I can.”
“Thank you, little brother. I love you. I’m so proud of you, you know.”
I roll my eyes as he continues, his words falling on deaf ears. When I’m sending money, I’m a great little brother chasing my dreams in college. When I’m not sending money, I’m a stuck up brat who thinks I’m better than everyone else.
I startle a bit when Skyler’s hand touches my arm. I lift my eyes to hers and when I see the worry in them, my face hardens. The last thing I need is anyone at Palm South knowing about my fucking family drama.
“Yeah. I’ll call you with the confirmation number.” I hang up before he has the chance to respond. Skyler is still staring at me, her hand gentle on my forearm. I think I’m shaking, but I can’t tell.
“Bear, what’s going on?”
For a moment I just stare at her. I blink. I breathe. Then I shrug her off and turn for my room. “Nothing. I have to run an errand. Don’t stay out too late, you know Siomara will throw a fit.”
She chases after me. “Wait. What happened? Where are you going?”
I whip around too quickly to face her and her eyes grow wide. Sighing, I run a hand over my short, coarse hair and calm myself. “I just have to handle something, Sky. I’m fine, I promise. Just go back to Matt and have a good time tonight. I’ll see you at the Bid Day Bash tomorrow. Cool?”
Skyler hesitates, chewing the inside of her cheek, but finally nods with a small smile. I try to return it, but it dies halfway and I turn back toward my room instead.
She doesn’t follow this time.