Bear
“Sounds like my little brother,” I say to Mac’s mom with a laugh, adjusting the phone between my opposite shoulder and ear as I lay out the rest of my costume on my bed.
She just finished telling me how he had two girls fighting over who he’d take to homecoming, so he told them whoever could kiss better would be the lucky lady on his arm.
Little bastard got two, steaming hot kisses from girls trying to prove something, and then invited them both to go, anyway.
And they agreed.
“He’s something,” she agrees with a chuckle of her own.
“Thank you again, Mrs. Harrison, for taking Clayton in and treating him like your own. I don’t…” I pause, trying to find the words. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to tell you what it means to me. To us.”
“He’s a good kid,” she says easily. “Easy to love, and easy to care for. We wouldn’t want him anywhere else but with us.”
I smile, chest tightening, and distantly I wonder if my mom ever thinks about him — about any of us.
I wonder where she is. The only reason I even know she’s alive at all is because her and Carleton check in on his kids from time to time, long enough to send money or ask for it — depending on which side of the gambling ring they’re on that day.
“What about you?” Mac’s mom asks. “How is school?”
I rummage through my bathroom drawer for my suite mate’s tanning oil, tossing it on the bed. “It’s school. Classes are tough this semester, but luckily our fraternity is on probation, so I have more time to study.”
She clucks her tongue. “I’m sure you’re still finding ways to get in trouble.”
“Dressing up as David Hasselhoff circa 1989 as we speak.”
“Oh, God.” She snorts. “Do I even want to know?”
“Skyler and I are dressing up as the Baywatch cast for a Halloween boat party today.”
“That sounds like so much fun!” She sighs. “I’m really happy you have Skyler. And what she did for Clayton… I know he’ll never forget it. She’s a great friend, Clinton.”
I frown, tossing my black Omega Chi sunglasses on the bed with the rest of my costume. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, my…she didn’t tell you?” She sighs again, murmuring softly. “Humble on top of everything else.”
“Tell me what?”
There’s a pause, and for some reason my blood pressure ticks up a notch, like I’m about to hear something I don’t want to, my body preparing me for bad news before my brain even thinks it’s necessary.
“Clayton was in a rough place before your visit. My husband and I… well, we help him all that we can, and of course, you send him money every chance you get. And you worked the whole summer. But football is expensive, and he was going to have to make some tough decisions.”
“He didn’t tell me any of this,” I shoot back. “Does he need money? I can… I’ll get a job. I’ll sell some stuff.”
“You don’t have to,” she says quickly. “Skyler cut him a check, Clinton. She told him to chase his dreams and enjoy his high school years because she didn’t get the chance to.”
She keeps talking, telling me how much it was for, how they’re holding the money and only giving him what he needs when he needs it. She tells me how Clayton is also looking for a job after football season ends, but I can’t hear any of it over the ringing in my ears.
Skyler gave my little brother money, without telling me, without asking me if it was okay.
“Like I said,” Mrs. Harrison says, snapping my attention back to her. “She’s a great friend.”
“Yeah,” I clip. “I have to go. Please, tell Clayton to call me tomorrow.”
“I will…” she says hesitantly, and before she can ask any questions, I end the call, gripping the phone hard in my fist.
I debate throwing it, but focus my rage on the person responsible instead of an inanimate object.
Everything is a blur as I walk to the Kappa Kappa Beta house, nostrils flaring the entire way.
A small, quiet part of me tells me I’m probably overreacting, but the larger, screaming part reminds me that what Skyler did isn’t okay.
Maybe she had good intentions and just wanted to help, but Clayton is my brother, and my responsibility.
I can take care of him without her help, and she knew I’d be upset by her helping, which is exactly why she didn’t tell me.
I pound on the front door when I reach the house, working my clenched fists together as I wait for someone to answer. A girl I don’t recognize, likely a new member, opens the door with wide eyes.
“Skyler. Now.”
“Oh, I think she’s getting ready for the Halloween party. Could you maybe—”
“NOW!” I roar, and she yelps, skittering off with the door open behind her.
A few other sisters pass concerned looks my way as they walk by, but eventually Skyler emerges, half-dressed in her Baywatch gear. She has her red one-piece on and half a face of makeup, her hair in a clip like she’d only begun to work on it.
Her brows pinch together when she sees me and she steps onto the porch with me, pulling the door closed behind her. “Bear? What’s going on?”
“You gave Clayton three-thousand dollars?”
The words spit from my mouth like venom, and Skyler’s face drains of color.
“Bear… listen, I just wanted to—”
“Help? Well, you should have fucking came to me first. He’s my fucking brother and I can take care of him.”
“I know you can. I never said you couldn’t.”
“Well, that’s what you fucking implied by going behind my back like that.”
She winces. “Come on, you know it wasn’t like that.”
“Wasn’t it?” I challenge. “God, Skyler, you’re so fucking selfish you can’t even see it when you’re in the wrong.
There’s a reason you didn’t tell me, and it’s because you knew I’d be pissed.
And now that you’re caught, all you can do is defend yourself.
An apology wasn’t even on your radar, was it? ”
Skyler swallows, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
“You call yourself my best friend, but best friends don’t do this to each other.” I shake my head, looking at the girl I thought I knew for what feels like the first time. “You should have come to me.”
“I’m sorry,” she quivers, but I just hold my hands up to stop her.
“It’s too late for that now. Have fun at the party.”
Without another look in her direction, I storm off the porch, feeling more alone than ever before.