Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
JILLIAN
“Jamie,” I call to my twin brother, needing his opinion on what I want to wear tonight.
“Gimme a sec.” Jamie’s muffled response reaches my ears.
Hmm. I lean into the hallway and see that the bathroom door is closed. Yeah, he’s in there alright.
I shake my head, betting that Jamie’s looking at his hair, again.
He got a haircut yesterday—changed his long, John Bon Jovi hair to a short mullet, a new style that matches the one worn by Rob Lowe in the movie St. Elmo’s Fire.
God, it’s my new favorite flick—next to Sixteen Candles, of course. Because who doesn’t love Jake Ryan.
I return to the clothes I’ve spread out on my bed and tap my index finger to my chin as I study the outfit. Five minutes ago, I was sure the clothes were perfect… but now, I’m not sure if it’s flawless enough for our twenty-first birthday celebration in downtown Chicago.
One more time, I talk myself through each piece of clothing.
“Black, calf-high leggings under a short, black rah-rah skirt, and my glittery neon pink, green and black crop top. Black heels I borrowed from my big sister, Lana. Black and silver bangle bracelets, a chunky black and silver cross necklace and rings—where are the earrings?” I pat the bedspread but they aren’t with the rest of the jewelry.
I look around and… “Ha, found them.” I move the earrings from the desk to the bed.
“What do you want, Jilly?” Jamie’s annoyance is loud and clear when he strolls into my room. Whatever. I ignore his attitude.
“I want to make sure I look killer. What do you think?” I channel Vanna White and slowly sweep my hand toward everything I have on the bed, giving my twin brother a look at my outfit. “Well?”
“Hmm.” He moves closer, eyeballing each piece, then folds his arms across his chest while pinching his chin. “I don’t…”
“Jamie?” I wring my hands as doubt trickles in on the heels of his lukewarm reaction. “Maybe I shouldn’t go.”
“Jilly, you need to let loose for once in your life. We’re young and both of us need to have fun tonight.”
“You’re right. But I still need your opinion. Do you think I’ll look okay in this outfit?”
“What are your accessories?”
My lips curve into a smile. How many girls are lucky enough to have a brother as interested in hair, in fashion, and in accessories as Jamie is?
I point to the jewelry on the bed. “I have this necklace, these rings and these bracelets…” Then I pick up the earrings and put them to my ears. “And these earrings. Aren’t they hot?”
“Stellar. You will look awesome. What about your face?”
I reach for my makeup bag and wave it in front of him. “That’s my next step—now that you’re finally out of the bathroom, then my hair.” I point to the mousse and the three cans of Aqua Net on my dresser.
“Or how about a brown paper bag?” he chortles.
I gasp, pretending to throw my makeup bag at Jamie’s head. “Don’t be a jerk.”
“Just kidding.” He drops his arm over my shoulder. “Jilly, listen to me,” he begins as he drags me to the full-length mirror hanging on my wall. “No matter what you do, you’ll always be beautiful.”
“Aww.” I wrap my arms around Jamie’s waist and hug him. “I’m excited for tonight.” He’s four inches taller than my five-five, so I’m talking into his chest.
“Me too. I can’t believe Jordi is getting us into The Limelight,” he whispers back to me.
“I’m also excited to go to Cowboy Nick’s and the Loading Zone, too,” I say, glancing at Jamie in the mirror.
“No. I’m going there. You’re staying at The Limelight with your friends,” he says with absolute conviction.
“What do you mean?” I ask with confusion. “I don’t want us to be separated tonight, Jamie. I want to celebrate our twenty-first with you.”
“Jillian,” Jamie stretches out my name. God. It’s like I’m being scolded by my mother. “I’m sorry but you know you can’t go to Cowboy Nick’s and the Loading Zone. You’ll stay at The Limelight with Sue and Kate—you’ll have fun there.”
“But I want to share our birthday with my twin brother.” I hate that I sound like I’m whining, but at least I didn’t stamp my foot.
“And you will. Until I leave with Jordi and the gays to the other bars. We talked about this earlier—don’t get mad—and stop pouting.”
Gag me. He sounds so condescending.
“I’m not pouting—and why don’t I remember that part of the conversation?” I slap my hands on my hips and glare up at my brother. “Because if that was the plan, I wouldn’t have agreed to go tonight.”
“Listen to me, Sis.” Jamie faces me, mimicking my stance. “If we were going to a different type of bar, there wouldn’t be an issue with you and your friends tagging along. But you can’t come to these two bars.”
“That’s bogus. We are of age.” It’s a paltry excuse, but I have to try.
“It’s not bogus. Yes, we are both adults now. But the adult things I want to do are not appropriate for you—I want to do adult things with my gay friends.”
“But your friends are my friends too!” I step away from my brother, but my resolve begins to deflate the second I see my brother’s deepening frown.
“But you’re not into guys—okay, yes, you are into guys.” He chuckles. “But the men at these bars… Are into other men, men like me. Understand?”
“Umm… No. I don’t. It’s a bar. So, what if we are surrounded by men gyrating against each other on the dance floor. Who cares if they are making out. It’s not like I haven’t seen anything remotely sexual before. I mean, like, I live with you and these walls are paper thin.”
“Hey,” he glares at me. Then his eyes soften. “The bars I’m going to… You won’t be comfortable there. Kate probable won’t either. And Sue definitely won’t wanna be there. Now do you understand?”
Then I remember the magazine Jamie keeps hidden in his room. It’s all about leather and BDSM—and I understand immediately what he’s talking about.
I bet they are going to a leather bar!
The movie Police Academy pops into my head and I bust out laughing as I recall the scene with the two cops in the leather bar. “Oh, fine. I’ll stay with my friends.”
“Did you talk to Mom?” he asks, changing the subject.
I let out a sigh. “Yes. She’s persistent. She wanted us to come home this weekend but I told her we had plans with our friends. She wasn’t happy to hear that.”
“I think she has her Asian third eye working overtime.” Jamie points to his forehead.
I snort. “Most definitely. But I didn’t give anything away. What Eomma and Appa don’t know, won’t hurt them.” Our Korean mother’s instincts are so finely honed that sometimes she knows things before they happen.
“Did she say anything about what’s going to happen this weekend?” One of Jamie’s eyebrows rises high in question.
“No. She just said to stay safe.”
Jamie raises a hand to high five me. “Sounds good to me. Now get ready. And who knows, you might find someone to dance with tonight.” Jamie smiles wide, like he has a secret.
I narrow my gaze on my brother and his knowing smirk. “What are you up to, Mr. Leonard?”
“Nothing,” he singsongs, then kisses the top of my head and leaves. “Now move it sister, we have an hour before our friends arrive.”