Blake waltzes down the hallway behind me and braces his hands against the top of my door frame, reminding me just how tall he’s gotten over the past six months. He’s shot up and for the past few years we’ve always met eye to eye, but now, he looms over me like some kind of giant. I wonder if our dad was tall like him or if he gets it from our mother’s side.
“You got any plans for tonight?” he asks, leaning into my room.
I shake my head as I open my closet doors and remember that I don’t have an endless supply of clothes. “Nah, I was just going to chill here. It’s not like I’ve got friends to hang out with.”
“Yeah, well whose fault is that?” he chuckles to himself. “Are you alright here if I go and chill with the boys?”
“What boys?”
Blake rolls his eyes. “The boys on the team.”
I stop what I’m doing and turn to face the giant hovering in my doorway. “Will Slade and Damian be there? You need to be careful around those guys. They’ll try and use you to get to me.”
“I don’t know,” he groans, always hating being questioned. “Maybe they’ll be there, maybe they won’t. It’s not like I’m heading over there to suck their dicks and be their little errand boy. I’m not fucking stupid, Sky. You come first, I’d never betray you to someone who’s out to hurt you.”
“I know you’re not stupid, but neither are they. If there’s something they can exploit, then don’t doubt that they will.”
“Okay, I’ll be careful,” he promises, dropping his hands and striding into my room. He flops down onto the end of my bed and instantly lays down, snuggling into the comfort of my bed. Guilt pours through me. Shaylee and Ben didn’t get time to clear their second bedroom so Blake has been sleeping on the couch ever since we got here.
I insisted that Blake should take my room and I take the couch, but he likes me to feel safe, to feel protected, and demanded that I take the room as the door comes fully equipped with a lock. Hopefully, this is the kind of home where I’ll learn not to need a lock at night, but old habits die hard. I’ve never been so grateful to my little brother; he’s sacrificed everything for me. I just wish there was some way I could pay him back.
“You’ll be alright though?” he mumbles into my pillow as he squishes it under his head. “You know, here on your own.”
“Dude, when did you become my big brother? I’m fine. I’m the one who’s supposed to be looking out for you.”
Blake smothers a chuckle. “Never going to happen. I like looking out for you too much. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to look out for me even if you wanted to. I’m a free spirit, Sky. You can’t rein this in.”
I grumble under my breath and launch a cushion across the room, laughing as it smacks him in the face. “You’re a dirty turdy,” I tell him. “Where are you going anyway?”
“One of the guy’s places. I think someone said it was Fischer’s place, but I could be wrong. I think I learned too many names at once. They’re all starting to smoosh together.”
“Tell me about it,” I murmur. “Just don’t be home too late. You have practice tomorrow.”
“Are you seriously putting a curfew on me?”
“Damn straight I am. You’re my responsibility whether you like it or not. 10 pm on school nights, 1 am Friday night and on Saturday night I don’t really care as long as you check in and let me know you’re still alive. Oh, and please don’t go anywhere without taking protection with you. If you’re going to keep fucking around all the time, I want you to be safe.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Blake mutters darkly, sitting up on my bed.
I shake my head. “I’m serious. I know you think you’re some kind of adult, but you’re only sixteen. You have too much ahead of you to screw it all up now. I want you to make it big and it’s not going to happen unless you learn a bit of self-discipline.”
Blake lets out a frustrated huff as we hear the front door open. “You’re lucky I love you.”
“And you’re lucky I haven’t busted your balls about your new girlfriend,” I tell him, narrowing my eyes. “She’s not going to be there tonight, is she?”
Blake shrugs as a cheesy, excited grin rips across his face. “Probably not, but I might see what she’s doing.”
“Goodluck,” I mutter under my breath, earning myself a confused stare from my little brother, silently demanding I explain myself. “Maze mentioned that she was a big clinger. She’s probably the type to steal a used rubber and impregnate herself.”