My Brothers Friends

Moving Day

1985

I'm in the front seat of the car, drumming my fingers on the dashboard singing along to my dads Fleetwood mac tape. I adore Stevie Nicks and think that I am her when I'm alone in my bedroom with a hairbrush but as my dad is wincing next to me I guess I'm pretty far off the mark on that one. I giggle and nudge him as I know he is playing me up.

I adore my dad, I'm a true Daddys girl and that's why I support him and this total upheaval, even at this crucial point in our lives.

You see we are having to move from our gorgeous brownstone in New York to the Encino Hills. My dad is a top lawyer a proper scary one at that, nobody beats him in the courtroom but after my mom died last year from a short battle with an aggressive form of cancer the fight just went out of him and he wanted to get out of the city. 

He accepted this job in the Valley to work with their DA office and we just had to go along with it. I'm ok with it I just go along with whatever my Dad wants even if it means I'll have to do my senior year in a new place and new school I'm not much for friends or dating so I wasnt leaving anyone special behind in New York.

My big brother Jacob however is a completely different story. He was going to have to go to college here now and that's not what he really wanted he wanted to go far away from us but my dad forbid it, he wanted us to stay close together now.

My brother is what you would call a bad boy, through and through, he has the looks, he is literally the double of Rob Lowe and even has his chiseled jawline and baby blue eyes but with a tougher exterior he was always getting in to trouble in New York so my dad was quite happy to get him out of the city.

He might have been tough on the streets but to me he was just my sweet overprotective brother. Me and Jacob were really close, he always looked out for me as most of the time it was just us two left alone in the house to fend for ourselves. Which basically meant me having to cook for the both of us if I didnt want to live on takeout food.

Jacob was riding in his own car, as my Dad wasnt a round alot, he over compensated by giving us whatever we wanted, hence why my brother has a top sports car and a motorbike. He has even promised to buy me a car this year even though I haven't even got my licence yet. We are spoilt and I get that but to be fair I'd rather have my parents around then all the gifts he bestowed on us.

We finally get to our new place and its huge, much bigger than and more lavish than the brownstone. Too much for 3 people I dont get it, but that's my dad over the top with everything.

I run to pick my bedroom, before Jacob gets here, I choose the one with the windowseat overlooking the pool its gorgeous and I could feel at home here that's for sure.

We spend the night unpacking, and order chinese takeout which we eat sitting around the table, it's nice for the 3 of us to actually sit and chat as they doesn't happen very often.

I then head upstairs to finish my unpacking as I'll be starting senior year at West Valley High in the morning and I'm already sick with nerves, I hate being the new girl, I usually have my brother helping me look cool and I usually get friends thanks to him but this time I'll be totally on my own.

The next morning there is a knock at my bedroom door.

"Come on little bit, if you want a ride to school I'm leaving in 5." my brother shouts through the door.

I open it and go to follow him down the stairs "Wow, youre wearing that on your first day? do you purposely try to get bullied?" He says laughing.

"You are such a dick. What's wrong with my outfit?" I said I like Steve Nick's so yeah I do wear floaty skirts, and hippie style clothes, lots of bangles  and with my long flowing black hair I certainly dont fit in the crowd. 

"Nothing, Nothing you look great," he chuckles and I punch him as he goes to run down the stairs.

As we pull up outside the school he turns to me. "Right, I'm not sure what time I'll get back here, so just hang around ok."

"Dont worry about it I'll make my own way home."

"Dont be stupid, Dad will kill me if I allowed you to walk around a new place on your own. Have a good day little bit, try to make friends and stay out of trouble." 

I wave good bye to him and head in to school.

School is ok I make friends with the girl who shows me around a tall pretty girl called Jessie and she introduces me to her friends they all seem nice, but I just like my own company if I'm honest 

The day goes quickly, and my new friends all seem very keen to know me better when they see my brother waiting to pick me up. He is standing by his car smoking, dressed in ripped denim with a black tight top he really is a cliche bless him.

"Hey ya, I thought you were gonna be late?" I say getting into his car and putting an end to his little peacock display.

"Yeah my classes finished early, Look I've got a job interview at a garage in about 10 minutes so your gonna have to come with me ok?"

"Wow a job interview, how have you managed that on your first day here?" Shocked and impressed by this.

"I befriended some guys at college and one of their dads owns an auto shop, I said I needed a job and they have an opening and come on let's face it nobody knows more about cars and bikes than me." 

"This is true, it will be good for you to work on cars instead of stealing them though." I tease him and pull a face as he slaps me playfully.

We pull up at the auto shop and he warns me not to touch anything and just wait in the car. I'm sitting there for 10 minutes when a guy pulls up outside the shop on a bike.

He pulls off his helmet and ruffles his dyed blonde hair, he is stocky with really broad shoulders, I can see he has a gorgeous golden tan and is wearing tight Jean's that cling to everything and a leather jacket and I have to tell myself not to stare and drool as he stands there finishing his cigarette staring out into the distance.

He heads inside after throwing his butt on the floor and I'm cursing the fact that he finished that cigarette too quickly. Not long after Jacob comes out looking happy.

"Yes little bit, I got the job, i start on the weekend." I give him a cuddle and tell him how proud i am of him and how proud dad will be.

He needs this he really does, I finally feel that this move will be positive for my brother and he can finally get his life together.