The Spades and Scorpions

Grounded (10)

Thwack! Thwack! Thud! Thwack! Thwack! Thud! 

   I groaned as I heard Tanner and Sky outside practicing for her next basketball game. It was only like nine in the morning and I was so tired. I got out of bed in nothing but my low hanging basketball shorts and went out to yell at them. 

    "Could you guys be any-" I felt the words get stuck in my throat as I saw the whole girls' basketball team practicing on our basketball court. I sheepishly smiled and waved as most of the girls looked at me like food. 

   "What do you want Soyer?" Sky asks annoyed. 

   I scratch my head and try to chuckle off the discomfort I feel. Apparently that was a bad idea because my muscles flexed and a few of the girls groaned. I felt myself blush from embarrassment and then I looked over towards Sky. Then I noticed someone else that I recognized. It was one of Sage's younger sisters. I think she is a freshman. She gave me a cold glare before going back to shooting free throws. 

   "I was actually coming out here to ask you guys to keep it down, but I am up now. It doesn't really matter anymore," I say distracted as Sage's sister makes another basket behind Sky. Sky rolls her eyes and then calls the girls to get back in formation. I wave at a few to be polite before I go inside. That was awkward. 

"Never again are you allowed to leave your room without a shirt," a sweaty and annoyed Sky says as she sits down next to me on the couch. I wrinkled my nose at her. 

   "You smell disgusting." 

   "I'm serious Soyer. It's literally so gross to hear about my teammates talk about my older brother like he is a piece of meat. I had to force a few away from following you," she groans and leans her head back to look at the ceiling. 

   "Not my fault your older brother is the hottest guy in town," I teasingly say with a shoulder shrug. She groans and throws one of the decoration pillows at my head. I easily swat it away and then look over at her. 

   "What else is bothering you, Sky?" I ask as I see her eyes tighten in thought. She sighs and then looks over at me. 

   "Tanner hasn't called me in almost three days and has only sent me like half a dozen texts. I think he's cheating on me." I tried not to laugh at the thought. Sky was way too good for him. Tanner's family might have been in the mafia, but they were a mid-lower rank and he wasn't even attractive. While my sister and I shared the beautiful gene and we were the first in the nation. 

   "I doubt that, Sky. He's taking over his families mafia in a few months. He's probably getting everything ready for when you two get married and have too many kids to count," I say with a grossed out wrinkle of my nose. She giggles and nods enthusiastically. 

    "Many many babies. I love babies. They're so cute," she sighs in content as she thinks about babies. I groan and fake puke at her tone. 

    "Well I am nowhere near ready to be an uncle so you two can hold off for like twenty years," I tell her. She laughs at me. 

    "You'll be lucky if you aren't an uncle already," she gives me an eyebrow raise and I gag. 

    "I am going to kill him," I told her as I stood up. Fulfilling the older brother roll perfectly. 

    

"Mama tell Soyer he cannot kill Tanner just because we've had sex!" Sky yells as she jumps on my back to try to stop me. Mama comes around the corner. 

   "Skylar Courtney Shade you better not be having sex!" Mama roars at the same time as Mom. I laugh and she pales as she realizes her mistake. 

   "Well-" Sky starts out. Mom comes in and gives her a glare and Mama puts her hands on her hips. Sometimes my parents are really good at being a very scary united force. 

   "No 'well', young lady. You are sixteen years old and grounded," Mom says in a stern tone. Mama nods in agreement. 

   "Until you've moved out," Mama adds. Mom nods and I hold back a chuckle. 

   "That is so unfair!" Sky yells while going around me to look at our parents. I grab my keys and solute everyone before leaving. Maybe I'll murder Tanner. Maybe I'll just go bother Sage's family. 

I pulled up at Sage's house and slammed my door as I got out. I ran up to her door and knocked loudly. Sage answered the door with wet hair as she ran a towel through it and had reading glasses on her face. She looked up at me and looked shocked. Her brothers cars were still in the driveway, so I highly doubt she thought I would be back for a while. 

   Jonathan came around the corner with a piece of pizza in his mouth. He saw me and his eyes went darker. Sage looked between us before throwing her hands in the air and leaving us to talk with one another. Smart choice. 

   "You don't get to dictate how your sister lives her life," I simply stated as I leaned against the door frame. Jonathan raises an eyebrow at me before finishing chewing and put his pizza on a plate and coming outside. I closed the door behind us. 

   "You don't have a say on what I do or do not do with my family, Soyer," he stares at me pointedly and I feel bored. 

   "As the your future mafia leader I have all the say on what you can or cannot do with the people I am interested in," I tell him in an even tone. He looks like he wants to hit me before he simply nods and slightly bows to me in respect. 

   "I'm sorry, sir. I was unaware of your acceptance of the offer," he states in a shaky tone. I give him a bored expression before nodding and going to leave. I turn to look at him one more time. 

   "I will date whoever I want, even if it's your sister. If she is still willing to have me, I will continue to date her. And technically she is in the mafia family, even if it was taken from her at a young age because of her connections to you. So, in the end I will even get to marry her if we decide that is what we want with our lives." I then leave a awe struck Jonathan on his porch before getting in my car and speeding away. That went well.