My Brother's Girlfriend

Chapter Ten

I must have fallen asleep because when I woke up the television was dark and the blanket from the recliner had been draped over me. I stretched and heard a grunt from the end of the couch. I gasped and looked down at Cecilia who was curled up in a ball. Her hair was sprawled around her and an empty bottle of Jack Daniels was at the foot of the couch. I picked it up and hobbled to the cellar door. I slipped it open and put it in the bottle return. I took the mop bucket up with me and slipped a trash bag in it. She didn't stir, and I pinned her hair back gently. She was still and I went to the kitchen and set a bottle of water on the coffee table next to her. I walked the stairs to my room with caution. My foot was throbbing, and I bit back the urge to cry. I made it to my room and flopped into bed, but was unable to sleep again. An hour and a half had gone by when a knock sounded on the door. 

"Hello?" I called gently. 

"Vivian," I heard a gag, "it's Cecilia." I limped to the door and tugged it open. She was pale, and her hair was a tangled mess. There was puke on her shirt and I felt my nose wrinkle at the smell. I walked to the bulletin board and clipped a clothes hanger on my nose and walked back to her. 

"Come in," she moved forward and I shut the door. There was a small bathroom attached, with only a toilet and a sink. I led her in and pinned her hair back again as she vomited into my toilet. I took a pair of scissors from my drawer and cut the shirt up the back. She gasped as her naked mid rift was exposed. Her sports bra was purple and green. I tried not to let myself look at her as I walked back into my bedroom. 

"Viva, don't leave me." I opened a drawer and found a paint stained shirt. I walked back into the room and slipped it on over her head and pinned her hair up again. She leaned in and puked and I tried to hold my gag back. 

"I was getting a shirt for you sweetie," I whispered, "I'll be back in just a second." I went into the bedroom again and scrapped my drawers for a pair of shorts that would fit her. She was taller than me, but I was the thinner one. She had a figure that was defined and curvy, I was a stick. 

"Hurry!" She yelled and I heard her puke again. I walked into the bathroom behind her and helped her into standing position. I dabbed her face with the washcloth and looked down at the jeans she'd put back on. I swallowed hard and took a deep breath before crouching to undo the button. She looked down at me and shut her eyes. 

"Er," I began to protest but she clutched her stomach. 

"Vivian, please." I groaned and undid the button. Her boy shorts matched her sports bra, and I tried to keep the image of them on her without the t-shirt contained in the back of my mind. She was sick, and she wanted my help to avoid embarrassing herself in front of Viper. I easily tugged the shorts on and drew the strings back to fit. She crouched down again, and puked. It was a small amount and I knew the meaning of it all. 

"That's probably the end to the puking," I dabbed her face and wiped her mouth off, "let's get you some water and something easy to eat." She stood up and I wrapped my arm around her and led her into the kitchen. She sat on the bar stool and tilted her head back in a long groan. I opened the fridge and took out a new bottle of water, sliding it to her on the counter as I popped the toast in. She watched me with delicacy and I saw her eyes were showing vulnerability. 

"How'd you know what to do?" She asked as she sipped. Her voice was cracking and hoarse, but it fit her and was cute coming from her mouth. 

"I've been fifteen," I laughed, "a long time ago." She smiled at me weakly. 

"That's one thing you have in common with your brother."

"What's that?" 

"'A long time ago'," she quoted, "he constantly reminds me I'm younger."

"It's hard to ignore," I pulled the toast from the toaster and brought them back to her. She nibbled and sipper her water. Her face had gained a bit of color and I checked her eyes for dilation. The beautiful green was slowly returning and I walked to the cabinet in the bathroom. "Take these." I handed her ibuprofen. 

"What are they?"

"They'll ease the headache you'll get soon." She smiled and took them dry. I tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear and she shut her eyes. 

"Thank you." She whispered like it was hard to say. 

"For what?" I asked as I unplugged the toaster and wiped the counter down. 

"For taking care of me."

"It's not a big deal," I said easily, "anybody would have been grown up enough to see you needed help."

"Well," she muttered, "not anybody."

"What do you mean?" I wet the washcloth in the sink and walked to her to dab her forehead again. She flinched, and I figured it was common to occur. I dried her face with a paper towel and waited for her to continue. 

"I went to Viper first," she said finally, "he didn't know how to help me. He told me to ask you." I rolled my eyes. 

"He knew," I said even if it'd hurt her feelings, "he's taken care of his other girlfriends when he got them trashed." 

"Really?" Tears welted and I dabbed them away. It was at this moment I knew that she was more into Viper than she was into me. I closed my eyes and tried to force the thought of us out of my head for the hundredth time. She wasn't going to like me, she wasn't even my girlfriend. She was Viper's. 

"Really, but it's okay. I'm here." I chided her gently and lifted her from the bar stool. "Let's get you tucked in." I laid her down on the couch and she curled into a ball. I took the blanket off and ran to my room. When I returned, I had brought a clean blanket that would be warm or cool, depending on what she needed. I tucked it around her, and took the puke covered blanket to the washing machine. I loaded it in with a ton of soap and softener and put it on heavy duty. When I returned she was already asleep, snoring slightly. I smiled to myself and pulled the puke bucket from the couch and took it out back. I turned the hose water on and rinsed it thoroughly. I brought it back and decided to leave it by her, just in case. She hadn't moved since I'd left, and I tucked the blanket neatly and kissed her temple. I wandered back into the kitchen and found a pack of saltines and set them on the table next to her along with a small cup of ginger ale and ice. My kitten had curled up around the edge of her feet and I patted her head. 

"Meow!" She was high pitched and I kissed her cheeks and stroked her colored stripe between her eyes and down her nose. She laid on the couch until she was purring herself to sleep. I began up the stairs and heard my mother's car pull in. I jogged outside in my pajamas, and greeted her. 

"Mom!" I whisper yelled and she smiled. 

"Viva, what are you doing up so late."

"I was a bit busy," I motioned towards the inside, "be very quiet when you come in! Ce-Ce just got to sleep."

"Ce-Ce?" She asked, "I didn't realize you two were on a first name basis, let along a nickname basis!" I grinned at her. She was oblivious, like everybody but Savannah, Ce-Ce and myself, that I had met her lips and known her in a better sense than first name. 

"We're alright," I laughed to myself, "I just wanted to warn you to be quiet. How was your night out?"

"Divine!" She smiled and fanned her face as though she were British royalty. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm glad you had fun, let's get to bed mum."

"It is rather late, isn't it." 

"Yes, it is." I led her inside and she walked up the stairs with me. She kissed my cheek and I opened my door, falling back into my room. I flopped into the bed and tried to ignore everything that was taking place inside of my head. Finally, sleep came and I couldn't help but remember Ce-Ce's nearly naked body in my dreams. I tried my hardest to dismiss her, and she kept coming back like a hot pink, be-dazzled boomerang with a giant "fuck you!" on it. I knew I'd never be rid of her, I just knew better than to let her come on to me, or better yet- let myself come on to her. Especially her dating Viper and being fifteen. Viper might have viewed it 'okay', but I knew better. I let the sleep swamp my mind with images that were corrupted, but sweet to me.