Babysitting the Bad Boy's Little Brother

Chapter 26

"Let's go out tonight. It'll be fun." Dominique says as she slides the hangars holding some of my not so casual clothing.

"But I'm tired. I've been to school every day this week and now would be the perfect time for a nap. I need to study for that math test on Monday too." I complain, not wanting to go out. It's the weekend and Dominique really wants to go out to a bar tonight. Not my cup of tea if I'm being honest.

"Come on, you need to live a little. Why not? Staying in the house all of the time is boring and if you keep doing it, you'll be depressed." She pulls out a sparkly dress and holds it up for me to see, "This is what you're wearing. Please just come with me. You can study later." She begs.

"Fine. But don't I need an id? You're crazy if you think they'll let me in."

"I've got you covered. Just get dressed and buy a little makeup on so you'll be ready to go. In the meantime, I'll go do the same." She says as she leaves me to go get ready in her room. Dominique is twenty-one, she just had her birthday about a month ago- which I missed. I found out that Peter is nineteen. When you used to despise the people who hated you, you don't remind yourself to remember how old they are, judging not by the way they acted. 

I shut the door as I put on the silver sparkly dress and matching high heels. I forgot that I owned this outfit until she pulled it out of my closet. Maybe I didn't own it. It could've been hers, to begin with, and she could've put it in my closet. It doesn't look like something I'd picture her wearing anyways. I grab my black clutch and put it on my vanity while I do my makeup. I wonder what Alexis is doing tonight. I don't talk to her as much as I used to because of our schedule and the usual but actual excuse of being busy, in general. Nicole and Brittany haven't talked to me much anymore either. I sit at their table at lunch daily but all they do is talk to each other. I'll make small talk but they don't put any effort in to keep the conversation going. I'm starting to wonder if my social life is falling apart. Maybe it's because I'm always busy doing something.

"Are you ready to go or not?" Dominique asks, snapping me out of my depressing thoughts as she comes back into my bedroom, then taking a seat on the corner of my bed.

"I was about to go ask you the same question," I respond.

***

We stand outside of the bar Dominique insisted we go to because she's bored and this is the type of stuff she likes to do in her free time.

"Take this." Dominique hands me a copy of my driver's license expect she changed my birthday. "You'll have no problem getting in." We walk up to the entrance where a cute guy is looking for ids.

"You're good to go." He smiles at me after looking at Dominique's real id without checking my fake one. I guess I didn't need it after all.

"Hey, I'm meeting a friend tonight- I had texted her hours ago but she just responded a few minutes ago. I won't leave you hanging all night. You have a phone, you'll be able to find me." Dominique says, hugging me before she leaves in the direction of some blonde chick. "Be safe and don't do anything you'll regret." She tells me as she's walking off.

I sit on a barstool at the bar area of the bar, which is more like a club honestly, avoiding social interaction by looking at Instagram on my phone, something I do a lot whenever I go out in public. I guess I don't want people to think I'm interested in having a conversation with them, mainly because I try not to draw any attention to myself if I can help it.

"Hey beautiful," I hear a guy behind me say into my ear. "Can I get you anything?"

I don't want anything to drink because I doubt Dom will be the DD tonight. That, and I'm not in the mood. But then again, I kind of deserve something for suffering thirty-five hours a week in high school. "Sure, I'll take a shot of tequila," I say as I turn around to make eye contact with the guy. Mr. Drink Buyer has light green eyes and dark hair. He looks like he's almost legal, but I don't believe it for more than a minute. I watch him order both of us two shots of tequila.

"Here you go, beautiful." Mr. Drink Buyer says. I don't know why he doesn't ask me my name, because beautiful is a compliment I've now heard come twice from his lips.

"What's your name?" I ask him, curiously.

"Brooks." He replies.

"Are you ready?" I motion with my shot. "3...2...1..." I down mine quickly, the liquid burning my throat a little as I swallow. He downs his at the same time, taking it like it's water. I should drink more often because my body is not used to this.  I look across the bar/club and see someone familiar, giving me Deja Vu. Austin. And some new hot chick. Making out. Emotions fly through me and were gone before I could even start to recognize what they were. I just sit there, staring at them.

"Hey, are you okay?" He looks at me and massages my shoulders. I slowly take them off of me and do something I know I'll forget. I pull him towards me and kiss him. He's a little taken back at first but eventually kisses me back, grabbing me by my waist and pulling me closer. Before I know it, my hands are in his thick hair and I'm sitting in his lap. Brooks makes me forget everything- the fact that Austin is out partying again after our talk(s), the drama between him and Daniel. Aunt Amber and Peter. Everything fades at the moment that I want to last forever. The moment where nothing mattered. But both of us had to pull away, gasping for air, so we could breathe again.

"That was-" Brooks starts but hesitates for a minute.

"Amazing." I finish his sentence, and we both blush at what feels like the same time.

"Can I get your number? Your name would be nice too." He laughs when I do, realizing how awkward this is.

"Emma," I say as I write my number down on an old receipt from my purse. When I return to reality, I look back towards where Austin was to see that his girl had left and he was staring at me. I bet he saw that. I know he saw that. I'm glad he saw that.

"Emma! There you are." Dominique exclaims as she rushes towards me. "I tried to call you but my phone died. It's past eleven and I want some sleep."

"Okay. I'm coming." I reply and look back to Brooks. "Bye," I tell him and hug him tightly before I leave. I hug lasted a few seconds longer than a normal hug but it felt good to be embraced for a moment. Something I felt I needed.

When we exit the bar, it is pouring down rain outside. I could've sworn I had looked at the weather before I left and I should've brought an umbrella. We race to the car, us both getting soaked with millions of raindrops. Dom stumbles a little, and almost face plants into a puddle. "You're not driving us home," I scream, laughing at her drunkenness.

"Why not? I can drive just fine." She complains but goes to the passenger side anyway.

"No, you can't. Dominique, you are drunk." I grumble and get into the driver's seat, cranking the car and putting the heat on low. She doesn't slur her words when she gets drunk, unless she's really drunk, which has only happened once I was told.

"Am not!" She fusses in defense but ends up passed out asleep in the next five minutes.

When I pull into the driveway I have to wake her up. Waking Dominique up has always been difficult since I can remember. That girl could sleep through a hail storm and still not know it happened when she woke up. Seven minutes later, I manage to get her up and help her walk to the door, letting her use my shoulder for support. I lead her through the house to her room and help her to bed. She'll have a hangover for sure. I put her dead phone on the charger before I go into the kitchen to get her some pills. When I return with the pills and a glass of water, she takes them before once again going back to sleep. This time for good.

I go to my room, getting ready for bed and decide to check my phone, something I haven't done since before I met Brooks. Two missed calls and a message from Austin. I decide to ignore it, knowing it is better this way. We talked the other day, and we both just want to stay friends. It's not something to be discussed anymore because we both agreed. It only creates more drama and tension between us so why bother? I put my phone on vibrate while climbing into my queen bed and turn on my Apple Music, listening while trying to go to sleep.