A Losing Game

All about my Brother

"What are you reading?" Lee asked looking over Sarah’s shoulder to see her reading a small but thick book about New York. “Okay Sarah, you can read about it all day long, but you have to walk the city to know it.”

“She has a good point," Vanessa said as she was making a cup of coffee behind the counter.

Sarah puts down the book. “Okay, but look, anything is better than getting lost on the train every day.”

“Subway.” Lee pointed out. “Click those heels all you want Sarah but you're not in Portland anymore."

She grabbed Lee's hands and gave them a light squeeze. “Seriously, you three are so sweet to adopt me. I’d… I'd be a mess without you guys" She looks away from them. "Well, more of a mess than I already am.” She said with a light giggle afterward.

Vanessa looked over at Dan who had just rushed into the cafe. “Red-eye to go?” She asked already walking away knowing his answer.

“Yes, please. Thank you.” He looks over at Sarah. “Hey, Sarah. Sorry for talking your ear off the other night, guys.”

Lee walks behind Dan and pats his back. “Yeah, he tends to ramble, as you'll get to know.”

“Yeah,” Dan said taking his cup of coffee from Vanessa and sits between Lee and Sarah.

“Well, I’m a good listener, as he'll get to know,” She said nudging him in the shoulder. “Are there any new developments?”

“Uh, no. No, more of the same. Jenny and her boyfriend are still inseparable, and she's even more insufferable.” He says taking a sip from his cup.

Lee kicked Dan in the shin. “Give Jenny a break. You may be her brother but you can’t protect her from every little thing forever.”

"Sorry I want to be a good older sibling." He grumbled. His eyes widen when he processed what had said to her. "Oh my God sorry."

"It fine," Lee mumbles looking away from him.

Vanessa comes over and gives Lee her cup of coffee. “Yeah, Asher is Jenny's, first love.”

Dan rolled his eyes. “It's more like an infatuation cause trust me, she’s not in love with him.”

Sarah shrugged. “Yeah maybe, but to a 15-year-old girl, I mean, there really isn't a difference.”

Vanessa put a hand on her hip. “Yeah and how long did it take you, Dan?”

He glared at her. “Um, that's a little different, Vanessa. It took me…”

Lee raised her eyebrows. “Ooo I remember that. It was like one glance at a ninth-grade birthday party that we weren’t even supposed to be at wasn’t it or am I remembering that wrong?”

“Yes, but it took me two years to obsess over it.” He pointed out making Lee rolled her eyes. “And like you were any better at that birthday party.”

“I don’t know what you remember from that day but I think I rocked that cheerleader performance quite well.”

Dan rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say, Leah...”

Lee twirled her hair. “Aww well, why thank you, Dylan.” She said in a higher pitch than her actual voice.

“So things are better with… Serena?” Sarah asked changing the topic of the conversation.

“Serena. Yeah. Yeah, good memory… Um… Things are finally back to normal with her.”

“Good. Well, I mean… You know, it's… It's tough making friends in a new city. It'd be really nice to meet her.”