Handcuffed Rivals

3

„But Daad, why does Jared have a car and I don't?" my whining could be detected from a mile away as I tortured my parents the next morning already making myself and my brother late for our classes. Mum laughed at my dads face when he tried to explain his extremely persistent daughter that he didn't have enough money to buy her a car.

„We've been over this yesterday." He exhailed uncomfortably. „And the day before that, and before that..."

„But-„ I tried again but Mum took the lead „please honey just go to school. Jared won't stop honking and I'm pretty sure half of the neighborhood will come ringing on my door later." They tried to divert the theme of discussion like they didn't know their daughter from the bottom of their hearts.

„He can wait." He honked again making everything I said void. Both of them shared a look of relief when I left to the door head held down from dissapointment. I'll never get that stupid car.

„I'll talk to him later. Maybe he can give you his so you could practice sometime." Dad patted me on the shoulder talking silently so only I could hear his proposition. Mum would probably kill him if she heard because she knew I was his favorite and he had a soft spot for me, regardless of her trying to equalize her children.

„Yes!" I squeeled bashfully too excited to hide it. „I love you!"

„I know, I know. Now go, he'll kill you." Showing him my cheeky smile again, I closed the door after me and runned to Jareds freshly polished car examining its every curve. This day couldn't start better.

„Get in and stop looking at my car like a psychophat." Jared looked cranky, both of his hand on a steering wheel taping his fingers in annoyance. I, on the other hand, jumped on a passenger seat delighted by the news I received but decided not to share it with him yet. Better take advantage of it later in the day when everything comes to its place.

„Good morning to you too my dear brother." From the looks of it, he didn't take it as lightly as I did. „What took you so long? Had to brush your hair again?" he giggled like a teengirl waving his imaginary hair from his face trying to imitate me.

„I don't look like that." I crossed my arms already irritated by his company.

„Suree, whatever you say." I hated when he tried to be funny when clearly he sucked at it. I never understood how girls would go after him and believe me there were a lot of them.

He began bragging about it at home last summer and sometimes when he had his friends over I would hear a story or two but I always thought he invented it all in his head when a couple of months ago I had an opportunity to see it in front of my own eyes. My dear PG13 eyes that now weren't so PG13 unfortunately.

 It was gross, really really gross how he so freely walked around and gave his attention to anything that has two legs and a heartbeat. We never spoke about it again, how he does girls and then leaves them because it was too much for me as his sister to talk about and he was too proud of himself by doing so while I, on the completely other side, thought and think now as well, is disgusting and low. But you know, he is my blood so I kinda have to watch. I'm telling you, it's still a mystery to me why anyone would bother with him.

„Are you even listening to me?" he startled me.
„No?"
„Of course." He rolled his eyes and pushed on a pedal speeding up. „Remember yesterday? I think you forgot something?"
„I did?" reminding myself not to show any signs of recognition, I tried to act casual about it.

„You owe me!" he turned his head in my direction. „And don't even think about escaping from it."

„Fine. What do you want?" we were already a minute from the parking lot. I could easily hear his proposition and flee out of the car without answering it, I thought.

„Four weeks of Aunts cookies." He mentioned. „But I already do that?"
„Hah, without you getting any." He finished his evil plan like he was the smartest kid in the block. Huh, more like the stupidiest. „Oh no,no, no, you ain't getting that. You should be grateful I even share it with you to begin with."

„Me grateful? I could steal it any time if I wanted."

I snorted „Yeah, right. I would pay to see you do that. Keep dreaming big boy." As soon as he hit the break, I opened the car door and got on my feet rapidly.

„Hey, we're not finished! We'll talk about it at home." he yelled after me when I slammed the door and smiled mischiefly remembering what dad said this morning „We sure will."

Before I could walk two steps ahead, Klo linked her arm under mines figuring out how my hair looked so fresh even thought I washed it four days ago. „Mind telling me that secret of yours?"

„I told you already, us curly girls don't have to wash it all the time. Do you even know how much it takes to blow dry this thing?" I pushed one of my locks in front of my face separating it from the rest „eternity."

„I'm jelaous regardless. I have to wash it every two days and it still looks like crap." We stopped at her locker while she complained about her dry hair like she did every two days because 'it looked like a tornado even thought I straightened it yesterday' kind of speech.

„It will get better." Were my revitalizing words. I know, I was an awful friend, but when your best friend does this continually for almost a whole semester now, you really get loss for words. „And guess what!"

„What?" she pushed the locker door shut and turned around to look at me. „I'm finally getting a car."
„Seriously? Oh my Gosh, how? When?"

I walked ahead first when I noticed she picked everything we needed for out first lesson „Dad cracked, not entirely how I wanted but I still get to drive a car. The downfall of the story is that I only get to drive Jareds car, and that meaning sometimes."

„Well it's still a car." She catched up with my walk, trying to make the most out of the situation.

Klo was always the positivity guru, sharing all her inside and out life changing quotes and spreading good vibes everywhere she goes. I think that is what I most liked about her. Her spirit and free-willed mind. It kind of reminded me of a hippie area minus the drogs and alcohol experiments. Although, we couldn't throw alcohol out of the window. She can get drunk way more then my poor self and infiltrate herself in very awkward situations.

„Exactly. That's why I'll drive tonight, hopefully if I manage to finish the operation 'get the car!'" if Jared doesn't make a scene out of it even thought I was pretty sure he will. His precious baby was sometimes too precious for him. Almost like a ring to its Smeagol. Lord of the Rings fan? Oh yes I am.

„Dan will be delighted he doesn't have to drag our wasted asses again. By the way, where is he?" I pushed on my locker trying to find my History book when his jumpy feet created a shadow over my already dark cabinet.

„Yo bitchez! Missed my poor ass?" he hugged Klo squeezing her insides more then necessary. Dan was our knight in shining armor, quiet literally, always kept us out of troubles and made our little group kind of perfect. Both Klo and I were a part of the cheerleading team but hated most of the girls there because of their insensitive butts and bitchy attitude towards anyone. Hence why we never managed to get a third girl-friend and Dan fitted the picture almost too perfectly.

 With his kind nature, he always ended up getting bullied by the other boys because of his orientation, and we took it in our mission to slap the shit out of anyone that tried to touch him and make him think he wasn't worth it. We were equally taking care of each others back and we've been through so much shit together, that I'm sure our friendship stood on good grounds.

I sneered „You wish." He laughed and diverted his attention from Klo to me „Oh come here my miserable heart. Who missed me the most?" Dan clinced to me like a moth to a flame while I stood like a wall waiting for him to let go of me. I was never the one to hug.

„She did, believe me. She wouldn't shut up about it for days, always whining how you would do it so much better than I." Klo stood on his side making me sound desperate.

„No I did not! You were gone for like five days or so? I didn't even notice." Five days and 12 hours but you didn't hear it from me. „Mhmm, sure thing sweety." He smiled down at me like he knew something I didn't.

„What did I miss? Except her cranky ass." We walked down the hallway together when Klo began „Little gossip here and there, some fights with the King and our little Princess here anouncing yesterday about his small dick-„

„His what? Oh myyyy, you saw it didn't you? I knew it, sneaky bitch. What was it like? Did he hurt you so you lied to make it feel better?" Dan interrupted before Klo could finish.

„Noooo, eww. Stop making asumptions. I didn't see anything and I never will. It was just in the spur of a moment." He gave me a look of disbelief „and nothing else!"

„He stole her clothes and left her naked." Klo added to fire up the flame once more. „How were you naked and didn't take advantage of him? I told you gurl, once you have a chance you take it, not blow it like that. Agh, amateurs." Dan almost yelled desperately trying to knot the ties together to understand the full story.

„Nooo, it wasn't like that. Jeez Klo, stop making his imagination navigate his mind. Nothing of that sorts happened. I showered in gym and he took advantage of that." I finally explained when his features fell down.

„Ahh, so nothing new happened?"

„Nah, she's just messing with you." I refeared to Klo who was smiling silently watching us from the corner. „Thanks a lot Klo, I finally though something is happening in this shit hole."
She laughed at his sad expression „It's okay boo, now when you're here, you'll experience it from the front row."

„You're right. Go entertain me!" he pushed on my arm playfully.

„You're both nuts. I'm gonna go now and spare myself the horror." I flipped them the bird and entered the class already feeling lonely but not showing it. I hated when none of them shared a class with me, it lasted forever when you have no one to talk to.