Becoming His

I freeze, feeling my eyes widen working to acclimate so I can navigate the short distance without ru

The lights by the stairs flicker on and I realize Max somehow passed by me. Apparently he’s some sort of stealth ninja.

I pass in front of where he stands at the base of the stairs, catching a hint of sweetness and spice that follows Max.

I glance down at the pair of jeans I threw on before coming over. They’re one of my favorite pairs, which offers me a small bit of relief since I’m all too aware Max is directly behind me.

I round the top step I turn to the foyer and open the front door, stepping out into the muggy evening.

“Did I make you feel easy?” His words reach me as I hit the driveway, and I turn in surprise. My mind races to think of a casual way of answering as I briefly study his face and see the same expression that I’d seen the other night, like he’s trying to figure me out.

“We don’t really know each other,” I say, lifting a shoulder as I continue walking backwards. “It’s not a big deal.”

“I’m sorry, I guess I just figured you’d like him.”

I stop at the shrubs separating our yards and shake my head. “I don’t, but even if I did, I wouldn’t go sleep with him.” I glance back to my dark house. “Bye, Max.”

“Why? Every girl sleeps with him.”

I stop and peer back over at him. The porch light casts shadows across his face so I can’t see him very well, but his tone sounds like he’s genuinely interested in my response. “Maybe I’m not every girl.” I shrug and disappear into my house.

The weekend arrives and our parents are out of town at a seminar in LA. Saturday goes by in a lazy haze of pajamas and pool time with Kendall. Sunday we have Sister Sunday: a tradition consisting of the five of us spending time together the first Sunday of each month.

When we first began making this a ritual three years ago, Sava

“Can you sit still?” Kendall growls, placing a hand on my bobbing knee.

“Why did you want to try this place?” I ask, looking around at the dingy looking restaurant. “I swear we’re going to see a cockroach.” My eyes rake across the floor, truly expecting to see one.

“Oh please.” Kendall groans.

“This place is kind of … interesting,” Je

“It’s disgusting,” Mindi adds with a scowl.

“It’s not that bad.” Sava

“You hang out with five-year-olds that smell like urine and eat crayons all day. Your standards of clean and sanitary have been grossly skewed.” Mindi’s tone is calm and factual, because it is indeed true. I’ve been in Sava

“You and Ace need to relax and stop being so afraid of germs. Roxy works here. She wouldn’t have told us to come by if it was dirty.” Kendall’s eyes focus on each of us in warning.

“You’re right, it’s not …” I glance to a table receiving food that smells pretty good. “Okay, but I want to know what he ordered.” Mindi looks at me alarmed, knowing I’ve just swayed the vote to stay.

“Come on, it’ll be okay. If it sucks we’ll go through a drive-thru,” I assure her.

“Roxy?” Je

“Yeah, Lamar,” Kendall says, reaching for her water.

Je

“Yeah …”

“Did you know he was dating Roxy at the time?”

“That was like six years ago, Jen!”

“Yeah, well I just learned about it a couple of weeks ago when I heard her telling a friend how much she hates you.”

Kendall looks around to each of us, and then her gaze travels to the restaurant as though she’s finally seeing this place really is a pit with its ripped and moldy carpet, smoke-tinted wallpaper, and chipped Formica tabletops that I don’t want my purse to touch, let alone my silverware.

“What are you waiting for, let’s go,” Kendall says, shoving me out of the booth.

We end up at our usual Mexican restaurant after a semi-awkward departure from the roach buffet. We sit down and laugh about the brief experience as Kendall fills the rest of us in on her kiss with Jack Webber.

“Let’s go!” Kendall cries as she jumps up and tugs on my arm.

The entire yard spins as I stand up. Our Sister Sunday ended here at the house, where Mindi ordered Chinese takeout and we sat around the backyard discussing Kendall’s relationship with Jameson, which drifted to Je

Sava

Mindi, Sava

“Go where?” I ask.

“TP Marshall’s!”

I instantly laugh at the thought as I shake my head.

“Come on!” She wraps her fingers around mine and tugs once again, and I willingly follow her through the house. I’ve definitely drank too much, because I can hear a teeny tiny voice in the back of my head telling me that this is a bad idea, but a much louder voice in the forefront of my mind giggles and discusses strategy. That louder voice is my voice, as I help load Kendall’s arms.

“You look ridiculous.” I laugh at the sight of my sister in her neon green bikini bottom with toilet paper rolls bulging from her arms.

“We have to stay down so no one can see us,” Kendall whispers conspiratorially. I try to keep a straight face, but all I want to do right now is laugh. Everything seems fu

“You dropped one!” I stop in front of the fallen roll.

“Leave it!”

“I can’t. We need all of them!” I slowly bend to retrieve it and drop three more in the process.

Kendall’s giggles fill the air. “Stop, stop.”

I laugh as I work to pick up the four rolls of toilet paper. As I get the last one in my arms, it squeezes too tightly against one another and two more fall out of my arms. My laugh follows them rolling down the street.