After AnimeCon 2: Mrs. Rivera's Ultimatum

    “Moooom—!” Emily called as she opened the door of the Rivera residence for the first time in what felt like ages. “I’m home.”

    “Emily?!” Mrs. Rivera exclaimed from the living room. “Is everything okay?”

    “Uhh, yeah?” Emily kicked off her shoes and padded across the foyer in her socks. “Why wouldn’t it be?!”

    It felt strange to be back here, and there was that juxtaposition of conflicting feelings that roiled up every time she returned. It was home, it was the comfort of the familiar, but also with that came the stifling, restrictive sense of being under her mother’s authority. Emily had tasted the forbidden fruit of freedom that every teenage-to-twenties girl aches for, and being out of her parent’s house and able to just do her own thing while living at Brian’s apartment was just too amazing.

    Although, she did still sneak back here every now and then to do loads of laundry whenever she was sure her mother would be at Truliet during teaching hours. And also raid the fridge with impunity. With her mother working and her little sister finally nineteen and over at the university campus taking classes most of the time, Emily was usually free to creep back home without dealing with either of them. Tonight, however, it was one of those unfortunate times where there was the danger of running into both of them.

    Which I’d been super lucky to AVOID for pretty much all this time, Emily grimaced in aggravation. Only ran into mom like, twice in this past month since AnimeCon.

    “Now, look, look—here she comes!” Mrs. Rivera whispered loudly to someone. “You’ll see.”

    “See what?” Emily rounded the corner.

    “Oh my God, ew,” Katie revealed a look of unbridled disgust. “Blue?”

    Emily’s mother Anne Rivera was relaxing in the recliner seat, while Emily’s sister Katie and then one of Katie’s friends were occupying the couch as the TV on the wall churned through the commercial break for something or other. Mrs. Rivera was a Hispanic woman of stunning beauty whose face and figure seemed picture perfect for the silver screen, but she was wearing her after work jammies, while Katie and her friend looked like they were dressed up to go out.

    “Katelyn Forgetful Rivera, be nice to your sister,” Mrs. Rivera scolded with a much aggrieved sigh. “We can’t be mean to her ‘til she tells us what it is she wants this time…”

    “Well, I never!” Emily flicked her fingers towards her chest and turned her head to let out a theatrical gasp of disbelief.

    “Um, my middle name is Florence, ack-shully?” Katie explained for her friend’s benefit. “I don’t freaking forget things ever, and ummm, no, I’m not forgetting ‘to be nice to my sister.’ This is me being nice to my sister. Expressing concern. Because, duh, obviously my sister is having some sort of major identity crisis. Hell-o?!”

    “This is Katelyn’s friend Dorothy,” Mrs. Rivera introduced the outsider with a casual wave. “She was just about to help me convince Katelyn that we should get sushi delivered. In fact—”

    “Um, no, because first of all, she prefers to go by the name Dottie and you should respect that—like you should respect calling me Katie—and second, because we already want to order from Lee’s Chinese. The serving sizes are literally only like ten times bigger than that stupid sushi joint, and no one even likes sushi that much anyway.”

    “I, uh, well I actually don’t feel comfortable having an opinion,” Dottie said with a guilty look. “So. Whoever’s paying can decide?”

    “Have you eaten yet, Emmie?” Mrs. Rivera sat up in her seat to get a better look at her eldest daughter. “Emily… did you have someone do your makeup?”

    “She would’ve had to, ‘cause she looks like a total freakin’ clown otherwise,” Katie snorted, then did a slight double-take as she actually took time to size Emily up. “Wait a minute, who did do your makeup? Did you go to a salon or something? Pffttt. Like, why?”

    “Emily, can you bully your sister into being quiet for like, half an hour, please?” Mrs. Rivera complained. “You used to be so good at that. We had so much peace and quiet, back when you two were always at each other’s throats.”

    “Har, har, very funny,” Katie made a face of disgust. “Like this loser can even—”

    “Ahhhh, those were the days,” Emily snorted as she passed through the living room towards the back hall, shaking her head. “Whelp, anyways—yeah, just passin’ through, sorry suckers!”

    “Wait—wait, Emily!” Mrs. Rivera yelled, indignant. “Do you want sushi? Say you want sushi. Just—say the word!”

    “Say no!” Katie demanded. “We want Chinese, duh, some of us are actually freakin’ starving.”

    “Say you want sushi!” Mrs. Rivera persisted. “Then, it’ll be two against one.”

    “Um, actually Dottie and I together make two,” Katie argued. “Maybe if you could not exclude her? That’s incredibly rude.”

    “I~!” Emily called back over her shoulder. “Cannot stay. I’ve got a party to go to.”

    Here at home they were all used to yelling at each other from across the house like this—there was no way Emily was going to stand on ceremony and stick around the living room to talk to them. After all, she wanted to be in and out as quick as possible—Brian and Kelly were out front waiting for her in the car. Emily opened the door to her bedroom and turned on the light to reveal the mess she had left behind last time—unsorted clothes were strewn across her bed, which was missing all of its pillows because those had migrated over to the apartment already.

    “What? No you don’t,” Katie refused to believe it. “As if. What, your stupid hick stoner friends, who live out by the woods? Puh-lease. Like it’s even—”

    “Brian’s back!” Emily announced. “So, we’re celebrating.”

    “Well, that’s great news!” Mrs. Rivera exclaimed. “He’s feeling better? Ask him if he’d like to come over! We’d all love to see him. Hah, Brian will vote for sushi, I know it. Hey, Emily if you could just see the look on Katie’s face~!”

    “Um, except I don’t have any look on my freaking face,” Katie insisted. “Brian’s way out of Emily’s league anyways?? Like, yeah right, like she even stands a chance. In her gross freaking demented weirdo dreams. She’s only been chasing after him begging for scraps of attention since they were in like high school. It’s super pathetic.”

    “Both of my girls have always had just the cutest little crush on this boy named Brian,” Mrs. Rivera explained for Dottie. “I mean, he was pret-ty handsome…”

    “Um, no?” Katie retorted with a loud scoff. “I mean like yeah he’s all right, but he’s not like, super amazing or anything?”

    “Uh-huh, and I suppose you’re not blushing like a tomato right now—that’s just the honey-glow in your cheeks?”

    “Mom. Oh. My God. Could you stop??” Katie sounded outraged. “I’m literally not. Besides like, last I heard, Emily’s a total lesbo, now? Or, so she claimed?”

    “Katelyn Forgetful Rivera, you be nice,” Mrs. Rivera scolded. “In this household we’re supportive of all forms of love!”

    “Yep, that’s me!” Emily shouted out. “Lovin’ it up in my new life as a lesbo bulldyke. Yeah, I’ve really been lezzin’ out all over the place. Now that I’m full-on lesbian. I’m just like, chewin’ carpet. All the time. Was actually just hangin’ out in a bar last night with some lovely ladies? Neat place way out in the sticks called Rudy’s. I mean, you always called me a dyke, and somehow the thought started to stick?

    “I mean, okay probably was bound to happen anyways, since I’m actually pretty amazing at softball?? How could I not switch over to the other team, you know?? I’ve always had pretty nice arms. Lookit these freakin’ cannons. Got the whole gunshow, right here. Yeah, okay well and anyways—tonight I’m also introducing my girlfriend to all of my friends!”

    “Yeah, right,” Katie denied the possibility. “It’s not even funny. Actually? It’s actually sad. She couldn’t even get a guy, so she calls herself gay, and then pretends she has a girlfriend, except um hello?? We’ve never even seen her, so~!”

    “Eh,” Emily gave an uncaring shrug that they wouldn’t be able to even see. “You couldn’t handle my girlfriend.”

    With a groan of frustration, Emily opened one drawer after another in search of her cute black choker—the damned thing was never where she thought it was, and finding it again always turned into an ordeal. Her earrings and jewelry were always in her side desk drawer in a little music box tray that opened up into dozens of little compartments for things. Emily retrieved it first, plucking out one piece after another and hurrying to put them into place. It had been a while since she put in some of her piercings, and although her cute dangly ones went into the lobe positions without fuss, she knew the two higher spots along her outer ear were gonna pinch.

    “Oh, right, riiiight,” yeah okay,” Katie retorted. “Uh-huh. Yeah. If—”

    “Wait a minute,” Mrs. Rivera said suddenly. “I just have a brilliant idea!”

    “...No,” Katie refused. “No. No freaking way. No one even likes her stupid stoner frie—”

    “Emily my sweet baby darling, you can take Katelyn and Dorothy out to your party!” Mrs. Rivera said. “It’ll be good for them to get out of the house for a bit and get some fresh air for once. They’ve been so cooped up all day! It’s making my poor Katie-cat stir-crazy.”

    “Fine, we can order sushi!” Katie sounded disgusted. “Whatever. So long as I can just stay here. If that’s what you really want…”

    “Uhh mom, I’m not taking that stupid shrieking shitwhistle anywhere near my friends,” Emily scoffed. “Last time she was there, she—”

    “Emily, don’t call your sister stupid,” Mrs. Rivera scolded. “That’s so mean! In this house we’re respectful of everyone, even when they are being shrieking shitwhistles.”

    “Mom!” Katie sputtered. “What the fuck?”

    “Is the party out at that Aunt Madelyn’s place?” Mrs. Rivera called. “That nice ranch house?”

    “It doesn’t matter where our party is!” Emily growled. “Katie’s not invited! Are you out of your mind? And, no offense Dottie, but I’ve never even met you, so.”

    “Emily…” Mrs. Rivera warned. “It would be very nice of you if you could take your sister out and spend some time with her. We hardly ever see you anymore!”

    “She’s your accident, you deal with her!” Emily yelled. “If you want rid of her for a bit, just friggin’ drop her off at that Chinese place, like she wanted. Don’t drag me into this.”

    “That actually works?” Katie interjected. “Can’t we do that?”

    “Emily…” Mrs. Rivera’s tone turned gleeful. “How much money do you owe me? You said just the other week you were about ready to pay up. And then, your phone bill...”

    “And, I will!” Emily flushed. “I’ll pay you back. Just—like, gimme a few more days.”

    “Take your sister out,” Mrs. Rivera said. “Katelyn—you can make eyes at that nice young man Brian! You were always following him around whenever you all went out, weren’t you? Brian, Brian—didn’t he just break up with whats-her-face? The tall one with all the legs? Zoey? Cleo? Claudette? Shoot, it’s on the tip of my tongue.”

    “Chloe,” Katie answered in a sullen voice.

    “Ah, that’s the one!” Mrs. Rivera snapped her fingers. “I knew it started with a kluh. Well? Kate-monster, you like Brian. He’s cute, he’s single—what do you think?”

    “Okay, but even if there’s one cute guy, all the rest of Emmie’s friends out there are all weirdo creeps. Most of them couldn’t even get into university.”

    “Mooom!” Emily yelled. “Katie’s being classist again.”

    “Ooh, Katie—she’s right?” Mrs. Rivera sighed. “It’s not good to talk like that! You always need to pretend to be grateful and appreciative of all of the peasant simpletons who—”

    “Mom we’re literally starving,” Katie protested. “I’m like, already faint with hunger and Dottie? She gets dizzy spells if she goes too long without eating, and I promised her parents we were gonna make sure that didn’t happen. Okay?! Can you at least make Emily take us to Lee’s Chinese or something? We can just borrow your card, you don’t even have to get dressed and go with us.”

    “You two were just snacking on chips not that long ago!” Mrs. Rivera exclaimed.

    “Yeah like, the very last of the bag,” Katie scoffed. “C’mon. There was like, hardly anything left. Mom, we’re so hungry.”

    “Emily?” Mrs. Rivera called, putting on a more polite tone. “It would really mean a lot to me if you could take your sister out tonight and spend time with her.”

    “Mom, I’m sorry!” Emily denied, checking her earrings in the closet door mirror and doing a double-take at what a difference Kelly’s makeup had made—she looked fantastic. “Tonight is for me and my girlfriend, introducing her to everyone and stuff. Welcoming Brian back. It’s kind of a big deal. You can’t just saddle me with my stupid sister and her friend all of the sudden as if that’s—”

    “Fifty bucks,” Mrs. Rivera offered.

    “—Okay, fine,” Emily relented. “Kat-head? Dory? Get your things. We’re leaving like, right now.”

    “Mom,” Katie protested in her most aggrieved tone. “You can’t just—”

    “Fifty bucks Emily, but you have to make sure both of them are fed!” Mrs. Rivera added a quick condition. “So, this is dinner money. For you and your sister and Dottie, and then get something nice for your little girlfriend, too. Whom we have still yet to meet…”

    “Because she doesn’t even have a real girlfriend!” Katie grouched. “Are you for serious right now? And, Emily—you are such a fucking sellout.”

    “Sorry sis, it’s just business,” Emily retorted. “Fifty bucks is fifty bucks. Nothing personal.”

    “Then, at the very least you can just drop us off at Lee’s—” Katie began to whine.

    “Katelyn Forgetful Rivera, it’s not going to kill you to spend a little time with your sister!” Mrs. Rivera grumbled. “With you at your university all the time now and Emily out of the house, you two hardly ever see each other anymore! One day, you’re going to look back and realize how much you miss—”

    “Except I literally won’t!” Katie protested. “Since when have we ever—”

    “You’re going, you’re gonna get along great, and that’s final!” Mrs. Rivera harumphed. “I hear any more fuss out of you, you can forget borrowing the car any time soon!”

    “Then how do you expect me to get to class?! I literally can’t believe this,” Katie said to herself. “This is actually abuse?”

    “Um,” Dorothy spoke up again in a timid tone. “Where are we going, again?”

    * * *

    Emily dashing off into the suburban home gave Brian and Kelly one of those moments of vanishingly rare time alone together, and Brian watched that realization fall into place across Kelly’s features in real time. In her full makeup her beautiful smile became stunning, almost literally so—Brian’s thoughts floundered and for several seconds he couldn’t do anything but gaze at her in awe. Likewise Kelly’s hand fumbled upwards, groping across the ceiling until she found the button for the cabin light and pressed it on.

    “We should, uhh, we need to test your makeup real quick,” Kelly suggested in a breathy voice.

    The light dusting of glitter across her cleavage sparkled in different colors as she leaned in close and her lips found his, and Brian was slow to answer in kind. Searing meteorites shot down through the stratosphere and smashed down across his earth in a dozen little impacts. Kelly’s kiss was hungry, and she pressed in fast and hard with tongue that darted in immediately. The sudden sensation was overwhelming at first, but Brian wasn’t feeling particularly passive tonight, and when he began to fight back, Kelly released a small moan of enthusiasm into his mouth.

    The surprise assault of shooting stars blasting explosions of dust amid red impact flashes did not subside, but now with tectonic rumbles each of the burning craters was immediately swallowed up by landslides of stone and dirt. Rather than stoic and unresponsive to the barrage of abuse from above, the world churned into motion and in no time at all it was as though the planet itself was swallowing up each and every falling star, drawing them in with the magnetic power of an ever-intensifying gravity.

    Brian suckled at Kelly’s tongue until her body all but shivered against him, and then managed to gently capture her lower lip between his teeth before she could withdraw for breath.

    “Mmngh~!” Kelly let out a small groan as she rocked back, breasts bouncing within her halter top. “God damn that feels amazing. The magic color shit. I can almost see it…”

    “Yeah,” Brian gave her a lopsided grin, unable to tear his eyes away from the abundant curves threatening to burst free.

    “Oh, uh—” Kelly paused, eyes narrowing. “So. No smudges. Your makeup held up. How’s mine?”

    “Um,” Brian chuckled, having forgotten they were ‘testing’ the cosmetics. “You look absolutely incredible. Perfect.”

    “Cool. Cool…” Kelly wet her lips and leaned back in across the seats as if to better examine him. “Although… you can never be too careful? We’ve gotta like, make sure. Really stress test.”

    “Definitely,” Brian agreed.

    The second fusillade of brilliant red stars streaked down like an orbital bombardment, but this time the earth rose up to meet it. Before a single shooting star could crash down, the ground itself preempted the imminent collisions by splitting open and thrusting giant pillars of crumbling stone up into the sky. The already heated air between them became absolute chaos as careening star metal smashed into rising monolithic crags. Many of the great stone spikes were blasted to pieces by the scintillating bright invaders with their red vapor trails, but in turn almost all of the meteors were robbed of their incredible speed and some were even shunted off trajectory to instead skip across the surface and then tumble to rolling stop.

    “Holy shit,” Kelly broke their connection with a smack of her lips. “Could you do that before? With the magic.”

    “I… have no fucking idea,” Brian admitted, taking a quick glance down to discover his hands were already upon her breasts. “I’m uh, just kinda figuring things out? S’hard to get the hang of it or like, practice at all. Magic-wise, each of you girls are completely different, uhh, apples and oranges. I mean, your red thing is like you’re throwing things at me, and then with Emily’s blue it’s like I’m trying to redirect a river? When I—”

    “Shut up and keep doing it,” Kelly shoved her face back in to plant a sloppy kiss upon him. “Before Emily gets back and interrupts us.”

    Brian obliged—or, he tried to. When they resumed kissing, it was almost too distracting to focus on what he was attempting to accomplish with his magic, because the slick feeling of her tongue sliding against his was amazing. The rising towers of earth and stone that had been pushing into the sky at haphazard diagonals trembled and then began to break up and collapse, because Brian was cupping large handfuls of perfect tits. From the subtle swells of areola he felt as he grabbed and massaged those plush globes he suspected he’d already almost managed to free her nipples from her top. A moment later he confirmed that with certainty, catching a stiff but supple protrusion between his ring and middle finger and squeezing it in his grasp.

    Kelly shuddered and let out a breathless squeak—the current batch of comets hurtling down in red lines zigzagged in unison and tumbled through the sky in absolute disarray, and although Brian failed to push up pillars like he had before, the entire horizon seemed to roll and overturn upon itself as if it could exchange one entire upheaved land for another unblemished in an instant. He very honestly had no idea what he was doing, or what these different magical representations meant, and right now he was far too distracted to care.

    “Fuck,” Kelly hissed out. “Wait wait. Hold on.”

    Brian stopped right away, and his eyes snapped open to see familiar pinpricks of red light growing within Kelly’s pupils.

    A Send.

    A channel opening up between time and space or dimensions—in the fleeting few seconds before Brian lost track of the charm sense he noticed that the stars raining down had trickled to a stop. Instead something strange was happening way, way up there beyond his reach, at their nebulous red source.

    Okay. Okay, no big deal. It was hard not to feel frustrated at the interruption, but Brian disengaged his mental state from the absurd intimacy they’d been sharing and gave Kelly some time, bringing one hand up to cradle her head in against his. Some future us thought RIGHT NOW was the best time to tell us… well, whatever it is they want to tell us. I guess.

    “Sorry,” Kelly apologized with a scowl as the red light in her eyes flickered out. “Short one, just a little update. We do have to stop here, though. Emily’s bringing… company.”

    “Company?” Brian gave Kelly a kiss on the cheek to reassure her that he wasn’t annoyed or put out.

    “Yeah,” Kelly sighed, hurrying to tug the fabric of her top back over her nipples and adjust things back into place. “Emily’s bringing her little sister. Katie, or Caitlyn, or—something like that. Along with… another girl, an interloper. This other girl is supposed to be the friend of Emily’s little sister, but she’s actually not. It’s a disguise, an illusion. Magic. The uh, one of the healer peoples, one of the ones that—”

    “Actress?” Brian asked, his brows furrowing. You’ve… you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.

    “Well—yeah,” Kelly gave him a look as she reached up and turned off the overhead light. “You already know about Actress?”

    “Christine just told me,” Brian confirmed with a sigh. “Emily’s mom is ‘Actress,’ she’s maybe part of the previous harem, she can do illusions or disguises or… something like that.”

    “Okay, yeah. When I met her, she was ‘Sammie,’ or ‘Samantha,’ or something like that,” Kelly explained. “I guess she’d been doing this alternate identity so that Emily could have more friends, or—I don’t know. It’s weird and creepy to me.”

    Emily’s mother is Samantha? That— Brian’s mind raced as he tried to decipher all of the implications. Like, do you mean SOMETIMES Emily’s mom is disguised as Samantha, or Samantha was actually Emily’s mom the entire fucking time?!

    That was a lot to take in all at once, and because he’d met and interacted with Emily’s cousin Samantha a dozen times or so over the past four or five years, there were too many memories to reevaluate and start second-guessing right now. He’d never had any reason to question Samantha’s identity, she’d always seemed like a pretty cool older teen to them, someone who teased everyone but never took things too far or came off as mean.

    The distant sound of the Rivera residence front door opening jolted him out of his thoughts, and it was all Brian could do to keep from flinching.

    “Annd, here they come,” Brian said, turning the other way to see that a trio of girls was coming out of the house. “So I guess, if sometimes she was Samantha for Emily, then looks like Actress basically does the same thing for Emily’s little sister?”

    “Yeah,” Kelly growled. “The previous iteration of us, uh, they got blindsided. Towards the end of the night. Like, nothing bad, just. Actress wanted to pop a surprise on us and test the waters with some things all cool and mysterious-like, she corners you and me at the bonfire later on. Emily was still in the dark. Future us—you and me—didn’t want us surprised or caught unprepared, so. It’s just a little heads up. Nothing scary.”

    “Yeah, alright,” Brian said. “Still. Thanks.”

    “Eh,” Kelly wore a bitter smile as she gave him a shrug. “Some fuckin’ timing though, huh? I uh, I guess until I get better at this magic stuff, it’s still most reliable to receive messages when we’re, well. Dousing ourselves up with magic. Connected, or… whatever.”

    The car rocked slightly as the rear door opened, and Emily leaned her head in.

    “Guys, uh. I’m sorry, but is it cool if my little shithead sister and her friend come with us to the party?” Emily asked. “Mom wants them out of the house or whatever and spending quality time with me—but, I promise they won’t bother us. We got money for food, too. Is it cool?”

    “Yeah, no worries,” Brian assured her, leaning back in his seat to catch a look at the two girls standing awkwardly behind Emily at the curb. “I remember Katie.”

    “Hi, Brian!” Katie squeaked out, flashing a quick palm up in an embarrassed wave.

    “Get in and slide the whole way over,” Emily instructed, stepping back so she could start shoving her sister inside. “Both of you. C’mon, c’mon. You already made us late.”

    With his head turned Brian caught a glimpse of two teenage girls clambering across the rear bench of his car—unlike the short and petite tomboyish Emily, Katie was tall and willowy—maybe even a little gangly, with her dark hair cut into eyebrow-length bangs and then with longer locks worn down to frame her face, while at the back the rest of her hair was pulled into a ponytail. Actress appeared in a similar figure, a slender young woman that looked maybe nineteen or so, with shoulder length dirty-brown hair and cute but forgettable features.

    It was hard not to feel a small flash of alarm at knowing someone in possession of magic, an outsider in disguise was getting in his car with them, but Brian told himself that it was actually Emily’s mother and that there wasn’t too much to be worried about. The knowledge still put him on guard though, and Brian all of the sudden felt uncomfortable all but bulging out of the confines of his too-small shirt. He discreetly adjusted the lap of his pants to hide a stubborn erection that had lingered on even after Kelly and him stopped making out, and then the car rocked again as Emily hopped in after ‘Katie’s friend’ and closed the door behind her.

    “Baby—I’ve never seen you with all your piercings in,” Kelly turned in her seat to regard Emily with a gorgeous smile. “You look amazing. I love it. And, one of you must be Emmie’s little sister?”

    “Hi?” Katie was staring at Kelly in absolute disbelief. “Uhhh, and you are?”

    “Kelly,” Kelly introduced herself. “Emily’s girlfriend.”

    “You’re Emily’s girlfriend,” Katie repeated, wide eyes flicking down towards where Kelly’s plunging halter top was straining to keep massive titties from springing free. “You. Are my sister’s… girlfriend?”

    Brian had to admit that in her full makeup and with her hair styled a bit, Kelly was absolutely dazzling—if he hadn’t been with them through the thick and thin of AnimeCon weekend and all of the madness that followed, he wasn’t sure he would have believed Kelly was in a relationship with Emily either. Kelly looked like a fucking supermodel tonight, and both Katie and her ‘friend’ were openly gawking at what they could see in the gap between the seats and past the headrest.

    Except… the girl in the middle is secretly Anne Rivera, Brian felt his small grin dim a little. So, she’s absolutely no stranger to that kind of insane body or beautiful face. She’s putting on an act.

    “Kelly, meet Katie,” Emily sighed, jerking a thumb towards her sister on the far side. “Then, this is Katie’s friend… Dottie? I think?”

    “Hi,” ‘Dottie’ spoke up in a timid voice. “Yeah. Dottie.”

    “That’s my waifu Kelly, and then this is my husbando Brian,” Emily finished introductions with a casual drawl. “We’re letting you chill with us tonight, but that doesn’t mean you can like, bother us. Brian’s just back recovering from the hospital, and most of my other friends haven’t even met Kelly, yet. So—shut the fuck up, stay out of our hair, there’ll be pizza and beer or whatever.”

    “Hey, we’re cool,” Katie insisted. “Geez.”

    “...How old are you guys?” Kelly asked.

    “We can drink!” Katie blurted out. “We’re cool. I’ve had alcohol at Aunt Mattie’s before, my mom doesn’t care. I’m not driving anyways, so it’s whatever?”

    “I’m nineteen,” Dottie said with a shy smile. “We’re both nineteen. But uhh. Yeah?”

    “Emily’s cousin Sammie used to buy us all beer when we were underage,” Brian gave Kelly a look as he started up the car again and pulled them away from the curb and out into the street. “So, Mrs. Rivera probably knows. She won’t care.”

    “I wasn’t gonna say anything,” Kelly shot him a knowing smile. “Emily? Am I drinking tonight?”

    “It’s up to me?” Emily seemed surprised. “Uh. I guess that… I don’t know? We’ll see? Do you want to drink tonight?”

    “Do you want to drink tonight?” Kelly countered.

    “I mean… no, not really,” Emily admitted. “I don’t really drink? But, I don’t want to rain on your parade, or anything.”

    “Emily can’t drink,” Katie snorted. “Pssh. She’s a total absolute lightweight.”

    “Well, I like her just the way that she is,” Kelly responded with a note of warning in her voice—conveying a clear I don’t care if you’re sisters, you will not belittle her in front of me.

    “Oh,” Katie let out a nervous laugh. “I mean, yeah, cool. Whatever.”

    “I’m not really a drinker, either,” Brian spoke up as he made a turn at the intersection and drove them down the neighborhood. “Gets me all depressive.”

    “Well, none of that tonight,” Emily insisted, slapping the back of his seat. “We’re celebrating. Showing off.”

    “You look great,” Brian said, stealing a quick glance at her in the rear-view mirror. “Been a while since I’ve seen you all fancied up. Really takes me back.”

    “Thank you, Brian,” Emily preened, flicking one of her dangly earrings.

    “She’s not even dressed up,” Katie criticized under her breath. “She’s wearing like, jeans and a t-shirt. Let’s be real.”

    “Her favorite jeans,” Kelly corrected, turning back to give Emily a provocative smile. “And—wasn’t that shirt special?”

    “It’s, yeah,” Emily said. “It’s the last one my dad got me. Before he died.”

    “Oh,” Katie said with a sheepish look. “Sorry. Yeah, I guess I have seen that one before a lot. I basically knew that. Fuck.”

    “Katie,” Dottie gave the girl an unsubtle nudge with knee.

    “Yeah, alright, alright,” Katie muttered under her breath. “I get it. Chill. Hey uh, how many people are gonna be there tonight? My mom gave us fifty bucks, so we could probably cover like, pizza or order Chinese for everyone.”

    “Uhhh,” Brian did a quick mental headcount. “Ten or twelve, maybe? Plus you two?”

    “Oh, damn,” Katie deflated a bit. “Nevermind, then. We can still like, contribute a fair bit, though?”

    “Don’t worry about it,” Emily said. “She gave me the money, alright?”

    “Whatever,” Katie grumbled. “Fine. Be that way.”
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