Sweet Dandelion

“Not much.”

I look at the clock on the microwave and realize he’s right—I’m home later than I thought.

“Where were you?” he asks, his tone accusatory.

“Looking for a Halloween costume.”

“Are you going trick-or-treating? Aren’t you a little old?”

I roll my eyes and start heading back to my room. “It’s for a Halloween party.”

“A party?” he repeats like this is some sort of foreign concept.

“Mhmm,” I hum.

His eyes hone in on the cup in my hand. “Ansel drove you home.”

“Yup.” I’m not trying to piss him off, but he’s been so funny about Ansel that I don’t know what else to say. I’m not going to stop being friends with him because Sage has a problem with it.

Especially when that problem is specifically about the fact Ansel has a penis.

He grunts in reply. “Where’s this party going to be at?”

“I’m not sure yet.” Anger rages in his eyes and I’m sure he’s picturing Ansel and I alone somewhere. “Sasha is going too, and a couple other people I know.”

That seems to calm him down some. “I don’t want you out all night,” he warns. “You’ll be home by midnight.”

“I was actually going to stay the night with Sasha.”

His lips twist, trying to gauge whether or not I’m lying.

“Fine.” He shoves his fingers through his hair. “But text and let me know when you’re at her place after the party.”

“I will.”

Sasha asked me today at lunch if I would want to sleepover. I don’t, not really anyway, but decided it would be a good idea if I end up drinking some.

Sage finally backs away, blowing out a breath. “I’m going to order dinner.”

I leave him be and go to my room. I drop my backpack on the floor, kicking off my shoes. Digging through my bag I pull out my homework and sit at the desk near my bed. I usually do homework on my bed, but I feel the need to mix it up today.

In the hallway I hear Sage ordering dinner and can’t help but laugh to myself. Our lone cooking class did us a lot of good.

By the time I’m done with my homework our food arrives and we sit down on the couch together to eat.

“You are okay with me going to the Halloween party, right?” I voice when I feel like Sage has been quiet for too long.

He looks over at me, studying my face. He inhales a deep breath and nods. “Yeah, I’m not happy about it, but only because I worry about you. But you’re eighteen, this is your senior year, and…” He pauses, pressing his lips together. “After last year, I want to see you live your life. It wouldn’t be right for me to prevent you from doing that.”

Setting my plate of food on the coffee table, I give him a sideways hug and kiss his cheek.

“I love you.”

I really do. I know I’m incredibly lucky to have a brother like him.

“I love you, too, D.”

He kisses my forehead and we exchange a look, only one the two of us can have, because as siblings who have been through the hell we have, it’s cemented a special bond.