Kicking Reality
“Fuck you. It’s like we’re back in middle school. The two of you ganging up on me when I wanted to dress as a cowboy for Halloween and you guys wanted to be Power Rangers.”
“Dude, we were ten. Cowboys were for gay folk pretending to act manly. And the last time I checked, your dick wanted pussy only.”
I shake my head, motionin
g for them to stop. “Please do not talk about Ash’s organs in any sexual way.”
“Like you’re one to talk, Carrington. How many chicks came back to your hotel at the airport?” Ash asks with a sinister gaze, spilling his dirty little secret.
Something holds back my laughter, watching Logan pause with a haunted smile. What a sleaze. Perhaps I wasn’t imaging his ass probe just then. I just didn’t expect it from him. He once told me that he wouldn’t make me his girlfriend if I were the last girl on earth covered in bacon and cotton candy—his two favourite things.
“A gentleman never tells,” he answers in a decidedly odd tone.
“Bullshit. You’re just saying that in front of the girls. You told me that they both blew you while you poured tequila all over their mouths.”
His face changes, almost to anger for bringing that up. How our conversations have changed since the days we were little. We could spend hours talking about The X-Files and aliens roaming the earth and now we were talking about Logan being some sex god that got off on demeaning women?
“Alright, can we move on? You’re both jerks and I need another drink,” I say, yelling out to Harry for another round on me but this time I swapped beers and martinis for shots of tequila.
“Like you’re one to talk, Emmy. Have you seen the porn out there of you?” Logan snickers, continuing on. “Didn’t realize you were that kinky.”
In between my shocked expression, Ash looks equally as shocked although his face quickly tightens with his eyes wide full of rage.
“Firstly, Photoshop is a magical thing if you know how to use it. Secondly, I’m not stupid. I would never pose nude. I learned my lesson the time I sunbathed in Greece and had an accidental nip slip. But hey, I didn’t know you like to Google naked images of me?” I reverse my shock and stare at Logan, battling with his gaze as neither one of us back down.
“Harry!” Ash shouts, breaking the awkward stand-off between me and Logan.
Harry slides the tray of shots over the countertop; Alessandra quick to bring them over to us.
Ash pulls a glass to his mouth, allowing it to linger while eyeing Logan. “Don’t ever talk about my sister that way. You got it?”
Logan grabs a shot, tilting his head to the side with a smirk. “Emmy is a reality star. The whole world knows her business. Right Emmy?”
“Fuck you,” I fume, downing a shot until the burning sensation halts my breathing for a second. My chest begins to hurt, but slowly disappears as the tequila warms my entire body. “You see what the producers want you to see. I’m not the same girl you once knew and watching me on TV doesn’t make you know me.”
Ash raises his glass in the air. “Okay, fuck. Can we seriously just toast to something? I’m sick of this bullshit. Let’s just be us for the night.”
I nod in agreeance, lifting another glass and raising it in the air. “To us . . . back together again. Except no more pranks.”
“No more wet willies,” Logan adds, with a disgusted look directed at Ash.
“No more swapping your chocolate for laxatives,” Ash says plainly.
“That was you?” I turn to face him in shock. “I was blaming Logan this entire time!”
“Who else knew that you snuck chocolate into your room and ate it before bed?” “Oh my god ASH! Why couldn’t you be a normal brother and like read my diary or something?”
He places his hand on Logan’s shoulder, still holding the shot in hand. “I did read your diary . . . Dear Diary, Today I saw Logan take his shirt off at the pool. He had such big muscles and looked soooo hot. . . .”
My face begins to heat up, remembering the one time I wrote about Logan. One fucking time! I was fifteen and hormonal. Yes, my hormones were cuckoo and smokin’ crack or something that day . . . month . . . year . . . whatever.
“I never said that.” I try to brush it off, keeping my cool.
“Aww Emmy, did you have a crush on me?” Logan teases, placing his arm around me and kissing my cheek.
“No you douche, I was merely pointing out your transition from puberty. Now let’s drink.” I pull away, avoiding this embarrassing conversation and downing the shot in one go.
My throat is immune to the burn now, allowing it to slide smoothly.