'Will you please hang out with us? His parents are out of town and Mom says I can't go if you won't stay overnight with me and chaperone!' I guess I could still drop you off over there though if you ask me extra nicely.' Chris had been my brother's friend forever but the last couple of times I'd seen him it had been really awkward. 'So, I was thinking that later, if you didn't mind, you could give me a ride over to my friend's house. I think shaving is a giant pain in the ass but whatever makes him happy, I guess. He's only been shaving for a few months and I think he likes to show it off. He smiles wide at me 'You don't mind if I shave while we talk, do you?' I roll my eyes and tell him that- no, I don't mind. He's standing at the sink shirt-less (spreading a very generous portion of shaving gel on his face) when I get there. My eyebrows go up slightly, bemused, and I head back up the hall. No James- only some posters (the one of the busty singer in rainbow panties makes me chuckle) and a scattered game system. I head down to his room, which is at the end of the hall from mine, and poke my head in. I've only been home for fall break two days and James has found about every excuse he can to bug me. He's several years younger than me, 18 to my 23, and he really looks up to me.
I drop my book, a ragged old paperback I've read a million times, and head towards my little brother's room.