Chapter 2 CHAPTER TWO
XAVIER
Shit, I'm running out of clean black shirts to wear. If I don't get my laundry done soon, I'll have to start wearing colours and mess up my brand.
"Will you join the party?" My brother asks, joining me in the big walk-in closet.
"The one where you and your friends gather to laugh at me?"
I'm not bothered about them laughing, I laughed at the video on the way home but Tristan likes to feel guilty about shit so I have fun making him feel guilty.
"They could be your friends too, you're on the team."
I give him a disgusted look and he cracks a little smile.
"I practice with the team and I sit on the bench."
"Because you don't want to do any other thing on the team. Everyone thinks I'm lying when I tell them you're a better player than I am."
"Then quit telling them that shit. I'm only on the team because you kept bugging me about it."
His smile grows. "So if I bug your hard enough, will you actually put in effort. This is our last year of college, don't you want to go out with a bang?"
"No thanks, I'd rather put that effort into the band."
He folds him arms and shakes his head. We might have the exact same face but his mannerisms are all from our father. Maybe that's why he thinks he can boss me around even though I'm older by thirteen minutes.
"You don't even want to be a musician after college!"
I shrug. "My band mates do so I want to help them get there."
He takes a deep breath and looks up at the ceiling for help.
"You don't have to feel guilty for laughing at the video. I laughed at it too." I say, changing the subject.
He visibly relaxes. "Cool, that's good. Stay away from Hailey though. She's Ryan's everything and he needs her to be a good player and we need him to win. I don't need you fucking her and ruining it."
"Me and Hailey?" I ask, laughing so hard my ribs hurt. I hope he's joking, but when he doesn't laugh, I immediately stop laughing.
"Fuck no. She's not my type at all."
He nods. "I know, doesn't change the fact that you want her, bad. Just keep it in your pants until after we win the State championship."
"Yeah, you're crazy and I'm cutting you off alcohol for the rest of the party. Me and Hailey? God no."
He's officially lost his mind. Was it because I bent down to whisper in her ear? That was for show, purely for Ryan's benefit. Do I think she's pretty? Yes, I have eyes. Do I think she's hot? No. She could be but her weird relationship with Ryan makes sure that she's not.
"I've not had anything to drink. You know I don't drink during the season."
"Oh, so you smoke now? I rather chew a football and fuck Hailey."
Tristan laughs like he doesn't believe me and walks away without another word.
"I mean it!" I yell after him but he doesn't reply or turn back.
I throw the dirty shirt in my hand on the floor. This shit just ruined my mood. Hailey is the most doormat, enabling girlfriend I have ever seen and it pisses me off. Sometimes, when it gets disgustingly obvious to everyone but Hailey how little regard Ryan has for her, I poke her to get a reaction and remind myself that she's not a complete lost cause.
For Tristan to think that I would like someone like that is blood betrayal. I groan in irritation and grab the first shirt my fingers touch. I have to get drunk to forget what Tristan just said.
Tristan's parties are always a hit. A lot of people I'm cool with attend, and sometimes my band mates come too. Tonight though, nobody I'm cool with is here. My band mates refused to come so I'm on my own. I can either find somewhere to go, or suck it up and find my brother.
I look around for Tristan and find him leaning on a wall staring off into the crowd. At first I think he's staring off into space but then I follow his eyes and see that it's a girl. She's cute and has the kind of aura that makes everyone around her irrelevant. She's also unfamiliar.
I take the long way so I can come up behind him. I tap him on the shoulder and he turns, startled.
"Who's the prey?" I ask.
He rolls his eyes and goes back to looking at her.
"She's not a prey and I don't know her."
The plot thickens. Tristan isn't the type to watch a girl he's interested in from afar. Much less one he doesn't know. I know for a fact that the ones he doesn't know are his favourite type of women.
"Why are you staring instead of talking to her?"
"Because I know for a fact that she'll wreck me and I'm weighing how much I have to lose against the thrill of having her."
How Tristan has managed to convince the world that I'm the complicated twin will never not be a mystery.
"Want me to pull out the board so we can do the pros and cons of talking to the stranger you find hot?" I ask sarcastically but he looks like he's considering it.
He finally shakes his head. "I came to get the bourbon before I got distracted. I better get it before they start looking for me."
"You came to get what? Why the fuck are you bringing out a good drink for your dumbass teammates."
He laughs and starts moving. "Rookie finally lost his virginity so we're celebrating."
I smile and nod in approval. Rookie has been rookie since freshman year. I don't think anyone on the team knows his actual name.
"Okay, go Rookie."
"They did it on your car too so Ryan is feeling extra celebratory."
My face contorts in disgust and Tristan laughs. "He owes me a thorough cleaning but go Rookie!"
We get the drink and head out to the back where the rest of the team are. In the distance, Ryan and Hailey are getting into it and he's stomping like a baby and Hailey is trying to manage whatever that is.
The disgusted look is back on my face. What they have isn't a relationship. It's Ryan taking out his mommy and daddy issues on her and Hailey taking it like the doormat she is.
"She's not her." Tristan whispers, hitting my ribs with his elbow.
"Not yet."
