Brotherly Love

"Come on guys, we're gonna be late!" Meagan lamented for the third time as she called up the stairs to her two older brothers.

Drake rolled his eyes as he watched his step-brother stare at the mirror. "Come on bud, it's not going to get any better than that."

"Drake, I have a huge zit on my face!" Josh exclaimed.

Drake turned Josh's face towards him and raised his eyebrows at the hideous pimple. He then lightly slapped Josh's cheek. "Ah, it's not that bad. No one will even notice."

The two teenagers hurried downstairs. Meagan's face scrunched up as Josh entered the kitchen. "Ewwww. What is that creature on your face?"

Josh turned towards Drake. "No one will notice, eh?" He scoffed.

"It's just Meagan."

"If a little 9-year old noticed, everyone at school will notice." Josh replied.

Audrey shook her head. "Josh, it's not that bad. You guys had better get going or you're going to be late."

Drake looked at the clock. "Yeah, come on Josh, hurry it up. I'm supposed to meet Jennifer at her locker before first period."

"Jennifer? I thought you were seeing Beth."

Drake looked at his brother sheepishly. "I am, sort of."

Josh looked puzzled. "How do you mean sort of?"

"Well, Beth is going to be out of town this weekend and I thought maybe Jennifer and I could go see a movie."

"You're going to take Jennifer out behind Beth's back?" Josh exclaimed. "I thought you really like Beth."

"I do." Drake replied.

"I'll never get you Drake. Beth is such a sweet girl and Jennifer . . ."

"Jennifer what?" Drake asked as they got into the car.

"Nothing." Josh replied as he cranked the car. He knew that Jennifer wasn't really Drake's type. She stayed in trouble and hung around with a crowd that he knew their parents wouldn't approve of.

"You don't like her, do you?" He asked.

"I don't know her, Drake, not really. Which, by the way, how well do you know her?"

"Well enough."

"Where did you meet, school?"

"No, she was at our last gig and we talked." Drake replied, looking out the window as they pulled into the school parking lot.

"Whatever." Josh replied, getting out of the car.

Drake slammed his door. "What's up with you?" He shouted at Josh.

Josh froze in his tracks. "What's up with me? You're getting yourself involved with a girl who has a reputation like Jennifer's and you're asking what's up with me?"

"I know all about Jennifer's reputation. She's just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, that's all."

"Five times in one year?" Josh asked. "What about this older crowd she hangs with? Is that just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time too?"

"So what, she hangs with older kids? Where's the harm in that?" Drake asked.

"There's not as long as the older kids aren't doing drugs and committing crimes." Josh replied and entered the building.

To be continued . . .