My Siblings

Lola and Kate came back upstairs, leaving the others to continue the karate lessons. They walked into the kitchen, and noticed someone rummaging through the food in the fridge. The door closed and the ran-sacker looked up.

"Oh…mphhff urghs…" mumbled Brendan with a stuffed face

"Hey Brendan," said the sisters

Brendan swallowed the food in his mouth.

"Hey Kate, Lo… how ya doing?"

"Alright," answered Kate

"I'm good," said Lola, "What're you still doing here? I thought you would be leaving for the convention already,"

"I fell asleep here. My bus doesn't leave till tomorrow anyway. Besides, why can't I stay awhile to visit my folks?"

"More like freeload on my folks,"

He rolled is eyes and took another bite of the leftover cake he held in a plastic container.

"You nerd, you still go to that convention…" said Kate

"Well, yeah! They have all the latest games and consoles…how can I not?"

"Besides, it's his job," said Lola

"Pfft…you always defend him…" muttered Kate jokingly

"Yeah sure…" muttered Brendan

"Oh Kate! I'm so proud of you!"

Thirteen year old Lola had just come home from school. She wondered what all the commotion was about. She went into the kitchen and found Kate and her mom actually talking for once, rather than arguing like they usually do.

"Oh hey Lola, guess what?" said Kate noticing her there

"What?"

"I got the lead role in the school musical!"

"Oh wow that's great!"

"It's 'Grease' now isn't that something?" said Gladys

"Yeah, the same musical mom was in back in the day," further explained Kate

"That's a funny coincidence,"

"Not completely…she's Sandy, I was Rizzo…" mentioned Gladys

Sandy? She's more of a Rizzo…

"I'm so excited!" exclaimed their mother

"Me too!" squealed Kate

"Congratulations," said Lola

"Thanks,"

Lola went to her room to get started on her homework. As she put her pencil to the paper, an odd electronic sound disturbed her. She tried to ignore it, but it continued to sound and it was so loud and obnoxious that it didn't let her think. She got up and went down the hallway, where she found her brother's door ajar. She looked inside and saw him plopped on his bed, staring at a television screen with a controller in his hand. He was completely still, with his mouth hanging slightly open and his fingers moving at lightning speeds. Lola stepped into the room, he didn't budge. She passed her hand in front of his face, he didn't blink.

"Hello?"

She went to the television set and turned down the volume.

"HEY!"

"What?"

"Don't touch that!"

"I'm trying to do my homework…can you turn down the volume, I can hear it all the way down the hall…"

"Close your door…"

"Why don't you close your door?"

"I am in the middle of the boss level…"

"So?"

"So! This is super important!"

"Ugh…" Lola rolled her eyes

Lola walked out and shut the door behind her. She went back to her room and shut her door as well. She sat back down at her desk and tried to get back on track. She then could hear the volume going up again. She clenched her fists, but then tried again to do her homework. It was useless arguing with a zombie.

Brendan was already a freshman in high school, a time period when you start to figure out who you really are. He never really excelled at sports like his little sister, or in the arts like his older sister. Instead, he became quite a tech geek; always concerned about the latest games, gadgets, and gizmos. Being that his forte, it caused him to be an outcast; there weren't that many others like him in his school.

After school, he and Lola would usually walk home together since their schools were so close by. But on the days when either of them had an extra-curricular program, they would have to walk alone. On this day, he was alone. He was walking down the hill as he always did.

"Hey," called a voice

Brendan looked around, but he didn't see anyone. He heard the voice again and he stopped where he was. From the driveway of a house, a guy stepped out.

"Yeah, you're Brendan, right?"

Brendan recognized him as one of his classmates from homeroom; one of the kids from the back of the class.

"I've been watching you, and I noticed how everyone ignores you. I can relate,"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I used to be just like you when I was in junior high; always by myself, never having anyone to talk to. But then I made some friends, cool friends. You should hang with us sometime,"

With that, he walked away. Not until he had planted the seed of curiosity.

Brendan came home, full of uncertainty. He went to his room and locked himself in. Gladys was a bit confused as to why her son hadn't stopped at the fridge like he usually did. But since he usually stayed in his room playing video games, she assumed he was eager to get to his games. She shrugged it off and continued on with her cooking.

Later in the week

Lola walked to the corner and waited for her brother. They were supposed to walk home togethrer today.

Where is he?

She impatiently tapped her foot, and fidgeted with the straps of her backpack. All the other kids were gone; they already separated into their own groups and walked away from the school. Lola was losing her patience, and starting to become worried. She decided to look for him near his school's grounds. She walked through the baseball field and the basketball courts, but there was no Brendan. She walked all around the perimeter of the building, but there was nobody there.

I'll be so mad if he left for home without me…making me wait for so darn long…ugh

She began to walk home, by the route she always took. She reached a more commercialized part of the town and walked along. She walked passed a store, and did a double take. She took steps back and saw Brendan with some other guys in the alleyway, smoking pot.

BRENDAN! I can't believe him! What the hell is he doing?!

She stood there dumbfounded. They hadn't noticed her there yet.

One of the guys handed Brendan a joint. He looked at it with uncertainty, but then he took a drag from it. It made him feel sick, but he held it between his fingers like the others. Suddenly, Brendan looked up and saw his little sister there. His eyes went wide, and his joint slipped through his fingers. His companions looked towards the girl that was watching their smoking session.

"Who's that?" one of the guys asked

"That's my little sister," said Brendan

"Oh she's family, is she?"

"She's a cute one," said another

One of the guys, clearly euphoric, took a step forward.

"We're friends of Brendan…we're just like brothers…which makes you like...our little sister,"

"Yeah sure…" blurted Lola

He edged closer to her, but Brendan got in front of Lola.

"Hey, back off Gary," he said

"Cool it B-Man, cool it…"

Gary went back with the others, while Brendan turned to face Lola.

"What are you doing here?!"

"What do you mean 'what am I doing here?' What are YOU doing here!?" demanded Lola

"None of your business,"

"I was waiting for you an hour, and you've been here getting high with these jerks! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Shut up!"

"Brendan!"

"C'mon Brendan," said one of the guys, "get rid of the brat."

Brendan shot him a look, Lola had just about enough of this.

"Ok, I'll walk you home, just go!" shouted Brendan

"You're going to get in huge trouble!"

"You better not tell mom and dad!"

"I'm not a tattletale Brendan," she said sternly, walking away

Brendan followed her, making sure none of the guys tried anything to mess with her.

"What are you doing here? I don't need you to protect me," said Lola while keeping her swift pace

"Some gratitude you have…"

"For what?! You didn't do a damn thing…"

Suddenly, as they got to street corner, a police siren bellowed and a squad car parked in front of the alley where they just were a few moments ago. Lola and Brendan turned around and watched as the policemen came out and walk towards the group. Lola grabbed Brendan and they hid behind the building.

"Alright boys, come with us," said the first policeman

The guys had no sense of mind to defend themselves, they were just wasted. The policemen easily arrested them and took them in the squad car.

"We've got the dealers, we're heading downtown, over," said one of the officers into his radio. The cars then drove off, with Gary and the others.

Lola and Brendan stood in silence. Brendan hung his head and looked at the ground. He leaned against the wall and sighed heavily.

"That could have been me…" said Brendan

Lola didn't say anything. She stood next to him in silence.

"Sorry," he said, "I was being such an idiot..."

She nodded.

That was scary...we could have been arrested...thank goodness we got out of there just in time. Why would Brendan be such a moron and hang out with those guys? He's right, he was an idiot...a lucky idiot. Telling him he's an idiot isn't going to help right now...But at least he realized it. Oh man, if we would've gotten caught; Mom and Dad would have killed us...

Brendan got up from the wall and breathed in heavily. He stood there for a moment; trying to let his moment of shock pass. Once he composed himself, they both walked home.

Once they were nearing home...

"Oh man," said Brendan, "My clothes still have that smell. Mom and Dad well catch it for sure."

"Maybe they won't see you,"

"Not likely,"

He took a deep breath, and stepped in. Gladys was sitting hunched over on the couch, with her hands over her face. When she heard the door open, she looked up with a sigh of relief.

"Where were you two? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Sorry mom…" said Lola

Brendan didn't say a word. Just then, Gladys caught a strange smell, she then deciphered what it was.

"Both of you! On the couch!"

They gulped, and complied with their mother's demand. She went to the basement door and called for her husband to come up from the gym.

"What's wrong Gladys?" he asked while he wiped the sweat from his forehead

"Come…" she said

He followed her into the living room where their two youngest were. Once he stepped into the room, he could smell that foul stench as well. They both sat in front of them. Gladys crossed her arms and stared them down.

"Alright you two, tell me why you're home at this hour, smelling like marijuana?"

Lola and Brendan didn't say a word. They sat their staring at the floor, neither one knowing what to say. But they could feel their parent's anger. It felt like the enraged eyes of their parents were peircing the back of their necks like lasers.

"Lola, Brendan, look at us," demanded Larry

They slowly looked up. His face said it all. He was clearly enraged.

Lola opened her mouth to speak, but then Brendan spoke up.

"It was me," he said, "Lola has nothing to do with it. I was the one who…was smoking."

"Brendan, what on earth where you thinking?!" said Gladys

"I…I don't know. I just…wanted to be like my friends…"

"Lola, go upstairs. We need to talk with your brother," said Larry

Lola slowly got up, only making eye contact with her brother. With his gaze, he told her it was what he had to do. She quietly and timidly went upstairs. The heated discussion continued.

Later that night

Lola was getting ready for bed when there was a knock at her door. She opened the door and there was her mother.

"Can I come in?"

Lola stepped aside. This was certainly odd behavior for her mother.

"Lola, I need to talk to you," she sighed, "sit down."

What did I do?

Lola sat on her bed, Gladys sat next to her.

"Sweetie, there are so many things going on. With that with your brother, that really upset me. You have no idea I fought myself to not beat the living daylights out of him. Where does that boy have his head?"

Lola listened on

"He told us what you did,"

Lola held her breath.

What is she gonna say?

"I'm…glad with how you acted,"

Huh? She's not gonna yell at me? Or tell me that a little girl shouldn't be hanging around in alleyways?

"If you weren't there, your father and I would be in the police precinct right now trying to bail him out,"

Lola was still in slight shock from her mother's response.

"And that's not all, sweetie," she sighed, "Do you know what the new thing is with Kate?"

Lola shook her head.

"She has a boyfriend,"

"Really?"

"Yes…I saw when he dropped her off in his car. They kissed, can you believe this? She's only seventeen years old and she's already kissing boys…She's too young to have a boyfriend. When she came into the house, I had no idea how to react. I interrogated her of course; she told me that they were just friends. That he's 'Danny' in the musical, and that he was just being nice by dropping her off after practice. That boy….that Damien ugh Desmond whatever his name…I don't like him,"

"Why?"

"Because he's taking advantage of her innocence,"

Innocence? Kate?

"She's infatuated, Lola. She's not thinking straight. And he's going to take advantage of that, like all boys do at that age,"

"Aren't you being a little…hasty?"

"No…"

"How can you know that if you just saw him today?"

"It's just my motherly instincts; you'll understand that someday,"

Yeah right…

"Lola, I'll tell you, times are hard. With these siblings of yours, I dunno what I'll do. But thank goodness I have you. I have all my hopes with you,"

"But what about Katie and Brendan?"

"I have hope for them too. But it's not quite the same,"

"You can't give up on them,"

"I never will. I love them both very much. And as their mother, I will do what I can to protect them, to help them,"

She looked towards the floor, she felt tears starting to swell in her eyes.

"But it's so hard…sometimes I feel that they hate me…I can see it in their eyes,"

Poor mommy…

"They don't hate you, Mom. It's just that…they get upset,"

"But Lola, I've seen it; I've heard them say that they do,"

"They said that out of anger, they really didn't mean it,"

Gladys tried to compose herself.

"You think so?"

Lola nodded. Gladys smiled weakly.

"Than you sweetie," she said holding onto her tightly

She pulled away from the embrace and wiped away her tears.

"Stay the same way you are, Lola. Don't ever change,"

She ruffled up her hair and got up from the bed.

"Thanks for listening to me Lola. You are my friend, and I trust you,"

Lola smiled.

"Good night, sweetie,"

"G'night Mom,"

"Ah, here are my three stooges!"

Gladys came in with bags of groceries.

"Hi Mom," said the trio

"I just came from the groceries. I knew Brendan was going to eat everything so I bought a little insurance policy…well, a few bags of insurance policy,"

She set the bags on the counter; and started to take out the food.

"Oh, it makes me so happy to have my babies here," she sighed

She glanced over at Brendan, whom had an ice cream mustache on his face. She couldn't help but giggle. Lola and Kate started to help their mother put the groceries away. That made her smile.

"Kate, my beautiful Broadway star!" she said giving her a light kiss on the cheek.

She walked over to Brendan and wiped his face with a napkin.

"Brendan, my sloppy video game designer,"

"Mom, you treat me like a little kid,"

"You still act like one…"

The girls laughed.

"And Lola…"

"The gym teacher!" said Kate and Brendan in unison

"You make it sound like a bad thing," said Lola

The older siblings couldn't help but laugh.

"We always thought that you were gonna be someone better than us, you know," said Kate, "Like…an Olympic gold medalist at every sport imaginable, or an ambassador, or something along those lines…but you're just a gym teacher."

"I'm perfectly content with my job, thank you very much,"

"And I'm proud of you, Lola," said Gladys

She gave her an assuring pat on the back.

"I'm proud of all of you. No matter what you do, I'll always be proud. Just as long as it makes you happy and it isn't illegal."

"We know," smiled the siblings

"Just making sure,"