Dance In The Rain

~26~ Got Your Back

As the night continues on, my brother is beginning to act a fool. Although I only saw him drink a couple cups, he's stumbling around and laughing so hard you would have thought he was inebriated.

"He's in bad shape. Should we call Holden?" Kenna asks as we watch him trip over a beer can and fall on his ass.

"I'm not getting in the middle of it," I say.

"Shouldn't we help him home though? He's gonna hurt himself....."

"He'll be mad if I go near him. He won't ever acknowledge me in front of his friends."

"But you're his sister!" She argues as she looks at me like I'm the one that's drunk.

"I can try, but he's gonna be really mad," I shrug as I dust the sand off my pants and stand up. It's pointless to argue with her, so I'll just show her.

He's going to be mean to me

I walk up to him and he's talking to a group of guys, swaying back and forth.

"Tate?" I say softly as I touch his shoulder.

He turns and sees me, and immediately his eyes cloud over and his face turns to anger.

"What the hell do you want?" He spits, causing several jocks to stare at me in amusement.

"You're really getting drunk. I think we should go home."

He laughs as he shoves me away roughly. "Quit embarasssing me and leave me the hell alone!"

"How is she embarrassing you?" Kenna asks with an attitude as she stands next to me.

Tate looks at her and sways even more as he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Becausse Julianne iss an embarasssment. She'ss always been, and alwayss will be. Go back with the only friend you've EVER had, and quit trying to be my mommy......."

Several guys laugh and clap him on the shoulder as if he just said something extremely poetic, and Tate shoos me away with his hand.

"You're lame as hell," he mumbles to me as he turns away and takes another cup from someone.

"Don't listen to him," Kenna says as she grabs my hand and pulls me back up to the boardwalk.

As much as I'm used to it, I can't stop a few tears from falling down my cheeks as I sit on a bench and watch everyone having fun down on the beach.

"I had no idea he was such an ass!!!" Kenna breathes as she balls her hands into fists.

"It's only when he's around other people," I say.

"Don't you dare defend him! You deserve more than people only being kind to you behind closed doors. You don't deserve that, Jules."

I shrug as I pick at dried sand on my leg. "He's all I have. It's better to have him behind closed doors than not at all...."

She studies me for a long minute, when finally she nods and pulls me to stand. "This party is lame. Let's go back to your place tonight, huh?"

"Sure," I nod as I follow her back to my house.

~*~

When we get inside, Holden is watching a game and drinking a beer.

"Hey!" He says when he sees us, the surprise evident on his face when he checks the time.

"You're back early. Did you have fun?"

I nod and sit down on the other couch, when Kenna rolls her eyes.