One Stupid Thing

1:3:12

Back at the comfort of Tannyhill, the effects of the alcohol had taken a negative effect on Wheezie. Her, Sarah, and I are gathered in the bathroom. Wheezie is hunched over the toilet while Sarah holds her dark curls up off her neck. I rub her back as she gags and throws up even more of that vile substance.

"So, what did we learn?" Sarah asks as she flushes this round down. Wheezie coughs and sputters. I retch at the stench of her vomit. The smell alone could make me hurl.

Wheezie sighs. "Never mix vodka with Crystal Light."

"Very good," Sarah praises. Wheezie quickly bends back down and throws up again. It's difficult for me not to suffer the same fate even though I didn't even have a sip from the bottle. Just Wheezie throwing up alone could send me over the edge. All I can do is support her and comfort her as she pukes her guts out.

"And this is exactly why I don't drink," I point out, but I get no rebuttal from either of them.

Wheezie moves away from the bowl, tries to catch her breath and looks up at Sarah with puppy-dog eyes. "Please don't tell Dad," she begs.

A mischievous grin spreads across Sarah's face. "I won't. On one condition."

Wheezie sighs and glares up at Sarah. "What's that?"

"You cover for me sneaking out with Topper tonight." My little sister rolls her eyes and sighs once more. Sarah looks down at her with a pleading gaze. "Please," she begs.

"Fine," Wheezie gives in.

"Do you promise?" she asks.

Wheezie holds out her pinky. "I promise." Sarah interlocks her finger with Wheezie's, but the moment is cut short when another gag runs through her and she spews into the toilet. Sarah frantically grabs back ahold of Wheezie's hair and I rub her back comfortingly. Once it seems like she couldn't possibly puke anything more she moves away from the toilet and sits back with an exhausted look on her face.

I look up to see Sarah already looking at me expectantly. "What?" I ask.

"What about you? Do you promise to cover for me?"

I think about it for a moment before replying. "Well, what will you do if I don't?"

There it is. That mischievous grin once more. She raises her eyebrows and crosses her arms in front of her. "I'll tell dad that you spent the night at a boy's house."

It takes a second for me to process what Sarah is talking about. Then it hits me. Two nights ago I had stayed the night at the Château and returned home to Tannyhill in JJ's t-shirt. I think about it now, folded neatly and stowed away in the corner of my closet. I had meant to return it, but I haven't had the chance. That had to be what Sarah meant. But how much did she know? I glare back at her in confusion. "Nothing happened if that's what you're insinuating."

"I'm not worried about the what. I'm worried about the who," she tells me. Relief floods through me. She didn't recognize the shirt.

"I will cover for you, but only if you drop the subject entirely. Otherwise, no deal." I match her position with my arms crossed in front of me in defiance.

Sarah sighs, "Fine. Don't tell me." She huffs and helps Wheezie to her feet. My poor, little sister was likely too exhausted to have paid any mind to the conversation that passed between Sarah and I. "Go on ahead and take a bath. That should make you feel better," Sarah advises. Wheezie groans in agreement and drags herself down the hall.

As Sarah and I leave the bathroom, we hear angry voices floating down the hall. We quickly share a glance. It is as if we can read each other's minds. Sarah and I may not always get along, but we have always been close regardless. We creep down the hall and find our father and Rafe quarreling on the balcony that overlooks Tannyhill's front yard.