I'd Kill You First: when bad meets bad

Chap. 20

SODA:

"Please stop calling me every five minutes!" I yelled into the phone.

"Then tell me what the hell I did!" Lacy shouted back.

"Look, you had several drinks, I found you on a table dancing, you fell in mud. End of story," I explained in a short, clipped tone.

"Why would you let me do that!" she cried in dismay. "People might have videos!"

"I was busy, okay, and everyone was pretty drunk, I doubt anyone remembers, Lace," I assured her, desperate to get her to stop calling me to freak out about what she had done. "And just saying, that is officially the last party I'm going to with all of you. It was ridiculous trying to wrangle four drunks by myself."

I stopped suddenly and remembered Kyle, face palming. How could I forget Kyle? Poor kid probably thinks I hate him or something.

"Lace, I need to go, stop calling, got it?" I asked firmly.

"Whatever," she huffed, "Some friend you are."

"Hey, I could have left you in the mud at that party," I snapped and hung up, tired of her post-hangover mood swings.

Keenon was taking a cold shower to get his muscles ready or something, I don't know, and out of nowhere I made a mental note to tell him not to mention the gun or stripper thing to Brody or anyone. That would be disastrous.

Pulling up Kyle's number, I was about to press the call button when my phone began to ring in my hand. I scowled at the caller ID, almost deciding to ignore it, but it wouldn't really get me anywhere if I did.

"Yep."

"Soda, I want you to come see dad tonight," Trace rumbled, skipping pleasant greetings just as I did.

I laughed humorlessly into the phone and said in a bitter tone, "Wow Trace, I wasn't aware I took orders from you. I can't anyway, I have plans."

"Well cancel," he demanded simply.

"Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?" I asked as my voice rose. "I am not canceling anything for you or him."

Trace let it an annoyed sigh. "You said you would come see him. He's here at my place-"

"Your place?!" I yelled in horror. "You expect me to go see my least favorite person in my least favorite place tonight, just because you say so? You might be my brother, but that doesn't mean you can boss me around."

"You said you would come, and yes he's here at my place, and if not tonight then six o'clock tomorrow morning."

"What?! Six o'clock in the morning, are you out of your fudging mind?" I screeched.

"No," he said calmly, "Dad has group sessions early in the morning so before that meeting is the only time he can meet tomorrow and I'm not letting you go another day without seeing him. He asks about you all the time, Soda."

I winced at his guilt trip attempt as I growled, "I'd kill you first before I ever let you control what I do, but fine, I'll stop by tomorrow. Oh and next time he asks about me, you can tell him to fucking suck my balls, he lost the right to care when he left."

I hung up and turned around to pace in anger, surprised to see Keenon standing there in a towel with a confused look.

I smirked, trying to move on from the conversation I'm sure he heard. "Still don't know why you bother with towels."

He ignored me and nodded at the phone in my hand. "Was that Brody?"

I frowned, taken aback, and said, "Uh, not that it's your business, but no it wasn't."