Rough Drafts [bxb]

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Song - Bullet - Clare Maguire.

"I am a star in the universe. From afar, an insignificant dot of light in universe. Up close, a ball of fire and rage torn from every crevice of my being. Some days I wake up feeling like the most useless being on earth. Other days, I wake up feeling like I have the power to destroy it."

- Ulrich Feist, Shatter The Stars, 2008.

"You know I should kill you now and dump your body somewhere in the Mississippi where no one will ever find it." I threatened my sister Doris.

She just rolled her eyes "Ridge, get a grip. It'll only be for about two months I promise. Plus we don't live anywhere remotely close to the Mississippi."

I folded my hands together "I'm putting my foot down on this."

Doris groaned placing her hand on her forehead in frustration. Earlier that day, Doris had called me stating she had a proposition for me. From past experience I should have known that any time Doris claims to have something that will benefit me, she means herself and I'll be left with nothing whatsoever.

In this situation, I didn't happen to see any benefits of letting her bring her client to come and live with me.

Doris was a big time literary agent. That meant she represented several authors, both upcoming and popular. She was quite successful and I respected her well because she never let her work get in the way of anything personal.

At least until now.

For some reason, a particular author she was handling had decided that he couldn't get any fresh inspiration typing in his million dollar apartment and needed to be closer to nature to reopen his creative juices. And the closet place to nature just happened to be our family's lakeside cabin where I spent my summer each year and Doris knew that very well.

"Please Bear! I promise I'll do whatever you want. Just let my client stay here, I've already promised him that it's fine." She begged clasping her hands together.

I sighed shaking my head "You know I always come down here and besides there's no room."

"It's a four bedroom house!" Doris shrieked.

"I have friends." I said.

"We both know the only friend you'll have hanging around here is Zen." She said unimpressed. "And I doubt he can stretch far enough to sleep in three bedrooms by himself."

Zen was my best friend since high school. He liked to spend the summer with me sometimes and I didn't mind since he was great company.

"You don't know that." I defended. "Besides he's also going to stay here with me. We could be inconveniencing him too."

"I already called and Zen is fine with it." I narrowed my eyes. That traitor. Then again I should have expected it. Zen would willingly dip his balls into honey and hang from a tree if it Doris asked him too.

"Why can't you just do this one favor for me? I've never asked you for any favors."

"Wrong." I shot back. "Remember that time in high school where you begged me to ask Bobby Kline whether he liked you or not? That was a big favor considering I tripped right in front of Megan Mackle on my way to talk to him."

"Right that was a big one. But you've asked me for favors too! Like that time in sophomore year when you and Zen and Jonny Pokey got high by the donut shop and you needed a getaway driver to take you come before Mom and Dad found out? That's also a pretty big one considering you called me at 1 am and I had my PSATs the next day."