Secondhand Girlfriend

.26

"I don't celebrate Valentine's Day," we say holding out apple cider in champagne bottles to each other.

Relief washes over me as I engulf her in a tight hug, and we laugh into each other's shoulders. I spent hours freaking out last night, because I don't celebrate it but wanted to get her something. And when I couldn't think of anything, I just bought this damn bottle of cider. Worst boyfriend award would go to me this year.

"Well let's take some shots," Porcelain smiles.

"After you," I bow, and she leads me to her kitchen.

I say hello to her parents, finding it a bit weird to see the principal outside of school, and sit down at the table. She grabs two small shot glasses from the cabinet, and I look at her with confusion on my face. Porcelain laughs loudly, telling me principals party too. Also weird to think that he drinks, or even has fun outside of those walls of Delano High.

"Your parents are pretty chill," I say, pouring myself a glass of cider.

"Says you, you don't have to live with them. Now your mom is awesome," she counters, knocking her shot back.

"Can't help but agree, she's the best."

For about an hour, we sat at her kitchen table drinking shot after shot of the cider. Pretty soon we forgot the about the glasses and just drank out of our bottles, laughing stupidly as we have our best impersonation of love-struck couples. The ones who visibly have hearts in their eyes, and show way too much affection for it to be okay. Or the ones that say I love you more times in a minute than they breathe. My favourites are the people who break their necks to do something existential for their partner.

Our laughter is so loud and obnoxious, her parents tell us they're leaving and will be back when they know we haven't turned into hyenas. I grin over at Porcelain, and she rolls her eyes as she takes another swig from her bottle. Leaning forward in my chair, I kiss her on the cheek as she continues to drink. She sets the bottle down, then grabs my face to kiss me hard on the lips. It is unexpected, but all the same it's just as amazing. Within seconds, Porcelain is out of her chair and straddling me as she sits on my lap. Not sure how it happened, but there are definitely no complaints coming from me as she continues to kiss me.

"O my god, why, my eyes, holy water," someone screams, and we both look to see who it is.

Porcelain's brother, Jace, is standing in the frame of the kitchen with his hands over his face. She gives him a look of annoyance, while I roll my eye at him. He's thirty and still acts like he's fifteen, not to say he isn't a cool person, just a little on the annoying side.

"Shut up, Jace, I've seen worse from you and your little flings," Porcelain states, folding her arms over her chest. Which just puts them in my face more so than before.

"Can you not talk to me while you're sitting on, Mr. White Stallion, please?"

I laugh at the name as she climbs off of me, and sets herself back into her original seat. Jace walks further into the room, pulling out a chair for himself as he sits down at the table. There is a silence between the three of us, and I begin to feel a bit awkward.

"Aye, earth to home boy," Jace says, and I blink as my vision focuses on him, "nigga damn, been calling you for two minutes."

"Sorry," I say, squinting as as I look at him from the corner of my eye.

"I asked if you wanted to come hangout with me and they guys."

I look at Porcelain for confirmation, and she nods her head. Shrugging a bit, I accept the invitation and Jace smiles broadly at me. He hops up from his seat excitedly, then runs up the stairs to get the rest of their brothers. Let me tell you, it's a small world after all. Because when Andre walks down the steps, I realise that he and Porcelain are twins. Why did I not notice this before, same age, last name, and they kind of look alike.