Keeping Us Apart

Some Friends (11)*EDITED*

*Joel's POV*

It really wasn't arriving home early to find a raging house party that bothered me. To be honest I almost expected something of the sort. Ahren can be a bit of a party animal. No, it was coming home to a party and discovering your little sister and best friend are both MIA, then going to look for said sister and best pal only to open the door and discover your best friend balls deep in your little sister, who, from the look on her face, is ten thousand percent enjoying it. That's where I lost it.

"What the hell is going on?" I ask. I swear I've never seen two people move so quickly. Ahren pulls out of Hudson with a pace that rivals the one he was using to put it in her and dives for his boxers. My sister makes for her silver pants, slipping them on with lightening speed. They've both got that deer caught in the headlights look, but through that I can see the glassiness of their eyes.

"Oh hey J-Joel, y-you're back early," mumbles Ahren, who is now wearing jeans and in the process of buttoning his shirt up, his face the colour of an eggplant.

"Yeah, just in time, otherwise I would've witnessed you impregnating my sister!" I bark. The door is still open and people are starting to gather in the doorway behind me, apparently thirsty for some drama. 

"How much have you guys had to drink?" Narrowing my eyes at the two I fold my arms over my chest and wait for an answer.

"Um, a lot, Joel, I can't remember-" Ahren starts, but I cut him off.

"Thank god. That explains it." I sure hoped so anyway; I didn't want to consider the possibility they'd hooked up because there were feelings underneath.

Unfortunately for all parties involved, one of the party goers who had been crowding the doorway eager for a peek at the action pushed forward chose that moment to lose it, her voice shrill.

"Ahren, what the fuck!? Who is that bitch?" She demands. Suddenly I recognize her face. It's Ahren's girlfriend Maura.

She points a red talon at Hudson, who in turn gives her a glare, one that tells me this girl has caused Hudson problems before.  I'm surprised at my sister's gall; Here Hudson is covering herself with just a sheet and she's still ready for anything life throws at her. There's dead silence in the room after that, the tension so thick in the air you can almost see the sparks. 

One look at my best friend tells me immediately that he has no idea what to do or say. Ahren just fish mouths. But before I know it Maura stomps closer to Ahren and snatches him up by the collar, her blue eyes filled with rage. To his credit though, he looks calm, cool, collected. 

"Answer me dammit!" she shouts in his face.

"She's Joel's sister," says Ahren. "I like her." His voice is even and full of self assurance. I nearly lose consciousness. No. No, this can't be happening. My little sister and best friend. There surely must be some law against this type of betrayal. Everything sounds tinny and far away,  the doorjamb digging painfully into my arm and snapping me back to reality just in time to see the girl release Ahren and turn towards Hudson. The same mean look is in her oceanic hues. Every single pair of eyes present are glued to this scene right out of a reality television show. 

"You slut! You slept with my boyfriend!" 

I wait, and wait, and wait, for Hudson to claim she didn't know Ahren was dating anyone. But the words never come. 

"EX boyfriend," Ahren says as he steps between the two women. His best idea? Probably not. 

"Nobody breaks up with me, Ahren, it's never over until I say so," Maura spits with venom. "You'll be done! Done! And you!" She wheels on Hudson , who, to my surprise, laughs. I briefly recall a mad woman laughing to be a sign someone is about to be seriously injured. Maura doesn't seem to get what is happening.

"What's so funny?" She sneers. 

"Maura, please-" starts Ahren, but even I know there is no reasoning with her.

"Please what? Stop making a scene? Is that what you want Ahren?" 

At this point I decide to step in before anything escalates, but when I take a step towards Maura she sidesteps me with more grace than should be possible for someone in six inch heels and charges, shoving Ahren to the floor. Somehow she manages to advance on Hudson next, but before she can get too close Hudson pulls back a fist and BLAM! connects a lethal right hook. Maura goes down in a combo of flailing legs and extensions. The room is dead silent now. Maura herself is even silent as she lays on the floor, sprawled out and dress riding dangerously up her thighs. An angry purple bruise blooms across the pale skin of her cheek.

Ahren is back to fish-mouthing and Hudson is shaking out her hand, hair a little mussed but looking cool and collected otherwise. I notice then that my sister doesn't have a shirt on and so I quickly shrug off my jacket and drape it around her shoulders. That's when I  notice she is trembling slightly. Giving her shoulder an affectionate squeeze as I step back a bit, I can't help but think of what a strong woman my sister really is. Don't get me wrong though, I'm still pissed that I caught Ahren dipping his wick in her candle, but I'm waiting for the right moment to take them both behind the woodshed.

Ahren catches my eye over Hudson's head and I can see he has the sense to look ashamed. Maura is still passed out on the ground and so Ahren walks over, scooping her limp body up and then unceremoniously dumping her on a futon crammed in the corner of his room.

"Once she wakes up I'll make her leave," he explains with a shrug.

"Good luck with that. Why was she even here?"

"I don't know. I can't even say how she found out about the party," says Ahren with a shrug, his brows creasing above his nose in confusion. Hudson rolls her green eyes and for a moment I see our dad in her. They share the same leaf-coloured hues, carefulness almost carved into each line of their matching irises. 

"With as many people as there were, I'm not surprised," Hudson says pointedly. "You should've been more careful."

Ahren's dark eyes narrow at my sister, his gaze withering. "Like you've got room to council me. You're just as guilty as I am."

"If, according to you, you broke up with her, then neither one of us is to blame," retorts Hudson.

"But what about the first time we-" Ahren seems to have forgotten my presence until I cough.

"The first time?" Oh god, this happened more than once? Neither Hudson nor Ahren enlighten me. Instead my sister turns back to glare at my best friend.

"Regardless, don't point fingers at me, Ahren. Yeah, I had a lapse in judgment twice, but I'M not the one that was dating her." 

"But I dumped her the next day, and it takes two people to have sex. So therefore, our mistake," Ahren calmly replies.

By now, the crowd has mostly dispersed, sounds of merriment and shouts of "Chug, chug chug!" reach my ears. I'm half tempted to stay and watch the two of them hash it out but my conscience says whispers that it's not any of my business. Apparently there's a lot between them that's not. 

"I'm gonna go take a shot or ten and try to forget the image of your bare asses burned into my brain," I say. Hudson nods, but doesn't look at me. Her eyes are hard and aimed right at my best friend. 

"Talk later, mate," Ahren says with a dip of his head.

"Oh, we will."