The Jock and The Jetsetter

5

"Come on, please? Pretty pretty please with a cherry on top?!" Rizza begged her older brother, who was currently sitting in front of her from his desk inside their dorm room, arms crossed fully across his toned chest. "That's Ed Sheeran, Den! You know how much I love him! And this is a one time opportunity!  Who knows when we're getting free concert tickets such as these? Free, Den! FREE. TICKETS."

Alden, however, was resolute in his stand. He shook his head even though his sister was already giving him the puppy-dog eyes. "No, Riz. My decision still stands. You aren't going."

"But Den— "

Kris sighed audibly from the other bed where he was lounging and throwing a football in the air. Sitting up, he stretched and looked exasperatedly at the siblings.

"Den," he said, cutting off Riz's tirade. "I don't know what's far up your goddamn ass but damn it, bro. This concert ain't for you. It's for your sister. And no matter from who the tickets came from, you should think of your sister, first and foremost. At least Nicky thought about that. Some older brother you are."

Alden scoffed, touching his temple and closing his eyes as he frowned, feeling an oncoming headache from all the whining he has heard from his younger sister. "You don't get it, Kris. If I say yes and Nicky ends up taking Riz to this concert - then it would be like I have—"

"Psssh. Excuses, excuses," Kris muttered, waving his hand in the air and dismissing Alden. "The reality is - you're afraid that Nicky might have the upper hand on you. And you don't like that. As if she doesn't have already," he added the last part quietly.

"What did you say?!"

"Nothing," Kris continued, staring back up at Alden. He sighed as he realized that his friend still didn't want to budge. "Just - think of your sister in this matter, alright? It's for her. Stop thinking about Nicky for a second. Stop being selfish and only thinking of you. I bet if the tickets came from someone else, you would have said yes in a heartbeat."

Well, that's true. But Kris doesn't need to know that. Alden thought, frowning even deeper.

"You don't know what I would have done, Kris. I would probably have said no, as well," Alden retorted, though the tell-tale blush on his face said otherwise. "What with all the mass shootings that have been going on—"

"Whatever man," Kris shrugged before plopping down on his bed again and picking up a Marvel comic this time, from his bedside table. "Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself? Just admit it. You're this vehement about Riz going to Ed Sheeran's concert because it was Nicky who offered the tickets. End of discussion."

All this time, Riz remained silent as she watched her brother and his best friend hash it out. She had to stifle a giggle though when she realized that Alden was about to burst from all that Kris was saying regarding Nicky, his face and ears thoroughly red by now.

"Come to think of it," Riz butted in while Alden opened his mouth to counter Kris once more, effectively blocking him. "I think Kris is right, dear brother. Wasn't it just the other day when we spoke over the phone when you were slightly - no, scratch that. Thoroughly whining about a certain pretty classmate of yours named Nicky?"

"Wait. Den was whining and said that Nicky was pretty?!" Kris sat up again, his eyes wide as he looked on at Riz.

Riz nodded. "Uh-huh. He was even like, and I quote, 'She's very flirty but she's still so smart. She's not even a science major and yet she could keep pace with me. And yes - we've established she's already pretty. But the way she's going on about me is becoming a turn-off!'"

They were all silent for a heartbeat before Kris guffawed loudly, followed by Riz giggling as well.

"So," Kris started once he recovered. "Our boy finally admitted about Nicky Dei getting to him."