My Brother's Girlfriend

Chapter Twenty Three

Levi was stopped and opened the door and I waved him back into his car. 

"No, no, no. We've got to hurry." He held his hands up and I climbed into his car. "I'll tell you where to go. Let's go." 

"Okay, okay." He sped off and burned rubber like I had. I smiled, genuinely please with his actions and he continued towards the house. He slid up to the driveway and I beamed at him. 

"I didn't know you had it in you." I said, "You're welcome to meet me back at my house."

"Yeah, I'll do that. You have some explaining to do." I laughed and walked up the door. I kicked the clutch and it roared to life. 

"Hey!" He screamed and I looked up into the eyes of Ringo. He looked cold and vicious. "You owe me something!" I panicked and climbed onto the bike. He ran down to driveway and grabbed my wrists. He yanked me off of the bike, and I felt it fall on me. I glanced up at him and he scowled. "You ran out on me earlier, whore." 

"I'm not a-" he was kissing me and I tipped my head back and screamed. 

"Shut up!" He yelled clamping a hand to my mouth. I tried to pry his hand off, clawing at it. He began dragging me backwards into the house. My eyes filled with hot tears, and I stopped trying to fight him. 

"Hey!" Levi came hauling from his car. I was silently relieved. 

"Oh please." Ringo muttered, "Flamboyant faggot isn't going to get me." He rolled his eyes and continued tugging me back. I pleaded with my eyes, and Levi walked further into the driveway. He clenched his fist and raised it slowly, hitting him square in the jaw. He stumbled backwards and released me. I fell onto the ground and looked up, terrified. Levi grabbed my hand and pulled me into standing. I ran to the bike and climbed on, revving it as I pulled away. My hair tumbled from it's pony tail into the wind and Levi followed me in his car. I didn't have a motorcycle license, but was fairly stable if I didn't get pulled over for anything. The wind was hard on my face and I inhaled it. My wrists hurt from Ringo's grubby hands, but I felt free. Viper was home, mom was happy, Blake and I were close, Levi and Savannah were in my life, and I was alive again. I skidded to a stop in the driveway with my wind blown hair and rocks flew everywhere. 

"Holy bad ass." Savannah muttered as she walked into the driveway. "This wind swept look is nice on you, if I was gay too we'd be together girl." She said in a stupid voice. Levi pulled in behind me and she turned to me. 

"That's Levi." I said.

"I'm Levi!" He yelled as he shut the car door. She smirked.

"And funny." She said. 

"You must be-" He waited, running a mental database of names I'd mentioned. 

"Savannah." She said and they turned back to me. 

"Where's Viper?!" I asked terrified.

"Sleeping on the couch." Her face looked shameful, like there was something she hadn't said. I gave her a look and she nodded, indicating she'd tell me later. She better have said so, or I'd have been pissed. I checked the time. It had gotten late quickly. It was nearly nine. 

"Coffee?" I asked and they each nodded. I went inside and brewed three full cups and set out sugar and cream. Levi downed a sip immediately and Savannah gave him a look and shook her head. He studied her and I felt kinda' awkward and a bit guilty for the two of them never getting to meet before. They could be classified easily as my two best friends, who had no idea who each other were. 

"So, tell me about this Levi."

"Well," I started but he raised a hand-

"I've got it." He said and Savannah nodded to me. Viper stirred on the couch but said nothing. "You were at a table making sex eyes towards this college boy, and I saw this poor thing pouting in the corner. I approached her, and she was just a sob story."

"No, not at first!" I protested, "You asked me if she was flirting with my boyfriend!"

"Right! Then you were a sob story." I ignored him and sipped my coffee. 

"So, it was probably before she came out?"

"Yeah, she told me there were four people who knew." 

"Awe, how cute." Savannah smiled at me and pinched my cheek. I sipped my coffee again. "I thought you said you thought your parents were home."

"No, you were just taking forever." She punched me in the arm and I felt it instantly. 

"Easy ladies, there's plenty of me to go around." Savannah looked towards the couch and I began piecing together what was bothering her. 

"I still have one thing left to do!" I gasped and ran towards the door to the porch. I dialed the number I thought would kill me and got her voice mail. I was slightly glad. Her voice still did unexplainable things to me, but I killed the feelings quickly. 

"Hello, you've reached Cecilia Rose, leave a message. I'll get back to you." Her voice was a rush.

"Hey," I muttered, "It's Vivian, I'm sure you knew. Or maybe you didn't. I'm just calling to confirm your bridesmaid ship in mom's wedding. It's next week." I thought about hanging up and then spoke again, "Viper's home, I think you should call and come see him. Or stop in. He should be with you." I hung up then and smiled. I knew it would be twisted, and it would hurt when I saw him with her. I played cold, and mean Viv before. I can play cold and mean Viv again. Maybe he'd reject her, but maybe he wouldn't. I walked into the doors and Levi and Savannah were talking over the counter to each other. 

"I like him!" She yelled!

"Awe!" He was awestruck and I shot a glare at them both. 

"We love you." They said together and giggled about it. I shot them the same look and they turned in to look at each other giggling. I rolled my eyes, and resumed talking with them over the counter. We talked wedding, party, bar, boys, girls, and fashion. The last part took me for a loop, but the rest was likable. That was, until my mother got home. She was with Blake, and she looked 'splendid', as Blake told her. They walked in and she cried out when she spotted Savannah, and Levi. 

"Savannah! Is this your boyfriend?" 

"Any man would be lucky," Levi sighed in an enchanted voice then sobered and finished, "just not me." They laughed, realizing instantly that he was gay. I envied him for that. There were certain factors in a man that would make it obvious. I was a girl, I hung out with girls and didn't have stranger habits. I just always knew. 

"Viva, I'm so glad to see you've got your friends back." 

"I have a surprise." I said to mom and Blake looked worried. "But you'll have to ignore the negatives to enjoy it." 

"Oh Viv, I don't know- really, I mean." I led her to the living room while she was still babbling on about how she might not be able to over look it until she spotted Vip asleep on the couch. Her eyes widened and she clamped a hand on her mouth. I smiled and Blake shrugged me into him, patting my back. 

"How did you manage it?" He asked. 

"Near assault, trespassing, and a bit of illegal motorcycle riding." My mom weighed it for a minute and then sighed and tucked him in better. 

"He was willing then?"

"No, he was kidnapped, and I cut a deal." 

"What deal?" My mother stood again, concerned.

"He will stay, but unless he directly speaks to me I won't talk to him. Starting first thing in the morning." She weighed the list of pending negatives and then decided it was good enough. She threw her arms around me and squeezed me. I watched Savannah and Levi sneak towards the back door. He indicated he'd text me later and I nodded. I gave Savannah a silent thank you. She welcomed it and me, and then bolted with Levi. My life was almost together, if I could fix Cecilia and Viper and just ignore my selfishness, I'd make it. 

"I have a family again." She cried then. She wept into me and I held her until Blake guided her to bed. It was implied to them that it would heal itself. They didn't have to see me straining to heal it all behind a curtain with armfuls of strings. I sighed and headed into my room, but froze. I found my sticky notes and wrote Viper one. 

"Again, so sorry." It said. I stuck it to the table beside his couch and kissed his forehead. I waited to see if he woke, but he didn't. I was a bit disappointed, but very tired. I fumbled up the stairs clumsily until I reached my bed and flopped into it. I shut my eyes and began to dream again.