Republican Phenoms

Dying Happy

Daniel

Although some of the alcohol has cleared by the time I get to my home on Watson and Figueroa, I'm still a little drunk. My brother John sees me as I walk through the door. I smile at him.

"This was the best night of my life," I say, grinning like an idiot. "The Republic could send me to the warfront to be cannon fodder tonight, and I would die happy."

John puts his hands on my shoulders. The expression on his face is worried. "Please tell me you used protection."

I brush his hands away. I don't know why John always assumes I'm going to do that anyway. I'm only really interested in one girl, and even if she did like me, I doubt that that would even enter our minds for a very long time. "Why? I just kissed her. I didn't even use my tongue." I grin at him. "But I kissed her."

"Who? June?"

"Yeah." I sit down on one of the dining room chairs.

"I thought she didn't like you."

"She probably doesn't. Some kids dared her to go in a closet with me. I told her that we didn't have to do anything, but she wanted to kiss me anyway."

"Was she drinking too?"

"Yeah. That's why I told her no the first couple of times. But she kept saying she can make her own decisions, so I went along with it."

John shakes his head. "That wasn't very smart, Daniel."

"Yeah, I know. I don't really care though."

He puts his arm around my shoulder. "Let's go to bed. Don't wake up Mom or Eden. You've had too much to drink, I cansee."