Mind Or Matter

Chapter Twenty Eight

The next thing I knew, I was sleeping in my sleeping bag below Jake's bed. Looking around, I noticed that the window's light was blocked by the shades, which had been drawn shut. Lifting my left wrist, I glanced at my watch. 1:04 pm.

Suddenly, I noticed Jake sitting on his bed above me. "Whassup, bitch!" he exclaimed in his booming, deep voice.

I rubbed my eyes. "What's going on? Where's Candi?"

Jake's douchebag grin never left his face. "She's reading in the spare room." Jake's apartment only had three rooms – bedroom, kitchen, and a spare room he never seemed to use. Yesterday, when Candi first walked in, Jake ran over to the closet, moved some things around without us looking, and shut it, stepping to the side so his body wasn't blocking the door anymore.

I nodded. Then, remembering more, I recalled screaming in the street. I could still feel the hit I got (probably from Candi) to knock me out; to shut me up.

Jake shifted a little, his black jeans loosening. "I've got something to tell you. You're gonna love it." He paused, then let out a jet of air. "You know the building they're tearing down across the street?"

I was about to nod or speak or something, but Jake cut me off. "It's full of copper wire. We're going to take it!" He started to laugh, leaning back, then sat back up, his legs spread open. "You comin'?"

The corners of my mouth twitched and I frowned. "What the fuck, Jake? Are you retarded? That's stupid! You'll get caught and put in jail!"

Jake guffawed, his same stupid smile pasted to his face. "Don't be a pussy, Will. You're flight isn't 'til seven. You can make it. C'mon, do it. If you do, you'll be able to live here in New York. And we both know that you'll want to take your girlfriend with you." He flashed a wink, his white teeth showing.

I shook my head. "No, no way." But my subconscious thoughts knew that I couldn't pay for an apartment in New York. Even if I was the best psychiatrist, there was no way in hell that I could make enough. The average psychiatrist made $70,000 a year, which would pass if I wanted to live in any other state. New York apartments had a range of $700 to $3,000 rent. Sure, I could get a crappy, edgy apartment in a crappy, edgy side of town, but I know Candi would hate that.

Not that I wanted to live with Candi... no, she was my friend.

Or that was what I told myself, forcing upon my brain.

I was still confused about what I felt for Candi. But there wasn't time to think about her. I had to set my idiot brother's mind right.

In my head, I sounded tough and cool. But the words came out more like a whiny four year old. "Don't do it! You'll get arrested and go to jail to ten years! Stealing copper wire is stupid! Even if you do steal it, how are you gonna hide it before selling the stuff? In your porn closet?! Yeah, I know about that. I know that's why you moved things around before Candi moved in! 'Cause you don't want her to know about the fucking creep you are!" The ending of my speech was more tough sounding, but was still better in my head.

Jake suddenly stood up, and then I realized that I was standing while I lectured his stupid idea. Jake was a good head taller than me, a good 5'11. Meanwhile, my growth ceased somewhere around high school, stopping me at an average 5'6.

Before I could react, Jake was stepping up to me, looking down at me the same way the playground bully looks down at a weak second grader. "For once in your fuckin' life, can you stop being a little cunt?!"

His words echoed in my ears. Right after he spoke, his fist came flying towards my shoulder.

I ducked away from his hand, which nearly punched my armpit. I staggered back a little from the duck, then forced my fist into his chest.

One hit. Jake moved back a bit, grunted, then lunged, tackling me to the ground. With his weight fully on my chest and legs, I thought he would crush me to death. But, only moments later, he shifted onto his left elbow, his right punching my face.

Thankful for my upper body strength from ballet training, I twisted out of the fourth or fifth punch, then hurled my body upward, now in a sitting position. I could feel warm blood on my lower lip and forehead, but I was surprised by how much it didn't hurt.

Must be the adrenaline, I thought as I wailed on my older brother, fighting him better than I expected I could. In an hour I'll have a pounding headache; it'll all catch up to me.

Candi hadn't heard us yet. And that's what matters. If she knew I was in a fight with Jake, she'd be leaving the apartment right now.

But I could still hear her in the other room. It sounded like she was still reading. Every now and then the sound of a page turning could be heard, if you listened close enough.

Now I was on top of Jake, working on his shoulders and jaw. He wasn't bleeding as much as me, but he sure was talking.

"You're just a poor bastard screwing around with a whore with no future!" he growled in the lowest voice I've ever heard. "No life ahead of you. Just a wannabe New Yorker wishing away your life!"

One punch to the cheekbone shut him up, though. That's when Jake was really full of rage. Gaining twice as strength he had when we started, he grabbed my arm and twisted.

I gasped, trying not to scream. Do it for Candi; don't make her upset... don't make her scared...

I could picture Candi's face, caught in a fit of laughter, pink hair falling over her right eye, blushing.

Jake suddenly lay his hand on my chest as he stood up. He lifted his left foot and kicked my side a couple of times before I caught his foot, pulling him back to the floor.

This time I was on top, punching Jake's chest as I brought my knee up to his crotch. A whimper escaped my brother's lips and his lower body crumpled a bit, hands below his navel.

But what was driving me now wasn't about Jake calling me names, it was that he had bad mouthed Candi.

Grabbing him by the collar of his white t-shirt, I pulled his ear close to my mouth. In a voice so quiet I could barely heard what I said myself, I growled lowly, "don't you ever talk that way about Candi again." Throwing him down, I got up and walked out of the room and into the spare room.

Candi was gone.