The PulseTeam, Book Two: Evolution

Chapter Four: Thrashing Bullies

Part One: The Following Morning

Allen Manor | Cleveland, Ohio
Saturday, June 11, 2033 | 13:25 EST

I talked to my sister this morning to figure out what was going on with her, because she was agreeing with me and following orders without hesitation or fail last night, and this was a complete one hundred eighty degree shift in her behavioral pattern.

As it turns out, she wanted to make amends with me, and it went a little bit deeper than that.

Flashback time! In three... two... one... and:

09:58 EST

"Jessica," I call as she walks past, "I need your ear for a moment."

"Yeah, hun," she replies, "what's up?"

"Up to my room," I say, extremely worried about her, "now."

"Okay," she says hesitatantly, seemingly worried about me and very confused.

When we get to my room, I close the door and ask her, "Alright, what's up with you?"

"What do you mean?" she asks in reply.

"I mean last night's mission! You were agreeing with me, following orders without hesitation, not giving me any backtalk. And then today, when you responded to me, you called me 'hun'. As in 'honey'. As in 'sweetie' or 'sweetheart'. And don't get me wrong, it's a welcome change from how you usually are with me. But why? Why now? And what sparked it?"

"I just--I--" she sighs, and tears well up in her eyes. "I'm sorry, alright?!" and she cries.

I don't know what to do, so I stand right where I am, apparently just looking like that. Because my sister hasn't been affectionate with me at all since we were little, so I just don't get too close to her.

But seeing her break down so completely is crushing me, so I walk towards her, and I take her into my arms and hold her while she cries. And even though it seems like she cries even harder, she hugs me back.

When her crying dies down, still holding her, I ask her, "Wanna tell your little brother what's bothering you for a change?"

"I like you."

Caught off guard, and not believing what I think I just heard, I say, "You what?"

"I... like you."

"Like how?" I ask, pulling away, because I think I know what she means, but I need clarification.

"Like the way sisters should not like their little brothers. And even though I didn't say anything about it to anybody, it hurt me when you started liking Alexa. And then when I heard you had fallen in love with her, I just got so angry. That's why I've been so mean to you. All of you. Because I was bitter. And I know it. And I'm sorry. I know that I can never have you, but I just wanted you to know."

"So," I say, processing everything she just told me, "I'm the reason why you were mean to us?"

"Kinda," she says.

"I'm so sorry. I never knew."

"I wouldn't have expected you to."

"Yeah."