Not so innocent

three

"You can't just stop by whenever you need money, okay?"  Mason blustered from downstairs. 

"Please, Mason, it's just a 100 bucks!" Melanie begged.

"And next week it will be 200 right?!"  Yeah, no doubt. Melanie wouldn't get the money. At least not from Mason. And i was right. Just two minutes later, i heard a knock on my door, and Melanie peaked her head in.

"Hey, baby bro," she said smiling. Clearly she came with a motive.

"I don't have any money," i said plainly. Her smile instantly dropped.

"Who says i can't just drop by and talk to my baby brother?" she asked, trying to sound innocent.

"I do." My voice was firm while i tried to stand my ground. "And besides, i don't have any money."

"Oh bullshit! I know you do!" Melanie argued. "I know you got your hands on some drugs."

"Oh yeah? Because Mason and Joe would let me do that!" I yelled sarcastically. 

"Oh you can lie to them all you want, but i'm not that fucking stupid," she said calmly.

Silence filled the room. I just stared at her, my eyes filled with shock. How could she know?

"You can't tell them," i whispered. 

"I can," she shrugged and ignorantly starred at the floor. An evil smirk playing on her lips. "But maybe i won't if you give me those 100 bucks..."

"You suck," i mumbled as i walked over to my bedside drawer, that had at least 700 bucks in it. I took a bundle of 10 dollar bills, counted them and handed it to Melanie.

"Oh, but you still love me," she said smiling exaggerated. She pulled me into a big hug, before leaving the room, and then slamming the front door. She left a weird smell after her. She smelled like old cigaret smoke and horny men. And prostitution. Wonder why...

I knew i just fucked up big time, though. I mean i already fucked up the second, i stole those drugs from Sergio. From the moment i sold some stupid drugs to that senior i knew i was heading down a bad path. I knew that i was slowly fucking up. And i mean, i thought about Joe and Mason finding out, and that scared the shit out of me... but Melanie? It never crossed my mind that that bitch would ever use it against me. Hell i never even thought she would find out! And no doubt she will keep using it against me, until one day the bomb drops and Joe and Mason finds out. but then again what's worst? Degrading my life to my sister or simply dying for my brothers feet? I wondered what they would do. Sadly for me i one day stood to find out. Luckily not today though.

Still slightly annoyed i stomped downstairs, ignoring the annoyed look i received from Aiden who currently was getting beat in some video game by a triumphing Mason. Sergio was sitting counting some cash at the kitchen counter. Joe was nowhere to be found. Still annoyed at my own dumb decisions i grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and maybe - just maybe- slammed it a bit to hard down on the counter. Sergio's eyes shot up at me, and he send me an examining look. 

"Whoa, easy baby bro," he said as he raised both his hands in a defending motion, while i send him a look clearly meaning i-dont-want-to-talk-so-shut-the-fuck-up but It didn't seem like Sergio here got the message. "Why are you so pissed? What did that water bottle ever do to you?"

I shot a look at the bottle in my hands, that i was currently squeezing so tightly it actually looked like it was about to explode. That didn't mean i was going to spare it, though. I just kept sending Sergio the same death-stare. He didn't as much as even flinch. 

"Don't. Call. Me. That." I spat.

"Oh he's just pissed..." My head shot up. Why did Mason suddenly interfere? "... because he just gave 100 bucks away. Right?"

"Oh shut up, why do you care, huh? It is none of your business!"

Mason suddenly shot up from the couch under great protest from Aiden. Before i knew it he had my face in a strong grib and forced me to look at him. I tried backing away form him but that just resulted in the grip growing even tighter. "As long, as it's under this roof..." Masons voice was dangerously low now, and my jaw was hurting. "... or if it concerns you..." He harshly poked a finger into my chest to emphasize his point. "... or any of you guys, you can be damn sure it's my business. And look," his grip on my face loosened but not enough for me to dare to move. "If you wan't to give all you money to Melanie, go ahead. Do i think it's a fucking terrible idea?" Okay, that was definitely rhetorical. "Yes, i do. Do i think you should do it again?" Rhetorical again, no doubt. "Definitely no. But am i planning on stopping you?" Damn, rhetorical again. He's on a roll. "No. But does that mean it's none of mine business?" Okay, maybe he should tune down on all the rhetorical questions. "No. It is always my business. No matter where, no matter why, no matter who. It is ALWAYS my business." A silence felt the room. Maybe more of a dramatic pause. Then he said something that send shivers down my back. "And i will always know. Trust me on that." As he said it he looked into my eyes a serious expression playing in his eyes, as if he knew something. I shrugged the scared and irrationel feeling off of me, and looked back at him. Then as if nothing happened he smiled at me. A small smug smile. Classic Mason. "You get it, baby bro?" Mason asked and finally let go of my now sore jaw. I didn't even dare to tell him of on the nickname just nodded. 

"Always your business," i said as i nodded slowly. 

Does he know..?