Challenge | Adam Banks

SIXTEEN

Delanie didn't have much time to think her actions over. Or rather, she did, she just decided on a whim that "act now, think later" would be the only way that she would be able to convince herself that asking her brother for advice was a good idea. Jett wasn't exactly a model big brother, but Delanie wasn't exactly a fantastic little sister, either. She tended to push him away, even when he wanted to be there. Their dynamic wasn't great. That's why asking him for advice felt like social suicide.

But what other choice did she have?

Jett had told her his dormitory number for emergencies - and, unbeknownst to the younger Park sibling, he just hoped that she'd check in once in a while. Thus, Delanie knew exactly where she was going. She nearly got cold feet as she stood in front of his door, really contemplating for the first time if this was a good idea. Before she could convince herself otherwise, she knocked.

It took a few moments, but the door was finally lugged open, revealing a half naked Nigel Sweeney. He looked surprised to see his roommate's younger sibling. "Hey kid," he said sleepily.

"Always answer the door shirtless?" Delanie snorted, causing the older boy to roll his eyes.

Nigel scoffed, "my visitors aren't usually little kids." Before Delanie could argue, he added, "whatta ya need, Lanie?"

Delanie took a deep breath. "I'm here to talk to Jett, obviously," she quipped, getting impatient and cold in the hallway. Nigel raised his eyebrows. The look on his face told Delanie that the older boy didn't believe her. She rolled her eyes. "Why else would I be here, Nigel? Lord knows I don't want to talk to you."

Nigel laughed at that, holding his palms up defensively, "Alright, alright, I get it. Come on in."

Delanie awkwardly shuffled in behind the older boy. Their dorm was much messier than hers was, but she and Jett had apparently had the same ideas in decor. Their beds were on the same side of the room, there was a book on his nightstand, and he had his reliable moccasin slippers beside his bed.

You're more alike than you think.

Nigel cleared his throat, causing Jett to look up from his homework. His eyebrows furrowed when his gaze fell upon his younger sister. A look of concern flashed across his face. The first words out of his mouth were, "Are you okay?"

Delanie nodded slowly, rubbing her palms against her lounge pants. Across the room, Nigel was pulling a shirt on. Delanie turned to her brother, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just... kinda need to talk to you."

Jett tilted his head in confusion as he tucked his pencil into his workbook and set it off to the side. Nigel bid them both goodbye before disappearing out the door, apparently going to bother Zander and Chris for a while to give the siblings their privacy. Jett patted the open spot beside him on his bed. When Delanie tentatively sat down, Jett crossed his arms. "What's going on, Lanie?"

"It's not a big deal," Delanie prefaced, suddenly feeling silly for interrupting her brother's night.

Jett held a finger up, "If it's important enough for you to come all the way over here at nine o'clock on a wednesday night - hell, if it's important enough for you to come over here period - then it's a big deal." He had a point there. As far as either of them were really concerned, it would take an earthy crisis to bring Delanie to the mercy of her older brother. The troubled look on her face told him enough. Delanie sucked in a deep breath as her brother looked dotingly down at her. He nudged her shoulder, "C'mon. What's up?"

Delanie wrung her hands in front of her nervously. "Okay, so..." she took a breath, suddenly feeling extremely awkward. She squeezed her eyes shut before pushing onward, "so there's this boy who I think I'm starting to really like. We, um, we just recently became friends, and we kind of hung out tonight, and I'm really afraid I screwed things up on accident because I was nervous." She sighed, "I've never liked anyone like this before. I don't know what to do."