Free My Best Friend's Brother by Chrissy Fanslau

did.” He headed down the stairs, cursing and beating the wall on the way down, and slammed the front door behind him.
    Since Sullivan wouldn’t hear a knock over his music anyway, I just walked in.
    “Hey! What are you doing in my room!” he hollered. He turned down his stereo.
    I sighed. That crap was making my head throb! “Look at how filthy this place is! Why would I be in here if I didn’t need to be?”
    He threw his Wii controller at the television. “Okay, what ?”
    “Why do you keep inviting Jake over?”
    “I won’t anymore! I thought before today that he really liked video games, but he’s just here to see you !”
    I crossed my arms. “He’s a total jerk, why invite him at all? Duh!”
    “Well, I just said I’d stop! Duh! ”
    I changed the subject. “Where’s Dad?”
    “Buying dinner. And he said you can’t go out, because you’re grounded! ”
    “I’m aware of that, thank you!” I slammed his door behind me and headed to my room. I changed out of my school clothes and threw myself on my bed, intent on finishing Life of Pi . But I couldn’t focus this time, either.
    I want Lilly to come home—everything will be so much better with her around.

VIII
    In creative writing, Tweezer took attendance and gave the writing prompt. “In one page or less, write about the most embarrassing moment of your life.”
    I was expected to do that in one page?
    “Ms. Morrison, Mr. Pawlak…?” Tweezer said afterwards. “Is it a coincidence, or did the two of you miss the same classes while not being marked absent for the school day on both Monday and Wednesday?”
    I know, so much for cutting just once.
    Luke and I exchanged looks.
    Jake smirked. Asshole!
    And so, I was awarded the first two pink slips of my high school career, and we were sent to the principal’s office. Three pink slips equaled detention, so I knew the cutting of classes had to stop. Unfortunately.
    We sat in the waiting room outside Dr. Lang’s office, listening to his overweight secretary hum a song and type up a storm on her computer.
    Mom stood before us twenty minutes later. Luke looked perplexed from his chair a few feet away. God, her skin was completely fried! Along with her sunburn, she wore a thick black coat. It looked ridiculous. Her blond hair hung to the same length as her dreamcatcher earrings, just above the shoulder. She didn’t act like someone who’d been away for months. In fact, she didn’t even say hi . “I want your side of the story,” she demanded, raising a mostly drawn-in eyebrow.
    I sighed, kind of relieved she wasn’t Dad. If she were, I’d never hear the end of it. I pointed to Luke, who was still staring at her. “This is Luke, my boyfriend. Dad grounded me for a week for missing my curfew last Saturday. Cafeteria food is nasty and we wanted to have some lunch, so we cut two classes.”
    Her expression was blank. She has glasses that adjust to the light in the room, and the lenses were tan, so I couldn’t read her eyes.
    After a minute, she turned to Luke. “Do you need a ride?”
    Luke looked stunned. “I drive.”
    “Well, if it’s okay with your folks, I’d like you to meet us at our house. The three of us need to talk.” She grabbed my jacket off the seat to my left and thanked Dr. Lang and Mr. Tweezer for turning us in.
    A minute later we were in Mom’s Jeep. She did not say a peep until we reached our driveway and Luke parked behind us. Dad’s Dodge Stratus was not in the driveway, or the empty detached garage.
    She got out of the Jeep and staggered up the steps to the front door. Once she unlocked it, we followed her in. Luke looked nervous. I was scared. But Dad would’ve been worse—had to keep that in mind.
    We sat at the kitchen table. The time on the microwave read 2:35. No Sullivan for an hour.
    “I’m Mary, Adonia’s mother.” She shook Luke’s hand. He looked like he was wondering why she had to mention being my mother. “How old are you, Luke?”
    “I’m