Page 17 of Fight for You

"You kids have fun," she calls after me as I close the front door behind me. It's barely even dark yet, but we're all meeting at Titan and January's in a few minutes. I jog down the steps and then cross the yard to their yellow bungalow.

Titan flings the front door open when I knock, his dark green eyes running up and down, taking in my costume. "Jesus Christ, you're actually wearing the tights," he mumbles, laughing loudly. "I can't believe you let her talk you into this shit."

"Man, fuck you," I mutter, bumping him out of the way with my shoulder. Despite all his protests, January convinced him, Quan, and Mark to dress up as the Lost Boys. They all drew the line at tights, but like me, Titan's dressed in a tunic with a ridiculous hat on his head, though his tunic and hat are brown instead of green. How he fit the hat over his spiky hair, I don't know, but he did. He's wearing his usual jeans beneath his tunic and boots instead of the felt and rubber shoes that came with the costume.

Thank God those didn't fit me. They look like elf shoes.

When I move past his bulky frame, I see Quan and Mark sprawled on the couch in their tunics. Mark's wearing his hat, but Quan's braids are tied up in a complicated design, making it impossible to fit his hat over them. With Quan's big ears and his brown tunic, he looks like an elf.

"Where's January?" I ask Titan, who's still laughing his ass off.

Mark points toward the hallway, his normally happy expression turning sour. "She won't come out. Mandy was here earlier."

I turn toward Titan, shooting him a dirty look. Mandy Wright is a world class bitch to January when she thinks no one is paying attention. I've told Titan a thousand times to keep her away from his little sister, but he's determined to sleep with Mandy, so he doesn't listen. Every time she comes around, she's mean to January. It pisses me off.

It pisses Titan off too, but Mandy bats her lashes and apologizes, and he forgives her for it. He puts up with her shit a lot better than I do. She gets on my nerves.

"I didn't invite her, man," he says, sobering when he notices my expression.

"What'd she do this time?" I demand, knowing damn well January didn't go to hide out in her bedroom for the fun of it.

"She was teasing her about dressing up like a fairy," Titan mutters.

"She said January might be short enough to pass for five, but she's too old and fat to dress up like a child and make all of us do it too," Quan says, not editing like Titan does. He rolls his eyes. He doesn't like Mandy much either. "She was a bitch about it."

"She made her cry," Mark agrees, not sounding any happier than Quan about that.

"You need to get her under control," I snap at Titan, beyond pissed that she's ruined something else for January. "Your sister doesn't deserve that shit from her."

"I know." Guilt whispers through his expression. "I kicked her ass out of here and told her not to come back."

I grunt instead of responding because we both know he'll be right back to trying to get in her pants in a few weeks. He loves his sister, but he's had a thing for Mandy since we were little. I don't know why he won't just let it ride, but he won't. She crooks her finger, and he comes running.

"I'll talk to January," I mutter, already headed toward her bedroom.

Titan sighs in audible relief. Similar sighs echo from Mark and Quan.

I shake my head and stalk toward her room.

"Go away!" she yells when I tap on the door.

"It's me, little monster," I call to her, unable to fight a smile. She always tells me to go away, but she never means it. "Can I come in?"

I hear her sniffle from inside and my smile slips.

"Come in," she calls a moment later.

I crack the door open and poke my head in to find her sitting at the little vanity on the far side of the room. As soon as I see her, I stop walking. She's got her hair up in a bun like Tinkerbell's, with blonde strands waving wildly around her face. Her mom must have let her put on makeup because her eyelids are glittery and so are her rosy cheekbones. Her costume is shorter than I expected, barely reaching mid-thigh on her. With the glittery wings and her makeup, she looks like an angel. Her little green heels match the costume.

"You look beautiful," I whisper, unable to stop myself.

Her cheeks flush darker, her red-rimmed eyes bouncing up to meet mine.

I clear my throat, a little embarrassed at how raspy my voice sounds, and then just stand there because I'm not sure what else to say and I don't want to take it back. She does look beautiful.

"Do you really think so?" she asks after a moment, her voice small and worried. Her gaze drops from mine, hiding her eyes from me. "Mandy said I look dumb and fat."

I really don't like that girl.