Chapter 2

2

"Ashley? You find that receipt for your piano lessons yet?"

"I'm not gonna let you waste money on lessons that you're not even serious about!" Dad roared.

He was losing his shit because I wasn't fast enough with the receipt.

The lovebirds inside were scrambling around like mice.

They were trying to hide, but the study was bare. The only place to hide was under the desk.

Hugging their clothes to their chests, they huddled and trembled.

Last time, I just stood there like a moron. Dad figured out something was going down and came to check on me.

The jig was up. Ashley got a slap, and Kyle got a free trip to the big house.

Ashley didn't say a word to defend her man.

Later, she'd blame me for spilling the beans.

And she'd serve me a spiked latte that landed me in that hellhole where I finally got my ticket punched.

Meanwhile, she soaked up all the love from Mom and Dad, and used the money Granny left me for college to live the high life.

Thinking about it, my lip curled in a smirk. I shut the door, then bolted downstairs.

"Mom, Dad, I'm here," I said with fake sorrow. "Sorry I kept you waiting."

"I get it. I won't go to piano lessons. Let's go cancel it."

They wanted the money from my piano lessons to pay for Ashley's stupid painting classes.

Last time, I fought them on it. This time, I just rolled over.

They were about to blow a gasket, but when they saw I was backing down, their eyes flickered.

"Can't even do one thing right," Dad grumbled. "Why can't you be more like your sister?"

"Yes, sir," I said.

Oh yeah, she's a real peach. Knocking you up with grandkids as soon as possible.

With no one to bother them, Ashley and Kyle burned up the sheets all afternoon.

But Kyle wasn't satisfied with just a little poonani, so on his way out, he swiped my dad's fancy-ass pen.

It was a memento from his dad, nothing super valuable, but it meant a lot to Dad.

But Kyle went to a massage parlor and gave it to the receptionist to suck up to his ex.

I knew this because Kyle's cousin sat next to me in class. He was always bragging about his cousin's "achievements."

Of course, he had no idea his cousin's "new piece of tail" was my sister, Ashley.

He'd tell me how his cousin had fought all afternoon and chowed down on a dozen oysters to get his groove back.

"That chick Ashley is smart. Great body, good attitude, and she fell for my cousin's charm. Some dead roses that his ex didn't want, and she was giving him all her allowance."

"My cousin is smart. He's got a few girls on the side. He's got balls. He was doing the horizontal tango in her Dad's study. What a man!"

I kept my head down and scribbled, but I couldn't help but smirk.

This was the "love" Ashley gave her life for.

Turns out, it was just gossip and a punchline for someone else.

I hope they are happy forever.

When I got home, the battlefield was cleaned.

But when Ashley was snuggling up to Mom, begging for money for a trip, her top slipped open and I saw the hickey farm.

She didn't know the cameras in the study were fixed.

Their hot 'n' heavy action was all on tape.

If I whispered something to Dad, her life was over.

I smiled and looked down, and my eyes met Ashley's.

"What are you laughing about, Ashley?"