Danger Line

It was around nine AM when I woke up and noticed Brian was not sleeping beside me. The sheets didn’t even feel warm, which meant he had left a reasonably long time ago. Sleepy and wearing only his shirt, I walked downstairs to see him and a certain someone on the brownish couch, soundlessly playing something on Playstation.

„Son of a—„ Matt shouted and took a good slap to the back of his head, „Shit, sorry...”

„You’ll be if you wake Meg up,” Syn hissed, bringing a smile on my face. He could be a sweetheart if he wanted to.

„Mornin’...” I walked up to the couch, and boosted myself on the back of it as Syn tilted his head back.

„Did we wake you?” He asked and I noticed him holding that dark, almost opaque Budweiser bottle. What was the time exactly? A little bit early for hitting the intoxicating lows.

„No.” I smiled and leaned in a kiss. „Tho you shouldn’t be drinking.”

„That’s not mine...” He pointed out to the gamer person sitting next to him.

„I’ll fucking kill you, you piece of worthless motherfucking shit!” I raised my eyebrows, walking around the couch. Language! Matt grabbed the beer out of Brian’s hand and took a big gulp, handing it back to him as he pulled me in his lap.

„See?” His dark eyebrow arched. Why was Matt here? And this early in the morning? I looked over to the beige wall behind the big LED tv to see the clock showing it was 9:18. Syn’s fingers slid up my bare leg until my very thigh.

„Matt, what happened to your eye?” I noticed the dark red, almost bluish bruise right beneath his eye. Was it let’s-beat-up-Avenged-guys week? I frowned. Someone must’ve had a real mighty right hook.

„The fucking bitch...” He mumbled incoherently, keeping his eyes on the big screen.

„What?” I turned to Brian. He sighed.

„Bailey threw a punch at him.”

„That’s it! I’m not gonna play with those bunch of morons any longer!” He threw the controller on the coffee table, crossing his arms over that black muscle shirt covered chest. So Matthew Sanders was a rage quitter... Good to know. He leaned in the seat.

„Matt, why did Bailey beat you up?” I leaned against Brian as he passed Matt his beer.

„Cause she’s a fucking bitch?” He questioned.

„A hot fucking bitch...” Brian added.

„...Okay? Took you both long enough to figure.” I chuckled, lacing my fingers with Brian’s and feeling him kissing my shoulder.

„I... I just don’t get her, Meg... I mean this—„ He pointed out to me and Brian, „Is everything I want, I could give her it... Piece of cake, just say the word, but no... She turns me down and runs for another guy, so without further a due, I decide to do the same fucking thing!”

„You slept with a dude?”

„What? No,” He took a mouthful, „I decided to spend my evening with a girl who appreciates me and had the legs of a Greek goddess, I mean... whoa...”

„Okay, back to the story loverboy,” I cut in.

„Fine. So what does Bails do? She sees us having a good time and that bitch comes at me. One thing’s for sure, I’m never going to defend her ever again, cause-„ He pointed up to his cheekbone, „- this is a clear sign she can fucking do it herself.” It seemed he’s calming down. „So what about you? Finally Gates having his wicked ways with you?”

„Yeah, I wish...” I heard Brian whisper sarcastically against my skin. Not even looking back at him, I could imagine he was rolling his eyes.

„Haner, you just had a concussion,” I started a tad irritated, „if you wish to get another one and an irreversible brain damage in bonus- by all means.”

„Brain damage?” Matt let his chest tremble as he roared in laughter, „Heck, he’s got plenty of those already, sweetheart.”

„In that case there’s no need to multiply them. It’s hard as it is living with a dumbass.” I smiled innocently looking back at him and his warm browns. He pretended to be hurt. Boohoo.

„You think I’m a dumbass?”

„Oh you have no idea,” I pecked his lips a couple of times, figuring it will work as a trigger of him not being mad at me.

„Somehow I get the idea I’m every possible cuss word, starting with dick and ending with whatever gets through your mind at the time.”

„Yeah... you’re right,” I chuckled, crushing my lips against his, „But you’re my dick.”

„Okay, get a room you two...” I felt a cushion hit my side, which resulted in a chuckle from my side, but as for Brian? He leaned over with me still in his arms, taking the cushion from the ground and throwing it back at Sanders.

„It’s my fucking house, dude... I can do what the hell I want.” Syn laughed, „Right, babe?” His hypnotizing browns narrowed on me, and as much as I wanted to admit he’s the true king of the castle, I mean come on, we all knew that Beyonce song. Who run the world? Girls!

„You really can’t...” I laughed and Matt joined in.

„What?” Syn looked adorably confused.

„You heard the mistress, Gates. Her wish is your command.”

„Meg?”

„Haner, I cleaned the house just yesterday. Try and mess it up, I dare you,” I replied jokingly. He knew how I was about cleaning shit - not my favorite activity, and knowing Syn, I really didn’t want to hire a maid – one with tan skin, long legs and a very daring cleavage.

The doorbell rang.

„Is anyone else joining you?” I asked, my eyes traveling to the hallway.

„If they would, they surely wouldn’t bother by ringing the doorbell.” With a heavy sigh I got up from Brian’s lap and walked over to the hallway. Why do I have to do everything around this house?

„Put on some pants, Twinks!” Matt shouted. What was it with him? Every time he was around he managed to get a glimpse of my underwear. Something wasn’t right in this world.

My hand rested on the doorknob, before taking a moment of figuring out who could it be. I opened the door, instantly being blinded by the bright sun.

„Megan?” A female voice questioned. If the sunlight wouldn’t have made me go blind, maybe my confusion would’ve been a bit smaller, but now – not being able to see and just having to judge by the voice? I had no clue who was here and adressing me. Just as likely it could’ve been the mailman, who happened to be a girl.

„Yes?” My hand shot up to my forehead, shielding my eyes from the blinding sunlight. Wait... As my eyes slowly adjusted to the light, I started observerving the way the person standing in front of me looked like. She seemed somewhat tall, at least a foot taller than me, wearing snow white pants and knee hight beige boots, white top and a sleevless cardigan. Holly mothereffin sh—

„Aren’t you going to invite me in?” I noticed her grin as she pushed her chestnut bangs out of her face. In fact... No, I’m not.

I stepped out on the porch, closing the door behind me and even for a second ignoring the fact that I was wearing only a size too big plain t-shirt. „What the hell are you doing here, Barbara?”

„Baby... That’s no way to greet your mother. Don’t be silly and let me in.” Where’s the fucking catch? Why the hell is she here after all those years?

„You kinda... isty bitsy... stopped being my mother when you fucking kicked me out, remember?” Yeah, sure, I was telling everyone that I moved in with my dad, because I couldn’t get along with my mom, but in all honesty? The real fairytale wasn’t a fairytale at all.

„Now Megan, you know that’s not how it happened,” The smile was gone from her face. She adjusted that black strap of her leather bag on her shoulder.

„Not how it happened? I hitchiked my way from Boston to California for Christ sake! What are you even talking about... not how it happened,” I made an impression of her, and to be completely frank, a darn good one.

„It was fully up to you, no one forced you to leave,” So this was how we were going to play this game, huh? Fine, fucking awesome! Bring it on! „Anyhow, I didn’t come here to argue...”

„Yeah, why did you come here?” I crossed my arms. Just say it... Just tell me you’re here in need of money. I swear I’m going to forget this woman is my mother and slap the shit out of her.

„I was in Los Angeles and I figured to come and congratulate you on your success.” Okay... if I’m getting this right, she’s here to shake my hand and compliment me on my achievments? Nah... That’s not Barbara. She’s here to make my life miserable. Her day wouldn’t be a success if she wouldn’t have made someone feel puny and pathetic. My eyebrow arched in disbelief.

„Oh come on... Even you can do better than that.”

„Fine,” A corner of her plump, crimson lips raised in that infamous half smirk of hers. „I may need something from you.”

Now we’re talking! Even tho I wasn’t going to give a single shit to her, let’s hear where this is going. „And that would be what exactly?”

„Remember Phil?” That... exotic dancer she picked up at one of those... gentlemen clubs? Yeah, I remembered him.

„What about him?”

„Well, I divorced him.”

„You should give me a slight hint when it’s necessary to act like I care.” Cause I really didn’t.

„When did you become so bitter?” She asked. When? Oh, I’ll tell you fucking when. Right when that lousy ex husband of hers showed on our porch and insisted he would be my new step dad. Why didn’t I particularely like him? Cause I never saw my mother since he walked through that front door.

„I’m not bitter, I’m angry. My shrink told me I have an overactive anger switch, but the truth is – people like you just keep pissing me off. So I’ll ask politely- what the fuck do you want?”

She graced me with a patient look. Slight disbelief mirrored in her eyes. What’s there not to believe in? Yes, this was the charming daughter she once gave birth to. And no, I’m not pleased to see her. „Okay, look... I’m in debt and already going through court. Phil tricked me. Megan, I need you to lend me some money.”

Whoa... I so wished I could say I didn’t see this one coming. „You have another child, go and bother him with your problems.”

„He doesn’t have that kind of cash!” She exclaimed, before taking a deep breath and calming down, „Megan, please, do you think I’d come to you if I had anywhere else to go?”

You know... what irritated me the most about this little get together wasn’t her showing up after ten years of not caring or even not giving any sign of her still existing, it was her showing up and demanding something from me. From the daughter she didn’t want to hear anything about and I couldn’t say it wasn’t likewise. „Try hitting the bank, that’s the last I have to say.” I turned around and walked back inside.

„Megan, don’t you dare close that door on me!” I heard her yell, but oops, too late, the door had already slammed shut right in front of her pretty, powdered face.

„Who was that?” Both Matt and Brian were looking at me from their places on the couch. Who was that? A fucking pain in the ass, that’s what that was.

„A beggar asking for change.” I replied simply. Although I was a bit intrigued... If she came to me, what kind of amount was she in need of? Was it... Nah. Not my problem. I didn’t care.

Notes

A small filler. Hope it makes things a bit clearer of Meg's past. :)