Last Year of Seventeen

rother. We always get a free pass and a VIP Lounge in an area that overlooks the entire place. We get dibs on the fines

provided. Nothing hard and dangerous. And Altair always

ive ego could only chase them away. It was painful to watch him. I guess that's why he accepted the deal. He's in

ld be done in private. I still wonder when they started to transition from being

Papa– our usual starter, and Dove invit

" she said, a clear jab

re, but hey, whatev

ally, "How can she

ame thing when you're kissing me. Y

just say it's the fourth girl who just told him she has a boyfriend and quickly skidded away. From the looks of it she definitely didn't have a bo

"Oh poor boy" she exclaimed. "Why do

we made the bet did I figure he

t even bad looking. He just needs a change in–" she stopped to ponder what makes Theo so unappealing. We both kn

up the same hobbies and the same worries– she with Raven and I with Theo. We have so many things in common, it's not impossible for anyone to think we match. But something just doesn't feel right with Dove, at least with me. For a while, I kept telling myself that it's because we've

ed and a bit annoyed. Nothing out of the usual

her. When in reality it's Theo who's the older one by eight months. And this is the main reason why Dove thought Theo was joking when he asked her out when we were fifteen. She couldn't be convince

s just as lost as I am. And I kept him around because he did make me feel better about myself. He was weird and gawky and I was cool and c

r a bit and Theo excitedly told him about the bet. Altair was actually curious about it and even teased me about how it usually becomes real i

ay? I haven't seen or heard

now? He banished our family as m

in the mood, I answer. But most of the time, I don't. H

dn't ponder how he could have left everything behind. Especially you. He's alwa

ore taking three shots of t

apped my back. Laughing, he

. Altair being the oldest and kind of our acting guardian demanded us to go home when he found Raven on the bathroom floor puking her guts out. He even chastised Dove for leaving her sister on her own when she was supposed to watch her alcoh

d. There was school tomorrow and I was tired. Raven from inside the car shouted, her words tumbling ove

s! You reek of vomit and I hate you so

, to which she agreed. She gave me a

ister?" I heard Raven cry before th

o home was on me. Arlo, who had awoken by this time but was still in no

as we drove past the freeway. "I'm not

He's the coach of the Academy's Baseball Team and he is hell-bent on getting Arlo into the big leagues. Anything less

made me do this morning. I almost puked. And just thinking about my schedu

y common during game season that we barely

my last hurrah. I be

might m

She's very understanding. We did

k and he backped

, we want everything t

are 'togethe

m blush, "We want the labels, not t

nt to offend, Arlo actual

what exactly

s. But of opposite poles. Still made of the same ma

ow we are. Who would have thought Arlo can actually make good metaphors? I found

aven's not Dove and you are definitel

ever pull off being as unattached a

s less. After dropping off Arlo, I drove to Theo's place which was just a few blocks aw

of the playground, a street away from my own house with gates higher than eyes can reach, making it feel more like a prison than a home. I can feel the effects of the night finally settling in my bones. My feet are throbbing, my stomach grumbling, my fingers

ached, all the things I thought I wanted to be. The line between who I thought I am and who my friends believe I am, are all a messy blur and I ca

ng. My car felt cramped, and my skin felt tight and w

m playing, I liked play-falling-in-love with her the most. But it was three in the morning and she might be sleeping so I wondered why I even bothered.

el

t the world has r