A Night With My Stepbrother

corner of the bar for the third time. The dim neon light over the liquor shelf flicker

hard we scrub?" Jenna muttered, tossing her rag over

someone had jammed under the leg of a barstool. "At least i

er, hand on her

nal clink of glass were the only sounds in the otherwise empty place. The bar had closed

beat, tilting her head. "You've

t even realized she was d

bo

igh. "Rent. My dad. Life. Do

tarted wiping the sticky surface of the bar

an eyebrow. "W

glanced at her and gri

standing to rinse her cloth at the

ittering in her eyes. "You know Lana? The redhead who us

dded slow

b in the city. And girl..." Jenna leaned in like she was abou

ked. "Two

d she said the club's exclusive, clea

. "Okay, and what does t

t. Try it out. If it's weird, we leave. But imag

ervous, almost defensive. "You know me. I-I can

"It's not sleazy. You set your boundarie

the rising tuition letter sitting unopened in her drawer, and the si

now," she

a whole year. And hey-" she nudged Isabel's arm-"we'll treat it like a celebration. High school's over. We're nin

er a long, sk

g yourself working double shifts all month.

was si

Jenna barely caught it, "We

hicken out, I'll cover for you. Just

and something like adrenaline risi

egret this! Okay, okay-we need outfits. Something sex

was smiling despite herself. "

at change

ng around them like a second skin. Jenna had already pulled her phone out, tapp

ten," she said. "Not the cheap kind,

I'll never wear again," Isabel mutte

off. "You'll t

k mannequins draped in glitter and satin. Isabel hesitated at the

oks expensive,

hip. "Expensive men like expensive t

hing. Isabel ran her fingers over a rack of slinky dresses-deep red, midnight b

two hangers.

ss, her mouth falling open.

nt." Jenna wink

ay. The curtain swished closed behind her, and for a lon

t the knees. She didn't look like someone who belonged in a gentlema

, then peeled

emerald green, with thin straps and a plunging neckli

s widened.

bel asked, tugg

ected. "You're going to s

or, brushing her hair off her

t she's worth." Jenna handed her a p

wobbling for a second be

my ankle," she said,

it," Je

threatened to kill their arches, and lipsticks in shades they'd never dared to wear. Isabel finally

na insisted on s

re rolling in tips," she said,

er their bare shoulders as they climbed into Jenna's car. Isabe

bout this?"

e engine. "No. B

d faintly. "

thing,

d her eyes briefly, letting the music and movement lull her. She could still feel the way t

t stepping out of

from home when Isabel's

assmate or a meme from Jenna. Instead, her fingers fr

a

t, she coul

nce he left that voicemail she never replied to

d over at he

een like it might bite h

er the green icon. Then t

issed

t a red light.

bel said, her

sabel looked down at the screen again. One missed call,

didn't

o go back?" sh

" she said finally. "L

hair like it was watching her. The bag from the boutique s

screen reflecting the ceiling light.

n things got hard-after Mom died, after the bills piled up, after promises broke under their own weight. When he finally resurfaced, it

to believe

ot to care i

apped at

e called,

ad in. "Hey, I'm making s

anks. I

rrowing just slightly. Isabel knew that look. I

u s

just

lright. Nig

abel leaned back against

c felt smooth, heavy with intention. She held it up

wasn'

that was

tbooks. She wouldn't be the daughter waiting for a call that might never

. She looked older in it. Stronge

ne buzz

nn

You looked 🔥🔥🔥 in it.

ed her lips before

ed back

ab

ip in those heels,

nn

east you'll fal

ed through

oicemai

ed at th

e, she didn'