Rum and Coke

Without knocking, Ellie entered the King household and dropped her school bag and dance bag.

“Ryan’s in his room,” Aunt Amy called from the kitchen. “Can you tell him that dinner is almost ready?” The red-head with unruly curly hair asked from the door frame. Her hazel eyes were sunken in, accentuating the crow’s feet that lined her eyes.

“Sure thing, Aunt Amy.”

The older woman nodded. “Are you staying the night?”

“More than likely, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course I don’t! Feel free to stay at any time. I cannot thank you and your mother enough for everything-”

Ellie raised her hand to silence the woman. “I know, and don’t worry about it. You don’t have to repay us.”

“Are you-”

“I’m positive. You’ve done enough.”

Finally subdued, the older woman walked back into the kitchen as Ellie headed up the stairs.

Ellie wasn’t surprised to see two naked bodies twisting and tangling on the bed. Ever since his mother’s death, Ryan had picked up the nasty habit of sleeping around and drinking until he had passed out. Ellie, Bailey, and Mark tried helping him out in the beginning, but he would just push them away stating that it was just a phase. It’s been three months, and nothing has changed.

“Ryan Michael Reynolds, I cannot believe that you gave me gonorrhea!” Ellie screamed at the writhing bodies.

The bodies froze.

“Oh, you have it, too? That’s cool.” A high-pitched voice squealed before more rustling ensued.

“Ew, get off,” Ryan grumbled, pushing the blonde off of him. “Grab your clothes and leave.”
The blonde huffed and went about collecting her clothes. Occasionally, she would send Ellie an angry glare.

Ellie just laughed at the blonde’s lack of an intimidating glare.

“What do you have that I don’t?” the blonde asked Ellie as she grabbed her purse.

“I don’t know, maybe the fact that my body isn’t made out of plastic and silicon?” Ellie snapped back.

The blonde huffed and walked out of the door. Once the blonde had left, Ellie walked fully into Ryan’s room and shut the door. She smirked as her non-biological twin grabbed his boxers and shoved them on. “You’re welcome, Ryan,” Ellie annunciated.

Ryan glared over at her. “What exactly am I thanking you for?”

“Oh, you have it too? That’s cool,” Ellie imitated the blonde as she jacked her thumb to the door. “Seriously, did you not even look at that walking STD before you decided to bang her? I’m sorry, but she looks like Barbie would after a semi drove over her a few times. Her face is practically disintegrating. I wonder what would happen if we splashed water on her-”

“Ellie!” Ryan demanded, taking the teenage girl’s face in his large hand. “Shut up, okay? I love you, but you’re so god damn annoying sometimes!” he quickly let go of her and walked into his joined bathroom.

“Ryan, I-”

“No, just, stop. Okay?”

Ellie nodded and jumped up on the counter. She watched as the boy scrambled about, trying to freshen up.

“So…our birthday is next week. What do you want?” Ellie asked nonchalantly as she swung her legs. Any subject, in her opinion, was better than the one that they were on.

“My parents,” Ryan mumbled quickly under his breath before he splashed water on his face.

“What was that?” Ellie asked, acting like she hadn’t heard him.

“Nothing. Don’t get me anything. I’m fine, I promise. What do you want, Ms. Broadway Princess? Let me guess, you have figured out how to close down all New York theatres, make the streets into one gigantic party and your name will be in lights on every billboard!”

Ellie rolled her eyes at the nickname that a critic came up with so many years ago and lightly pushed on his shoulder. She desperately wished that it hadn’t stuck. “First, your name will be up there with mine, and second, that’s for our twenty-first birthday, you doofus.” Ellie said jokingly as she ruffled Ryan’s hair.

He glared at her as he quickly tried to lay his hair flat against his face. It didn’t work out too well. “Ok, seriously, what do you want?” he asked, standing between her legs and leaning over her body so that he could see his reflection in the mirror as he continued to try to flatten his unruly dark hair down.

“I want you to sing again, or at the very least act. You know? Up on the stage. You were so great…so happy…It’s so awkward now with you gone…please? Just once? For me?”

Ryan backed a few steps away from the girl he considered his sister and contemplated her request. “Well then, I guess neither one of us is getting what we want,” he replied softly as he looked her right in the eye.

Ellie let out the breath she didn’t realize that she was holding and slid off the counter. “I guess not,” she replied as she shrugged her shoulders. “Come on, dinner should be ready by now,” she added as she briskly walked past Ryan.

Quickly, he caught her elbow, causing her to stop abruptly. “I’m sorry.”

Ellie didn’t look at him. “I’m sorry, too.”