You're All I Need

RALPH'S POV

I hated grocery stores. Why? Because of the magazines and the televisions and the newspapers and every bit of media being thrown in your face everywhere you turn. I can't even buy some milk without learning who's in love with who or what color panties someone's wearing.

So that's why I was so pissed when I had to go into one with a couple of my friends, who were always trolling the tabloids for pictures of naked women. I stood behind them quietly as we walked down the aisles, buying a ton of alcoholic beverages for our graduation party the next day. And of course the ONE COLLEGE I got a scholarship to was in Los Angeles.

As they picked up a few six packs, they got out their fake I.D.'s. We all made our way to the front of the store when Dave, my best friend since freshman year, stopped and pointed at a couple magazines.

"Hey, Ralph, isn't that your sister?" He asked loudly. I sighed. In comes the disappointment. All the other guys flocked to him and laughed.

"Motley Crue front man Vince Neil released from prison early." He read.

"No, that's not my sister, only someone bearing incredible resemblance."

"Whatever happened to your sister?"

"She went missing." I answered swiftly, peeking at the cover. There was a mug shot, another picture of the mangled car, and, of course, a picture of what I assume was his return party. And in this picture was Imogene giving Vince a lap-dance. I groaned in disgust. Every other magazine had the same story, and the pictures got even more and more scandalous.

Dave grinned at me. "Can we buy this, man?"

"No, we certainly can't." I took it from him and put it back on the shelf. "Let's just go."

I turned on my heel and we purchased our stuff. Once I got home, I picked up the phone and took a deep breath. I punched the numbers in slowly and let it ring.

I was relieved when I heard her answer.

"Imogene? It's Ralph..." I whispered.

"Oh hiiii!" She giggled. "How... uh... how are you?"

"Just fine... yourself?"

She laughed for a few seconds. "Wait, what were you saying? I can't hear you too well!" She started laughing again.

"Um, how are you doing?"

"Oh! I'm just peachy!" She cooed. I heard some rustling.

"Well, good to hear it. Is life pretty great?" I asked.

"Yeah! I'm moving out of Mick's house."

My heart skipped a beat. Her relationship with them was over. "Really? You're moving out? Where are you gonna go?"

"Actually, Vinnie and I just bought an apartment." She announced excitedly. My heart sank. Never mind then.

"Imogene, I have to ask... why haven't you hung up yet?"

"What?" She chuckled. "Why would I hang up?"

"Because you hate me."

"Oh yeah!" She said slowly. "Whatever though, I think I can forgive you enough for one conversation."

"Well, thanks." I smiled and tugged the phone cord. Maybe she wasn't all bad... maybe she was improving. "So what are you up to?"

"Well, actually..." She trailed off. "Wait... what did you say? I just smoked like, 3 joints with Tommy and I'm kinda..."

"Stoned?"

"Pretty much." Okay, maybe she wasn't improving. "Oh, but did I tell you? I found an agency that loves me! So now Vince and I can afford to eat actual food!" She squealed.

"That's great!" I said, overly enthusiastic, even though I wished she would remain poor. Soon enough, the constant moving would get on her nerves and she would get pissed off and come home. But in the back of my mind, I knew that was untrue. Imogene had always been incredibly stubborn and headstrong. She knew what she wanted, and she wasn't stopping to she got it. And I hated that about her. When she still lived here, she always got everything. That's probably why our parents let her drop out of school and move away.

But what really angered me was the fact that her persistence led her to... well, this. The first time talking to my sister in months, and she was high off her ass.

IMOGENE'S POV

"Yeah, it is great." I laughed slowly, glancing at Tommy. He was sprawled on my floor, staring into space. I reached down and poked him.

"Well, I'm happy for you. But uh... I'm heading off to college. In Los Angeles."

"Fuckin' awesome! You could live with me and Vince... maybe. You wanna?" I offered, taking a bottle of vodka from Tommy.

He sighed. "I would, but I already have a roommate at the moment. But I'll visit." He muttered reluctantly. Vince walked in and sat on the bed with me.

"Who are you talking to, babe?" He asked, kissing my neck.

"Ralph. You wanna talk to him?" I giggled.

"Sure, I've got some things I wanna say to him."

"Hey, Ralphie. Vince wants to talk to you." I handed the phone off to Vince, ignoring Ralph's groans of protest. Vince picked up.

VINCE'S POV

"Hey, Ralph." I said calmly. If Imogene was being so calm, then maybe he wasn't being a complete asshole.

"Hello, Vince. Uh, so I heard you and Imogene found a place..." He said awkwardly. I chuckled. Poor attempt at conversation starting.

"Yeah, we did. It's a really cool place, we love it." I replied. He deserved a boring response to that. "But uh, we won't be in it for about a year. We just got a new album done and we need to record it."

Imogene sat up immediately, spilling vodka all over herself. "IT'S DONE? REALLY? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?" She squealed, grabbing my hand.

"It was supposed to be a surprise, but whatever. We're recording next week." I turned my attention back to Ralph. "Then we'll be touring for quite a while and all that good shit... I mean stuff. And a little bird told me you're moving out here..."

"Uh-huh..." He replied slowly.

"So maybe you could do a bit of house-sitting while we're on the road?"

Imogene nudged me, a look of panic on her face. "No! Are you crazy?" She whispered.

I ignored her. "You could live there for free. Free rent's a good thing." I grinned. Imogene raised an eyebrow. She knew I had some kind of plan.

"Well, I guess so." He agreed.

I smiled triumphantly. "So when do you get here?"

"A month." He said quietly.

"You gonna be here for Imogene's birthday?" My eyes widened and I saw another opportunity to corrupt him. Imogene was smiling, too, as if she could read my mind. Yes, I am an asshole.

"I think so."

"Well, great, see you then." I smiled deviously over at her as I hung up. She giggled and put her arms around me.

"What are you gonna do? You know, he told me he already has a roommate." She asked, twisting my hair around her finger.

"Well, he never mentioned his roommate during my chat wit him. And you're just gonna have to wait and see."

TOMMY'S POV

Dude. So fucking hungry.