Flash of Violet

Tom walked out of his bedroom, holding his stomach and grimacing against the pain. His eyes were still clamped shut, as he didn't want the sun stabbing holes in his retinas. He stopped abruptly as he heard Matt and Oli talking in the kitchen. It was rare for Oli to be up so early in the morning, so he was aware that something was going on.

"Yeh can't keep doin' this, Ols. Yeh've turned into a major arse. Yer treatin' Tom like shit, just 'cause yer upset about Amanda," Matt paused, easing onto Oliver's soft ground, "It's not 'is fault, yeh know."

"I fuckin' know Matt."

"Well, then what the fuck are yeh doin'?"

Tom bit his tongue as Matt's voice raised. He knew that Matt was done fucking around with Oli. Everyone would play games with Oliver, even if they knew they were going to lose. But, Matt was done playing by Oli's rules.

"I dunno Matt," Oli snapped back, then letting his voice soften, "Everythin's gone teh shit lately. Amanda left, I can't think at all. I can't write anythin', I can't work on new designs fer Drop Dead, and I 'ave no patience teh ask Tom teh 'elp." He paused, letting his empty shot class clink against the unopened vodka he'd pulled out, "I 'ardly think Tom would wanna 'elp meh anyways, I can't even treat 'im right… Not unless 'm drinkin'. Even then, it doesn't matter, 'cause I don't even know what 'm sayin'."

"Well," Matt coughed into his hand, looking away from Oli, "Do yeh think yeh've got a problem?"

Tom caught his toe on the door frame, pausing in the middle of the hall way. He bit his lip and forced his stomach away from his throat, wanting to hear what Oli was saying.

"No, I don't think so." He paused, "I mean, I dunno. I just miss Amanda, alright? And I can't think of a reason why she left."

Tom wanted to badly to run into the kitchen and scream at Oli. He wanted Oli to know what a piece of shit failure he had turned into since Amanda was gone. He really wanted to just yell in his face, hit him a couple times, tell him that his music was horrible, his lyrics were pointless, Drop Dead was a waste of time. He wanted Oli to feel like he always did.

Then he heard Oli's voice break, "I dunno what the fuck I did Matt. I feel like I fucked up the only good thing in meh life." He paused, "And for once, I dunno why."

Tom felt his heart drop into the pits of his stomach. He no longer hated Oli. He wanted to run into the kitchen and tell his brother everything was going to be alright. But, the rumbling in his stomach and the rising bile in his throat carried him to the toilet instead. He managed to close the door behind him and turn on the sink before he kneeled down and threw his arms over the toilet bowl.

"Yeh didn't do anything wrong," Matt sighed, just as much oblivious to the fact that Tom was in the bathroom losing his stomach as Oli was, "She just left. It ain't yeh're fault. It ain't anyone's fault."

"I just don't get it."

"Well, maybe yeh should knock off the partyin' fer a while, yeah? I was thinkin', meh, yeh, and Tom could go bowlin' with Case and Violet later?" He paused, "It'll take yer mind off drinkin' fer a while."

Oli looked up at Matt, biting his thumb nail, "I dunno Matt."

"Aye, come on. A couple games won't kill yeh. I'll pay."

Suddenly, the toilet flushed and the sink in the bathroom turned off. Matt made a disgusted face as he heard Tom gag loudly and the splash of vomit against the sink.

"Aye, Ols. Tom ain't drinkin', is 'e?"

"No, I dunno what the 'ell is wrong with 'im."

Oli jumped off his stool and started towards the bathroom, while Matt remained at the table. Tom pulled the door open and staggered out, his face missing color.

"All right?"

Tom nodded weakly.

"Top o' the mornin' teh yeh!" Matt laughed.

"Piss off." He muttered, "What the 'ell are yeh doin' 'ere so early anyways?"

"I came to invite yeh and Ols teh go bowlin' with meh, but it looks like yer gonna be stuck at 'ome today, yeah?"

Tom rolled his eyes at Matt and filled a glass with water, taking cautious sips of it while he watched Oli.

"Who are yeh goin' with?"

"Casey." Matt paused.

Oli interjected quickly, "And 'er cute lil friend."

If Tom's face wasn't already green, it certainly turned it as he became envious of Oli for being able to go, "Well yeh know, 'm sure I'll be fine."

"What, just mornin' sickness?" Matt grinned, "Yeh pregnant er somethin'? No way Tom, yer sick."

"But I'll be fine in--"

"Yer sick Tom." Oli snapped.

Tom lifted the glass of water to his mouth to keep himself from lashing out on Oli. As far as Oli knew, Tom hadn't heard the conversation about Amanda, and he didn't know how weak Oli really felt. He figured one day out bowling wasn't going to secure a marriage certificate. And Oli hooking up with Violet was better than Tom showing up and yacking all over the place.

"Right well," Matt said, rubbing his hands together for noise, "What do yeh think I should do about Casey, Tom?"

"I dunno." He shrugged, his stomach still shifting uneasily.

"I still think yeh should just bone 'er." Oli smirked.

"Aye, but she's not one of them birds."

"Obviously she is. She tried sleepin' with yeh on 'alloween. In meh 'ouse!"

"She just needs someone teh treat 'er right." Matt said, "I want teh make 'er 'appy, yeh know?"

"Yeh 'ardly know 'er!" Oli almost shrieked, standing up, "Besides that, no matter how well yeh treat a bird, she won't give a shit."

Tom and Matt both watched as Oli filed out of the room and walked down the hall way into his bedroom, most likely going to get dressed so he could go bowling, and leave Tom by himself. Tom dumped his glass of water down the drain and then refilled it, doing his best not to jostle around the contents in his stomach too much.

"So, yer goin' bowlin' with Casey and Violet?"

Matt nodded, "Sucks yeh can't go."

Tom shrugged, "I'd rather yeh take Ols. Beats lettin' 'im sit at 'ome and get wasted."

Matt nodded, "Guess so. But I know yeh've got yer eyes on that bird."

Tom blushed, "Aye, she was right cute. I won't lie."

"She is pretty. Both of 'em are."

Tom said nothing else. His stomach was still upset. From being sick or mad, he wasn't sure. He knew he didn't stand a chance against Oli. He never had. Oli always had better talents than him. Sure, Tom could take a good picture, but Oli could make a whole crowd go nuts. Tom had gorgeous eyes, but Oli had perfect hair. Tom could land a trick on his skate board, but Oli could jump off a drum riser.

It was pointless. Oli was better than Tom. Tom knew that.

He slammed his empty glass of water on the counter before spinning around and letting it fall from his mouth back into the sink once more. He leaned over and pressed his forehead against the window, hating himself more than he ever hated Oli.

-------------------------

Oli followed Matt out the front door, saying good bye to Tom, who was laying on the couch with a package of Saltine crackers that Oli just had to give to him. He was wrapped securely in blankets, a bucket by his side and the remote clutched angrily in his pale hand as his brother headed out to nab the girl he'd had his eyes on since Halloween.

"Aye, Tom looked proper disappointed." Matt said, kicking a rock into the gutter as him and Oli waited for the bus.

"Yeah, I know. I feel bad 'bout leavin' 'im at 'ome."

"'e wanted teh see Violet."

Oli grinned, "I could tell he was after 'er."

"Tom always goes after birds like that." Matt said, paying the bus toll and sitting down.

Oli sat down beside him, looking past Matt and out the window, "Like what?"

"The ones that are always floatin' 'round. Yeh know, the loners."

"Yeah, 'e definitely does."

Oli sighed loudly, thinking maybe that was his problem. Maybe if he went after girls who were less known, girls who weren't screaming for attention, or girls who weren't professional models, they'd stick around.

Matt cleared his throat, knowing he had to make Oli aware before they made it to the alley, "Casey wants yeh and Violet teh 'ook up."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, she thinks Violet needs someone, a bit of a trouble maker in her life. Teh make things more excitin', I guess."

Oli chuckled lightly, nervously and leaned back in his seat, thinking about Tom.

"Well, we'll 'ave teh see 'bout that, won't we?"