Big Brother.

When she was ten, and Alex was eighteen, he left to actually make something of his band. Of course, he still lived at home, but he wasn’t there too often.

Alison got expelled from her elementary school, for beating up a boy who pulled on her pigtails one too many times. Because of that behavior, her parents sent her to a boarding school until she started high school.

In that four year span, Alex and Alison saw each other only on holidays like Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.

Since they barely saw each other, they didn’t know anything about each other. What their favorite foods are. What their favorite colors are. Hell, they barely remembered each other’s birthdays.

Alex laid awake thinking about that on that first night. She was his own sister, and he didn’t even know her birthday.

He should have been her best guy friend. He should have had the relationship where he knew everything there was to know about her. That’s the older brother he was supposed to be. Not the one who barely saw his sister because they were never both home at the same time.

He sighed, and threw the covers off his body, and walked into the kitchen in a pair of boxers. When he flicked on the light, he almost had a heart attack. And then, he almost had another.

The first almost heart attack was brought on by seeing Alison in the kitchen when he thought she was asleep. The second was from what she was wearing. “Jesus Alison, you almost gave me a heart attack. And, you are never wearing those clothes again.” He said.

She rolled her eyes, and put another spoon full of Cookie Crisp in her mouth. “What’s up?”

“Couldn’t sleep, you?” He replied, getting his own bowl, and taking the box of cereal from in front of her, pouring him his own midnight snack.

“Same,” Her eyes cast downward, and there was something she wanted to say. “Big brother?”

She hadn’t called him that since she was six, and he was surprised that she remembered it. “Yes?”

“Why us? What did we do? I mean, I know we’ve both done some fucked up shit,” She glanced up at him to make sure that he wouldn’t yell at her for her use of foul language, “But, really, was the shit that we did in the past enough to make us both have to pay? Wasn't it enough to have Daniel taken from us?" Alex sucked in a breath. She was so young when Daniel passed away, but it appeared she missed him just as much as Alex did. "And why did it have to be both of them?” A tear slipped down her cheek, and she rubbed it away.

Truth be told, Alex had thought the same things, but never voiced them to her. “It’s nothing either of us did baby, God just wanted them up in Heaven.” He said, repeating the same thing that Jack had said when he had guessed his best friends thoughts.

“If that’s the case then God can suck dick.” She muttered, throwing the rest of her food away. She turned to go up the stairs, but stopped in the door way of the kitchen. “Big brother?” She asked again, as she turned around, her face stained with tears. “Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?” Her voice was quiet; almost as if she was afraid he would say no. However, he got up, abandoning his bowl and turning off the kitchen light.

“Yeah, little sister, I will.”
-
“How’s she doing?” Jack asked, sitting on the sofa in Alex’s house, a beer in his hand.

Alex shrugged. “She had a breakdown last night, basically told God to suck dick, then had me stay with he until she cried herself to sleep.”

“Did she really tell God to suck dick?”

“I believe her exact words were ‘If that’s the case then God can suck dick.’”

Jack chuckled. “Give her time. She’ll get better, but, both of you guys just lost your parents, you can’t expect her to be perfectly fine so soon afterwards,” He trailed off. “We were all wondering how you’re doing to, I mean, not only did you lose your parents, but you had to basically become a father. To a girl. To a teenage girl.”

Alex had never thought of it that way. It had only been a week since she moved in with him, but, he technically was her father figure now, not just the cool big brother. He had to keep her in line, make sure she didn’t get into any more trouble at school.

“Shit.” He said, his eyes opening wide.

“What?” Jack asked, slightly worried.

“She needs to get enrolled in school. Like, now. Fuck. What are we going to do when we tour? She’ll have to come with us. I need to get down to the high school. Will you stay with her until I get back?” He asked, standing up, and grabbing his car keys.

He ran out the door, Jack following behind him. “Alex!”

“What?” He snapped, turning around on his sidewalk.

“Today’s Sunday. Nobody will be there.”