Kill Me With Words

"Really, I'm..." Marcus stared down at the broken glass on the floor. He cut his hand when he smashed the beer bottle into the counter when his anger got the best of him.

Beth's dad put a hand on his shoulder. "I said it's okay, son. Don't worry about it." His white teeth shown through his burly beard. "I gotta get you kids back now, anyway." He shook the incident off like it was nothing. "I'll clean up when I get home.

Marcus could feel the guilt of his anger rise through his body. Just because he was angry at his father for walking out on him didn't mean he had to take that anger out on the only man he had ever been able to consider his father.

Marcus had just turned eighteen a week ago and already is mother was trying to push him out of the house and get him to find a job and get an apartment of his own.

"Ma, what do you expect me to do? I have no diploma, no GED, no college degree, and I just turned 18 last week." Marcus complained.

"I don't know, Marcus." His mom snapped back at him, causing his younger sister to cower in fear behind his strong build. She swung her glittered purse over her shoulder and popped her gum as she strutted in her tall heels towards the door, her breasts spilling over her too tight top. "Figure somethin' out."

Marcus rolled his eye as his mom walked out of the house in her literal stripper heels and slinky skirt. His mom had resorted to exotic dancing at nights to help pay bills since it was the only way she could earn fast cash aside from her day waitressing job.

The door slammed shut behind her and his sister, Jessie, ran up to the window to watch their mom's car back out of the driveway and zoom down the neighborhood street. She turned back to Marcus and gave him a devious grin. "So..." She lead on.

"You look like you're up to something." Marcus noticed, and dodged at his younger sister trying to tickle her in all the places he knew she would squirm.

"Stop!" She cried as she giggled and fought back against him. Marcus backed off and Jessie caught her breath. "So, I have a date tonight! Can I go?"

"A date?" Marcus asked. "With you? One of your friends?"

"No, like a boy, Marcus." He hit his arm playfully.

"Jessie, you're fourteen years old! You can't be dating yet." Marcus said as he tried to send her up to her room.

She refused to budge. "But I already told him I would go out with him tonight! I knew mom would be going to work and you would be taking care of me. C'mon, Marcus, you're supposed to be the cool brother." She pouted, folding her arms across her chest.

Marcus observed the way she pouted and sulked. He knew she would keep this up all night if he didn't let her go. Besides, he thought, nothing too bad could possibly happen to her. Everyone at her high school knew who he was. He was Marcus Sintori, the classic high school bad boy who dropped out during his junior year. No one would mess with his little sister if they knew they'd have to go through him first.

His face softened. "Alright." He agreed. "But please be home by eleven. And I want you to take my phone in case anything happens and you need me. Okay?"

"Yay, Marcus thank you!" She hugged her brother but he refused to reciprocate. He didn't like when people touched him, not even his own sister. "Sorry..." She pulled back. "I know you don't like hugs."

Marcus shook his head. "It's fine." He smiled at her but behind his smile he wasn't sure it was all going to be fine. And his instinct was right.