Page 2 of False Promises

Dahlia giggled, the sweetest melody I’d ever heard. “She thinks you’re too wild for me.” She leaned against me, and I pulled her closer. This was normal for us. Being affectionate with each other. Hugging. We’d always been. “Carter never gets into trouble. And Jeff always comes to pick us up if we wanna leave. I’m sorry. I don’t agree with the rule, but even if I plead my case, she won’t hear me out.” An apologetic grimace stretched her lips.

A fragment of me felt bad that Dahlia couldn’t hang out with her other best friend because I had plans. But Mrs. Ellis was right. Addison Wilde, like her name implied, was a bit crazy sometimes. But she would never hurt Dahlia or do anything stupid that could harm her. Like her twin brother, she was trustable, honest, and caring. She just loved having a good time. Boys, booze, no rules. She always flirted with the forbidden.

“Saturday night, the four of us. Why don’t we make plans?” I proposed. “I can even ask Jeff to drive us somewhere. As a thank you for helping him tonight.”

Addison jumped and clapped her hands. “Oh, that would be awesome. Think he could drive us to Nashville? I heard there’s an outdoor concert this weekend. And I’m sure if we ask Mark nicely, he could get us tickets. The radio station his daddy owns always does giveaways, and Mark once said they get extra tickets for friends and families.”

“That would be amazing,” Dahlia exclaimed, watching me and silently asking if I agreed with it.

I nodded. “Count me in. I’ll deal with my brother. Addi, talk to Mark.”

“Consider it done,” she said. “I’ll keep you updated tomorrow.”

“It’s a plan,” Phoenix said. The bell for the next class rang. “We gotta go. Let’s talk later.” We fist-bumped, and he led his sister away. “Come on, Addi, don’t make us late.”

They turned the corner, and Dahlia stepped away.

“I’ll see you at dinner?” she asked.

“Sure. Let’s meet at my place at five.”

Most Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Dahlia ate at my house. Since our rehearsal space happened to be my garage, it was easier when she was already there, and we could play music before and after dinner on those nights after we attacked our homework. Often, Jeff would sit on the old couch and listen to us, giving us pointers and cheering on us. He was the one always driving us around when we performed. My parents weren’t super invested in my passion, so they usually didn’t follow us wherever we played. It stung. The idea my talent in music wasn’t appealing enough to them. I’d always suspected they preferred my brother to me. Their level of enthusiasm when Jeff did something always surpassed my own achievements and successes.

Dahlia hugged me. “I have arts and a study group right after. I’ll see you later.”

I hugged her back. A couple of seconds longer than usual.

Since Dahlia and I were experts at understanding each other without a word, I wondered why she couldn’t tell I was madly in love with her by now. Was she this clueless, or did the thought that our friendship could evolve into something more, something we both knew nothing about, scare her too?

One day I’d be brave enough to ask her out. On a real date. To her favorite restaurant. And I would write her a song. And kiss her on her front porch.

A hunch told me, no matter what, Dahlia and I would be together forever.

* * *

“Hey, can I come in?” I asked after I knocked on Jeff’s bedroom door. While mine was always a bit messy with clothes thrown on the bed and posters of my favorite music bands hung on the walls along with a couple of my acoustic guitars leaning against the dresser, my brother’s room was neat. With bare charcoal walls, white trims, a navy-blue comforter, and matching curtains, it lacked a personal touch. A stack of dumbbells was kept beside his bed, and a computer stood in the middle of his wall-length desk. Nothing was out of place.

“Sure. How are things going?” he asked.

“Great. Is something wrong? You’re never home, and it’s like you’re avoiding me. Did I do anything to piss you off?”

Since the night he drove the twins, Dahlia, and I to Nashville, Jeff had grown aloof. And I missed my brother. We were inseparable most of the time, always looking out for the other. He once said we were twins born three years apart. And I couldn’t agree more. He gestured for me to sit on his bed as he swiveled his chair to face me.

“Got a lot on my mind. I haven’t picked a college yet, and Mom is on my back about it. She wants me to get a college education before enlisting or doing whatever else I’m supposed to do.”

“What do you want to do?” I asked. The idea of my brother joining the Army awoke a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. His intentions were noble. But the thought of his fighting in another country scared the shit out of me.

“I don’t know. Maybe getting away from here is the right thing to do.” He dropped his head on the desk.

“It can’t be that hard. Pick a college, get Mom and Dad off your back, then take the time to decide.”

“Maybe you’re right. I’m sorry I’ve been distant.”

I breathed in some courage and asked, “Are you serious about the Army stuff, though? I’m not sure it suits you.”

He lifted his head and shrugged. “Yes. No. I’m not sure either. Maybe I could do some good, you know? Change the world or something. It’s not really about the Army, but more about helping people who might need it. Be part of something—”

He didn’t give me time to reply before springing up and grabbing me in a headlock. We both started laughing and tumbled off the bed. With my now six-foot-five height, I towered over my brother by three inches. His shoulders were broader than mine and he was stronger, therefore it compensated for his lack of height.