Time: Immediately after the Epilogue / Kinsey: Age 23 / Post-YIM
Rating: Fun For All
“You’re not living here,” Kinsey told Brenna definitively.
“It’s only until I can find my own place,” Brenna explained.
“You’re not living here,” Kinsey repeated.
“It’s temporary!”
“You’re not living here.”
“But Kinsey!”
“You’re still not living here,” Kinsey shrugged, leaning back in her chair at the kitchen table and taking a long sip of her beer. The guys were also sitting at the table looking thoroughly amused by the entire exchange.
“So, what? You’re just throwing me out? I’m supposed to go live on the street?” Brenna blanched dramatically. Kinsey released the bottle from her lips and set it down with a loud clank.
“Well, you showed up here unannounced. And no, that bullshit little text you sent me doesn’t count as warning. You have no furniture and you’re enrolling in college here. I’m sure they can find some social deviant or drug addict for you to shack up with until the end of the semester.”
“But I’m your sister!”
“And how are you going to pay rent?” Kinsey asked, mocking Brenna’s incredulous tone. Brenna obviously hadn’t thought that one through.
“But I don’t have anywhere else to go,” Brenna said, her voice much softer now.
“Sure you do. A plane back to Tulsa,” Kinsey said, and continued when Brenna opened her mouth to protest, “Have you even applied to NYU? Does the University of Oklahoma even know you left? Do Mom and Dad know you’re here?”
“Yes, yes, and… no,” Brenna said, “They know I’m transferring, they just don’t know that I don’t have anywhere to live.”
“I’m calling them,” Kinsey said, picking up her cell phone and pressing the button for speed dial. She ignored the annoying sensation as Brenna first tried slapping her arm and then tried to start pulling the phone from her grip. “Oh hey Mom! Yeah, I know it’s late. Guess who just showed up on our doorstep? Brenna! She hopped a plane with all of her savings and came here insisting that I let her stay here because while she lined up transferring to NYU, she couldn’t exactly get a room there.” Kinsey sat there with a smug smile on her face while her mother shrieked into the phone, a sound that reached the other three inhabitants of the table. Brenna’s mouth drooped into a frown and she slumped back in her chair, but not before she stole Zac’s beer and took a sip.
“Are you serious, Mom?” Kinsey asked, now sounding frustrated, “This is so not cool! I don’t care if she’s my sister, she didn’t ask, she just showed up! Ugh, fine. No, it’s fine. Just, take care of it quickly, please.”
“What did she say?” Taylor asked, giving Brenna a dirty look across the table since she’d obviously discerned that she’s gotten her way and was now looking very satisfied with herself.
“She asked if we could let Brenna stay here while they deal with NYU to find her housing. She also said that if it takes longer than two weeks, I have permission to toss your ass to a hotel,” Kinsey said, turning her focus to Brenna.
“Two weeks? That sounds just fine,” Brenna smiled, “Thanks a lot, guys. I really appreciate it.”
“You’re not fooling anyone at this table, Brenna. We all know why you’re here,” Kinsey told her, rolling her eyes as Zac shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Brenna replied innocently, “But I’m exhausted. Do you guys still have that air mattress laying around?”
“I’ll go get it,” Zac grumbled. Brenna stood and breezed from the room to collect her overnight bag.
“Make sure the bed’s the only thing that gets blown up there, all right?” Taylor asked. Zac’s face turned red and he followed after Brenna.
“This is not good,” Kinsey sighed, “If you think that tonight is the only time we’ll get interrupted when she’s here, you’re wrong, Mister!” She sat there and remembered the truly wonderful sexcapades they’d been in the middle of when Brenna had started pounding on Taylor’s door to declare her arrival.
“If she and Zac reproduce, that will be the most spastic child in human history,” Taylor replied. Kinsey slapped his arm hard.
“Don’t even say things like that,” Kinsey said, twisting her body to put her feet up in his lap.
“It’s only two weeks,” Taylor reassured her.
“Two weeks…” Kinsey scoffed, knowing that if she could survive the fortnight, she could survive anything.