Big Brother Next Door (closed for georgerb)

Jaime managed to avoid her brother the better part of the next couple of days, yet realized quickly that she had no real friends yet in this new town, little access to money, and a low tolerance for boredom. Derek had quit returning her messages, which was fine, but suddenly she was not only confused, but also alone. She wandered down to a local wine bar around 4:30pm, hoping to find something or someone interesting at happy hour. There, she found another table full of girls, a couple of quite old men, much older than even she would go for, and a rather bland array of appetizers at the nearby food bar. She looked cute in a yellow sundress that just came to her mid thigh, with her golden hair teased out and wavy, and a long necklace draped down her front, nearly to the middle of her stomach, all coupled with a pair of black high heels. She fingered her phone, wondering if she should type anything at all, knowing she probably shouldn't. After another drink, her second, she felt her courage come back with the idea that what they had done had not been that bad. He was still, after all, her brother. Surely things could return to normal. She picked up the phone once more, this time, typing out a message and hitting send. She smirked, realizing the double entendre, which she had not actually meant.

On the other end, and on Josh's phone, the message arrived forthwith.

I'm at Newmar's for Happy Hour, if you want to come.

As Josh was just heading home, his phone signaled a text. Absently looking at it, and thinking who could be contacting him at this hour...not what was normal for the regulars.

Jaime.

And a small smile displayed in disregard to his thoughts of if he should. Wars are won with small battles. And despite the temptation everyday to just knock on her door or use the key to enter over the last few days, he felt the right decision had been made to let her see reality and experience it.

He entered Newman's slowly, scanning the room. She stood out on anyone's initial glance. And in a yellow outfit that so enhanced her beauty. And triggered impulses in him.

Slowly walking up behind her, placing his hand on her chair, not wanting to startle her with a direct touch as needed as that was.

"Can I twist your arm into another drink and dinner, lovely one?"

Jaime gave a demure smile as she turned to see her brother over her shoulder.

"Sure," she said, without hesitation. "You don't have to twist my arm." She felt silly. She felt like such a stupid little girl. She didn't know how to feel around Josh after what had happened. It certainly had not been normal. He was, after all, her brother. That fact was never going to change. At the same time, she felt something different, and she wondered if she would have felt that for another guy. To date, the guys she had been with had largely been boys her own age, or men who had no real concern for her. And though they had fought in the past, as siblings do, she loved her brother and knew that he loved her. Perhaps what she was feeling was as much some enamor as it was shame. But she heard her tone creep higher, her voice coming from her throat and not her lungs, and she felt as young as she sounded, the way she had on her first valentine's day at school when she wanted badly to give cards and candy to boys she liked, but was anxious and scared she would be rejected. She prayed silently that her brother would not launch into greater meanings, planning futures, or even having any big discussions. If he could enjoy her company, as he might any girl he was with in public, if he could just treat her like a girl who he liked....she felt like she could even see herself not just fucking him....but being with him. Their parents lived in another state. They had no family here and she had no friends here. Nobody would have to know. It was up to him to act normal. If he couldn't handle it, nothing else had to happen. They could just have drinks and she could end things. But if he could be a man, and if he could act like he would with any pretty girl....then things could be so, so much different, and what had happened before could simply be the start of something incredible.

Josh gleamed with happiness, stepping back, then holding out his arm for her to take hold of. And hoping for a glimpse of her upper legs as she slid off the stool. And her young voice echoing memories of their years together.

"There's a great Italian place just around the corner....the freshest breadsticks and lasagna to die for."

His chest seemed to puff up as he escorted her to the door, noticing heads turning to admire a couple. No knowledge of their hidden connection. And no need to advertise it.

"You make that yellow dress even more brilliant, Jaime."

Jaime rolled her eyes as she looked away. She had invited him here and already he wanted to just up and leave. It had to be a fancy Italian place and complements about her dress. Regardless, she went with him, finding the restaurant they went to to be charming and quite nice. They sat down and were given two glasses of water before she ordered a Moscato and waited for the waitress to take Josh's order. When she walked away, she took a moment to express some thoughts she had been having.

"What is wrong with you?" She asked, trying hard not to be accusatory. "Would you treat the waitress like this?" She continued. "She's cute....let's say you had fucked her already," she didn't worry if she was being a bit too loud, though quickly lowered her voice. "Would you treat her like this?" She didn't wait for an answer and she reached over the table and took her brother's hands in her own. "Look....Josh," she said. "You're my brother and I love you. And I'm not sure about what we did, but...." she paused to consider whether to continue. "I liked it." She watched his eyes for any response. "I'm not opposed to doing.....that....again." She waited again. "But I'm a normal girl, just like anyone else. I invited you to happy hour and you couldn't just come, pull up a seat beside me, and have a good time...it has to be a big presentation about the best breadsticks and a brilliant yellow dress." She pulled back, placing her hands in her lap long enough for the waitress to set the drinks on the table. She looked up to face him again and wiped a tear from her eye. "The situation is already weird, okay?" She said. "And you're making it weirder." She lowered her voice again. "If you can just be cool...just treat me like a cute neighbor in the apartment complex or something," she took a sip of her drink. "Then maybe something else can happen. But I'm afraid it's just going to be awkward and this," she motioned to him and the table and drinks and fancy atmosphere. "This is awkward." She took another drink. "I'm sorry."

Josh listened intently to her words, stunned at some of them. He held hands with her
and that tingle was there with just an innocent touch.

"Nothing is wrong with me, and to be honest, I could ask the same question of you." He paused, took a sip of water, "It's not a big presentation. Newman's has a crappy appetizer bar and this place is nice without watered down drinks nor getting hit on every two minutes by the crowd that goes there."

He watched her for a moment as she sipped at her drink, then continued, "And to answer your question, yes, I'd take the recently fucked waitress here. And I do have a cute neighbor named Jaime.

I'm not making it weird....your being treated like you should be....like I believe your past relationships didn't do." He glanced away thinking of things their Mom had said.
Returning to face her, "I don't consider what we did as a one night stand in the least, Jaime. Wrong..maybe.....to some...even you and I are trying to find ways to handle it. We both need time to learn about one another."

"There's no simple answer Jaime, this is uncharted for both of us."

She listened to her brother and though she felt like he didn't necessarily get it still, she also did not feel like he wasn't trying. At the same time, she was only 18. Part of her liked the attention of being just a cute girl, who enjoyed watered down drinks for $1.25 and being flirted with by guys knowing she could pick any one or none at all. It wasn't about him taking her here, as he said. It was about thinking of relationships, as he had also said, that was also the problem. Most guys their age, if she had suggested the "R" word, they would have fled and she might have been hurt. But that's not where she was either. She wanted fun. She wanted to feel good. She didn't need a knight in shining armor to treat her the way her other relationships hadn't. Sometimes a girl just wanted to be taken and played with buy a strong guy with nice eyes in ways they never had that made their toes curl and their thighs quiver. She chose to be more clear.

"Well I don't consider what we did in terms of more than that," she said. "I don't want a relationship." she told Josh. "If you can handle that," she continued. "Then we can see what happens." She watched his eyes for any reaction. "But if you want a lot more, then I can't and this has to never happen again." She sat in silence for a moment. "Look, Josh," she paused. "Don't treat me any different than you always have. I'm just your sister. That's the guy I know and like. And that's the guy I might sleep with again."

A small smile crossed his face, just a hint as he listened to her. She changed the reason with what upset her as she talked, but that's okay. What 18 year old didn't?

"I am not looking for a relationship at all. Just being your big brother. And maybe opening your eyes to a world that exists that you probably haven't thought of or explored."

He finished his drink remembering his first few months at school and the wildness...all fun, but soon becoming just repetitive and a boring game with little substance.

"You also what to be taken at times, without consent and see what happens. And you know that deep down. You state a lot of what you don't want, but little about what you do want except generalities."

Without consent? She thought. She shivered at the idea and felt herself grow wet. He wouldn't do that? Would he? She thought about the very feelings beneath the idea that she had never fully let herself indulge. No girl wanted to be raped. But the idea of her brother commanding her, making her be his little sister in that........way...the idea bothered her as much for its appeal as for its horror. She listened in silence as he spoke, as he out and out challenged her. And she agreed that being more clear should not mean being simply less exclusive. She agreed that she should be clear with him.

"Friends with benefits," she said, careful not to raise her voice so that others could hear. She looked around as if their parents would be nearby, ready to judge her and punish her. She realized they weren't and would not be. "If something more develops," she paused. "Then we'll see what that is if it happens." She sipped her drink and watched his face before saying more. "But I also want you to stop acting like you're god's gift," she gauged his reaction more. "I get it....you're a guy...you've been inside a girl. It's not rocket science. I'm only 18, but you're not creating the wheel....stop with this 'opening my eyes to a world that blah blah blah.'" She looked him up and down. "What is that??" She was careful not to be too accusatory. And she wanted him a bit annoyed and a bit ready to punish her....just a bit. "I promise that you are not doing anything to any girl that some guy sometime hasn't done already." She took another drink. "Just be a guy who has fun and who likes to get me off and get off with me and have fun when you're not doing that." She gave a bit of a coy pout and batted her eyelashes. "Can you do that?"

He chuckled inside over her "God's gift" comment.

"It's not the physical impact as much as the mental impact Jaime. It's not what is done, as much as how it's done. And with who and others. Being taking is as much about as giving."

He signaled the waitress for another round, enjoying their banter and sparring.

"Admit it, my words are exciting your thoughts. But we are butting heads over who is in control. Your inquisitive about what i mean and desire that unknown. And as I know, you desire that push and control...even if it overrides your current freedom of choice."

He paused as he sipped a re-fill.

"our parents aren't here...part of what excites you...but I can give you some paths to choose. And the pleasure that goes with them."