Every weekend was the same thing, only the location changed depending upon whose parents were out of town. I satisfied myself with a rude hand gesture and took the stairs to the basement where the real party was underway.Д¬all me immature вЂ“ my brother already had a half-dozen times that afternoon вЂ“ but I didnвЂ™t want to be at the SonsвЂ™ party in the first place. вЂњYou would if you thought it would piss off the right people,вЂќ he muttered as he left in the same direction as my companions. I watched as the others followed the older boyвЂ™s directions deeper into the house, but the way he stared down his nose at me made it clear my invitation didnвЂ™t extend that far. The camaraderie we shared on the front lawn was gone. We were still exchanging random verbal and physical jabs as we walked past the older teen and into the blessed heat, but the air between the four of us began to turn chilly as we crossed the threshold. вЂњSomeone calls the cops or вЂ“ heaven forbid вЂ“ my parents вЂcause you jokers canвЂ™t keep your hands off each other, youвЂ™re gonna regret it.

The front door of the house opened just then, the burst of noise and light bringing an abrupt end to our horseplay. Spooky attacked while my back was turned, and Mickey-D merrily chanted the lyrics to Beat on the Brat before joining the fray himself. вЂњBehave yourself.вЂќ A flash of white teeth proved he knew how much those words grated on me, so he was prepared when I attempted to wipe the grin off his face.

I grumbled something about вЂmind policeвЂ™ and вЂProfessor XвЂ™, earning myself another swat from Spook which I easily dodged this time, sticking my tongue out at my twin as I danced out of reach.

вЂњI didnвЂ™t say anything.вЂќ I protested the blow which was too hard to be playful. My t-shirt rode up with the motion, exposing my stomach to the cold wet air of March. вЂњWhat?вЂќ I snapped as I rubbed the back of my head and scowled at my brother.

Saints and sinners broken silenz