Wilson James Taylor

"Tell me is it cool to fuck? Did you think I come to talk? Am I a fool or what? Positions on the floor, it's like erotic; Ironic 'cause I'm somewhat psychotic. I'm hittin' switches on bitches like I been fixed with hydraulics; Up and down like a roller coaster--" I was rapping along to 'How do U want it' in the shower then it somehow turned down.

"What the?" I mumbled, rinsing the soap off my body.

"Wilson, honey, I need to talk to you," I heard my mother's voice say.

"Don't disrespect Tupac like that," I huffed.

All of a sudden, in walked my mother. She tidied up my bathroom and let out a sigh that I knew she was going to keep up until I finally asked what was on her mind.

"Mom," I barked, looking at her through the glass.

"Oh, I'm not looking at you," she hissed, flicking her wrist. "Not like I haven't seen it before."

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I dried off, feeling uncomfortable.

"I said I need to talk-"

"No," I huffed, pushing her out of the bathroom, "what are you doing in my bathroom?"

She sat on my bed and put a hand to her cheek. "It's your father.  We had a fight; he's insufferable lately. I just don't know what to do?"

I stood in the closet, listening while out of her view, as I threw on some shorts and a dark grey long sleeve.

My hair in my face as I looked down into a drawer for a pair of white Nike socks, I pushed it back.

"I wish you'd get a hair cut already, Wilson. Something that says you're grown - like your father," she said. I knew that was coming.

I threw my head back and mocked her jabbering with my hand, downing the rest of my pre-workout.

She laughed lightly and chucked a pillow my way.

"Can you stop trying to make me like him, I'm not Dad or his shadow. And the women love my hair," I let her know.

She followed me to the kitchen and cut her eyes.

"Focus, Wilson, this is about me," she sighed.

I chuckled lightly and looked at my phone. A text from Hunter read:

food???

My stomach was growling, so I agreed.

I replied:

On my way

I looked up from my phone after switching between apps just to see my mother still going on.

Bored, I faked a yawn.

"Alright, I gotta go," I said, kissing her head as I walked around the island.

"Will," she grumbled after me. "Are you going to see that girl again?"

My head tossed back in annoyance. "Yes, mother."

She stopped me at the black door and gave me that motherly look like she knew there was something I wasn't telling her. And she's right.

No one really knew about Anna, just that she was Hunter's sister. Damian and Omar knew about her because they caught her leaving my house one day.

My parents asked who I had been spending so much time with and I let them know I met someone - Anna. They basically fucking interrogated me and I let it slip that she's a dancer. Yeah, they didn't like that too well, said me being with a stripper would ruin our image. As much as I tried defending her, they were right, Anna's pretty fucked up.

"What have I told you a million times before? She is not someone I want you bringing home."

"Well it's a good thing I don't like at home with you anymore," I said in her face, grabbing my lanyard off the hook.

She looked stunned. 

"Excuse you? I'm just a concerned mother who eventually wants grandchildren," she spat, clacking her heels along the driveway.

I shut her inside the Porsche and stepped back.

"You're insufferable," I joked, going back to what she said about Dad.

My mother just giggled. "I'll see you later, WIlson. Love you."

I waved as she drove off.

Standing there, my phone vibrated in my hand. I looked and read the latest text from Hunter that read:

Come on bro I'm starving here!

I yawned, looking out of the old blinds in the window.

"Man, where's your sister at?" I asked Hunter.

His game was too loud, he couldn't hear me. Hunter was big into games, that's all he did from sun up to sun down if he could. I think he liked virtual reality more than real life.

I pushed his head in, causing him to die in the game. Hunter sucked his braced-teeth and snatched off his earphones.

He flailed his arms at me and gave this 'what the fuck' look that I laughed at.

"Did you hear me, man? Where's your sister?" I repeated, sitting on the arm of the couch in the living room.

He hunched his shoulders, eyes darting around. "At the store," he made up. That's always his excuse.

"You said that an hour ago," I mumbled, pushing his head again.

"I don't care if she's at work, I just didn't know I was supposed to watch you all night," I complained, falling onto a cushion.

Hunter sat on the other side of me and flipped through the channels.

"Why, what did you have planned?" he got smart.

I looked at him with furrowed brows. 

"Business," I snarked. "Mind it."

Hunter laughed. "Want the last slice?"

"Nah, man, all you."

He didn't hesitate to grab the last piece of cheese pizza and scarf it down.

"Damn, why are you so hungry?" I asked, laughing.

I know he's fifteen and growing, but the kid could put it away.

"Slow down," I nagged when he choked, "you're acting like you haven't eaten all day."

He swallowed some water and then let out an "ahh."

Hunter added, "I haven't." My face twisted at that. So, I stood tall and went to the kitchen where I opened some cabinets and the fridge only to see how bare it was.

I went "hm," and strolled back over to the window to peer out into the darkness.

You would've thought I summoned Hunter's sister the way she appeared as soon as I stared outside.

Her car pulled into the lot and swerved into the grass where she parked it with the headlights still on.

In she stumbled, I could smell the alcohol before she even fully crossed the threshold.

Hunter quickly stuffed the evidence of takeout behind the couch and impatiently waited for his game to load.

Anna had on a platinum blonde wig that was waist-length. She wore purple lipstick and a cutout black dress. Her gold heels were in one hand, a bottle of tequila in the other.

"Hey, Anna. You're back early," Hunter's voice became shaky. He looked squirrely, sweating and twitching.

"I-I cleaned your room like you asked me to," he added. It was like he was trying to make her proud, and she wasn't even paying him any mind.

"Will," she hiccupped, "come here."

Anna's arms snaked around my neck and she tried pressing her lips to mine. When I turned my neck so she couldn't, Anna took a step back, looking offended.

I clenched my jaw, creating more space between our bodies. "Hunter's right there, don't do this in front of him," I almost begged.

Anna's chocolate eyes went darker and she snapped her neck in her younger brother's direction. I'd known for a while that Anna and Hunter didn't always get along -- her drinking amped it up-- but the way she just looked at him, that was pure hatred. If looks could kill. . .

Hunter, blonde and scrawny, sunk in the couch, avoiding eye contact with an angry Anna.

She slowly dug her sharp acrylic nails into the top of her wig and ripped it off.

With a slight chuckle, Anna said lowly, "You know... you've always put him first, Wilson."

I let out a sigh and shook my head. "He's just a kid."

"You're doing it again! When is it my turn? Why do I have to suffer while he gets the limelight?" She shouted.

Hunter looked up at me and gulped, moving behind my back.

"Anna, stop," I gritted. "You're drunk."

She scoffed. As she clicked her heels around the cigarette-stained living room, she stopped and looked at the game console.

First she just pointed. Then, she turned and deadpanned, "What is this?"

"I bought it for him, it's just a game--"

"Ha. You bought it for him, eh? Yeah? What do you get for me, hm? A trip to rehab? The clinic?" She threw her arms up, looking crazy as she paced with the wig cap on her head.

I clenched my jaw, waiting for this to be over.

Anna walked up to us, lowered herself to Hunter's level, and stared between his eyes.

She blew a breath out in his face.

"I wish I never had you," she carped. And you know what's crazy, it looked like she meant every word.

Anna backtracked to the corner of the room where she found a lighter to light the cigarette she pulled from her bra. 

She blew smoke in our direction and repeated, "Yeah. I wish I never gave birth to you. I just couldn't afford an abortion."

I stood there, confused. "Wait-- what? Anna, that's enough, you're scaring him!"

Hunter blinked away, shaking his head relentlessly.

"You're so damn dumb - both of you," she spat. "I had Hunter, and I regret it. Because of him, my man left me! And every time I see you, you remind me of that."

"Come on, Hunter, let's get you out of here," I said to him, pushing him towards the nearest exit.

***

The ride to my place was quiet. What was there to say? Anna... is Hunter's mother, not his sister at all. She's been lying this whole time. It doesn't change how I feel about Hunter, it's not his fault. Though, I don't know if I would've stayed for so long -- if at all-- had I known that from the beginning.

11:27 pm

My knuckles tapped against the guest bedroom door.

Hunter quickly lied down and covered himself with the comforter.

I laughed lightly and walked inside, turning the tv off when I walked by.

"I know I'm super cool, but, school tomorrow," I told him.

He emerged from under the covers and groaned. "But I need it to go to sleep," he complained with his pitchy voice.

Standing over the bed with my bare arms folded, I said, "You don't."

He linked his fingers under his head and started to yawn.

"Good night--" Hunter tried to say but I cut him off.

"--Did you know? Like, before?" I asked.

He hesitated but eventually nodded. "Sorry. She told me on my last birthday. After you left that night, she threw away some of the gifts you got me. Remember that skateboard?"

My eyebrows carved in my forehead. "You said some kid stole it?"

He pulled his lips into a thin line and shrugged, guilty.

I walked to the door, sliding a hand down my face. 

Anna was worst than I thought, I was sorry Hunter had to put up with that.

"Will?" Hunter called out.

"Yeah?"

"Do you regret meeting me?"

"Nah, man," I said truthfully.

He sat up. "Can I stay with you? I-if I stay with Anna... I don't know if I'll make it through the rest of high school. You don't understand, Will, I hate her. I fucking hate her!"

It hurt seeing him finally get that off his chest, but he needed too. Shit, I don't blame him.

"I get that," I said with my head resting on the wall. "Get some sleep, bro. We'll figure something out tomorrow."

"I love you, Will," he sniffled.

I shut my eyes tight, hand on the doorknob. 

Choked up, I said, "I love you, too, bro."