All About Me by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

mother doesn ’ t like talking about private stuff in front of other people. Jacob is happily chatting to her and I keep watching her, wondering what pushed her to be in control again. The food is awesome and I make an effort, complementing it.
    It ’ s nearly twelve when we all bail to bed. Jacob takes Christian ’ s room and I settle back in mine. Tomorrow, I ’ m planning to go through my brother ’ s stuff from the garage. Mum has been cherishing his things for so long. It doesn ’ t matter that he was part of this house. He was a filthy motherfucker who has done everyone a favour by dying.

    Past

    India was out of town with her mum and sister. I knew that because Christian couldn ’ t wait to go out that night. Christian always hung out with his own brainless mates, but that night it was different. For the first time in ages he asked me to go with him to the party. It was only because Bryan and the rest of the group were out of town.
    In a few months, he was leaving Gargle to start an international rugby career in Uni. We never talked about his plans, but I was bloody damn sure that he wasn ’ t going to take India this time around.
    “ Maybe you can finally tap some sexy arse, bro. I think it ’ s about time, ” he said, laughing, as our mother dropped us in the north side of Gargle. We both knew that the only girl I ever wanted to get close with was India. He pretended that I had no idea that he knew how I felt about her.
    “ We will see. Don ’ t worry about me, ” I said, trying to brush the conversation off. He ran his hand through his dark hair, grinning with that dangerous spark in his eye.
    “ There will be plenty of lovely arses to choose from. I ’ ll be tapping one. ” He laughed as we walked towards the loud music. I pulled my dark, long hair into a ponytail and went off from the gothic look for tonight. Christian promised that the party was going to be full of seniors and I just had to blend in.
    It made me fucking furious that he couldn ’ t keep his dick in his pants. He had been going out with India for ages, so the least he could have done was to be faithful to her.
    “ India is going to be pissed, ” I reminded him. He gave me this cool, smug look that told me to stop fucking telling him what to do. He never actually said it, but his jaw tightened, showing marks around his eyes.
    “ India is a fucking saint and I ’ m horny. Besides, how will she know? Are you going to tell her, bro? ” he asked in a challenging tone.
    “ Chill, of course I won ’ t. ”
    He relaxed then a little. My brother waited for some sort of confrontation, but I never gave him a chance. It was easy to trigger his game. I knew that sooner or later he would go down and I had to wait for the right moment. He had been cheating on India all along, like being in a relationship with her never meant anything to him.
    The party was in some old barn with a much older group. After some time Christian walked over to a tall blond girl, leaving me alone. I grabbed some drinks and kept watching him. Little did my brother know I had my own secret. India and I had shared the most mind- blowing kiss when he was asleep next to us. I was planning to tell her about all his romantic peccadillos when the time was right. It was all part of the plan.
    Later that night I had seen him pulling the same girl towards the door and vanishing behind the barn. I smiled to myself, knowing that in a matter of time India would no longer be his.

Chapter Nine
    It ’ s not over yet?

    Present

    I get up early on Saturday morning, hearing Jacob ’ s snoring in the other room. My mother apparently got a job in some car dealership. She mentioned it last night. It ’ s just after seven when I walk into the kitchen.
    “ You ’ re up early for a Saturday. ”
    My mother ’ s voice startles me slightly. She is in the living room, drinking coffee and reading the paper. This is just one of those things that she does. A few years ago, when my