Vol. I - When we were Kids - Track 04 (Part A)
'Cause who wants to be right as rain
It's better when something is wrong
I get excitement in my bones
Even though everything's a strain
"Right As Rain" - Adele
Dustin had just finished taking a long shower, and was looking forward to spend some time with his girlfriend, Angela, like usually did on Fridays evenings.
Though nothing was the same anymore, not even the place where he arrived after school.
He wasn't even at his own house, but at Dreamer's, where his family had been spending a lot of time since his mother started dating Darren, and even more now, as they were making preparations to move in together.
It felt like an eternity ago, when his little brother was born
and his family celebrated Dustin's birthday shortly after,
but in fact it hadn't been that long ago since his father died, just after he started high school, leaving his family with nothing but a small trailer and sorrow.
Perhaps, some could even say, it was too soon for his mother to be already leaving their family household, to move in with another man, but no one could deny that Brandi's new relationship have been more than favorable for all of them
Certainly not Dustin. Not after he had experienced first hand, how his family's wellbeing improved dramatically, since Darren came to their lives.
Dustin had always been clever and smart enough to be aware of his family's economical struggles, even when he was a just kid and his father still lived, but at least they never lacked of anything essential, and, most importantly, always have both his parent's care, support and love.
Until, of course, the tragic accident on the pool not only took his father's life, but also drained his mother's spirit; leaving Dustin as the main provider of the family.
Their situation shortly got worse as Brandi found herself pregnant and unemployed,
while Dustin's low grades made him impossible to find a job,
forcing him to look for all sort of alternative ways, to bring sustenance for their growing family.
It was then when Darren Dreamer started frequenting their house.
Dustin wasn't sure how or why it started, but he certainly didn't approved of Darren's constant presence on their home, at first. Not even as "friends", as it was in the beginning.
But Brandi's change was so profound and favorable that, by the time their relationship became closer,
Dustin couldn't but to appreciate and accept the man who helped his mother regain her spark,
and will to fight for the wellbeing of her children.
And so, even if he still struggled watching his mother in a new romance, Dustin was willing to do whatever necessary to make their new living arrangement work.
Unfortunately this also included dealing with Darren's son, Dirk, on daily basis, which had turned out to be the hardest part.
***
"So, are we ready!?" Dustin entered the room abruptly, interrupting Dirk, who was working on a school assignment.
"Are we ready?" Dirk asked, annoyed by the sudden intrusion on his room, and Dustin's absolute lack of basic manners (like knocking some else's door before coming in).
"Yeah, man! we, ready ... to go out, with our girls!" Dustin answered gesturing playfully, but Dirk only shook his head in frustration, getting increasingly bothered by the other teen's constant presence on his house.
The Broke family had been bringing nothing but chaos to a house that used to be calm and quiet, and Dirk was probably the one having more trouble adapting to the changes, as the constant noise was seriously affecting and interfering with his regular study hours.
"I need to finish this essay by Monday and study for the algebra test" The black haired teen spoke after a short silence, and though he was trying to keep his tempter, couldn't avoid to remark at the end "as you should be doing if you want to pass the year, by the way."
"OH! C'mon! Man! It's Friday!! Don't be boring! You have the whole weekend to do that."
"Doing homework and studying at the last minute doesn't work, Dustin!" Dirk replied loosing his patience "And you are the living proof of it."
"You are worse than my mom ...After meeting your dad!! Do you know that!?" Dustin snorted.
"And you're worse than my dad, before meeting her!"
"He was probably cooler back then, then" The blond teen joked lightly, but Dirk couldn't find his comments funny at all.
"He was irresponsible, and almost lost the house and everything we own because of it. Maybe that's cool for you, but it isn't for me." The blond teen grunted quietly in return, but Dirk continued seriously "Now if you excuse me, I'd like to continue working here. I rather waste a precious Friday now, than living in a trashy trailer house, with a minimum wage, for the rest of my life."
"Yeah!? Well, I would rather stay in the trashy trailer than move here with you" Dustin uttered sourly.
"Why am I not surprised about that?" Dirk made a pause gesturing as thinking, and finished with a sarcastic smile "Oh yeah! You're used to it, and it fits you. Why would you want any better, right?"
"AH! Fuck you! Stay home and masturbate with a book, I'll be out there LIVING!" Dirk replied loudly as he walked out toward the living area, and continued speaking high enough for Dirk to hear even from outside the room" Maybe I'll invite LILITH to tag along, I'm sure she DOESN'T want to stay home ALONE on a Friday Night! How COOL would I look with two..."
"DON'T YOU DARE!" Before the door could even close, Dirk was standing by it, red and trembling in anger "DON'T YOU EVEN TALK TO HER!"
They started at each other defiantly, with growing resentment and frustration on both ends.
Dustin and Dirk have never been friends, and probably never would be, but liked or not, they shared more than any of them wished for.
They both lived in a the small neighborhood and had similar ages, therefore assisted to the same school and had a common classes since kids;
Their girlfriends happened to be twin sisters,
who perhaps didn't get along too well either, but still meant spending time together at the Pleasant's household, frequently.
And, of course, both of them had lost a parent in recent years, which had eventually brought their remaining parents together, forcing the teens to end up sharing a roof as well.
But just as Dustin did, Dirk also recognized the improvement on his own home, since his father started dating Brandi.
Dirk grow up as the only child in a accommodated household,
but he had witnessed a slow process of deterioration since his mother died, when he was still kid,
and is father lost all drive along with her.
Darren didn't seem able to find any inspiration to paint and started drowning in a disabling depression, that slowly consumed their family and savings,
and got even worse, later on, when his father seemed to had recovered from his lost, only to became obsessed with a woman, who wouldn't reciprocate his feeling.
So, by the time Dirk reached his teens, his father still couldn't put himself back together;
which forced the teen to get a job, and pay for the bills, that were piling up around their home,
even if meant lowering his grades, and most probably, sacrificing his chances for college, in the process.
It was only after meeting Brandi that Darren had finally revived, and though Dirk didn't approved of his father's newest love interest at first either, it had certainly encouraged Darren to start working again.
Soon after meeting, the two single parents had soon joined forces, and savings, to open a small business selling homemade goods and crafts,
which flourished quickly, providing bigger profits, for both Brokes and Dreamers.
And now, with hopes of better lives and brighter futures, Dirk was willing to overcome any obstacle to help his family, so, after a tense pause, he simply sighed deeply and stepped closer trying to keep a lighter tone on his voice.
"Lilith would never go anywhere with you. You do know that, don't you!?"
"Yeah, I know! She hates me!" Dustin snorted shortly, but continued slightly frustrated "But since the divorce Angela doesn't want to leave her at home with their mom, and ... then we have to stay there watching tv with the Oldies. It SUCKS!"
Dirk couldn't avoid a quiet laugh at the comment.
It was true, though, with the situation in their own home, the twins had become increasingly overprotective toward each other, which was, indirectly, adding another invisible bond to the teen's fragile friendship.
None of them wished to add more burden to their own girlfriends, so they had learned to do with them, as they did with their parents. Pretend to get along, tolerate their difference as possible, and tried their best to avoid conflict.
"Ok Fine! I'll go!" Dirk said, with the best mood he could "But we are going to study math tomorrow! OK!?"
Dustin simply snickered back, mocking lightly, but Dirk decided not to insist anymore. At that point, his mid had drifted to the amount of material and boxes laying around the floor, any seemed to be blocking any access to the main door.
"Man! You think this place its gonna be ready before we move in!? Its a mess!" Dustin complained loudly which didn't help with Dirk's already heated mood. After all, it was his home being remodeled to fit the Brokes. Nagging about it wasn't welcomed.
"Still will be better and bigger than your trailer, Broke" Dirk grunted finally loosing his tempter.
"At least I have my own room, in the trailer, you asshole"
"Listen, idiot! I'm not happy about sharing MY space, with you, either! But AT LEAST now your two brothers will also have an actual room for them, and won't have to sleep in a hallway! Won't They?"
"Oh!! I didn't know you cared so much about my trashy brothers" Dustin replied ironically
"I'm not surprised about that either" Dirk struck back, targeting Dustin's weakest point: His siblings "As you don't seem to care about them at all."
"HOW DARE YOU!" Dustin charged against Dirk enraged, who responded to the attack in the same manner; both filled with all the anger, frustration and insults, they had been accumulating inside.
( Click to continue with Part B)