Bad Influence - popular girl x nerd boy

17- Lucas

Dollar signs stare up at me from the kitchen table, the red ink marks sums of money that have not been paid yet. A threat of eviction is sealed at the end of the bill in my hand and it feels like the words singe my hand as I throw it back onto the table in front of me. The surface is filled with similar piece of paper, demanding money for basic necessities we already ration as is. They demand money I don't have.

Lily opens the fridge doors, breaking my concentration. I quickly slide the bills into a single pile and cover them with my hand, the letters memorized after my repeated reading of them in order to find a solution for the expenses.

She shuts the fridge, her hands empty.

"Lucas, you don't have to hide those. I know about them." She says my name sternly, but her voice sounds small.

"No you don't," I give her a fake laugh, sounding hollow, before places my hands over her eyes.

"I'm serious! I read them earlier." She swats at my arms but I continue to blind her until I grasp a sandwich I had wrapped in tin foil for my dinner. Placing it in the palm of her hands, I remove my hand covering her eyes. She opens her mouth in a small "o", her silent hunger battling with her selflessness.

"I made us dinner earlier but I ate without you," I lie, watching as relief and joy flood my little sister's face. "And I promise, we're fine. I got too busy with school this month and forgot to send the rent money to the landlord, but I have it saved in my account. And next month's rent. And the month after that."

Although she tries to hide it, a sigh escapes my sister's lungs.

"I want to help, Lu, you can't keep doing everything on your own."

A feeling of dread washes over me. For my entire life I had sacrificed my time with the people I love for people I serve, I lost hours of sleep in exchange for hours of work, and at the end of the day, every dollar I made went into the family. I could never afford anything for myself, priorities of my mom and sister's safety was far more important. And I did it all gladly so that Lily would never have to taste that sort of life.

I wanted her to go out with friends every night and study in school every day, not lose friends over a schedule or cut classes in order to make it to her job on time. I wanted her to feel like she could get a job for a hobby, not for survival. She's only fourteen, just barely touching the legal age to work, and already she's insisting I let her help.

Internally I am aching, ripping apart every moment of happiness I have allowed myself instead of giving it to my family. My responsibility is to protect my household, and I am failing.

"Lily, I have everything figured out. It's my burden to take care of you both and I promise we are okay." Another lie to the people I love the most. "You need to trust me more, I'm not your wise, older brother for nothing."

She grins up at me, "I don't think I have a wise brother. Brave and stupid, definitely, but wise?"

The sound of her giggles linger in the air as she walks back to her room, wearing thick socks and a too-long sweater in order to overcome the growing cold in our apartment.

I turn my back to her, once again pulling the pile of papers out in front of me.

I'm not sure how I am going to be able to pay the amount written on the paper, let alone the several bills with similar price tags attached. The demands seem to only grow, and my current income isn't filling the gap in my bank account.

I take a deep breath, holding in whatever scream or sob that is threatening to explode my dreary situation.

Rapid patter of feet reach me and before I know it there are two pale arms latched around my waist, squeezing me tightly in a hug. Lily's blonde hair covers her eyes, but it doesnt hide the small tears dripping down her cheek.