Briana: Yes, Daddy.
Perfection.
Twenty
Briana
“Tell me everything,” my brother, Silver, says as soon as we take our seats in the Mexican restaurant he chose.
I take a drink of my ice water to stall.“What is there to tell?College is a lot of work.I’ve got hard classes.I want to do well, so I’m studying a lot.”
“Are you taking time to have fun?”
I shrug.“Define fun.”I try to meet his gaze.I don’t want him to be suspicious of my behavior.I know I’m acting strange.I can’t help it.I’m not the same girl I was when the semester started.I’m someone else entirely.
Granted, my brother doesn’t know me well.He barely knows me at all.I didn’t even know he existed until four years ago when he found me in foster care.He’s seven years older than me, so he remembered me when we were separated.I was two at the time.He’d been nine.I had no recollection of him.It was a shock when he found me.We kept in contact while I was in high school, but not so often that he would notice I’m acting strangely now.
He narrows his gaze at me.His expression is serious.“Do you go to parties?”
“No.I don’t really like the party scene.I hate the taste of alcohol, and drunk people are really weird if you don’t join them.”This is my canned response when anyone asks.It seems to satisfy them.And it’s probably true.I only went to one party, and I would never fucking go to another in a million years, considering I was assaulted at my first and only.
But even before that incident, I wasn’t comfortable.The scene is not my thing.
He chuckles.“Okay.Well, that’s probably good.You should focus on your studies instead.You’re not having any problems with any of your classes?My offer stands if you need any help.”
“Nope.I’m doing well in all of them.”The waiter sets chips and salsa in front of us before taking our orders.I hope Daddy doesn’t ask me what I ate for dinner, but just in case, I ordered a quesadilla.I can tell him that without lying if he asks.Now, if he wants to know if I cooked them… I hope it doesn’t come to that.
“And your roommates?They’re nice?”
“Yes.Very sweet.I really like them.I got lucky.”
“Do you have enough money?”
“Yes, Silver.I’m fine.I promise.Besides the fact that I have money in my account for room and board, you’re also adding to it each month.Don’t think I haven’t noticed.But I don’t need it.”I’m waving my hands around erratically.
He leans back.“You’re too…”
I stiffen and grip my thigh with my fingers, trying not to let my leg bounce.I can’t hold his gaze.It’s too intense.It feels like he’s looking right through me.So I pick up my water and take another sip.There’s no way I can eat a chip right now.I’d choke.
Why is he staring at me?
He leans forward, putting his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers in front of his lips.
I’m unnerved.“What?”I try to sound sarcastic.
“Have you heard of the freshman prank?”
I flinch.Fuck.“Thewhat?”
He drops his hands and grabs the edge of the table, leaning in closer, gritting out his next words.“The fucking freshman prank.Have you heard of it?And don’t lie to me.”
I swallow and look down.Fuck.Fuck, fuck, fuck.I’m a shitty liar.If I were a better liar, I wouldn’t have kneeled in my own fucking room all by myself this afternoon, sucking a fake cock for half an hour.If I were a better liar, I wouldn’t have gone to the library every time I said I was there.
If I were a better liar, I wouldn’t be in this situation right now.I wouldn’t be answering to a man I’ve never actually met, doing his bidding, day in and day out like a fucking idiot.
“My roommates talked about it,” I admit.“Why?”That seems like a reasonable question.
“What did your roommatessay, Bri?”