Brianna Devereaux: The Mambo (Completed)

Fixing Jeremy

“What in the hell are you wearing?” Jeremy asked observing the cloak draped over his sister. It fit her weirdly, like it was meant for her, like he’d seen her wear it a thousand and ten times. But he’d never seen his sister interested in something like this.

Stiffening, Brianna backed away when Jeremy came closer, “None of your f*****g business. The hell you want?” Laughing bitterly, Brianna asked harshly, “Wanna rob me again?”

Wincing like she’d cut him to his soul, Jeremy whispered, “I’m sorry sis. But I swear I was out of my mind when I did that. But I never meant to hurt you.” Brianna dropped her hood and faced her brother pissed at the audacity.

“I came to you for help and you robbed me to go and push more poison in your veins!” Nodding at the truth, Jeremy admitted tiredly, “And ever since I’ve been sick with worry.”

Scoffing in disbelief, Brianna almost stalked off but Jeremy planted himself in front of her, “I didn’t go and get high that night Brianna. Instead I found myself in a c***k den with ten other junkies. I watched them fight over a needle like a bunch of kids, and it disgusted me. A part of me wanted to fight for it too, chase another high and numb myself. But all I could feel was guilt because you were out in the cold and you had needed me. I’m sorry sis, I wasn’t the brother you needed then.”

Brianna began to cry as rain came in from nowhere, “No you weren’t! But you haven’t been in awhile Jeremy. You became everything dad said you were even when I kept telling him, he was wrong. But he was right, and I had to see it for myself.”

Eyes set to demolish, Brianna sneered, “You’re nothing but a pathetic junkie using drugs to run from your problems. And whatever come to the light moment you had; I don’t care. I don’t trust you.”

Crying as well now, Jeremy admitted, “Dad was right. I am a drug addict and I needed help. I got it on my own I did a program, but I got out because I couldn’t sleep knowing you were on the streets. I came back for you that first night!”

Jerking back, Brianna shook her head in denial, “You’re lying.” Jeremy shook his head desperately, “No sis, I walked for hours looking for you. By the next day I couldn’t find you and I called Uncle Ray thinking you went there. I went to every friend I remembered you had, every homeless shelter I could find. But then you were on the news as missing and I knew you just didn’t want to be found.”

Wiping her face angrily Brianna hissed, “So you just stopped right? Fell back into old habits?”

Jeremy stood proud, “No. I went into this rehab facility and sweated it out for weeks. I spent time there getting clean and clearing my head. So, I could find you, so I could fix what was broken.”

Laughing in his face, Brianna felt herself break all over again at those words, “F-fix? You think you can fix this?” Waving between them, Brianna shook her head devastated at the truth. “No. Jeremy there is no fixing shit.”

Turning to get on the subway, Brianna was annoyed when Jeremy stopped her yet again. “Wait sis, I can-.”

Pushing him hard, Brianna yelled, “I buried our parents alone you d**k! I spent MONTHS being bounced around and treated like garbage by our own family! Where the hell were you then Jeremy!”

Letting his sister hit his chest, Jeremy took the beating as he cried, “I wasn’t there. I should have been, I should have known you needed me and been there. I’m sorry Bri. I really am.”

Brianna backed away from him, “You were too busy chasing your high to be there. And when I needed you, you hurt me even more. Why the f**k would I trust you now? Do I look like an i***t?”

Rubbing his face, Jeremy admitted sadly, “I’m willing to do whatever it takes. Drug tests, lie detector, s**t you can hold me at gun point! I just want to be able to make sure you’re okay! To be able to be your brother again.”

Even though her brain didn’t want to believe Jeremy’s words. Brianna’s heart thudded painfully as it hoped and prayed by some miracle, he was being real.

Brianna stumbled from him not wanting to be swayed by old emotions. She had to think with a level head, but even still. Jeremy didn’t look the same.

Jock Jeremy from the old days were back.

His skin it’s beautiful cocoa brown under the streetlights, brown eyes focused. His hair was cut, and his clothes were clean. Swallowing, Brianna could see her brother was indeed in there and slowly coming forward. But she could also remember the rough stranger forcing her into a phone booth.

Taking all the money she had and leaving her alone in the streets of New York at Midnight.

Backing away, Brianna whispered, “I need to go home.” Jeremy looked at Brianna sadly, “I’m just asking for a chance Bri. I promise, I won’t let you down. Let’s go somewhere, really talk about this shit.”

Closing her eyes tight, Brianna tried to force herself to stop crying. “No. I don’t need to get my hopes up only for you to start looking for another needle. And I’m not giving you the chance to hurt me again.”

Wiping his sister’s eyes, Jeremy admitted, “I know I f****d up, but I’m asking to be there for you now. I’m asking for you to let me help you, for us to be a family again. We’re all we got.”

Brianna sniffled as her mind seemed to burn with pain and fear. She couldn’t trust her brother with a quarter or knowing where she stayed. If he started using again, everything would be ruined, not to mention she had Tamia.

And if he hurt her friend, there really would be problems. “Jeremy-.” Looking around at the empty street, Jeremy confessed his truth, “I started using my Junior year.”

Jerking back since she’d assumed it’d been his senior year, or least that’s what her dad had said. “It started with pills and then became more aggressive. I needed more to get high and then I couldn’t hide it. From anyone.”

Wrapping her arms around her waist, Brianna whispered angry, “Yeah you chose drugs and numbing yourself over a scholarship at Yale. Bet you regret that now.” Shrugging a shoulder Jeremy admitted, “Not really.”

Surprised Brianna almost yelled at her brother at his way of thinking. But Jeremy cut her off with, “Don’t you ever feel like we were living a bunch of lies?” Blood running cold at the words her brother said, Brianna asked, “What?”

Jeremy exhaled, eyes going distant as he remembered, “It always felt like something was missing in me. I could never find it, and then I found it in drugs. It’s no excuse but it was like I was chasing a high, or euphoria I couldn’t unless I used.”

Brianna shook her head in denial, “Oh really?” Jeremy knew it sounded lame, but he met the same brown eyes as his, “You remember what it was like growing up in that house.” Shrugging Brianna hissed, “Yeah we were spoiled kids who had money and two parents who gave us everything we wanted.”

Scoffing, Jeremy reminded his little sister, “Yeah as long as we made them proud, gave them something to brag about.” Shrugging a shoulder, Brianna snapped, “So what!?” Laughing incredulous, Jeremy yelled, “So our father was a ruthless tyrant shoving all his principles and bullshit down our throats. He made me second guess everything and nearly kill myself to live up to his standards.”

Swallowing hard, Jeremy remembered the last time he saw his pops, “He wanted to prove something, that I was a normal young man and had a bright future. But over the years he was driving me into the ground to prove it and he wouldn’t let up. The last time he saw me, he looked so guilty. Like he knew it was his fault I was using. Trying to block his voice out of my head saying I was normal, and I hadn’t-.”

Stopping so his sister didn’t think he was crazy, Brianna froze, “You hadn’t what? What was he trying to make you forget Jeremy?” Afraid, Jeremy thought back to a time when he was still a child.

He had been sitting at the park playing in a sandbox. And this boy much bigger than him had come over and tried to take his G.I Joe, which of coursed angered the five-year-old. But no more so when the kid shoved him and Terrance Jones, not paying attention to his son, did nothing. And so, Jeremy took matters into own hands and stood back on his own two feet.

And then he went to shove the kid back, but his hands caught fire. And as the kid screamed in pain, Terrance Jones paid attention then. And after making up huge lies on top of lies, Terrance roughly dragged his son to the car.

After whooping his ass for getting into a fight, Terrance yelled at his son for using the power cursed to him. And after a nasty fight with his wife, they called in Sage to bind him.

“That’s why you started using,” Brianna whispered now seeing the appeal. “You needed a release because you couldn’t do magic.” Confused now at his sister’s words, Jeremy watched her head snap to the side with anger. Unable to see who she was talking to, Jeremy watched Brianna talk to air.

But she really faced their crying mama’s spirit as she hissed angry, “So this is why you were so sorry? You knew you had caused this!” Jeremy started to ask his sister if she was alright but then she pulled a wooden staff from her back and it grew in length making his eyes widen.

“Thanks a lot mama.” Brianna hissed angrier at her mother than ever before. “Now I have to clean up another one of your messes.” And before Jeremy could say a word Brianna held up the staff and as it glowed a bright white. Jeremy’s eyes widened as she aimed it at him and then as a warm power flooded him, unlocking him, Jeremy finally found it. The warmth and security he’d always wanted, the euphoric race of power he’d needed.

And as his body hit the ground as it flooded through him, Brianna groaned, “And now I have to carry his fat ass. Just f*****g great, I don’t appreciate this bullshit.”

But as the little sister lifted her older brother on her back and started home, one sword was pulled from her heart