On His Face: A Brother's Best Friend Romantic Comedy

by Tabatha Kiss

  “You just flash it, Heidi. No one actually looks at them. They aren’t breasts.”

  My heart pounds even harder. As if I wasn’t already nervous to death about this, now I have to walk around with a very fake ID the rest of the night.

  Jenna faces me and grabs my shoulders. “Girl, relax.”

  “I’m relaxed. I’m fine.”

  “Girl...”

  I hold my breath. “I’m fine,” I squeak.

  “What’s the worst that can happen?” she asks, shrugging.

  I furrow my brow as I flashback to various events of our friendship, each one including Jenna taking me by the shoulders and saying, “What’s the worst that can happen?” just like right now.

  “Being charged with a misdemeanor, for starters,” I answer. “Possibly a felony.”

  She rolls her eyes. “You’re using it to sip Bud Light at a frat party, not to purchase a firearm.”

  I glare. I hate it when she quotes actual laws at me. Her mother, the Honorable Judge Jenna Abrams Sr., would be proud.

  “Fine,” I say, straightening up with feigned confidence. “I just walk up, flash it, and that’s it.”

  “That’s it,” she confirms. “Besides, you look really cute in that dress. I bet there’s not a single man in there who wouldn’t lick your feet.”

  I perk up. “Really?” I frown. “Ew.”

  Jenna shrugs. “Men are weird, honey.” She hooks our arms again, and we travel up the sidewalk with the rest of the line. “So very weird.”

  As we approach, I keep my eyes down. I try not to wipe my sweaty palms on my borrowed dress. I focus on my stride, careful not to trip on the stairs in these slightly too big heels.

  Just walk up, flash it, and that’s it.

  Easy peasy.

  “Oh, hey, it’s Resting Prick Face!” Jenna whispers at me.

  I jolt my head up. “What?”

  My stomach erupts with butterflies.

  Drew.

  He hasn’t seen me yet. He stands in the house’s doorway in a tight white t-shirt and blue jeans; the simplest of styles, but he’s just as breathtaking as always.

  “Let’s hope he’s nicer than his face,” Jenna says.

  He is, I think to myself. He very much is.

  Drew hands an ID back to the girl ahead of us and picks up a stamp from the table inside, along with a pad of red ink. The girl presents the back of her hand and he stamps it with a skull and crossbones, which I assume means UNDER 21.

  “Welcome to Delta Xi,” he says to her as he motions her inside. “Be safe.”

  He waves his hand to move the line forward and spots me. That bored look on his face instantly rises with interest as he motions Jenna and I closer to the door.

  Jenna tugs me forward, my ankles somehow merging with the wooden porch.

  “Good evening, ladies,” Drew greets us. “IDs?”

  Jenna rolls her eyes. “Oh, this old thing?” she says, feigning annoyance as she hands hers over to him.

  Drew glances at it for a moment before nodding and giving it back. “Welcome to Delta Xi, Ms. Marshall.”

  Jenna smiles. “Thank you, sir. I just love American hospitality!”

  He bobs his head at me and presents his hand for my ID.

  Crap.

  There’s no way mine is as convincing as Isla Marshall from Ontario.

  I hold mine out. Our index fingers briefly touch as Drew takes it and brings it close to his face so he can get a good look at it.

  His brow twitches.

  Busted.

  “And you, Ms. Marie...” He looks at me, amused. “Fujimoto.”

  So busted.

  I nod, my face on fire. “Konnichi wa,” I greet.

  Drew bites his lip to contain the grin just begging to come out. “Welcome to Delta Xi,” he says as he gives the ID back.

  “Thank you,” I say, stunned and grateful.

  He motions us inside with his warm eyes; eyes that send a message through the air as clear as day.

  We’ll chat later.

  Again, Jenna yanks on my arm to wake me up. We take one step forward, ready and willing to start this wild night of college rebellion, and my—

  “Heidi?”

  My luck runs out.

  I didn’t notice the other guy checking IDs on the opposite side of the porch. He glares at me with wide-open eyes as he bounds toward us in the doorway.

  “Seth?” I say. “What are you doing here?”

  “I was about to ask you the same question,” he says, looking pissed. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m going to a party. Why are you checking IDs?” My jaw drops. “Do you live here?”

  “You can’t be here,” he says, ignoring my question.

  I cringe beneath the stares of people watching the scene play out around us.

  “Hey, hey.” Drew sidles closer. “What the problem, Seth?”

  Seth grabs my hand to look at it. “She’s not stamped. Why isn’t she stamped?”

  Drew shrugs. “She had ID,” he answers.

  “She had ID,” Seth repeats as he glares hard at Jenna. “Gee. I wonder where she got it from.”

  Jenna kisses her teeth. “Nice to see you again, too, Sethy.”

  Seth exhales hard through his nose as he grabs the stamp and red ink off the stand. “Hands, now,” he says to me and Jenna.

  I reluctantly present mine as the snickering laughter becomes far too obvious. Seth stamps Jenna’s hand once and she yanks it back before taking an annoyed stride away from him into the house foyer. He grabs my wrist and stamps the back of my hand, then quickly grabs my other hand to do the same thing.

  Then, he continues stamping up my arm, drawing a quick line of stamps all the way past my elbow.

  “Seth—” I pull my arm away. “What the hell?”

  “There,” he says, smiling. “Enjoy the party, little sister. Have fun.”

  I bow my head, unable to even look at Drew as I bolt through the doorway to catch up with Jenna.

  What’s the worst that can happen?

  Basically, that.

  Chapter 6

  Drew

  Little sister?

  Heidi is Seth’s little sister?

  She doesn’t even look at me as she rushes inside. For the second time in two nights, a little secondhand embarrassment stabs my gut. First, that almost kiss, and now getting shouted at in front of a bunch of people?

  Shit.

  I almost kissed my best friend’s little sister.

  It repeats in my head for the last few minutes of our shift.

  I almost kissed my best friend’s little sister.

  A sister I didn’t know he had, so it’s not my fault, right? It’s no one’s fault. I did nothing wrong.

  When Corey and Devin arrive to relieve us of ID duty, Seth immediately bolts into the house. It’s more crowded now with dozens of people cramped into each room with red cups and smiling faces. A typical Delta Xi bash in full swing, but there’s tension in the air tonight.

  I fill two red cups from the keg and head upstairs to catch up with Seth on the second floor. He stands on the balcony looking out over the main living area, his eyes scanning face after face searching for her, but she’s nowhere to be seen. It wouldn’t surprise me if she ran right out the back door and left after what Seth did.

  “Hey,” I say, offering him a cup. “You all right?”

  Seth glances at me and takes it, but he’s still seething a little. “Not cool, man,” he says before taking a drink.

  I raise my hands, selling the lie. “The ID looked legit, Seth. I didn’t know.”

  “No, I mean...” He shifts on his heels. “What the hell is she doing here?”

  I look over the balcony. “It’s a party,” I say.

  “I thought she was staying in Iowa,” he says.

  “Iowa?” I ask. “You didn’t know she was going here?”

  “We’re not close.”

  “Why not? She seems cool enough. Not that I
know her or have spent any length of time with her, but… just at a casual glance. First impressions and all that.”

  He pauses for a moment. “Our parents got divorced when I was fourteen,” he says. “It was pretty messy. The judge made us choose who we wanted to live with. I chose Dad, she chose Mom, and it became an us versus them kind of thing.”

  I nod. “That’s rough.”

  “Every birthday and holiday was one big pissing contest between them and that toxicity just bled into us, you know?”

  “You should talk to her about it.”

  “I wouldn’t even know what to say.”

  “Maybe start with, ‘sorry I marked you ten times with a stamp and embarrassed you in front of an entire frat house,’” I joke. He scoffs. “You’re both adults. No toxic parents around. This might be a good chance to clear the air, start fresh with her.”

  “Or…” He points at me, eager for another option. “I can call Bethany and see what she and Tammy are up to tonight.”

  It’s tempting, but I’m stronger than that. “Seth...”

  “Last I heard, Tammy was single now.” He grins. “This is your year, buddy.”

  “Go talk to your sister.”

  He sighs, defeated. “Okay. Fine. You’re right. As always.”

  I flash a cocky smile. “Stop being so surprised.”

  He chugs a little more from his cup. “I will have a heart-to-heart with my sister… as soon as I find her.”

  “Text her.”

  “I don’t have her number,” he says.

  “Ah.”

  “I don’t even know where she’s living right now.”

  Well, I sure as shit ain’t admitting that I do.

  I pat him on the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go look around.”

  Seth hesitates for a few seconds before reluctantly nodding and stepping away from the balcony. We head downstairs, slinking slowly around people lingering on the steps.

  “I’ll go this way,” I say, pointing right. “You go that way. We’ll meet in the kitchen.”

  Seth nods. “All right.”

  He goes left. As soon as he turns his back, I reach into my pocket for my phone and swipe to my messages. Good thing I thought to add Heidi to my contacts earlier. Or is that a bad thing?

  I won’t dwell on that right now.

  You still here? I text her.

  Chapter 7

  Heidi

  You still here?

  I don’t reply to it. I’m so embarrassed I can barely see straight.

  I knew Seth went to Chicago North University, but I didn’t think we’d cross paths often, if at all. If we did, I’d only have to dodge him for the first two years until he graduates. I didn’t expect him to be a member of Alpha Delta Xi, either.

  I can forget about going out with Drew. He can’t be as great as I imagined if he’s friends with a guy like my brother.

  Tonight officially sucks.

  “Night officially redeemed!” Jenna says as she admires the back of her now spotless hand.

  I glare at her from the closed toilet seat. Jenna dragged me into the bathroom after we arrived, and she’s been furiously scrubbing the stamp off her skin ever since.

  “Finally found the right combo of soap and alcohol to get the job done,” she says, patting it dry. She gestures at my hands and arm. “Your turn.”

  “No,” I say with sagging shoulders. “Jenna, I just want to go home.”

  “Go home?” she repeats. “We can’t go home! The party just started.”

  “Did you miss the part where Seth is out there?”

  She shrugs. “So, we’ll avoid him. Come on, this is the biggest party of the year!”

  “We’re like two weeks into the semester,” I argue. “There will be other parties.”

  Jenna sighs. My phone vibrates in my hand.

  Hello?

  It’s Drew again. Ignore it.

  Someone pounds on the locked door.

  “Occupied!” Jenna shrieks, making it stop. “Heidi, please. I know you’re feeling a little… discouraged…”

  “Understatement.”

  “But it’ll pass! You can’t let one party foul ruin a good night. You just got to roll with it. And you promised to do whatever I told you to do tonight, so suck it up.”

  Again, my phone vibrates.

  Seth wants to talk to you.

  Oh, hell no.

  “Look,” I say as I stand, “you can stay but I’m going home.”

  Jenna squints at my phone. “Who is texting you?”

  “Nobody,” I answer. “It’s just Uber.”

  She deflates. “What do I have to do to make you change your mind right now?”

  “Jenna, I’m sorry, but I’m tired and these shoes are uncomfortable and I honestly feel like I’m about to burst into tears at any moment, so no, I don’t think you or anyone else will make me change my mind about this right now. I’ll see you at home.”

  I open the bathroom door.

  “There you are!”

  I stumble a step back.

  Drew.

  He smiles at me. The sheer force of it sends a shock wave through my knees.

  “Hey, Seth!” he shouts down the hallway. “She’s in here!”

  Never mind.

  Dimples be damned.

  “Excuse me,” I say, attempting to squeeze past him into the hall.

  Drew plants his arm on the doorframe, blocking my path. “Hey, so,” he whispers quickly and for my ears only, “I’m sort of caught in the middle of all this, so please don’t misconstrue my actions as me picking a side or let this negatively affect your opinion of me. You look really nice tonight, by the way. Seth!” His voice rises again as my brother appears next to him. “Found her.”

  Seth nods. “Can I talk to you for a sec?” he asks me.

  I glare at them both. “It’s fine. You don’t have to kick me out,” I say, annoyed. “I was just leaving.”

  “I’m not going to kick you out.”

  Seth glances over my shoulder at Jenna. She lingers behind me with her arms tightly crossed and her token bitch expression, and I say that with the greatest of love and appreciation. Jenna, for all her faults, always has my back when I truly need it — especially when it comes to Seth.

  Seth exhales. “Just five minutes. Please. In private, preferably.”

  I sigh. Might as well get this over with. “Fine,” I say.

  Drew bobs his head at Jenna. “You want to get a drink?” he asks her.

  My stomach churns at that. So, not only do I have to deal with Seth tonight, I have to lose my crush to Jenna. It’s freshman year all over again. Literally.

  I look down as she steps forward to join Drew.

  “Sure!” she says. She pats my back as she passes. “I’ll be right outside,” she adds, mostly to Seth as a warning.

  Seth nods as she leaves, gladly kicking the door closed behind her.

  I take my seat on the toilet seat again. Seth stays standing, but he leans against the door with his gaze on the floor. I fold my arms on my lap and wait for him to say… whatever the hell he’s going to say.

  “So,” his throat clears, “you’re going to Chicago North, huh?” he asks.

  “Yeah,” I answer.

  “Dad told me you were staying in Iowa.”

  I bite down hard. “I kinda stopped updating him after he told me he wouldn’t help me out, so…”

  “He did?”

  I nod.

  “Jeez.” He shifts his weight to the other foot. “He paid my room and board my first two years. Even Mom sent me money for groceries now and then.”

  “He told me art wasn’t a viable career path and that he wasn’t to fund four years of me sitting on my ass,” I say, air quoting.

  “Damn.”

  “When I saw how good the art program was here, I applied out of spite. Picked up a few small scholarships, too.”

  He nods, impressed. “That’s cool.”

  “I honestly didn’t expect to
run into you much at all. It’s a big campus…” I bite my cheek. “Is this really what you wanted to talk about? Our parents playing favorites…”

  Seth takes a breath. “So, I was kind of an asshole back there.”

  “Kind of?”

  “Okay, I was an asshole back there. I shouldn’t have done that, and I’m sorry.”

  I blink, genuinely surprised. My brother has never apologized to me before. Ever.

  “Why did you do it?” I ask.

  “Because I’m an asshole,” he says with a shrug.

  My lips twitch. “Duh. Why else?”

  “I don’t know. I saw you there, I wasn’t expecting it, and some dumb habits kicked in. I’m not proud.”

  “You seemed a little proud.”

  “I’m sorry.” He exhales softly. His shoulders drop. “I mean it. I was a dick and I’m sorry.”

  I nod slowly. Everything about this seems sincere enough. I’m keeping my guard up, though. “Okay. Thank you. I appreciate your apology.”

  “And…” He pauses, shifting uncomfortably. “I thought that maybe we could try to start fresh. Mom and Dad aren’t around to ruin literally everything ever, so why not act like siblings for once? You know?”

  I chortle. “I guess that’s true,” I say.

  “You should stay and party. We’ll hang out, I’ll show you ropes.” He gestures at the stamps on my arm. “We can wipe that shit off, too. I don’t actually care if you drink or not.”

  “Oh, no.” I glance at it. “I don’t like to drink much. The ID thing was…”

  “Jenna,” he says, already knowing.

  “Jenna,” I confirm.

  “Doesn’t mean we can’t have fun.” He smiles. “Come on, little sister. Let’s go find Drew and Jenna and challenge them to beer pong. Or soda pong, in your case.”

  I smile, reacting to the warmth in his words. Maybe he’s right. With our parents far off in other states, can we really finally be siblings? Or even friends?

  “Sure.” I stand up with a nod. “So, is that Drew guy a friend of yours?” I ask, wading in.

  “Oh, yeah. Best friend. He’s the one who encouraged me to come in here and apologize to you.”

  “He seems nice.”

  “Drew’s the nicest guy I’ve ever met, actually. A real shirt off his back type. He’s cool. Keeps me grounded.” He nudges my arm and laughs. “We should go get him before Jenna corrupts him.”