Burn Me Anthology

by Shantel Tessier

  What spectators see as chaos, they see as a calling. They get in and get out as fast as they can.

  They are our heroes.

  But sometimes…sometimes things don’t go as planned.

  Sometimes a fire has a mind of its own.

  That night, fire destroyed so much more than someone’s home.

  It destroyed my faith in life.

  It destroyed me.

  Chapter 1

  Aubrey

  Nineteen years old

  “What’s this place called again?” I asked my brother as he parked in between a trail of motorcycles and pick-up trucks. His modified Lancer stood out so much from the rest of the vehicles, it was almost ridiculous.

  “The Devil’s Gate,” he answered blandly as we stepped out of his car.

  I felt awkward and out of place. When Vince told me we were going out, I wasn’t expecting some old place that compared more to tavern than a bar. Listening to the sound of Chevelle playing in the background, my eyes scanned the area and I couldn’t help my brows from puckering together. Although The Devil’s Gate seemed to be a fitting name, I felt like The Pits of Hell would have suited it a lot better. It was completely different from the clubs I was used to hanging out in New York City, but that wasn’t what bothered me. What got to me was the fact that ever since my brother and I went our separate ways to go to college, the gap between who we were and who we were becoming was growing wider. Never in my wildest dreams would I have pictured him in a place like this. It just wasn’t him.

  Glancing at his ripped jeans, steeled toed boots, and faded hoodie, it was hard to believe he used to be the sporty guy that wore the school’s jersey, or the guy that every girl in school fawned over. I could still hear him throwing a fit at my mother when she bought him clothes that weren’t name brand.

  “If you don’t want to come––” his voice interrupted my volatile thoughts.

  “Vince, quit it. I told you I wanted to hang out with you tonight.”

  It was obvious he was still annoyed that I’d asked to tag along for his night out with his friends from school. He insisted I wouldn’t like it, I insisted I didn’t care. With our schools being six hours away from each other, and me avoiding home for far too long, we hadn’t spent any time together in months.

  I slammed the door to his precious car, earning myself a scolding glare.

  Well, at least that hasn’t changed…

  Narrowing my eyes back at him, I tried to figure out what his problem was. “Why do I have a feeling you don’t want me here?”

  “I never said I didn’t want you here.”

  “Vince, we’ve shared our mother’s womb and the same bedroom for seven years. We’ve been in the same classes and had the same friends throughout elementary and high school. No offense little brother, but I can tell when you’re lying to me.”

  Flashing me his traditional grin, he grabbed my arms and wrapped them around his broad shoulders so he could carry me on his back like he used to do when we were younger. “I’d like to remind you that I’m taller than you by two inches. If anyone here is to be called little; it should be you. What have you been eating anyway? You’ve shrunk.”

  “I’ve been eating just fine.” I shot back with an eye roll. My brother had no idea what it was like to live in a town where it was quicker for a person to reach their destination by using their feet instead of driving, and to be fair, he never would. According to the Bankes men, cars were everything! “I’m just walking––a lot. What about you? What’s with all the muscles?”

  He beamed. When it came to our physical appearance, even though we were twins, Vince took after my mother a lot more than I did. We had the same eyes, an odd shade of blueish-green, but where my skin was porcelain white, his was tanned just like hers. His hair was also darker than my red mahogany, and now he was a lot buffer than I remembered him to be. It was hard to believe how much he’d changed in just a few months.

  “Just so we’re clear, it’s not that I don’t want you with me. I just think that you shouldn’t be hanging out in a place like this.”

  “If you ask me, you shouldn’t be hanging out in a place like this either,” I mumbled to myself.

  My evil brother pinched the sensitive skin behind my knees and I yelped. “It’s a bar, Aub. Not a drug trafficking building.”

  “Could of have fooled me.”

  “You know, for someone who lives in New York City, you’re pretty judgmental. We’re here because Micah wanted to celebrate his birthday somewhere that felt like home.”

  It made sense. If I were him, that’s what I would have wanted too…

  “So if it isn’t as bad as it seems, why shouldn’t I be here?” I inquired.

  “Because my friends are dicks, and I don’t trust them around my little sister.”

  I clicked my tongue. “Somehow, I highly doubt all your friends are assholes. Be honest, you just don’t want a repeat of Ryan Jamieson.”

  “You’re right. I don’t,” he muttered.

  “How is RJ anyway?” It was a legitimate question. Ryan was my high school boyfriend, a.k.a. my forever after and one of my brother’s closest friends. Unfortunately, just like every other love story, mine pitfalled, transforming my fairy-tale into a nightmare when the asshole stomped on my eighteen-year-old heart by cheating on me three days after I left for college. Needless to say I’d never heard from him again.

  “Dead to me.” There wasn’t even a doubt in his voice.

  Deep down even though what had happened wasn’t my fault, I still felt responsible. Vincent and RJ had been friends for years and as I studied him, it was clear that the memory of their broken friendship still stung.

  “So tell me about this new best friend,” I offered in hopes of a smooth subject change. “I still can’t believe you’ve never mentioned him before today. What’s he like?”

  “I can’t believe you bought him a gift,” he snorted.

  “You told me it was his birthday. What kind of girl would I be if I didn’t buy a gift for my twin brother’s best friend?”

  “A normal one?” he teased, slowing down the pace. I was still clinging to his back, enjoying our alone time. Up until that exact moment, I hadn’t realized just how much I’d missed him.

  “So?” I wondered.

  “So what?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Well…what’s he like?”

  “I don’t know, Aub, what do you want me to say? His name is Micah. We worked together on a project at the beginning of our first semester and we realized we had a bunch of shit in common.”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know. Like shit––cars and shit.” Oh, how I missed the sound of my brother’s grumbling when I was getting on his nerves. “Why are you so interested in my friends anyway?”

  “I’m not,” I retorted, laughing. “I just missed the shit out of getting on your nerves.”

  “You’re a pain, you know that right?”

  “What goes around, comes around, little bro.”

  “Hey Vincent!” A blonde girl with pigtails dressed in a pair of stiletto boots, tight ripped jeans, and a royal blue tank top, popped out from inside the bar with a group of friends. She was beautiful. Vince had always had a thing for girls who stood out from the crowd and she definitely fit the bill.

  As he beamed back, her flashy red painted lips curled into an even bigger smile.

  “New conquest?” I whispered to him as she sashayed towards us.

  He scratched his clean shaven jaw guiltily.

  “Oh my fucking god, Vince!” I hopped off his back. “What’s up with all the secrets?”

  “I wanted to make sure it was serious.”

  “Dude!” I shoved his shoulder half proud, half furious, and so damn happy for him. “I’m your sister. Your TWIN sister. How dare you keep shit like this from me? How long have you been dating her?”

  “Three months.”

  “Three months?” My shrieking voice sounded a lot louder than I had in
tended.

  “Okay, okay. Calm down. I’m sorry.”

  “Apology not accepted,” I pouted. “And just for that, I’m hooking up with one of your dick friends tonight.”

  Crossing his arms over his chest, he cocked an eyebrow. “That’ll be fun to watch. But just for the hell of it, sis, please enlighten me; after being seduced by you and disfigured by me, where will you be taking your casual fuck? Mom and Dad’s house?”

  “Maybe I will,” I challenged.

  “Well, good luck with that. Knowing Dad, he’ll be waiting for you in his rocking chair until you put your foot through the front door.”

  I wrinkled my nose. The annoying little secret keeper had a point. “Awww Vince! You are sooo generous for offering me that extra room at your place. It will be just perfect, thank you so much.”

  “Fine with me,” he retorted. “Fair warning, though, I tend to walk around naked in my own apartment, and I won’t be changing my habits because of your presence.”

  I gagged. “I think I just puked in my mouth.”

  My brother roared at the wry expression on my face.

  “Hey, Bankes.” We both turned our heads. The blonde girl was just a few feet away and she was even more gorgeous from up close.

  “Please be nice,” he whispered. “I really like her.”

  I could tell. Of all the girls Vince had dated over the years, he’d never ogled a girl the way he did with her. I smirked at the glint in his eye and the stupid smile on his face as he admired her walking towards us. “You’ve got some drool dripping from your mouth right there.”

  He slapped my fingers as I reached for the corner of his lips. “I hate you.”

  Yup…for the first time ever; my brother is in love.

  “So, a twin sister, huh?” She put her hands on her hips as if she was about to scold him, but she clearly wasn’t doing a good job; the girl was smitten.

  I extended my hand, grinning. “Hey, I’m Aubrey, the smart twin.”

  “Leah.” She beamed back. “I’m so happy to finally meet you.” My eyes slanted towards my brother, her response had me wondering how much she knew about me.

  “Ummm…” It was hilarious to watch him struggle. He obviously wanted to kiss his girlfriend, but didn’t know if I’d be okay with his sudden demonstration of affection.

  “How about I just wait for you two inside while you get reacquainted?” I offered.

  “That would be so fucking awesome. Just––don’t talk to anyone until I’m with you, okay?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Really?”

  “Vince!”

  “What? She’s my little sister,” he explained, still mocking me.

  “You’re an ass.” I fired back.

  “What goes around comes around, right?” He winked and laughed again as I flipped him off.

  “Oh, wait, Aub.” My brother pulled something out from the back pocket of his faded jeans and extended what I realized was a fake ID. “You’ll need it. Micah says the bar owner is cool and shit, but he’ll most likely ask for it.”

  I couldn’t help myself from snickering as I tossed it back to him. “Oh, baby bro, my out of state card is a thousand times better than this one.” Before opening the door, I snuck a quick glimpse back. My brother’s lips were already on Leah’s and I had a feeling they’d be there for a while.

  Crossing the threshold, I realized that the place wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It was dark and cozy, but scanning the room, I came to understand why my brother was a little uneasy with letting me wander inside without him. The majority of The Devil’s Gate’s patrons were male.

  As I ventured in, I made my way towards the bar and took a seat in the middle of three empty chairs. The bearded barman acknowledged me with a welcoming nod before grabbing a beer from the fridge. My gaze followed him as he served the customer standing at the end of the counter. From where I sat, it was hard to get a good look at his face, but he appeared to be about my age. I had no idea why my attention was drawn to them. Maybe it had something to do with the cuts and bruises on the youngest guy’s hands, or the stains he had on his faded low-rise jeans, but the barman wore a distinctive frown as they spoke. Although they seemed to be working on some sort of paperwork, the interaction between them was more affectionate than business like. The gestures showed two people trying to get their opinion across, but from where I was sitting, it wasn’t working to either one’s advantage. After a few minutes of back-and-forth, the bartender came to the conclusion that no matter what he’d try to say to make his friend understand his point of view, he’d hit a dead end. With resolve he exchanged the paper that was extended to him for a set of keys.

  While I unashamedly stared at both men, the chair beside mine moved, making me jolt. I twisted my head and ended up face-to-face with a cute brown eyed guy with dark hair.

  “Hey.”

  “Hi.” Amused by the unexpected company, I wondered if my brother would believe me if I were to tell him that I tried to abide by his rule of not talking to anyone.

  “Are you here with someone?”

  Wow, okay, straight to the point, huh?

  “Actually, I’m waiting for my brother Vincent.”

  His pupils dilated. “No shit! Bankes never told us he had a little sister.”

  “That’s ‘cause he doesn’t have a little sister.” I winked. “I’m older than him by twenty minutes.”

  “No fucking way. Yo Lambert,” he called out. “Did you know Vince had a twin?”

  The guy I had been staring at just a few seconds ago lifted his head, taking a break from the hushed conversation he was having with the bartender. Even though he was wearing a black hoodie, as he peered up, I could finally see more than the simple outline of his face. Micah Lambert’s hard clear blue eyes narrowed, observing me for a few seconds. Everything from his rough stubble covered square jaw, to his perfect shaped lips, drew me in, but he just slighted me off. Showing no interest in me or my presence, he went back to his exchange.

  I raised a brow, cursing under my breath.

  “He isn’t always a dick,” the guy sitting beside me defended. “He just doesn’t like people all that much. I promise he’ll warm up to you after a few drinks.”

  My lips thinned. “Swell.”

  “Our class is sitting on the other side of the wall over there if you want to join us,” he suggested. “I’m sure your brother will be here in a minute or two,”

  “Um, thanks, but I think I’ll just wait here.” I preferred his deception to being confronted by my brother, and although he was disappointed by my rejection, the guy left without insisting.

  As I listened to the grungy voice of Kurt Cobain vibrating through the speakers, I ordered myself a drink and took my cell phone out to scroll through my various social media feeds. If I were to sit alone, at least I’d look somewhat busy doing it. My fingers itched to text my twin; for someone who didn’t trust me to be inside The Devil’s Gate all by myself, lover-boy was shining by his absence.

  “Vincent shouldn’t have let you come in here alone.” His smooth voice sent shivers down my spine. Micah’s piercing stern eyes scrutinized mine as I peered up to meet his gaze. With the hoodie down, his messy blond hair stuck out in every direction. From up close, I could finally admire his face.

  “Yeah, well, knowing my brother he’s in the back of one of these guys’ pick-up trucks with his dick buried deep inside some girl named Leah.”

  He smiled. I almost fucking died. “I didn’t know Bankes had a sister.”

  “Well, if it’s any consolation, up until three hours ago, I didn’t know about you either.”

  Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he leaned on the empty chair beside mine and frowned thoughtfully. “Why would he keep you a secret?”

  I snickered. “Do you have a sister, Micah?”

  His lips twitched and he shook his head.

  “Well my brother, he’s a little overprotective of me. And by a little, I mean a lot.”

  “It’
s a brother’s job to protect his sister’s heart from getting hurt by guys who only think with their dicks.”

  “Well not to be mean or anything, but that’s kind of an insult to you.”

  “How can that possibly be an insult to me?” he asked, flashing me a sexy smile. I lowered my eyes to make a point and his head drew back in a whole hearted laugh. “I’m so glad your brother wasn’t here to introduce us right now.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because the way I see it, I get to see a side of you I’m convinced he doesn’t know about.”

  I pinched the inside of my cheek with my teeth to prevent my grin from breaking free. “Oh yeah? How so?”

  His mouth curled. “Because I don’t think you would have done what you just did there if Vincent was here.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  He tipped his beer to his lips and winked. “Oh, but I think I do. And whatever you’re searching for down there, Firefly, you won’t find it here.”

  “Firefly?” I repeated wrinkling my nose.

  Nice! Less than five minutes of talking with Micah Lambert, and I already have a weird nickname.

  He didn’t explain, he didn’t smile. He just regarded me for the longest time, never faltering his attention from mine. I waited, trying not to show him that I was getting flustered under his piercing eyes. When he seemed to have found whatever it was he was looking for, he smirked and turned around, heading towards the platinum blonde waving at him from a table near the back entrance.

  From my peripheral vision, I’d noticed her standing by the door, impatiently shifting from one combat boot to another. Holding a couple of motorcycle helmets in her hands, her gaze had skimmed our way more than once, I could feel it, but I didn’t make anything of it until that exact moment.

  “Oh hey, um, Micah,” I coughed out, remembering the black gift bag I had in my purse.

  As he took a step back in my direction, her smile faltered. My lips thinned and just as if he could read my mind, Micah slanted back holding up a finger to warn her he needed an extra minute. She just rolled her eyes in response.