Odessa Hywell

As Forest drives, I watch him. I’m happy—happier than I’ve been in years.  “I thought maybe after what I did, you hated me.” I turn and look out the window, unable to look at him. He probably does hate me for what I did.  I was young, dumb, and blindly in love with my big brother. Nothing has changed because I am still young, dumb, and blindly in love with Forest. But, three years ago, hormones got the best of me, and I destroyed us.  Forest threads his fingers through mine.  “Never, River.”  I glance over. “I’m not mad anymore...

The drive is long, but it passes.  River and I decide on dinner at our favorite pizza place—the one I used to take him to when he was younger, after I got my drive’rs license. Nothing has really changed about the place but the prices. We order pizza—meat lovers because it’s his favorite— then play air hockey.  He wins. He always wins. What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t let him, after all?  By the time we sit down, once our pizza is delivered, he’s high on his winnings, grinning a thousand watt smile, bouncing in his...