Faded (Rock Star Trilogy)

me, Mom wanted me to invite you, Bridgett, and Alec over for Thanksgiving brunch and dinner.”
    “Definitely,” I agree. “Sounds good.”
    “So what are you doing for Halloween?” Mona asks me, refusing to look at Stephan.
    “I haven’t really thought about it,” I answer. “I may go trick or treat with my niece, Anna, but I’ll probably do whatever Stephan wants.”
    “Well, I was going to invite you to my annual Halloween party. I suppose you could bring him if he promises not to speak to me,” she says a little bitterly. “I really hope you dump him soon .”
    “Not going to happen.” I quickly respond.
    “What the fuck is your problem?” Stephan asks Mona. “I’ve never done anything to you!”
    She glares at him. “You exist. That’s my fucking problem .”
    “Maybe we could talk quieter,” I suggest.
    “That’s right. I do exist. And these are my friends . Why are you here?” He yells back, completely ignoring me.
    Great. I finally get them talking, and now I can’t get them to stop.
    “This is my town . I should be able to go to the bowling alley without seeing you!” Mona’s face is red as she yells at him.
    “Well, it’s my town too. Besides, I still don’t know what your problem is…” He pauses for half a second. “Actually, yes, I do know what your problem is. You’re a snobby bitch! That’s your problem!”
    “I am not a bitch ! Take it back!”
    “Mona…” Ethan tries to calm her down, but she shrugs his hands off.
    “Never. I won’t take it back, because I would be lying if I did.”
    She gasps. “You’re a… a…” She searches for a word.
    “Can’t think of anything mean to say?” Stephan laughs.
    “You’re a jerk! I can’t believe I’m related to such a pigheaded, stuck up, asshole !” Mona starts to grab her purse, but Stephan rips it out of her hands.
    “What do you mean related ? We are not related!”
    Oh, shit.
    “You’re my half-brother.” She grabs her purse away from him. “Now you know, so leave me the fuck alone. Seven months until we graduate, then I never have to see your fucking face again!”
    She stomps past us all and runs outside.
    I look at Stephan. “Go after her!”
    He looks at me for half a second, and then runs out after her. The cameras run after them. I sit down on the bench beside Ethan.
    “Do you think we should follow?” he asks me.
    I shake my head. “No, I think they need to talk without us. This conversation is about three years overdue.”
    “More like eighteen years overdue,” Ethan counters.
    “Well, what are we going to do now?” Alec asks us. “It’s Mona’s turn.”
    Bridgett punches his forearm. “You’re so insensitive.”
    Alec rubs his arm. “Ow. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have a bruise.”
    Ethan rolls his eyes at them. “You two should just kiss and get it over with.”
    “That would require Bridgett touching me, and unless it’s to hurt me with physical violence, she has a no touching policy,” Alec tells Ethan.
    Bridgett storms away, soon followed by Alec. Ethan and I are the only ones left there.
    “Wow. Bowling sure brings out the violent side of people,” I say, half laughing.
    Ethan shakes his head, and I’m wondering if he is as confused as I am. “You want to play a game of pool instead?”
    “Yes.”
     
    10:53 PM
    I’m waiting on you.
     
    Ethan and I play pool for three hours before Stephan comes looking for us. Mona isn’t with him, but he doesn’t look angry so that has to be a good sign. But I’m still worried. What if Mona told him that I knew the truth? Will he be mad at me for not telling him sooner? And if she didn’t tell him I knew, then should I tell him? I mean, I should,definitely… He will find out eventually, right? Certainly they would put the conversation I had with Ethan on the show. But maybe they won’t. The documentary is about me, not them. But if that were the case, the cameras wouldn’t have followed the two of them outside.
    Maybe I’m just over-thinking this .
    “You ready to go home?” Stephan asks me. I wait for him to say something else, but he doesn’t. So I just nod, and follow him outside to his car. He opens my door for me as usual, and I’m thinking this is a good sign.
    “So…” I say once he gets in and starts the car.
    He looks at me and waits for me to continue.
    “Are you going to tell me what happened?” I ask.
    “Mona is my half-sister,” he says the obvious. “We decided to not tell anybody.