Mike sat on his couch, a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. He was absentmindedly flipping through the TV channels when his brother walked in the room and plopped down next to him. “What’s up?” he asked, taking a cigarette from the pack that lay on the table and lighting one of his own.

Mike gave his brother a glare for taking one of his cigarettes, but the look on his face quickly softened. “Nothing.” he replied. “There ain’t shit on TV.” He lazily threw the remote on the couch beside him. Mike said nothing else and stared absentmindedly at the talk show he had flipped it to.

Vic sighed. There was obviously something wrong. “You okay, dude?” he asked.

Mike took a deep drag of his cigarette and looked at his brother. “Fucking Cassie, man. She keeps texting some other dude and I’m pretty sure she’s cheating on me.” Mike stubbed out his cigarette with a defeated look on his face.

“Damn.” Vic replied. He wasn’t very shocked to hear that, but he would never admit that to Mike. “Wanna beer?”

In the Fuentes household, having a beer was what you did when something was wrong. The two brothers didn’t talk about their feelings; they just played video games all night while getting wasted.

“Sure.” Mike replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. Vic jumped off the couch and ran to the kitchen. He pulled two Shiner’s out of the fridge and popped their tops off. He returned to the living room and plopped on the couch next to his brother, handing him his beer.

“To slutty bitches!” Vic exclaimed, clanging his drink to Mike’s before taking a swig. Mike bitterly laughed and did the same.

An hour later the two brothers were beginning to feel buzzed. Vic kicked his feet up on the coffee table, knocking an empty beer onto the floor as he did. “So, are you gonna break up with Cassie?” Vic asked out of the blue. He had been musing over the question, but was doubtful over whether or not he should ask it.

“Yea, I think so.” Mike shook his head sadly.

They sat in silence for a moment before Vic spoke again. “What about that Lucy girl? She sounded pretty cute.”

Mike gave his brother a look. He hadn’t even broken up with his current girlfriend and Vic was already trying to hook him up with someone else. “I don’t even know who you’re talking about.”

“The girl whose phone you called from today? I called back as soon as I saw the missed call and she answered. She sounded sweet.” Vic smiled. If he could hook his brother up with a decent girl for once he’d be thrilled. Mike had a tendency to date girls who treated him like shit.

“I don’t even know her! I just tried to use her phone.” Mike said, lighting up his last cigarette. “She didn’t seem like she liked me very much anyway,” he added, “She acted all awkward and wouldn’t really talk to me.”

“Well she talked to me!” Vic joked to his brother.

“Well then, why don’t you date her?” Mike shot back.

Vic ignored his remark and opened up his phone. “I have her number right here if you want to call her.” He said. “Maybe you can invite her over?” he hinted, elbowing his brother a little too hard in the side.

“I think you’re forgetting I still have a girlfriend!” Mike replied. “Plus, it’s ten o’clock on Tuesday. I doubt she’s gonna come over. Not everyone has parents like ours, Vic."

“Come on…” Vic pushed, “Your girlfriend’s probably banging some guy right now while you’re sitting here with me. Call Lucy! I’m not saying you have to fuck her, just see if she wants to hang out. Who knows, you might even have a good time.”

Mike felt a sting in his chest at Vic’s words. He thought for a minute, before sighing and saying, “Alright, give me your damn phone.”