Party 'til you pass out / When the party's over

1.5

'Ew, shut up. I hope they use a fucking condom...,' I said, sitting up again and trying not to laugh. 'I don't even understand what everybody sees in your brother.' Tom shot me a sceptic look, and I chuckled. 'Yeah, right, I get it. But in my defence, I was brainless drunk, okay?' He laughed shortly, then fell silent. We didn't say anything for a long moment, while we stared at the twinkling stars above us, trying to ignore the moans, until a rumour in the bus, the opening and closing of the door in the front and lone footsteps fading away made us snap back into the moment.

'Everybody always likes Oli better,' Tom then said. 'You know, he's got tattoos, he's got the bad boy thing going on, he's in a band... All the girls always faint over him.' I made a gagging noise and Tom laughed out loud. He took another sip of the Jack and gave the bottle to me. 'Me, I am not that special though.'

'Would you stop?,' I said, making him look at me in surprise. 'Tom, you're way more special than Oli, and you know why?'

'No?'

'Because at least you have some modesty, unlike your brother who thinks he can get anyone and anything he wants. He's a fucking asshole. You're working really hard to achieve your dreams, while he is taking everything as it comes, wandering through life, just going with the flow of it. Hell, he's on fucking drugs, everyone knows. Somehow I feel sorry for him, but I guess he made his own choices. You, on the other hand, are actually a real person, and I love that about you. You're real, you're authentic.' Tom smiled widely.

'Maybe I should be a bit upset that you're bashing my brother, but... I ain't. He's always everyone's favourite Sykes.'

'No, he's not,' I said softly, as my eyes met Tom's and I leaned in to him.

'What do you mean?'

'You are my favourite Sykes.' Tom grinned and pulled me closer, locking his lips on mine with force.

*

Oliver

Their words struck me more than I cared to admit. I was laying in my bunk and could hear them talk on the roof, as the hatch was wide open. The silence after that and the soft voice of Alison saying that 'they shouldn't have done this because she has a fiancé' told me something had happened between them and I didn't want to think about it. Grunting, I hid my face in my pillow and welcomed the familiar spinning sensation in my head.

I thought I would have fun with Kayley, or whatever her name had been, tonight. Instead, I had just done my thing and made her leave. Not that she minded, to say about her. As I had come back I went straight to my bunk, picking up the last of Tom and Alison's conversation. I never knew my brother saw it like that. I always had the idea that people liked him better than me, because at least he wasn't such a mess like I was. Tom legibly enjoyed life without the need of substances that helped him to feel better. He was kind, open and inspirational with his contagious laugh and always good mood.

The sound of someone trying to climb down via the bunks made me open my curtain and peek out to see Tom jumping on the bus floor, then putting out his hands to catch Alison. Alison jumped down into his arms and looked up at him. The way their eyes met made me feel sick, and I grunted and turned around on my other side.

'Oli, is that you?,' I heard my brother ask.

'Yeah...' Tom opened the curtain. 'Leave me alone!'

'Wow, what's your problem?'

'You guys are,' I muttered.

'What? Why?' Tom sounded genuinely surprised.

'Because you're talking behind my back about me. I heard you on the roof! "You're my favorite Sykes, Tom! Your brother is just an asshole!" Don't deny it!,' I yelled, more at Alison than at Tom. I got out of bed and jumped on the floor, getting in front of her. Alison flinched at me. 'I heard fucking everything! If you hate me so much, then why are you even here?! Huh? Why did you come on this fucking tour?' I felt hands grab my arm and I was rudely pulled away from her by my brother.