Never Admit Defeat, Never Give Up

1

My best friend Lucia and I got caught in a sudden downpour while we were at the library.

Since we hadn't expected the heavy rain, I quickly called my brother to come pick us up.

"Chandria, it's so handy having a brother. You can just give him a call, and he'll come to the rescue!"

Lucia said enviously. Coming from an only child family, she often wished she had a sibling to keep her company.

I jokingly told her, "If you had a brother, he'd probably be an arrogant jerk."

But Lucia insisted, "You don't know how lucky you are."

As I thought about it, I realized my family didn't favor sons over daughters at all. In fact, I was the spoiled one, and my brother had to cater to my every whim. Even the new car our parents bought was so he could chauffeur me around more easily. Seen in that light, he did seem a bit pitiful...

Not long after my message, my brother pulled up in front of the library.

Lucia and I dashed to the car, using our books as makeshift umbrellas.

As soon as I hopped into the passenger seat, I noticed a "Girlfriend's Seat" sticker and some frilly pink decorations.

When my brother saw me there, his expression soured.

I was about to tease him, but his look stopped me cold. "What's wrong? You got a girlfriend now, so I can't sit here?"

He knew I got carsick easily, so I always rode shotgun.

"No way, you're my sister. My girlfriend won't mind," he muttered.

I nodded, but I was curious about this mysterious girlfriend who could tame my perpetually single brother.

"Well? Aren't we leaving yet?"

"Aren't we leaving yet?"

It was pouring outside, and half my clothes were drenched. I couldn't wait to change into something dry.

To make college life easier, and since my brother worked nearby, my parents had bought us a house close to campus. Usually, though, I lived in the dorms with Lucia and rarely went back home. But with the heavy rain today, I'd taken her there to change and rest up.

"Hold up, my girlfriend also goes to your school. Let me swing by and pick her up," my brother said.

I just nodded silently.

No problem, I thought. Just a little wait.

Little did I expect that "little wait" would drag on for over an hour.

Just as I was getting antsy for him to take us back first, a girl approached, clutching an umbrella and wearing delicate makeup.

But when she saw me in the passenger seat, my brother's face soured.

As she neared, he started to greet her, but she cut him off, yanking open the passenger door,

and letting a gust of cold air in.

She snapped rudely.

"Didn't you see the 'Girlfriend's Seat' sign?"

"Just who do you think you are, sitting there?"

Thinking she'd misunderstood, I tried explaining.

"He's my brother."

"Don't go calling every guy 'brother' at your age. If you don't want to work, don't go digging for sugar daddies," she sneered.

Her unpleasant insinuation left even my usually reserved friend Lucia reeling.

"Why are you spewing such vile nonsense?" she shot back.

"You're the one with the dirty mind! What's wrong with a sister sitting shotgun?"

The girlfriend clearly hadn't expected someone in the backseat.

Suddenly, there was a clicking sound.

"I didn't expect this, Channing. You hooked up with a schoolgirl while I was away? One in front and one behind, huh?"

"No, Lila, she's my sister!"

My brother scratched his head, clearly unsure of how to handle the situation.

Seeing that the rain had let up a bit, I didn't want to make things harder for him. I got out of the passenger seat, ready to move to the back.

"Am I invisible to you?"

Just as I opened the back door, someone yanked my hair.

The pain made me jerk my head back.

"Let me, your senior, teach you a lesson!"

With that, she pulled my hair even harder.

I thought, even though I tried to give her a break, she still wanted to cause trouble. She had it coming.

I slapped her twice across the face.

"There's no way you're becoming my sister-in-law, mark my words!"