Ten (My Brothers Best Friend) Read Online Free PDF Page B

match made in heaven? That’s what we were, but that match was struck and the flame burned us both.
    Anger bubbles and roars out of me, the wall taking the brunt from my fist as I jab a few times, causing my skin to tear and bleed. The rain dilutes the blood pouring from my knuckles and I wish it could weaken the pain, but it’s still right there, as vivid as the day it happened.

T EN Y EARS A GO
    I couldn’t believe what Jonah had gotten himself in to. We’d been friends for seven years but we’d been drifting apart, heading in two opposite directions. I couldn’t wait to leave this place and start planning my future, which involved telling him I was in love with his baby sister. I’d been putting it off since forever because Jonah was temperamental. There was something missing from him. He’d appeared lonely and beaten down by life ever since I’d known him, despite coming from a family that loved him. He always had a connection with Alex I never understood, but because I don’t have siblings, I couldn’t claim to know if it was abnormal or not.
    Jonah had a problem with drugs and never knew when to stop. I liked to smoke the occasional joint but that stopped a long time ago, when my hockey coach informed me I had a real shot at getting a scholarship. Jonah, on the other hand, moved on to harder stuff. His drinking and reckless behavior became out of control, and as much as I loved him and would do anything for him, it was a dangerous path I’d worked hard to stay away from. My family lived that lifestyle, and for some bizarre reason, Jonah liked the way they were and didn’t understand why I was the way I was with them. I lived with my uncle but I wasn’t a part of his life. I came and went as I pleased, and when I was home I spent all my time in my room. He was rarely there anyway. He spent most of his time with his chosen whore of the month. He always told me my father’s weakness was women, but he was a hypocrite because he was addicted to the same poison.
    Jonah thought my uncle was cool, that the money he had in stacks overrode the way in which he made it. He liked the power my uncle had in this town. Despite Jonah’s Dad being the sheriff, he thought my family dealing drugs and whoring out women gave them a type of power he craved. He was young and foolish to think that, but if I’d learned anything from being Jonah’s best friend over the years, it was that once he had something in his head it was hard to convince him otherwise.
    He was his own person, and he didn’t bond with people easily. I was his only true friend and I still don’t know why he chose to let me in, but he did, and as his best friend I always tried to be a good one and look out for him. I’d often taken the blame for things he did so he wouldn’t get in trouble with his father. I’d been his alibi when he slipped out at night without me to do stupid shit. I always felt like I was in his debt because I was in love with his sister and he knew nothing about it. He wouldn’t understand or accept us, I knew it from the beginning, so I made Alex keep us a secret, and it troubled her. I couldn’t do this anymore, and as soon as school was done I was going to tell Jonah I was in love with Alex and hope he could deal with it, because nothing was going to keep us apart. Jonah wasn’t our only obstacle. Alex’s parents were not fond of me, or the family I was born into, but she was willing to risk their disapproval and their wrath so I had to man up and risk my friendship with Jonah.
    I hated how things were with us. I knew he’d been dealing to kids at our school and that the drugs were coming from my family. They had to be because my family wouldn’t tolerate someone else dealing on their turf. I know they used him because they couldn’t have me. I’ve never known a family so hell bent on dragging everyone down to their level. You’d think they would be proud that I was getting out and going to make something of my life, but