Boy Bands by Polette Zavala

Boy Bands

By Polette Zavala

 

            He leaned into the window and pressed his heated forehead against the cool glass. His mom had gotten to the bus stop late, and now she was talking about something, but his attention was drawn to Drake's muffled voice coming from the radio. His ride home was short, and before he knew it he was walking towards the perforated white door of his home. He hadn't even turned the knob, when he heard loud screeching from inside.

            The TV was on, but his sister was lounging upside down on the couch. He could hear the upbeat rhythm of the pop song booming out of her headphones from across the room. He glared at her and she turned her head to the side to look up at him, brown eyes squinting. While her eyes were focused on him he took that moment to grab the TV controller off her stomach.

            "I downloaded their new album!" She spoke to him as if he were deaf.

            "Yeah, I know, you started having a mild seizure while we were watching Almost Human last night." She still hadn't taken off her headphones, so he decided to speak just as loud, his voice booming in the otherwise quiet living room. He really hoped she wouldn't push the topic on him. He hated them and he hated talking about them, because her usual response to him telling her how much they suck could be compared to pouring lighter fluid on an already blazing fire.

            "You should listen to it!” he heard her shout from the living room as he threw his backpack onto his bedroom floor. “It's so good!"

            He closed his eyes and saw what the outcome of a fight with his sister would be. He could already hear his mom's aggravated yell and could see her face: nostrils flared, eyes set to a glare, and her mouth in a tight-lipped frown.

            Today was just going to be one of those days. He hadn't even gotten a bite to eat yet and his sister was already badgering him about something.

            "They aren't even talented, and they suck," he spoke to her, his tone final, as he sat down in one of the chairs surrounding the dining room table.

From the corner of his eye, he saw her leap off the couch.

            "You know you only say that because all of your little friends think that. I've heard you humming to their songs before." Her smile was smug and her stance was that of a know-it-all older sister.

            His reply was immediate, "Yes I probably hummed to their song, but I said they weren't talented. You can have catchy songs and still not be talented."

            "Woah, hold on there you spawn."

He looked up at his sister, face puzzled.

            "One: thanks for admitting you think their songs are catchy, because they totally are.”  She placed both of her hands on the space in front of him, looking down at him. “And two: you have to stop lying to yourself, you know you love them!"

He looked up, an eyebrow raised. All he could compute from this was that his sister was annoying. He stood up from his chair. "Dude, they freaking suck!" he shouted, face to face with his sister with only the table as a barrier.

            "Get over yourself," she said.

He watched her push away from the table, and head to her room. He sat back down and bit back a grin. His food was still warm and with this next episode he would be all caught up on Supernatural.