What big brothers are for

Jerome went upstairs to Nerissa’s room. He saw her lying on the bed and covering her face with her hands. He then knew that there was definitely something she was hiding from their mom. Jerome liked being the brother that his little sister could count on for everything, and that was only fair because after all he was her only brother, it was not like she had a choice of talking to another sister and of course he was well aware of his mother’s temper because he had been through the same on his teenage years. Tess would just give them an entire speech about the cons and pros of dating while they were still in school. But he tried to make Nerissa open up to him about whatever it was that was troubling her.

“Hey girl, can I come in?” Jerome asked her as he softly knocked on the door.

Instead of answering him she just signaled him to come in with her hand.

Jerome sat on the bed and then lay right next to her.

“You know you can tell me everything right?” He told her as the tone on his voice reassured her how much she could trust him.

“I know” She replied. She knew that her brother was someone and almost the only person she could fully trust her deepest feelings without worrying about being criticized or without him freaking out.

“So, what is it?” He asked her as he slightly patted her back with his hand.

Nerissa then turned around and looked at him.

“Well I like a guy in school and my mom doesn’t like him”. She said.

“I see, but why does she not like him?”  Jerome said.

Nerissa sit up on the bed, pulled her hair behind her ears and looked at her brother like if she was about to tell him something really bad.

“The guy I like, it’s not exactly what mom considers a “good person” to hang out with”. She told him rolling her eyes a little.

Jerome smiled at her and slightly pinched her arm.

“Oh, you like a bad boy?” He said.

“I don’t only like him, I am sort of…dating him” She said lowering her voice a little and looking down.

“Really? how long have you been dating him?” He asked.

“Well a couple of days, but they have been so wonderful” She answered laying on her back again and closing her eyes.

“Well what is it too bad about him that mom can’t accept him?”

“You see…” She said getting up again �"“He is not from here, he is from England and the way he dresses and the way he is, it’s very different from the rest of the guys I know”

“And how is that something bad?” Jerome asked again. He couldn’t understand how someone could be dislikable just for being different or being from another country.

“He kind of has a strange attitude and he almost always wears black”

“So he is punk or goth?” Jerome asked her.

“No, none of that Jerome, you see…when I first met him I was kind of scared of him because he looks like a troublemaker and like a jerk, but once I started to know him a little better…he turned out to be so different and especial, but in a really good way”

“I see, and how often do you see him?”

“Well, he…” �" Nerissa hesitated in telling him that Robert was her neighbor �" “…he lives next door to us” She said looking down and blushing a little.

Jerome smile was wider than it hadn’t been in a long time. Seeing his little sister being in love was so exciting.

“So will you see him tonight?”

“No, my mom forbidden me from see him again because of a stupid fight he was involved at in School”

“A fight?” Jerome asked scared.

“Yeah, but it was not his fault. My ex-boyfriend, Devin he got really jealous because he saw me talking to Robert and he just started hitting him, I tried to stop them and then he pushed me really hard that I fell to the floor and Robert defended me, but he took out a small razor from his pocket and pointed it at Devin, that’s why he was suspended and that’s why my mom thinks he is nothing but a dangerous criminal”.

“Wow, that’s quite a story. But I think it’s so sweet that he defended you, even he screwed up by taking out the razor tough”.

“I know, but this weekend the school will be having a festival at the park and I was just hoping to go with Robert”

“And what is the problem?” Jerome asked her.

“Well, 1. He is suspended from school and can’t go, 2. My mom always volunteers and she will be there and 3, well I don’t think there’s a three but the one and two are enough reason to know that it just won’t happen.”

“Well number 3 could be positive actually” Jerome said smiling at her.

“What do you mean?” She asked confused.

“Your big brother is here and what are big brothers for it is not for helping out little sisters in distress?” He said to her smiling.

Then Nerissa got really interested in what her brother plan was, she had no idea but she knew that he’d always have a solution.

“What are you planning Jerome?”

“Well you leave everything to me and you’ll see”

“Well at least tell me something, some hint or anything!” She said excited.

“You just make sure to tell your boyfriend to show up near where the festival is and leave the rest to me”

“Jerome I told you he can’t go, he is suspended”

“Yes I know that, but like I said, leave it to me, ok?”’

“Ok” She said smiling at her brother.

Jerome sure was planning something  to let his sister be with her boyfriend at the festival, and he knew exactly what to do, because back when he had been in High School he have done lots of similar things without getting caught.

“Oh my god Jerome you are the best brother ever!” Nerissa told him giving him a very tight hug and kissing his cheek

“Yeah, yeah just don’t get too mushy all right?”

Nerissa was wondering about what his plan was since the minute he told her, and she kept thinking what Jerome’s opinion about Robert would be once he met him.