“Yeah,” I throw a single chip between my parted teeth, resting my feet against the dirt-covered wall, I say: “they’re fighting again.”

From inside the receiver, Ronnie mumbles something I don’t quite catch.

I tilt my head. “What was that?”

He snickers. “Couldn’t hear me over my awesomeness?”

I furrow my brows and snort. “More like I probably couldn’t hear you because you decided to take a piss while on the phone again.”

The line goes silent. I chew on another chip and laugh. “You don’t fool me, Ronnie. I know what goes on behind the scenes.”

“All right,” he sighs.

I imagine him raising his hands.

“You caught me. What can I do to make it to you for being such a bad friend by answering nature when she calls?”

“You could start by telling me what you were saying.”

I roll onto my stomach.

The bag of chips is now empty, a perfect cue for me to toss it into the bin one-handedly.

“Who?” Ronnie says as the bag lands next to my desk and completely off mark.

Straining my arm, I try to reach for something much too far away, before finally giving up and standing to pick up the bag.

I frown. “Who what?”

“Who’s fighting again.”

“Oh,” I pause. “My brother and his girlfriend.”

“Are… they going to be okay? I think I just heard glass shatter.”

“They’re always okay.”

“Seriously?”

I shrug even though he can’t see. “Least, that’s what they tell me.”

The conversation turns mute again until I finally decide to speak once more. “Hey,” I say. “Take me somewhere nice?”