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“William Kaplan— are you ready for the best day of your life?!”
The air from Billy’s lungs was violently expelled, his peaceful cocoon under the covers suddenly shattered, as knees dug into his side, and his shoulders were shaken in a cruel wake up call.
“Oh my God, Riooooo–” Billy drawled.
“Time to wake up little brother, I am about to blow. your. mind.” Answered the familiar voice above him.
“I’m good, Imma sleep, my mind can stay safe right here.” He patted his pillow, trying to shuffle his sister off his legs.
Rio hummed, like she was considering something. “Oh. I just figured someone would want to know about their ‘super awesome sweet sixteen extravaganza’, but if you don’t want these tickets to the Agatha Harkness concert–”
That made Billy’s attention snap like a soldier ready for inspection. “Shut up.” he breathed, eyes bugged.
Rio, in her annoyingly confident way, smirked as she sat back on her heels. “I’m pretty sure I wasn’t done talking.”
“Ri–”
“Oh? You’re allowed to talk, but I’m not?” Her eyes twinkled with mischief.
“Tha–” Billy Tried again.
“Doesn’t really sound fair does it?”
“Can you Ju–”
“I mean come on, I feed you, I clothe you, and I organized one of the greatest surprises–” It was Billy’s turn to cut her off.
“Rio!” Billy shouted, unable to contain himself. “Agatha Harkness? Really?” His voice went small again as he asked, almost shy, uncertain he was allowed to be excited.
His sister on the other hand just beamed, her smile taking up the whole of her face as she gave a giddy nod.
Billy sat dumbfounded for a moment before mumbling a jumbled stream of, “oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!” throwing himself into Rio’s arms. A trail of ‘thank you’s following not long after.
He jumped from his bed and ripped open his closet door, mumbling a mile a minute as he went. “Do I even have anything to wear? How are we getting to the city?!”
Rio snickered and reached for Billy’s shoulders once more, turning him around to face her. “Breath dude. It’s all handled.” She lovingly mused his curls. “Alice hooked me up with the tickets and she got us a car to take us straight to the venue. I figured we could book a hotel and spend the rest of the weekend sightseeing.”
Billy suddenly felt all warm and fuzzy. He knew why Rio was going all out. It’s why she always went all out. So he wouldn’t have to think too hard about what was missing— who were missing.
She was thoughtful like that, always trying her best to give Billy anything he could want or need, because she knew what it was like to not get that. He could practically hear her saying, ‘they gave everything to me, why wouldn’t I do the same for you?’ In the most heartfelt, nauseatingly honest way of hers.
It was too much. It was perfect. He threw his arms around her once more, smile: bright, and then he remembered. And his face fell.
“Shit.” He mumbled. “I had plans with America and Kamala.”
Before Billy could think about crafting the perfect apology text, Rio nudged him playfully. “Do you think I’m an amateur? The girls will be here in 30 minutes to take you to brunch; I’m a mastermind kid.”
She shoved a twenty dollar bill in his hand, then spun towards the door, still talking, “I even tried to get Kamala to invite your boyfriend—”
“Eddy is not my boyfriend!” Billy could practically feel how red his ears were.
“Huh, funny he came to mind when I said that.” Rio teased. Then she turned back and looked him in the eye. “Chill dude. It got vetoed.”
Before she fully left the room, Rio’s face transformed into full type A, guardian mode. “Get dressed, be back by 2, you still need to pack, and I know it's going to take way too long for you to figure out what to wear–” She cut herself off, then continued on like a drill sergeant. “The car will pick us up at 5 and get us there in plenty of time. Go have fun, I love you, and Billy–” she waited for eye contact, then said, “happy birthday.”
––
An hour-and-a-half car ride from Westview New Jersey to Madison Square Garden in NYC required Billy’s hand crafted, all time hits, Agatha Harkness playlist. He was vibrating like a chihuahua and he wasn't even embraced by it. This was the best day of his life, and Rio, smug as ever, knew it.
She sat in the back of the black SUV to Billy’s right, pride evident in her smile. She’d out done herself, really. Seven handmade friendship bracelets sat proudly on his wrists.
It was a small detail Billy was shocked his sister even knew about. It was a silly little internet thing, or that's what Rio called it. Agatha Harkness fans, The Coven, were notorious for dissecting lyrics, and one throwaway line about friendship bracelets started a movement. Fans from all over coordinated online and started their own tradition. People took their time to craft their own unique friendship bracelets to exchange with one another.
The Coven was a community, it was sweet and maybe a little silly, but Rio had paid attention. She knew Billy, and she’d known he’d want to participate; so his ridiculous, kind, busy big sister took the time to do something to elevate his experience.
Billy looked over them with a smile that refused to lessen. There were three special ones just for him, but the rest he could trade, Rio knew that was the fun of it. One bracelet was a string of black lava rock beads, at the center, a pair of colored beads. One blue, and one green. He grinned. Their favorite colors. Billy and Rio against the world.
Another bracelet was a simple pattern of embroidery floss with the pride colors, and the last was a line from his favorite AH song: The Ballad of the Witches Road; purple and white beads alternated with ‘tame your fears’ situated in the middle.
Billy couldn’t fight the warm feeling in his chest. He looked over to Rio. Her ensemble was significantly smaller, she only wore two bracelets, An identical one with their colors and the lava rocks, and a braided string of colors he recognized as from the Lesbian pride flag.
She was fidgeting with a third one, absently wrapping it around her fingers, occasionally flicking at the beads.
“Don’t want to wear that one?” Billy asked.
“No– it’s silly,” Rio snorted, “I figured if we had the opportunity to meet the woman herself… I had to make her one.”
Billy crooked his head to see, but Rio quickly pulled it out of view.
“Let me see it!”
“No, it’s dumb–” Rio muttered, swatting at his grabby hands.
“But it’s my birthhhdayyy!” Billy whined.
Rio caved almost immediately. “Fine! Jesus.” She dropped the string of beads into his expectant hand.
Billy wasn’t exactly sure what he thought he’d see, but it certainly wasn't his sister’s phone number.
“What are you, a frat boy?” Billy belly laughed. “You think this would work on Agatha Harkness?”
“What?” Rio grumbled. “She’s single, I’m single… a girl's gotta shoot her shot.” They both exploded into giggles at that.
––
Alice greeted them the minute the SUV pulled up to the curb. She wrapped Rio in a huge bear hug, then turned her attention to Billy.
“Happy birthday kid.” He was grateful his hug was gentler. He was less grateful when Alice messed up his hair with a playful shuffle.
“Whyyyy?” he groaned.
Rio laughed, nudging Alice with her shoulder. “Apartenly he’s too old for signs of affection from his elders.”
“I know your generation thinks that’s a sign that you're the cool, older influence, but all it does is mess with the pomade and perfected quaff.”
“Our generation?” Alice chuckled.
“Teenagers are dramatic.” Rio stage whispered in response.
Alice clapped her hands together. “On that note,” then spun on her heel, “follow me.”
Billy’s head was on a swivel as they crossed through intricate hallways in the venue. It was convenient, they were able to avoid the crowds, and before long, they were on the floor below the stage, walking towards a large black tent.
Billy willed himself to be cool. They were going to the tent, the famous people tent, because his sister was famous. It was fine. Alice was famous too, though it never felt like it. (Besides how famous are the children of world renowned singers anyways? Wait, was Alice double famous because her fiancee was Agatha Harkness' publicist?)
Luckily Billy’s spiral was swiftly cut off as Alice ushered them inside. “The show starts in 20, but I’ve gotta head backstage and make sure my future wife hasn't murdered the star.”
Rio chuckled uncomfortably. “She’s joking.” She muttered, “You are joking, right?”
Alice just ignored her, and patted Billy on the shoulder. “Happy Birthday Billy.” And then she was gone.
Rio and Billy made polite conversation with the other VIPs in attendance, but all he cared about was how his life had brought him to this moment, to see his idol, on his birthday, with the most important person in his life. This was his apotheosis, he knew it.
“Rio?” He asked.
She turned to him and hummed with a smile.
“Thank you. For being here. For everything.” He looked at his shoes trying to fight the tears in his eyes. “I love you.”
Rio’s face visibly softened. “Of course hermanito.”
Suddenly the Large screen in the middle of the stage flashed a countdown clock. 1:00, 0:59, 0:58, 0:57.
“How’d I do?” Rio asked, her tone shy, unsure.
0:32, 0:31, 0:30. Billy laughed. “I think you ruined birthdays. There’s no way anyone can top this.”
0:15, 0:14, 0:13. “Yeah?”
0:04, 0:03, 0:02. “Yeah.” Billy beamed.