The new rule
(Two weeks before the current events)
Regulus was sitting on the big gray couch in his living room , a copy of “The Bell Jar” in his hand.Lost in thought, his eyes fixed on one line in particular, “If neurotic is wanting two mutually exclusive things at one and the same time, then I’m neurotic as hell. I’ll be flying back and forth between one mutually exclusive thing and another for the rest of my days.” The words echoing in his mind, like a scream into a lonely canyon.Regulus frowned, rereading the passage from "The Bell Jar." He highlighted the sentence with a worn yellow marker, the underline thick and emphatic.
He glanced around the comfortable living room, the worn furniture and familiar bookshelves reminding him of a life that felt increasingly at odds with his desires. Regulus longed to break free, to pursue a path less traveled, but the weight of his mother’s expectations and pushing down on him.
His mother walked into the room and asked in a stern and cold tone “Hello Regulus, made anyone cry today?”
“Sadly no, but it is only four thirty.”Regulus replied with a cheeky smile without even glancing away from his book.
Just then the doorknob rattled, and Sirius sauntered into the room, his shoulders thrown back and his gaze sweeping over the space as if he owned it. Sirius proceeded to greet his mother “Hi mom.”
“And where have you been?” Regulus asked in an inquiring tone as he shu his book, noticing that his brother was late.
“Nowhere” Sirius replied in a tone that could only be described as confrontational with a hint of nonchalance.
“Hey what is this? It says Yale.” Their mother said.
Regulus, without even thinking twice, ripped the envelope out of his mother’s hands and opened it with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning. Regulus's heart hammered against his ribs as he ripped open the envelope. His eyes scanned the page, devouring the words that confirmed his dream: he'd been accepted to Yale! A whoop of joy escaped his lips, and he shot up from the couch, the book forgotten in his hand. “I got in! I got in!” Regulus said excitedly, not believing that all of this was legit.
He sprung from the armchair and excitedly jumped onto the sofa, where he laid down to continue reading the letter. Heart full of excitement and head full of dreams.
“Son, that’s great but isn’t Yale literally across the ocean?” His mom asked in a slightly disapproving tone.
“Well, that’s the basis of its appeal.” Regulus said, still ecstatic.
“I thought we had already decided that you are to stay here and go to school in London, like me at Imperial College.” His mom said, not agreeing with the idea of his son leaving.
Regulus felt annoyed by the fact that his mother was trying to make this pivotal decision on his behalf. He sat back up annoyed. “No, you decided,” Regulus replied, his voice laced with frustration.
“So you just pick up and leave? Is that it?” Their mother said in an argumentative tone.
“Let’s hope so.” Sirius chimed into the conversation flippantly, in an attempt to annoy his brother.
Regulus, feeling the need to get back at his brother, snarky said “Ask Sirius who drove him home.”
“Regulus don’t change the … drove. Who drove you home?” Their mother said, at first trying to slightly reprimand Regulus but then turning her attention to Sirius. She was clearly bothered by it.
“Now don’t get upset mom…” Sirius started talking, doing everything in his power to keep the situation in control. “There’s this boy…”
“Who is a flaming imbecile,” Regulus snapped.
“Please-”Their mother said, trying to keep order in the conversation.
“I think he might ask me…” Sirius attempted to further his explanation, but was interrupted again this time by his mother.
“I think I know what he is going to ask you, and I think I know the answer.” Her mother spoke sternly, “No, it’s always no.”
“Can you tell me what the two house rules are?” She asked as she made Sirius sit on the couch besides Regulus.
“Number one no dating ‘till you graduate. Number two, no dating ‘till you graduate” she spoke again.
"Mom, that's SO unfair," Sirius said with exaggerated exasperation.
“You wanna know what’s unfair? This is for you two.” Their mother said, “This morning I was at work when a concerned mother came into my office with her seventeen year-old son, desperately trying to plan a wedding because the boy had impregnated an unworthy girl, and the wedding was their last chance at protecting the honor and standing of their family. Do you want to know what he said to me?”
“ She was a whore , and I don’t give a fuck about this wedding?” Sirius replied in a snarky tone.
“Close but no, he said I should have listened to my mother, ” their mom said.
“He did not,” Sirius replied, his voice laced with annoyance.
“That’s what he would’ve said if he wasn’t so in shock” Their mother replied.
“Can we focus on me for one second? I’m the only one in school who is not dating” Sirius said in a tone that can be described as frustrated and slightly indignant.
“Oh no you’re not. Your brother doesn’t date.” Their mom tried to convince Sirius that not dating is not the end of the world.
“And I don’t intend to,” Regulus replied, his voice carrying a tone of unwavering decidedness and stubbornness.
“And why is that again,Regulus?” Their mother asked
“Have you seen the smelly unwashed miscreants that go to that school?” Regulus replied with a tinge of disgust in his voice at the thought of his classmates.
“Where did you come from? Planet loser?” Sirius shot back, his voice dripping with mockery and incredulity.
Regulus rolled his eyes, his tone sharp and defiant as he mocked Sirius. “As opposed to the planet, look at me! Look at me!”
Their mother clapped to get their attention. “ Okay, this is how we solve this one. Old rule out, new rule Sirius can date…”
The two brothers sitting on the couch were having diametrically opposed reactions. Sirius had the biggest smile across his face. Whereas Regulus had an expression of pure shock jaw almost on the floor from indignation.
“… when he does,” their mom said, pointing to Regulus and starting to leave the room.
“But he’s a freak, what if he never dates?” Sirius scoffed, his tone full of sarcasm and amusement. His delivery was sharp, cutting through the tension in the room with confident nonchalance.
“Then you’ll never date. Oh I like that idea.” their mother turns around to see a completely shocked Sirius and Regulus just looking at the whole situation amused.
“And I’ll get to sleep at night. The deep slumber of a mother whose sons are not ruining the family reputation.”
Their mom’s work phone starts ringing and as she urgently leaves she tells Regulus “We’ll talk about Yale later.”
“Wait mother”Sirius tried to talk sense into their mother regarding the new rule.
“I have to go,”their mother said, not letting the boy talk.
Sirius then proceeded to go after Regulus who was walking up the stairs probably to read in his room. “Can’t you just find a blind-deaf guy to take you to the movies so I can have one date?” Sirius asked his brother half in jest, half in frustration. His words hung in the air as Regulus stopped mid staircase and looked at him for a long minute before speaking.
“I’m sorry, looks like you’ll have to miss out on the witty repartee of 'Barty 'eat me' Crouch,'" Regulus shot back sarcastically.
“You suck” Sirius said in a mocking tone.
“You suck” Regulus said, mocking his brother back.