Why I Can't Rule The World

No. 2

"Better?" I asked. He just looked at me and blinked.

Taking the tissues, I sat down in his rocking chair and started comforting him. Every once in a while, he would start to cry again because his nose or throat was aching. Eventually, he fell asleep, taking in deep, hollow breaths in my arms. I leaned my head back, relieved he found some solace.

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"Wake up!" someone snapped from in front of me.

I jumped in my chair and felt that Asher was gone from my lap. Peeling my eyes open, I gazed up at Pearl who had our sleeping brother cradled on her hip.

"What do you want?" I groaned, rubbing my eyes.

"It's six-thirty, isn't that the time you normally get up?" she huffed quietly, setting him down in his bed.

"Yeah..?"

"Well, you're welcome. I wasn't going to, but then Grandma called and said I probably should."

"Why would she call this early?" I asked, getting up and walking into the hall. Pearl followed me and shut the door softly.

"I don't know. Maybe mom was upset last night, who knows?" she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"Whoa," I said, peering closer at her face. "Are you wearing... Are you wearing makeup?"

"A little, yeah. What's wrong with it?"

"Just makes you look... I don't know, makes you look something," I stated, shrugging and walking to my room.

"You're so kind," she remarked, going down the stairs.

"I try," I called after her.

I threw on some clothes and looked in the mirror to check my hair. By the end of the day, there wasn't a doubt that my name would be floating around. I smiled, but it seemed forced. The smile was too much, rumors would be enough. Finally, people might know me for something more than the 'camera dude'.

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We arrived at school and I parked my car, then exchanged a look with Pearl. She sighed, but she knew the drill. She took her soccer bag and backpack and threw them over her shoulder. Then she stepped out and walked up the school's lot. I waited a while after she went inside, then took my bags, and walked in after her.

Not too many people know I have a sister. She was a little bossy and not always the nicest person to me. Plus she always seemed to want to be a 'help' in some sort of way.

We never mentioned the other to our friends and hardly even glanced at one another in the halls. Maybe I'm being a jerk, but it's just part of the dance we do. She doesn't complain, and neither do I. In a weird way, she acts like she understands and just rolls with it.

As soon as I step inside the school, Jimmy and Marcus are by my side.

"Wow, you guys. Waiting by the door and everything," I said.

"I can't help it, I want to see this for myself," Jimmy reasoned, walking beside me up to the English wing, where Juniors had their lockers. Other students milled around us, some listening to headphones, others doing last minute homework. It was typically loud during mornings for some odd reason. Too many morning people.

"Did you actually do it?" Marcus asked, adjusting his backpack straps on his shoulders.

"Yeah," I said somewhat proudly.

"I personally didn't think you would," he admitted.

"I had faith in you though!" Jimmy exclaimed, slapping me on the arm.