The Desire Variable - Vol. I

【40】Welcome Distraction

Growing up, we'd had your average sibling relationship, meaning we loved and hated each other depending on the days. Our fights for the remote had been epic, and the three and some years separating us had made me particularly disadvantaged. Still, I'd found ways to have my wins, mostly by telling on him, which I wasn't very proud of.

Of course, we eventually grew out of the childishness and were very tight now, despite our differences. Having him back here, with only a three hours ride separating us, was much better. Thrilled by the news, I wrapped my arm around his waist while he put his over my shoulders. Tamika was on her way back, and she smiled at the sight we offered.

She was reaching us when a familiar face joined our trio. "Hi, guys," said Oli with a hand wave, eyeing Tyler and me, visibly confused.

"This is Andy's brother," Tamika quickly explained to him. Oliver turned to my sibling. His eyebrows arched with surprise, and he went to shake his hand.

I let go of Tyler while he saluted Oli and squinted my eyes at Tammy. Although Kate had abstained from telling her I had someone else in mind, I'd told Tammy I wanted to put my potential romance with Oli on hold. I'd suspected she was still invested in us being a thing, though. The way she'd just clarified what Tyler was to me before Oli could get the wrong idea, was proof of it.

"I've heard about you!" Oliver signed, apparently happy to meet my brother. "You're the reason your sister has come up with the app everyone's talking about."

"I can't take credit for any of that," Tyler answered tactfully. "All I can brag about is how normal-ish she turned out to be, thanks to my incredible skills as a big bro."

I rolled my eyes as Oliver let out a chuckle, as well as Tammy. "If you had been in charge of any aspect of my education, I'd probably be dead in a ditch or locked in an asylum by now."

It was Tyler's turn to chuckle. "You're Oliver, right?" he then asked my ginger friend. Surprised that my brother knew about him, Oli turned to me with a half-amused, half-proud smile. Ah, shit. Now he knew I'd told my family about him. I hoped he wouldn't read too much into it. I told my family about pretty much everything.

"I see she told you about me," Oli answered with a proud smirk.

"Have you met her? She tells me about everything. She's a talking machine. I have to pretend I'm losing reception on half of our calls."

A bit offended, but still glad he'd cleared it up, I pinched Tyler's arm and turned to Oliver, who was struggling to hold back his laugh. Tamika was loving this, too.

Understanding he'd gone a little too far, Tyler patted my shoulder before turning back to Oli. "Sorry to cut this short, man, but I've just driven for four hours straight, and I can't wait to get my ass into a comfortable couch."

Oliver nodded, as understanding as ever, and we parted after greeting each other. Tyler drove us home, which was a nice change from the crowded bus. He had come with his car, an old Land Rover that had been taking up space in our parents' garage, which our mom never failed to complain about. As soon as we entered our apartment, I gave him a little tour. He liked the overall ambiance, which was always a compliment coming from him.

If I was the brainiac of the family, Tyler was the artist.

When our father had offered him a camera on his twelfth birthday, he would have never imagined in a million years it would become Ty's great passion. As it turned out, my immature brother had an incredible eye to catch the smallest details, the right angles, the unnoticed scenes, the hidden beauty of this world... With his deafness came a vigilant eye, because he had to observe and watch what he couldn't hear. Unconsciously, he had turned his disability into a gift.