His Fake Girlfriend
Chapter 14- Brotherly Love
It was a day after my mom had brought Peter over for dinner. A Wednesday. It’s when I decided that Josh and I needed to have that conversation. Sky stayed home with Julia making bracelets and watching movies. I thought Sky would get irritated after a while hanging out with my fifteen year old little sister, but every time I brought it up she was eager to be with Julia. I don’t know what it was, but they got along.
After Josh’s soccer practice I picked him up like I had usually done this week. But instead of bringing him home to shower that stench off of him, I brought him to the ice cream shop that we always went to when I came home. It was actually the first place I brought Josh and Julia when I got my license. Josh was surprised with the stop. I hadn’t told him I was bringing him to eat ice cream, and I guess I didn’t seem like I was in a generous mood; so he said.
I got a chocolate shake and he got orange sherbet. Something he’s been obsessed with since he was ten years old. We sat on one of the picnic benches across from each other. I didn’t know how I was going to bring the conversation up. I didn’t want to be blunt. But I also didn’t want to seem heartless. I never prepared myself for this conversation. I never thought I’d have to have this conversation with any of my siblings.
Why me exactly? Why do I have to have this conversation with Josh and not my mom? Not because she’s a horrible mother that’s never around. The complete opposite actually. I have to have this conversation with him because I’m the guy. I’m the older brother. I promised my dad before he died that I’d be there for them. I’d be the man of the house. I’d take over his place as best as I could. And that’s what I’m doing. Well, it’s the best that I can do. Like Josh said before, I’ll never be dad. I’ll never be able to really replace dad. I could only try to fill in the gaps.
“So how’s school?” I ask casually sipping at my milkshake.
He shrugged his shoulders, “It’s alright.” He replies more occupied with his ice cream. Maybe I should have brought him somewhere else where he’d pay more attention.
“How’s your grades?” I asked feeling my phone vibrate in my shorts pocket. I chose to ignore it.
“Well you seem to know already. Since I’ve been getting grades worse than your high school years.” He responds remembering our argument.
“Why are your grades slipping then?” I question differently. He ignored me, continuing to stare and eat his ice cream. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”
His eyes darted to me, mid-way putting ice cream in his mouth. Caught him. “What do you mean?” He asks quietly.
“Why aren’t you and Derrick friends anymore for starters?” He stared at me shockingly for a moment before answering. I hope he didn’t play that stupid game with me when he pretends to not know what I’m talking about.
“How do you know Derrick and I aren’t friends anymore?” He asks a little shocked but sounding a bit angry as well. It’s not my fault that I could outsmart the kid.
“Well let’s start with Derrick not being over the house every single day this week. That kid practically lived at our house during vacations or vice versa. Your grades are slipping but I don’t know if they have anything to do with Derrick. You have that new quiet, kind of geeky looking friend Noah. Oh, and let’s not forget about the other day when you completely flipped out on me when I teased you. You never flipped out at me when I called you names. That was our long lived joke.” I paused to take a breather. I didn’t want to overwhelm the kid either and have him scream at me like he did the other day.
“I suppose Jill or Julia squealed on me too about my bloody cut lip.” Josh mumbled playing around with his ice cream.
“Excuse me?” I questioned shockingly. Did I just hear that right?
“Nothing.” He said quickly shoving his mouth with ice cream. Did he not know I could still ask and he could still answer? That ice cream will melt fast enough.
“Are you being bullied?” I asked straight forward. I was done beating around the bush and waiting for him to answer. I needed to know.
A small surprised look crossed his face when I asked. Oh no, he’s going to start screaming at me again. “Of course not! Why would you think I was being bullied?” He asked outraged.
Ok I didn’t expect that at all, “Because you’re acting different. Grades are slipping, new friends, and you cried that other day! Don’t lie to me.” I warned shaking my head.
The little turd actually started laughing at me. “Dude I’m not being bullied.” He chuckled eating his ice cream like our conversation was no big deal. “Jill says I’m turning into a punk like you if that helps your mind-”
“Whoa, wait, Jill? What has Jill been telling you?” I am honestly blown away and generally confused.
“Wait, she hasn’t told you.” He questioned raising an eyebrow at me. With every word he said his smile got bigger and bigger. “Well 7th grade is hard you know. Starting Jr. High and all that crap. Plus my math teacher sucks. I have Mr. Sargent by the way and he says hi and he always says I’m just like you when you were in 7th grade.”
“That old fart is still teaching?” I asked surprisingly, steering away from the actual conversation I had in mind.
“Yeah he looks like he’s going to kick the bucket any day now, but Audrey Talenti said that he’s actually fifty something years old and not some pre-historic age.” Josh babbles on, waving his plastic spoon in the air.
“Whoa wait, who’s the chick. Who’s Audrey- whatever her last name is.” I interrogate before he moves on.
“Some girl. Anyways!” Yeah right some girl. That’s not true. He sure can’t lie as well as me that’s for sure. “Yeah, so, 7th grade sucks. Derrick and I just have different teachers so we don’t talk much anymore. Then he started hanging around with these weird guys that will probably do pot when they get into high school-”
“Hold the phone, what do you know about pot?” I grill, probably asking a little too loudly.
“I watched all five seasons of Breaking Bad with Jill all of mid-winter break. I know what meth is and realize that you can make a lot of money. Anyways, stop interrupting me when I talk.” He sasses. Yep this kid is thirteen for sure. He’s got that teenager attitude. “So yeah Derrick and I don’t really hang out anymore. He just tries to be tough with his new friends. His new friends are jerks anyways. Jill also yells at me because I play too many video game and don’t study or do as much homework as I really should. Uh, let’s see what else. Oh yeah I may have scratched your Call of Duty game. Jill ran over your long board because I left it out on the drive way.” He confessed in a rush ramble.
I couldn’t believe all this information that was going through my head at the moment. First off, Jill has been playing Head-Honcho in my absence and not filling me in on important stuff. Second, Josh is so going to get beat up by be for breaking all my things. Third, I’m starting to like Julia as my favorite sibling. Forth, it better not rain because the sky is looking shady.
I stare at my little punk of a brother that looked nothing like me but apparently was acting a whole lot like me at age thirteen. So he’s not being bullied, still doesn’t explain why he called me a jackass for calling him names or why he cried yesterday. Wow, I’ve been missing out on a whole lot since I left for College.
“So explained to me why you cried yesterday and why you yelled at me. Not to mention you called me jackass and walked away when I called you freckle face.” A few things still didn’t add up right and I wanted answers for everything.
“Well I called you jackass because you called me freckle face. That’s the whole point of the game remember? Calling each other names.” He reminded in a ‘you’re stupid tone.’
He had a good point though, “Ok why did you cry at your game?” I asked next.
“So member when I got tripped?” He questioned. I nodded my head remembering- not really- and for him to go on. “Well I thought I twisted my ankle or something but it turns out I just got cleated really hard. And my cleats are already one size too small and its sucks to run in blisters with them. So I was just totally done with soccer that day. I wasn’t really crying” He says shaking his head.
Great, now I feel bad that my little brother has small cleats that might just be throwing him off his game. I hated knowing that something so simple as going to the mall to get him new cleats could be fixed so easily.
“I was also aggravated about the game. I could have done better and Derrick is being a jerk not passing me the ball. He only passes it to his new friends. It’s whatever though. Oh, and I yelled at you the other day because I was losing at Fifa because the stupid players weren’t doing what I wanted. Then I switched to Black Ops. Some stupid internet player was killing me even though he was on my team. So I was annoyed and you just caught me at a sucky time. Does that answer all your questions?”
So, what I learned today is my brother isn’t getting bullied. He’s just a video game addict with an aggravation problem and small soccer cleats. He knows about pot and meth. He actually talks to girls now; I’m impressed. Oh, and Mr. Sargent is still alive. Yeah I guess today had a different outcome than expected.
“Are you going to finish that?” Josh asks, tilting his chin to my milkshake that I only half finished.
How dare he even ask me that! “Who’s the Noah kid?” I question, ignoring him as I sip my shake.
“Just a kid on my soccer team. Mom talks to him mom a lot during games. He’s quiet but really nice and extremely smart. That’s why I choose him to be my partner for projects most of the time.” He answers looking back to the ice cream shake, “You think I can get more ice cream?” He asks nonchalantly.
This kid will eat buckets of ice cream if you let him, it’s unbelievable. I shake my head at him and roll my eyes, “Get in the truck punk. You’re not getting anymore ice cream.” I order getting up from the picnic table.
He laughed throwing his trash away as I headed to the truck, “Can’t believe you thought I was getting bullied. Who gave you that idea?” He chuckles shaking his head.
My fake girlfriend that’s who. Although, she did make sense of it during the time. “Looks like Jill and I are going to have a long talk tonight.” I mumble under my breath sip away at my chocolate shake.
“Don’t tell her I cried though. She’ll call me weak. She called me a dumbass last week.” He told me getting into the passenger seat. Being in enclose proximity of him now I could smell he wreaked of sweat.
“Why did she call you a dumbass?” I asked raising my brow at him as I put on my seat belt and indicate Josh to do that same.
“I might have failed my science quiz.” He laughed nervously looking out the window as he scratched his head.
“Dude, what the hell? And what do you mean by kind of?” I asked backing up into the street and headed home.
“It was a fifty-nine! One point away from sixty and a D isn’t failing; technically.” He explained as I rolled down the window to waft away the smell of his sweat.
He has a point there. “You need to start studying and put down the video games, dumbass. You’re not going to fail school so you can drop out and become a meth dealer.” I told him seriously.
“But that Jesse guy is bad ass! And they made millions!” He exclaimed.
“You’re not going to be a dealer. End of story. You can earn your million other ways.” I stated. I got to start watching this show now. It does sound awesome.
“How? Making duck calls?” He sasses resting his arm out the window.
“Someone is already doing that and making billions; with a B. Don’t make fun of Duck Dynasty like that. Red necks are cool.” I say to him stopping at a damn red light because some old lady in front of me decided to drive slowly.
“Hey at least I’m getting an A in English.” Josh smiles to me.
“You have Ms. Patterson don’t you?” I say more as a fact. It’s the reason why he has a smile on his face.
“It’s Mrs. Collins now. She got married. She gives us lollypops on Fridays and scented stickers. Oh, and homework passes and lots and lots of bonus points.” He explains proudly.
“You really need to start studying dude. I mean it. I want to see your report card next time. Anything lower than a C and that Xbox will look damn good in our game room on Friday nights.” I warn him riding down our street.
“Ugh, fine. You and Jill are so annoying about that.” He grumbles as I pull into the drive way.
“By the way you have to start putting your dishes in the sink man. Mom is going crazy that you’re not doing that. It takes a second, just do it.” I advise remembering that this should also be our guy talk.
“Anything else my Lord?” He teases, with a smirk on his face.
“Yeah, listen to mom and don’t you dare start reading my Game of Thrones books.” I say as a matter of fact.
“I don’t want to read your lame books anyways, nerd.” He laughs walking up to the front door.
“And just for that you can forget about me bringing you to the mall to get new cleats after you had showered.” I told him with my own smirk on my face. No one can outdo me.
“Really?!” He asked surprised, already climbing half way up the stairs.
“Yeah I was going to, but you can forget about it now.” I told him with a shrug.
“Will you still bring me if I take it back and call you the best brother in the whole world?” He bargained with a giant toothy smile.
“Eh, you may have helped your case just a little.” I joked with him further. We were already in the house taking off our shoes. I could hear Sky and Julia’s voice faintly in the other room.
“What if I added I won’t consider becoming a drug dealer?” He smirked climbing the stairs, hopefully for a shower.
“It wasn’t going to be something under consideration anyways.” I told him shaking my head.
“Fine, but when I become a millionaire I’ll buy you whatever you want.” He negotiated as if that was going to seal the deal. I only laughed.
“When you become a millionaire you can buy all the soccer cleats you want. And because I’m the best brother ever you’ll inevitably buy me things.” I joke talking to him a floor away. I chuckle when he runs out of bargaining chips. “Go shower otherwise I’m not bringing you anywhere, stinky.”
“Deal!” He screamed running to the bathroom. He’s so easy to bribe. I went to the living room finding a much invested Sky and Julia. Both of their eyes were glued to the TV as some form of movie played on the screen. They cuddled in blankets and sat side by side barely blinking.
“What you girls watching?” I asked sitting on the opposite side of Sky.
“The Host.” Sky mumbles not taking her eyes off the screen.
“Is that one of the movie you bought on our trip?” I asked resting my arm behind her on the couch.
“Yeah it’s almost over; now shh” She orders as Julia puts the volume up louder. I try to watch the last few scenes but I had no clue what was going on and why some girl suddenly had different eye colors.
Josh came barreling down the stairs with wet hair still sticking to his forehead and only one sock on. “Can we go now?” He asks hopping on one foot to put on his other sock.
I hold my finger up for him to wait. He sighed, sitting on the arm of the couch everyone was on waiting for the movie to end. When it was finally over and Sky and Julia were finished talking about it I finally was able to bring up my question, “Does anyone want to come to the mall with us?”
“Yes, you don’t ever have to ask!” Julia screeches running up the stairs. Why do I bother asking?
“You tagging along?” I ask facing Sky.
“Well I’m not going to stay in your house alone.” She chuckles. Josh leaves to put his shoes on when Sky jumps at the opportunity. “So how was the talk?” She asks curiously. “It looks like it went well.” She adds in.
“You have no idea.” I chuckle getting up from the sofa. “There’s nothing to worry about.” I say proudly.
“Well that’s good!” She exclaims, folding the blankets that her and Julia were using. I agree with her happily walking to the front door where Julia and Josh waited.
“Didn’t you just go to the mall yesterday?” I asked Julia as we walked out the front door.
“So? Your point?” She sasses flipping her blond hair over her shoulder. Now that one is a total mini Jillian for sure. That scares me. As much as I give Jill as hard time every now and then I guess I have to thank her for a lot of things I never knew about. She’s cool- sometimes, don’t tell her I actually said that. She can be wicked annoying surprisingly. But most of all, under that bitter, sarcastic, sadistic heart of hers; she actually cares a lot. Deep down. And I mean really deep down. Atlantis deep down.
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HA HA HA HAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
EVERYONE THOUGHT JOSH WAS BEING BULLIED! SUCKERRRRRRR!!!!! We finally out smarted you all!! NO ONE GUESSED IT! WE FEEL SO PROUD AND ACCOMPLISHED!
So we’re really happy about that and because we banged out this chapter in just a few hours last night! We’re awesome like that!
Ok warning! These next few chapters are going to be depressing so get your tissue box ready! They’re already pre-written so hopefully we’ll be able to post during the week!
Really want to her your thoughts and comments on this! They’ll be interesting I’m sure!
Comment! Vote! FAN!-XOLuvKelsey&Kylie