His Pretty Storyteller
Watch Me
GerardAll plans of looking for the strange kid totally flew out of the window when my brother Mikey called me.
I was blaring my usual rock music inside my beat up car when I felt something vibrating on the dashboard. One glance at my phone and I knew that I was up for a long, hard talk. My brother never called me unless he needed something or he was in trouble. I was thrilled. Now it was just a question of which of the two.
I turned off the music player and answered the call as coolly as possible.
“Hey Mikes, what’s up?” I asked. Even over the phone, I could sense trouble from this kid.
“Dude, I need a place to crash. Can I come over and stay for a few days? Mom and I fought,” he answered.
My face automatically contorted with frustration at the thought of Mikey and mom fighting. We are close to our parents but still there were the occasional fights and misunderstandings. Sometimes with me, but mostly with Mikey. The kid’s stubborn as fuck. I wondered what Mikey did that time but knowing him, I knew he’d just brush it off.
“Really Mikes, that’s why you called? What is it this time?” I didn’t even bother to hide my irritation.
“Oh you know, the usual stuff. Mom and I can’t agree on some things about the house. But Gee, you really have to let me stay,” he said, completely ignoring the irritation in my voice.
“What, she kicked you out?” I asked alarmed. The last thing I needed was mom kicking out my brother because of his attitude.
“Nah, she didn’t. I just want a change, you know? It’s summer and I don’t have anything better to do. Might as well bug you in your apartment. I swear to God, mom’s kinder when you’re here,” he said.
“Dude, she isn’t kinder when I’m around. She’s just less irritated because I’m the one you bug. Seriously Mikes, you gotta stop acting like a freaking kid. You’re really stubborn and immature,” I scolded him.
“Said the man who almost burned the house down the last time you visited by trying to roast a marshmallow on the stove. Really, that’s so mature of you, Gee”
“I was craving marshmallows at the time, I told you! And that’s not my point. What I’m saying is, you gotta stop these childish fights with mom. You’ll be a senior next year. At least act like one.”
“Point one, you left the marshmallows on the stove and point two, high school students don’t act with sense, you know. You’ve been there.”
“Fucking teenagers,” I muttered.
“Fuck you too. Well, are you going to let me come over or not?”
“As if I have a fucking choice. And don’t act bossy on me you little piece of shit”
“You know you love this little piece of shit. Well are you home? Because I’m already on my way. You could at least clean your other room for me you know,” he asked. My irritation spiked up and God forbid or I’ll kill this fucking annoying skinny kid.
“Michael James Way, I’ll smack you as soon as I see you I swear to God,” I threatened him.
“Just admit you miss me and you’re excited to see me. Bye dearest brother. See you!” he hung up.
I turned around and started my way home angrily.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My small apartment is just a colorful mess of drawing materials. Pencils, sketch pads, coloring pens and markers, paints and brushes are all fighting for spaces at almost all the flat surfaces. I’ve never been the organized one. For me a mess is just a proof of how productive a person can be. And who the hell have time to clean every goddamn day? As long as I have a space to sleep at, it’s all fine.
That is why having Mikey at home is such a big deal. My brother is a neat freak and it has always been our opposite trait. Back in our family home, my side of the room is always messy, strewn with paper, comic books, and other stuff that accumulated over the years. On the other hand, Mikey’s side is a goddamn pristine shrine. The bed had always perfectly spread out sheets, his comics collections and books neatly arranged in a shelf, and his closet is so fucking neat you’ll think he works in a clothes store. It’s one of the things my mom love about him. She always reminded me how I should learn to be as organized as Mikey. I always reasoned out that creative geniuses have messy spaces because of overlapping ideas in our minds that tended to reflect on how we work. She’d tell me I’m just lazy. I’d shut my mouth because it’s also fucking true.
That’s why when I arrived home, I tidied up the living room where he’ll probably give his speech on how I should be neat even at least for the places where I receive visitors. I know I’m older but fuck, that kid has a loud mouth that can annoy the gorgeous shit out of me.
After I finished, I went to the spare room and opened the windows to let some air in. I thought about changing the bed sheets, blankets, and pillows for him but decided against it because why the fuck should I bother myself when he can do it in his own.
After half an hour, I heard someone knocking at the front door. I was drinking a can of coke then, and I took my time finishing the whole can before opening the door. Ignoring his loud knocks satisfied me but when I did, I was greeted by a sour-faced Mikey holding a huge travelling bag.
“Well, hello my dearest little bro,” I said in a sing-song voice. He frowned and walked past me. He set his bag on the couch and looked around. Clearly, he was shocked about the improvement of the place.
“Aww nice. You cleaned up for me. You really missed me don’t you?” he said mimicking my sing song voice.
“In your dreams Mikey. Now go to your room and arrange it to your liking. I don’t care just don’t bother the other rooms.” I replied irritably.
“Oh so you only cleaned this area? Wow. And by the way, why don’t you give me a hug first before you bark orders like you’re our Mom. “
“Hug you? I’ll sleep in a bed of trash before I hug you, you four-eyed dork. Just go before I smack your little head,” I said while fighting off a grin. My brother maybe annoying but he’s still my baby brother.
“I missed you bro.” he said as he was walking upstairs. I smiled to myself and was about to say the same thing when of course, as if required by law, he shouted something rude to balance off his sweet words.
“Your house stinks, Fake Hair!”
I laughed at his words and fondly thought of the misadventures my brother and I will have that summer.
I was blaring my usual rock music inside my beat up car when I felt something vibrating on the dashboard. One glance at my phone and I knew that I was up for a long, hard talk. My brother never called me unless he needed something or he was in trouble. I was thrilled. Now it was just a question of which of the two.
I turned off the music player and answered the call as coolly as possible.
“Hey Mikes, what’s up?” I asked. Even over the phone, I could sense trouble from this kid.
“Dude, I need a place to crash. Can I come over and stay for a few days? Mom and I fought,” he answered.
My face automatically contorted with frustration at the thought of Mikey and mom fighting. We are close to our parents but still there were the occasional fights and misunderstandings. Sometimes with me, but mostly with Mikey. The kid’s stubborn as fuck. I wondered what Mikey did that time but knowing him, I knew he’d just brush it off.
“Really Mikes, that’s why you called? What is it this time?” I didn’t even bother to hide my irritation.
“Oh you know, the usual stuff. Mom and I can’t agree on some things about the house. But Gee, you really have to let me stay,” he said, completely ignoring the irritation in my voice.
“What, she kicked you out?” I asked alarmed. The last thing I needed was mom kicking out my brother because of his attitude.
“Nah, she didn’t. I just want a change, you know? It’s summer and I don’t have anything better to do. Might as well bug you in your apartment. I swear to God, mom’s kinder when you’re here,” he said.
“Dude, she isn’t kinder when I’m around. She’s just less irritated because I’m the one you bug. Seriously Mikes, you gotta stop acting like a freaking kid. You’re really stubborn and immature,” I scolded him.
“Said the man who almost burned the house down the last time you visited by trying to roast a marshmallow on the stove. Really, that’s so mature of you, Gee”
“I was craving marshmallows at the time, I told you! And that’s not my point. What I’m saying is, you gotta stop these childish fights with mom. You’ll be a senior next year. At least act like one.”
“Point one, you left the marshmallows on the stove and point two, high school students don’t act with sense, you know. You’ve been there.”
“Fucking teenagers,” I muttered.
“Fuck you too. Well, are you going to let me come over or not?”
“As if I have a fucking choice. And don’t act bossy on me you little piece of shit”
“You know you love this little piece of shit. Well are you home? Because I’m already on my way. You could at least clean your other room for me you know,” he asked. My irritation spiked up and God forbid or I’ll kill this fucking annoying skinny kid.
“Michael James Way, I’ll smack you as soon as I see you I swear to God,” I threatened him.
“Just admit you miss me and you’re excited to see me. Bye dearest brother. See you!” he hung up.
I turned around and started my way home angrily.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My small apartment is just a colorful mess of drawing materials. Pencils, sketch pads, coloring pens and markers, paints and brushes are all fighting for spaces at almost all the flat surfaces. I’ve never been the organized one. For me a mess is just a proof of how productive a person can be. And who the hell have time to clean every goddamn day? As long as I have a space to sleep at, it’s all fine.
That is why having Mikey at home is such a big deal. My brother is a neat freak and it has always been our opposite trait. Back in our family home, my side of the room is always messy, strewn with paper, comic books, and other stuff that accumulated over the years. On the other hand, Mikey’s side is a goddamn pristine shrine. The bed had always perfectly spread out sheets, his comics collections and books neatly arranged in a shelf, and his closet is so fucking neat you’ll think he works in a clothes store. It’s one of the things my mom love about him. She always reminded me how I should learn to be as organized as Mikey. I always reasoned out that creative geniuses have messy spaces because of overlapping ideas in our minds that tended to reflect on how we work. She’d tell me I’m just lazy. I’d shut my mouth because it’s also fucking true.
That’s why when I arrived home, I tidied up the living room where he’ll probably give his speech on how I should be neat even at least for the places where I receive visitors. I know I’m older but fuck, that kid has a loud mouth that can annoy the gorgeous shit out of me.
After I finished, I went to the spare room and opened the windows to let some air in. I thought about changing the bed sheets, blankets, and pillows for him but decided against it because why the fuck should I bother myself when he can do it in his own.
After half an hour, I heard someone knocking at the front door. I was drinking a can of coke then, and I took my time finishing the whole can before opening the door. Ignoring his loud knocks satisfied me but when I did, I was greeted by a sour-faced Mikey holding a huge travelling bag.
“Well, hello my dearest little bro,” I said in a sing-song voice. He frowned and walked past me. He set his bag on the couch and looked around. Clearly, he was shocked about the improvement of the place.
“Aww nice. You cleaned up for me. You really missed me don’t you?” he said mimicking my sing song voice.
“In your dreams Mikey. Now go to your room and arrange it to your liking. I don’t care just don’t bother the other rooms.” I replied irritably.
“Oh so you only cleaned this area? Wow. And by the way, why don’t you give me a hug first before you bark orders like you’re our Mom. “
“Hug you? I’ll sleep in a bed of trash before I hug you, you four-eyed dork. Just go before I smack your little head,” I said while fighting off a grin. My brother maybe annoying but he’s still my baby brother.
“I missed you bro.” he said as he was walking upstairs. I smiled to myself and was about to say the same thing when of course, as if required by law, he shouted something rude to balance off his sweet words.
“Your house stinks, Fake Hair!”
I laughed at his words and fondly thought of the misadventures my brother and I will have that summer.
Notes
Hi guys! Hope you're all enjoying the story so far. I'd appreciate comments! Love you lovelies :)
@Helena Way
ilyt <3
12/22/16