Snake Bite Heart With a Bubble Gum Smile

I sit at the dining room table, eating pancakes. Alex made them for me. They are delicious, fluffy and light. Mine are covered in syrup. Delicious, gooey syrup. Butter had melted on the top of them.

I've missed eating pancakes.

Its one o'clock now. Alex and I took a nap for three hours. We decided breakfast for lunch would be best.

Well I decided it, but Alex went along with it.

It's like one of those brother-sister moments I've always wished would happen to me. Who doesn't want their older brother to make them breakfast for lunch?

Ketchup coats Alex's pancakes. He devours them like a taco. I, on the other hand, eat them with a knife and fork. Even at twenty-one, Alex acts like a teenager with a black hole for a stomach.

He puts down his pancake-taco, swallowing a large bite. He chokes on the bite before forcing it down.

"We need to go shopping," he says, "So when we're done eating, you need to change out of Jack's clothes."

I stop mid-bite.

"I think I left my clothes at Jack's apartment," I say.

Alex's face falls. He groans.

"Now he's going to make a shrine devoted to you," he says.

"No he won't," I argue.

"Well he sure as hell enjoyed that view of you last night."

So Jack told him.

"That was not intentional."

"I know. It just bothers me. I swear I almost killed him when he was describing you. There are some things a brother does not need to know, like what his sister's ass looks like from the view of his best friend."

"You're not mad at him, are you?"

"Of course not. He's Jack. You can't be mad at Jack. I'm just strongly against him touching you in any way, shape, or form. You can wear some of my clothes."

I shake my head. Alex resumes eating. The last forkful of pancake is shoved into my mouth. Plate in hand, I stand and walk to the kitchen. I rinse my plate in the sink; then place it in the dishwasher. My hands rest against the counter top.

Jack likes me too. A male has taken interest in me. An attractive male, nonetheless. This has never happened to me before. I am August Marie Gaskarth, the girl overlooked by her classmates and family. I don't believe I'm the prettiest girl.

The last school dance I attended was in eighth grade. I got all dressed up. I wore a knee-length, green dress. It had sleeves and wasn't low-cut, as the rules of the school demanded it should not be. I curled my then dyed black hair. I wore makeup. So I was trying to impress people, sue me. Subconsciously, my heart wanted a guy to ask me to dance. I wanted people to notice my attire.

I spent the whole dance sitting by myself at one of the tables in the corner. All the girls who were already developing in areas I was not got asked to dance. That dance knocked my self-esteem down a few notches.

Even now, I'm still not fully developed. I'm only sixteen.

And yet Jack Barakat likes me.

This is odd. He does not know much about me. He probably knows about as much as my brother does.

That thought is a little sad.

"Why are you still standing there?" Alex's voice pulls me from thought.

"I was thinking," I answer.

"About what?"

"Stuff."

He crinkles his nose. "You have to tell me."

"And why is that?"

"'Cause I'm your brother."

Well if that isn't the stupidest thing I've heard, I don't know what is.

"You've never cared before," I blurt.

He looks hurt.

"I'm really trying, August. I want you to stay. I care about you more than you know. You're my little sister. Please, just give me, give us, a shot. Stop being so cynical."

"I honestly don't know if I can. It's just hard to believe that you guys really want me around," I answer.

For once, he is quiet. He hangs his head. I hurt him. I didn't mean to.

"Go upstairs and change. We really need to get you new clothes," he says.

He turns and leaves the kitchen, not looking up at me.

At least I didn't lie.