A Taste of Peppermint

“Gee,” my brother said in a voice just short of a whisper.

I hummed absently in response.

“Thanks for caring,” he ended.

“I’m your brother, of course I care,” I grunted.

He shook his head slightly, not really taking in what I had said.

“Just because we’re brothers doesn’t mean you have to care.”

“Michael,” I said with a roll of my eyes, “only a complete asshole wouldn’t be concerned about the wellbeing of his family.”

Mikey didn’t reply to that however. He was biting his lip deep in thoughts and I don’t know if he actually heard me.

“I don’t even know why I do those things,” he suddenly spoke.

I just looked at him.

“It’s not like I have a plan behind it. It just seemed like good ideas at the time,” he finished with a frown.

Strangely enough it made me giggle which caused him to turn and gaze at me round-eyed. I know any normal person would have been concerned. Or at least pretend to be. But I’ve never consider myself to belong to that category.

“It’s because you’re a dork, Mikey,” I managed to get out which earned me an uncertain smile. “But that’s okay. You’re a very likable dork.”

“Thanks,” my brother mumbled shyly. “Uh, I guess.”

He gave me a half smile and I ruffled his hair knowing there would be hell to pay for it but I just couldn’t resist. I guess that’s one thing which really defined me.

Surely enough he pushed me away, cursing under his breath while trying to restore his hairdo.

One thing you just shouldn’t do is to mess with my brother’s hair; that really gets to him. That’s why I couldn’t keep myself from doing it. I know, I know! I’m a bastard. And, why yes, I do enjoy it.

“Don’t do that!” Mikey muttered with a doze of irritation in his voice.

“Do what?” I asked innocently. “This?”

I reached out my hand but he was too fast and practically jumped onto his feet backing away a few steps.

“I mean it!” he warned me and I wasn’t fooled by the hesitant way he said it. He did mean it. Without a doubt he did.

“Relax, I’m not gonna mess with your precious hair,” I mocked.

“You’re an ass.”

“Yes.”

“Stop grinning like that!” he whined. “I’m trying to insult you!”

“I know, it’s music to my ears,” I said with a nasty smirk.

"Keep the bats coming, Mikey," I thought bitterly. "Please, keep the coming."

“Sometimes I just don’t get you,” my brother said with a shake of his head. “Sometimes you’re just beyond strange.”

“Really?”

“It’s like you want everyone to get upset with you,” he said and there was a sad streak in his voice which went straight through my chest and pierced my heart. He looked at me with cheerless eyes and my mind fed of the masochistic pain it brought. If only he knew how right he was.

“I don’t get what you mean, Mikey,” I shrugged avoiding eye contact.

“No, of course you don’t,” he mumbled and I couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or just overcome. Not that it mattered. I would never confess anyway.

“I’m gonna go check on Frank,” he sighed and with that he left.

I sat on the bed watching him disappear and kept staring in that direction for a while debating with myself whether or not to talk to Frank. He had been rather upset. He deserved an apology. I wasn’t going to give him one, we both knew that, but he deserved somethingi. Even if it was nothing more than a hypocritical pat on the back.

Still not completely sure of what to do I stood up and walked out of my room. I headed for the stairs but while I was walking down I stopped with one foot in the air. There were a bunch of voices that came floating towards me from the living room. It seemed like all my band mates were back.

“Oh, c’mon!” I could hear Frank laugh. “That’s a lie!”

“No, Frank, it’s true,” Bob objected.

“Right, so what did you do?”

“Walked around for a couple of hours of course Frank you dumbass,” Ray said in an amused tone of voice answering instead of Bob.

“I seriously did not follow Randi home,” Bob said within seconds of Ray’s silence.

“Why not? I woulda,” Frank replied and I could imagine that smile of his, how pleased he was with himself.

The others laughed at his remark. Even I snickered silently to myself.

“Well I didn’t.”

“What took you so long then?” my brother asked and the question was as honestly innocent as his tone of voice.

“Yeah, what took you so long?” Frank repeated, his voice also carrying an innocent sound but everyone knew just how calculating he was.

“I gave her a tour,” Bob finally admitted.

“That all?” Ray wanted to know.

“That’s all.”

“Man you’re boring!” Frank exclaimed with yet another laugh. “You could at least have invited her over!”

“I didn’t know what you guys thought of it,” Bob replied and I could almost se how he shrugged his shoulders.

“You mean you didn’t know if Gerard the bitch would throw a fit or not?” Frank asked his voice carrying so much resent that it made my lips twitched into a wicked smirk. It pleased me to know that he hadn’t forgiven me without further notice. That he hadn’t just forgotten.

“Yeah, you never know what this bitch might do,” I said with a smile as I entered the scene.

“Eavesdropping is a bad habit, Gee,” Ray pointed out reproachfully.

I waved it away.

“You all seem to find that girl oh so fascinating,” I said and they all shifted uncomfortably beneath my gaze.

“So?” Frank finally said defiantly.

“So let’s invite her over if it makes you happy,” I answered him.

“That’s nice of you,” my brother said with a little smile.

“Yeah, thank you for giving us your permission,” Frank added sarcastically. “Bob, give her a call will you?”

“Sure.”

“Why the sudden change of heart, Gerard?” Ray asked me. “I heard about your encounter with this girl, you didn’t exactly seem to enjoy her company.”

“How knows? She might be a lot of fun,” I replied with a tricky smile.

Frank pulled me aside as Bob made the call. Ha glanced scornfully at me.

“I know you,” he hissed. “Keep her out of your dirty games.”

“Don’t you worry, Franky boy,” I chuckled. “Don’t you worry.”