She Can't Read Minds

Markus

“Markus, guess who’s coming over?” Leslie sang, waltzing into my room in the afternoon. She was smiling like a little girl who’s mommy just bought her a puppy. I, on the other hand, glared at her from my perch at my computer desk. It’s Sunday; tomorrow’s school and I need to turn in my essay or I’m failing my English class. So far, I’m gonna fail. All I have written in the introduction. My twin sister sat down on the edge of my bed with a smile. “Nellie’s coming over. She wants to talk to you. I wonder what it could possibly be about…?” The way her voice trailed off noted that she knew exactly what it’s about.

“Well that sucks, I’m leaving in a couple minutes.” I shrugged, typing a bunch of bullshit into the next paragraph. That’s the correct way to fail a class; even better way to write. Leslie raised an eyebrow at me as I murdered the enter button and continued to make it up. Big words make it look official, I thought to myself. Luckily this is only the first draft and I can edit the hell out of it later on. “I’m spending the afternoon with…” Leslie crossed her arms against her chest, looking interestingly pissed off. “…with Will, okay? I’m hanging out with your ex-friend’s brother.”

“We aren’t ex-friends and no, you’re going to see Miranda even after I told you to drop it. I know you’ve liked her since you’ve met her, bro, but move on. She will never return those feelings, but Nellie will and she does already.” I flinched subconsciously at her words. Leslie smirked, “Why waste your time on Miranda when you could already be happy with Nellie?”

“Because I don’t like Nellie.” I told my sister, typing my last body paragraph. It’s a good thing I’ve read this book like five times so I know it like the back of my hand or this would have taken hours.

“And why the hell not? She’s pretty, funny, and you looked happy at the movie! What’s wrong with her? She’s perfect!”

“I don’t like perfect.” I chuckled at her annoyance, pressing the print icon after finishing off my conclusion paragraph. The printer beside me beeped to life and spitted out my papers. “Now, since this is done, I can leave. Goodbye sister I don’t love.” I stapled together my papers and slipped them into my disgusting black folder. Trying to exit my room, Leslie grabbed my hand and slammed me back.

“Brother I don’t understand, if you do anything even remotely not friend-like today, I’ll know and I’ll ruin it for you. Remember, you wanted to move on. I’m only helping.”

“I have to go.”



They lived down the rode, turn a corner, and pass two more pretty-looking houses. The walk was short, yet long enough for me to be freezing in the cold Illinois weather. I fumbled with my red scarf, tightening it around my neck.

“Come in, Kiddo, Miranda and Willis are in the den as always.” Ms. Lincolnn greeted me with her usual smiling face and that welcoming smell of apple pie. Every Sunday she makes apple pie and by Tuesday, Will has it eaten. Every crumb, every bit of apple yum-ness is gone. I thanked her and left my scarf and coat on the hook in their closet like I normally do. Normally, though, it’s because I’m hanging out with Will, not Miranda. Scary thought. I slipped off my shoes and left them underneath my coat inside the closet. “Miranda! Willis! Markus is here!”

One set of feet came running down the hall, laughter and screaming following. Miranda hanging over her brother’s shoulder as he approached me and their mom. The woman gasped in surprise but chuckled nonetheless at her children. I rolled my eyes as Miranda pleaded to be placed back onto her feet once again. “Put your sister down!”

“But Mom,”

“No but’s, young man. Put her down.” Ms. Lincolnn laughed, patting her daughter’s butt who started kicking at whoever it was and wiggling to get out of her brother’s grasp. “I’m sorry for my kids’ behavior, Markus.” I shrugged, laughing as Will tightened his grip on his sister and spun them around till she got dizzy.

“Will stop! I’m gonna puke!”

“What?” He shouted.

“I’m gonna p-”

“Oh, stooop, gotcha.” He smirked, dropping her off so she stumbled into me. I laughed, grabbing her shoulders as she held onto her head. Her face looked white as she tried to smile up at me but it only looked awkward. “Rand-Rand, you don’t look so good.”

“Gee,” She said, not sounding all too good, “I wonder why.” Her brother shrugged, nodding at me as a hello and then sprinting over to the den once again. Miranda turned to me with a smile as her vision came more still. “So, you really meant it?”

“Meant what?” I smiled at her uncontrollably as we walked up the stairs to her room. I loved her room; it was so bright with the nice pure white walls. Everything was white in her room in fact, other than neon green bed spread and dark grey pillows and sheets. She sat down on the wooden floor, bringing me down beside her.

“That you’d come keep me company.”

“Of course.” ‘Cause I wouldn’t have be able to say no if I tried. “What’d you wanna do?” She laughed, reaching over and grabbing her backpack. She looked so cute, pulling out two folders and placing them into my lap. Miranda bit her lip, staring forward as she dug in her backpack for something. When she got it, she grinned wider and placed the pencil on top of her folders. I chuckled, “You wanted me to come watch you review for your final exams?”

Miranda grabbed her pencil, “Duh, I live for attention. If I’m stuck up here, no one will be around to pay any attention to me.” She spoke sarcastically, pouting at the end. I rolled my eyes at her, moving the top folder off to the side and opening the one still in my lap. Biology, lovely. “I know you aren’t in either of those this year, but I figured you’d be able to help me. Which one should we do first?”

“Geometry and Biology.”

“Yup.”

“Well, what grade are you getting in Bio?” I watched her look up at the ceiling to think it over before shrugging and telling me an A+. So we could do that later on. “And Geometry?” She laughed to herself and repeated A+. I stared at her, “Which is easier for you?”

“We’ll start with Biology.”