She Can't Read Minds

I sat between Leslie’s brother, Markus, and my brother, Will, as they played PS3. One would shout at the television screen while the other glanced at them with a smirk. I just kept quiet in the middle, hands in my lap and eyes on the screen.

Markus never really talked when I was around; he’d just be real twitchy. But when he did talk, he’d normally pick on me for doing a certain thing or just say “hello”, “bye”, “okay”. Once I asked him about it, he just shrugged it off and got red in the face before his mom saved him. She shouted up the stairs that it was time for them to go. He snatched Leslie’s arm and they were gone without any other word but “goodbye”. I even asked Leslie why he was like this and got no answer, just a giggle and shrug. Sometimes I wished he’d say more, but maybe things would be too different then.

“What were they doing?” Will asked out of nowhere. I was half asleep, with my head on his shoulder, his arm shaking me as he rapidly pressed buttons. Markus glanced at me from the corner of his eye, waiting just like Will was for my answer. I mumbled something inaudible and sat up straight. “What was that, little one?”

“I don’t know.” I answered, flicking my wrist and shrugging my shoulders. “What were you asking again?” Markus chuckled softly beside me. I almost missed it; almost. It made me smile for some reason.

“What were your friends doing that made you come watch us? I mean, I know we’re cool and all but..”

I rolled my eyes, “Cool, my butt.”

“You’re my little sister, that’s ewie.” Will scrunched up his nose in disgust and for a second, I saw what all the other girls saw. My brother was actually adorable for once in his life. The face made me laugh though. “And, well, maybe Markus would like that.” He focused back to the TV screen, wiggling his eyebrows. I glanced at the said person to see him with the most serious and out-of-it face I’ve ever seen on a person. He looked at me, smiled, and turned back to the game. Wordlessly. “Nah, ol’ Mark doesn’t like girls.”

“Fuck off.” Markus snapped, his brown eyes flickering toward me but only for a second before glaring at Will. I felt my jaw slacken; maybe because I’ve never heard him talk that before or because the smell that he brushed in my direction by just turning his head was amazing. Indescribable; kind of like berries, fresh-cut grass, cologne(mostly that), and a hint of sweat(but not in a gross way). But even though words weren’t enough to fully describe it. I don’t know so amazing is just gonna have to work. He met my gaze and smiled. “We both know all those girl you dated were just cover-ups.” It was weird for him to be saying this to Will but looking at me like that. Like he could see everything about me. I smiled at how cheesy that sounded. “Right Miranda?”

“Y-yeah.” A smile slammed onto Markus’s face, one that met his eyes and made them shine with this welcoming glow. I almost smiled, but had to swallow it back to keep it down. Will smacked my arm gently, yet playfully. “What did I agree to?” I asked my brother, noticing it was slightly easier to talk when I wasn’t looking at Markus.

“Basically that I’m gay.”

“Oh Will,” I grinned, pinching his cheeks, “I thought you knew you were gay.” On my other side, I heard the laughter that came out of Markus’s mouth. Laughter that was slightly obnoxious, yet musical. Laughter I’d love to keep hearing. Why are all these thoughts suddenly coming to me now? I wish I’d noticed all these things before. “Awe, I love you bro.”

“I don’t think you do anymore.”

“Fine, I don’t. You’re right.”

Will gasped over-dramatically, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and bringing me closer to him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Markus watch me with a smile that…I’m not going to have anymore thoughts like that. But I so wanted to. “No, Andi, you love me.” I nodded, agreeing with him.

“They were being mean.” I told them.

“What?”

“You asked, before, why I came here to watch you guys play videogames. That’s why.”

“Mean to you?” Markus piped up.

“No, random people on Facebook.” He smiled at me, liking the answer better than them picking on me I guess. I could imagine if I said they were being mean to me he’d only say that was his job and the conversation would be over. Will kissed my forehead before shouting at the television screen where his little man was hiding from Markus’s little man.