Jealous Minds Think Alike

“Stephen, are you sure about this?” John said slowly, eying his brother with fear. He wasn't feeling this plan at all, especially since Stephen made it up.

“John, you're a freshman in high school now. Man up.” Stephen assured. “C'mon, I promise you won't get caught.”

“And how would you know that?”

“I did it with Brian.” John's expression did not change. “I was the one who took the food. Brian came on time and we had taco bell for free!”

“I don’t' know man...” John murmured. “I mean what if...”

“Stop with the what ifs! It doesn't matter what might happen, but what actually happens.”

“Yeah, but you have to think about the consequences.”

“Jess is a bigger man than you. She'd do it.”

“Yeah, but...”

“Do it to impress Mary.” Stephen said with a smug, dropping the M word. “She digs mischievous kids like you.”

John hesitated before choking out an, “Okay.” Stephen grinned and patted his back. “That's my little brother! Okay now here's the plan. I go to the drive thru, order like a normal person, and when the worker hands over the food, I'll flash the signal.”

“Wait, what's the signal?”

“I'll flash my tail lights, then you run as fast as you can, grab the food, run over to the front and I'll pick you up.”

“And we get free food?”

“They won't even know it was us.”

“Isn't this illegal?”

Stephen gave John an irritated look. “Are Mexicans allowed to cross freely into the border and declare themselves as American citizens?” John opened his mouth to reply, but Stephen continued. “Yeah John, it's totally legal to have someone pretend to steal your bag of food, only to eat it for free after.”

“Okay! Okay! I get it! But if we get caught and put in jail, this is all your fault.”

“Yeah whatever.” Stephen started up the car. “Ready?”

“I guess.”

“Where are you hiding?”

“That bush over there.”

“Okay good. The camera is only focused on the drive thru. I have faith that you'll run so fast, they won't even see your face.”

“Tell me again, why am I the one who's gonna be doing all the running?”

“Because I did it before.”

“Then you would be the expert. So, you should do it.”

“Who's the one who can drive?” John groaned, knowing that he was beaten.

“You have a permit and dad's not even with you!”

“Free food is worth the risky drive.”

“Yeah, but am I willing to do this and risk jail time?”

“Hell yeah you are! You'll be fine. If this wasn't safe to do, then I wouldn't make my kid brother do it. Besides, I'm craving a churro and churros are delicious.” Stephen backed out of the parking space. “I'm counting on you!”

“And I'm counting on you for a getaway.”

“You can trust me!”

John took a deep breath and crept behind the bush, making sure any part of his body was covered by a branch or leaf. He put his eye through a little open hole and watched as Stephen smoothly drove up to Wendys drive thru. He ordered his food and waited behind the other car. John's breathing grew panicked with each car that departed. One. Two. Then it was Stephen. John put a shaky hand to his chest and felt his heartbeat, the thumps quicker than usual. John quickly removed it, not liking its abnormal feeling. He looked through the hole again and saw the flashing tail lights. Stephen was shooting John a look of discomfort through the side mirror. How long had he been flashing them? John saw the man holding out a bag. Then in a blink of an eye, he took off.

He had never ran so fast in his life, the wind running its invisible hands through his messy locks. The only sound he heard was his shallow breaths, his heartbeat and his desperate steps. Everything suddenly went in slow motion. He saw the prize in front of him, the delicious churros were in front were in there, the aroma of sugar coating crisp dough. John's fingers reached to the bag and felt the roof of his mouth drool. The worker turned his head and his growing wide eyes met John's. To his worst fear, he brought the bag to his chest and inches away from John's grasp. He stopped suddenly and suddenly the man's arm lashed out and grabbed his, tightening his grip around his wrist. The worker tore his eyes away from John to Stephen, who was looking straight at John.

“What do you think you're doing, you little bastard?” The man growled, shaking John's wrist. John was too terrified to speak and could only keep staring at Stephen, searching his eyes for a plan. “You kids are in a lot of trouble.”

Stephen floored the gas pedal and swiveled to the front of Wendy's. John began to pushing and struggling against the man's grip, hearing a variety of “Fuck!” and “Shit!” Finally John ran his nails through the man's hairy arms, who cried out in pain, and ran, taking advantage of his free arm. “Somebody!” being the last word he heard. He spotted Stephen's car, waiting and hoping for the door to fly open. Instead, he watched in horror as Stephen sped away.

“Wait you asshole!” John took a few hopeless steps after the car, then dejectedly witnessed the car drive as fast as it could. disappearing among its own kind on the road. A rush of emotions ran through his head. Anger, definitely anger, that Stephen completely forgot his promise and ditched him. Frustration for not knowing what to do now and fear for standing out in the open, alone in the parking lot where security would see him. John dove behind a nearby car and searched desperately at the road, hoping his brother would realize that he forgot him and turn around to go get him.

“Where is he? Where's the kid?” A gruff voice boomed in the parking lot, causing John's heart to stop. He peaked from behind the car and saw three large Wendy's cook shouting and looking for him.

Please don't them see me. Please don't let -

“There!” One of the men pointed straight at John and he bolted from the car. “Get him!”

John ran as fast as his already-tired feet could carry him, almost tripping on a speed bump. He whipped his head around and saw the cooks were still on his trail. To his amazement, they were fast and really fast. They were now five feet away from him, running fast, maybe even faster than him, arms reached out. He couldn't afford to get caught. Jail was a big thing, but three grown men snapping your neck was bigger. But what to do? He couldn't run forever, all his energy was already wasted from the first run. John spotted a wall and he jumped, his stomach landing on the top of wall, gripping the bricks with his sweaty palms.

The cooks caught up to him and grabbed his dangling legs. John screamed and incidentally kicked his face. He swore out loud and John jumped into someone's backyard. Hiding in the backyard would be too risky. The workers knew his location and would call the coups. It has happened to be seven at night, so the person living there might think John is a robber. He jumped another wall and climbed over, repeating the same steps at least five times. Out of exhaustion, he collapsed on the grass of someone's backyard. He couldn't scale the next well, because it happened to be a fence with sharp points on the top, that would impale him if he tried. Suddenly a screen door slid open, nearly giving John a heart attack. Someone stepped out and John couldn't see her face except for the moonlight that shone on her long legs and denim shorts.

“Please, please don't call the cops.” John begged. “I'm not gonna steal anything!”

“So why is a random stranger in my yard?”

“Look, I'm on the run from some Wendy’s cooks...”

“Wendy's cooks?”

“Because my stupid brother and I were playing....” John whacked his brain, trying to remember what it was called. “Fast food football.”

“And you got caught obviously.”

“Yeah and then my brother ditched me. So I'm here scaling walls and climbing into people's yards.”

“Sounds like a workout.”

“I can't climb your fence thing or I'll be killed.”

“Yup.”

“Can you um....go check if any of the guys are looking for me? Or you know....cops?”

The girl walked into the backyard and peaked over the wall that separated the yard and the road. She turned her head a few times before blending back into the darkness.

“No three large men after me?”

“Nope.”

“Cops?”

“None.”

“Then I guess I should go.” John pulled out his cellphone and dialed Stephen's number.

“So why did you listen to your brother anyway?”

“What?”

“Fast food football is stupid. Why would you ever agree to go along with it?”

“I don't know,” John shrugged. “I was promised free food.”

“Really?” She said sarcastically.

“My brother's a junior. He knows a lot more than I do, so I caved in and believed him. Besides he told me he's done it before and.....Shit! He's not picking up his phone!”

“Do you love your brother?”

John gave her a curious look. “Well yeah, he's my brother. Nothing will stop us from being otherwise.”

“Even if you two fought over a girl?”

“Especially!” John could see a smile flash from within the darkness. “Why are you asking me this?”

“No reason. It's always good to see beautiful relationship between people you love.” John stared at her curiously. “Sorry, it's um....nothing.”

“I'll just wander around in the dark until I find my brother,” He hoisted himself on the wall and looked back. “Sorry um, what was your name again?”

“It's - “

“Jaycee! Get back in the house this instant!” A voice screamed from inside the house. “What are you doing out there!?”

“Crap, that's my signal. Maybe we'll meet some other time. See ya!” John jumped off and his feet landed on the pavement, dashing away from the house as far as possible, before that angry mom could peak over the wall and see him.

What was her name? John thought to himself. Did she say it was Jay?

“John!” Stephen's voice cried from the dark. “Is that you!?” The sound of car could be heard swiveling around, before driving up to the sidewalk. Stephen poked his head out of the window and motioned his head towards the passenger seat. “Get in the car!”

John quickly rushed inside the car, slamming the door shut with satisfaction. He could glare at his older brother, who looked innocent as he turned the wheel and brought the two home. “You little bastard.”

“What?”

“You freaking ditched me!”

“Look I'm sorry, I panicked all right!”

“You told me this shit wouldn't happen!”

“I thought that too! I'm sorry.” Stephen replied sheepishly. There was a brief silence before he spoke up again. “But you gotta admit, it was pretty funny.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Think about it, it'll be a story to tell your friends. One day, we'll look back on this and laugh. It'll be a fond high school memory.”

John rolled his eyes and stared out the window, before a light laugh eventually escaped his lips. “I guess it was....pretty funny.”

“Yeah it was. Wanna try it tomorrow? We'll bring the professionals next time. Brian.”

“Hell no man. I hate you now and forever!” He said this while laughing, causing Stephen to crack a small smile.

“You know I love you little bro.” Stephen ruffled John's messy locks. “So don't cry, alright?”

“I'm not a little kid, you idiot.” John grinned. “But I am in the mood for some ice cream. I say we stop at McDonalds. No running or some shit. You're actually gonna go up and pay it yourself.”

“Why am I treating you?”

“I was the one who almost got caught by three scary dudes. Plus I nearly got killed from climbing over walls.”

“Fine. I gotta have an excuse for coming home late anyway.” The two shared a similar laugh, before driving off into the highway.