Rise Above This

“Bill, wake up,” I heard Tom say, shaking my sleeping form.

“Eh, go away. I want to sleep,” I said swatting his hand away.

“Fine. I guess you don’t want to hang out with your twin brother on our birthday,” Tom said.

Birthday?! Shit! I forgot! I shot up in my bed and said, “Wait! I want to hang out with my brother on our birthday!”

Tom chuckled before saying, “Then get dressed. Mom called and said that we’re having lunch with her. Plus Andreas is supposed to be at mom’s”

Andreas? Yes! I got out of bed and grabbed clothes before slipping them on. I decided to wear my black pants with the zippers on them and my “The Icon” shirt. I walked into the bathroom and turned the sink water on before grabbing shampoo, conditioner, and a towel. I put my head under the faucet and washed my hair to get all the hairspray from last night out of it.

Drying my hair with the towel, I left the bathroom and walked back into my room. I grabbed a brush and dropped the towel in the dirty clothes hamper before brushing my wet hair.

“Bill! Come on! Mom just called. You’re being slow today,” Tom said walking in my room.

“I’ll be a minute. Unless you want to do my eyeliner for me while I do my hair,” I said.

“How about you do your eyeliner and I could do your hair if you showed me how,” Tom suggested.

I smiled. “Grab my flat iron and flat iron my hair for me? I’ll do my lion mane look after you straighten it.”

He nodded before walking over to me. I plugged in my flat iron and turned it on before handing it to Tom. “It should be hot in a minute or two. It’s a wet-to-straight flat iron, so you don’t have to wait until my hair’s dry.”

He nodded and stood there for a second before he took a bit of my hair and started flat ironing it. I smiled and grabbed my eyeliner before applying it to my eyes.

“Shit. The steam’s hot,” Tom said.

“Sorry,” I said.

“It’s okay,” Tom said smiling before he continued working on my hair. Hmm. Not bad. He’s doing a good job on it actually.

After Tom got all of my hair straight and I got my eyes done, I grabbed a can of hairspray and started doing my hair in my mane.

After I was finished, I grabbed my jacket and slipped on my shoes before leaving my room, Tom following behind.

We got downstairs when we heard Lavender ask, “Tom? Where are you going?”

“Mom’s. She called and demanded that Bill and I go over there this minute,” he replied.

“Fine,” she said before the two of us left the house and walked out to Tom’s Escalade.

“Do we really have to be there this minute?” I asked as we got in.

Tom shook his head as he put the key in the ignition. “Nope. We don’t have to be there until noon. It’s nine forty-five right now,” he replied.

“So why are we leaving so early?” I asked as Tom turned the key, starting the engine.

He shrugged. “Is it a crime to leave the house early so I can spend time with my little brother on our birthday?”

Usually this would be the time where I would go “Ten minutes Tom. Ten minutes”, but I just shook my head before asking, “Where are we going then?”

“No clue. Park?” he asked as we pulled out of the driveway and started down the road.

I smiled and nodded. “Sounds fun. Let’s go.”

He smiled. “Let’s.”

(Park)

I love the park. Especially today because it’s empty. Just Tomi and me. We were sitting on the swings swinging, trying to see who could get the highest up. I usually won, seeing as Tom’s baggy clothes always slowed him down. I don’t know why he wore such baggy clothes. They didn’t show how small he was. Or muscular. Or toned. Oh god why do I have to think like this? He’s my brother! My brother who I happen to be in love with. This sucks.

“Bill? You okay?” I heard Tom ask, breaking my mental rant.

“Huh? Yeah. Why?” I asked.

“Well, you looked like something was bothering you. Plus you stopped swinging,” Tom replied.

I looked to see that I had stopped swinging. Hmm. Didn’t notice. “Sorry Tom. I guess I zoned out,” I said.

“What were you thinking about?” he asked.

“Nothing really important.”

“Tell me.”

Where do I start? I hate her. I shouldn’t have these feeling for you, but I love you. It kills me that you‘re with her. I need you. I don’t want you to hate me for loving you. Life without you is like never breathing again. I wouldn’t be able to live with you hating me.

I shook my head. “It’s not important Tom-Tom. Really.”

He looked at me with his brown eyes and asked, “Is it a secret?”

I nodded. “In a way. But hey, let’s head on over to mom and Gordon’s house. Maybe Andreas is there. I know I haven’t seen him in forever.”

Tom sighed. “Okay. Let’s go.”

We got up and started walking back to the Escalade when Tom stopped. I stopped next to him and asked, “Tom?”

He looked at me before hugging me. Shocked at first, I hugged him back.

We stood like that for a minute when Tom stopped hugging and said, “Come on. Let’s head out.”

I nodded before the two of us headed towards his Escalade.