"Jeong. Hey little brother." He rubbed my back. "how are you?" He chuckled in a deep tone.

"School is sucking the life out of me. I hate it. "

"Yeah, that’s high school for you. " He ruffled my hair.

I sat up and looked at him. " So what’s college like? "

"It’s tiring. Don’t take and 8am class that’s for sure. "

"Noted."

Alexander looked at me smiling. "Oh. I brought you something back."

He got up, and came back with a hoodie with his Universities name on it. "It’s a 2X, but you’ll grow into it."

"Thanks." I say in a monotone voice, half expecting him to bring me a book back from his college course. I put on the hoodie, and comes down past my knees. "So, How’s your literature course?"

He rolled his eyes, and I cut him off. " Okay that’s fine, don’t tell me then. " I get up, and storm off to my room.

I hear him say my name, but I’m already in a mood, and slam the door shut. I flop on the bed, and smile like an idiot, and huff really loudly.

I text Sam. -Hey sorry about this weekend. If I could sneak out I would. My brother is home, and I want nothing more than to leave the house. -

I put the phone down, and turn on Netflix, and start watching "House of Cards."

A few hours of Netflix, and a few text from Sam, saying he is with a girl today, I hear my mother call for dinner.  She actually called me for Dinner. On the phone. I answered, and rolled my eyes. I come down, and say, " you could have just texted me, or you know yell for me like usual."

"Oh, well, I didn’t know if you would hear me if I yelled for you.  "

"And text? " I snapped back, which she gave no reply, but Alexander gave me a disdainful look. I gave him a sassy look with some vivid hand motions.

I sat down at the table, and sipped some of my water. We had Duck, and mashed potatoes for dinner. It was a special occasion. That is what my mother had said. I mean I guess it is the first time my brother has been back, but he brought all his laundry for Mom to do. Don’t they have a washer and dryer on campus?

Mom and Alexander talked the most through dinner with spats of Tai interruptions of him playing too loudly with his food.

After dinner, I had to wash the dishes, which I did grumbling to myself. I finished the dishes, and walked into the living room to see Tai and Alexander playing Wii. I sat on the couch.

"You wanna play, little brother? " Alexander said, and passed me the third remote.

"I’m okay." I folded my arms.

"Okay." He returned to the game. They were playing Mario Kart. I actually wanted to play, but I didn’t feel like trying to focus on a tiny line of sight, from the game splitting the screen into three parts. I wanted it to feel like it used to be, but it isn’t. Alexander has changed, or maybe I have. It just does not feel right. It feels strange. I want to lock myself in my room, and scream into my pillow, and cry. But I can’t. I can’t show how I’m feeling. I don’t want to worry my family. My mind is not a place I want to be right now. I just want to be with friends, and enjoying life. I want to be a little mindless right now, and drink beer, or something harder. . I want be numb to my thoughts.

I text my friends into the night. I get snaps from my friends at some party that I could be at, but my mother said no. I feel the anger bubbling inside me. I walk into my room, and get ready for bed. I put my phone on the charger, and crawl into bed, and close my eyes, and drift off to sleep.

I woke up at 10am, and my mother and brother were already up, and chatting over a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, sweetie." My mother said.

I grunted out, "morning." I made me some waffles, and at the counter. I didn’t want to disturb their conversation with my presence. That, and I didn’t want to really look at them. The person who told me no to hanging out with my friends, and my best friend that let me down. I finished, and washed my dishes, and went to study the accusative case in the living room, before Tai came in and starts playing video games.

When Tai did come in, I went outside and walked around our subdivision for an hour of fresh air, and to clear my head.

I came back, and sat on the couch next to Alexander to watch "Game of Thrones." We watched in silence.

I fell asleep on the couch, and my head fell on Alexander’s shoulder. I was asleep, but not deep asleep to know I felt my head fall on his shoulder. He said nothing, and put his arm around me. He carried me to my bed because I woke up three hours later in my bed. I woke up early enough to see my brother off to University for the second time. This time, I helped him carry his laundry to the car, and hugged him tightly.

"Text me, okay?" I said smiling at him.

"Okay, I will."

"Promise? "

"I promise little brother." He said reassuringly.

"I’m going to hold you to it. "

He left us standing there in the driveway. Things have changed. Although I don’t like this feeling. I think they have changed for the better.

Next Chapter: Chapter 4