What Do Brothers Know Anyway?

“Zach asked you to the prom?” Paul shouted, his spoon suspended midway to his mouth.

“Yeah, is that a problem?” Annie asked anxiously and slightly hurt. Was it so unbelievable that Zach might like her enough to take her to the prom? Yeah, he was cool. Okay, he was captain of the football team. All right he was a senior and she a lowly freshman. Yes, he was everybody’s dream guy. But still, Annie thought, she wasn’t that bad.

“No, it’s not a… problem,” her brother said slowly. “It’s just, well, I’ve never liked to share my toys. Zach’s been my best friend since we were babies.”

“What does that mean? He’s your toy? He’ll still be your best friend. It’s not like I’m gonna steal him,”she said, exasperated.

“I would sooner give you my X-Box,” he said as if he hadn’t heard her.

“But I don’t like video games,” she replied, “and I like Zach.”  Admitting that was a big mistake.

He frowned and pushed back his bowl of cereal. “Did he say he liked you?”

Annie thought back a moment while crunching loudly on her corn flakes. No, he hadn’t actually said he did. She just kind of assumed.

“He wouldn’t have asked me if he didn’t like me a little,” she muttered irritably.

She now wished she’d never mentioned it at all. Paul was bringing her firmly back to ground. She had been hovering in the stratosphere since last night when Zach asked her after making a wish on the first star. And then when he kissed her...ooh, it was perfect! Her first kiss, real kiss anyway. She wasn’t about to count that slobbery one she got playing spin-the-bottle at Megan’s thirteenth birthday party when she got stuck with Jimmy McAllister. Yuck!

Hey, that’s right! Zach had kissed her, twice! Didn’t that mean he liked her? She thought about informing Paul about that, but decided against it. He’d just put a bad spin on that, too. What did he know anyway?

“Come on, we’re going to be late for church. Mom and Dad are already there,” Paul said.

They didn’t speak much on the way to church, but as they turned into the parking lot he spoke in an unusually gentle voice.

“It’s just the prom, Annie. Don’t make it anything more than that, okay? Zach probably wanted to take someone who wouldn’t make such a fuss over it. He knows you’re not like that. I’m sure Jackie can take you shopping for a nice dress and can help make up your hair and whatever. Just don’t imagine he’s in love or anything. He’s never had a serious girlfriend. He’s not that into it. Okay?”

She bit her lip and felt the back of her eyes burning. Not only was she firmly on the ground now, but might as well be buried sixteen feet deep.

“Okay,” she mumbled and got out of the car.

“Aren’t you coming in?” Paul asked at the bottom step of the church.

“I’m waiting for Megan. She’s always late,” she answered averting her eyes from him.

“You’re not sulking, are you?” he said wearily.

“No!” she snapped, betraying the fact that, indeed, she was.

“Annie, I just don’t want you getting all...getting your hopes up. You’ll have fun at the prom. We all will. Come in soon. Service is about to start.”  With that he went through the door.

She tried not to cry, but there was no helping it. As she rummaged in her purse for a handkerchief, one was waved in front of her nose startling her. She looked up and saw Zach smiling down at her.

“Something in your pretty eyes?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“Then why the tears?” he asked wiping them away gently.

She shrugged and he took her into his arms. 

“Hope you’re not thinking of dumping me for the captain of the basketball team. Just so you know, he’s a jerk. No way near good enough for you.”

She giggled and snuggled closer to him. Nothing could ever feel as good. When the extent of his words finally sunk in she looked up at him in wide-eyed wonder.

“How could I dump you when we’re not going out?” she asked innocently.

It was his turn to look astonished. “What did you think I meant last night?”

“You only asked me to the prom. That doesn’t mean...”

“I thought you knew I meant…I want you for more than just one night, Annie. You don’t like me enough for more?” he asked.

Her heart jumped. Not like him enough? Was he kidding?

“Do you like me enough for that?” she asked.

He smiled. “Yeah. I would’ve asked you out sooner, but I didn’t think you liked me much and I didn’t think Paul would like me going out with his little sister.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve had a crush on you since I was twelve,” she blurted before she could stop herself. Mortified, she hid her face in her hands.

He chuckled and hugged her again, tucking her head just under his chin. “Wow! Now, that’s a real nice way to start a Sunday Morning. Do you think we’ll burn in hell if we hold hands inside?”

“I dunno.”

“How about if I kiss you just now?”

She didn’t really care if they did end up in hell for that. She looked up, smiled and was rewarded by a sweet, tender kiss full of promise.

She would never listen to Paul again. What do brothers know anyway?