Page 33 of The Twins

There’s no other word for it. The bitter truth of the matter is I want to go to college, graduate early, get picked up by a start-up or start one of my own, and then, in five years, sell and swim in cash.

Isn’t it beautiful to be a capitalist? Why should I waste my brain on active duty? I’d be of more use to my country creating jobs for an enterprise with my ideas.

My phone rings, and I ignore it. I pick up trash, flyers, pens… I relocate chairs and desks. It’s just me and the mayor’s grandkid who’s pregnant and serving social time by helping out. She clears her throat when my phone insists on ringing.

Eventually, I pick up. I grunt, “What is it?”

“Be a bad boy with me, you stiff,” Vegas yawns down the line. “I’m BORED!”

“I tip better than you do. Now let me go back to work,” I hiss, ready to click him away.

“Please, Remo? Do your little brother this one tiny favor? I’m not asking you to save the world for me. It’s just a party!” Vegas begs and pleads. I sigh, cursing under my breath. This is my last hurray in San Ricardo. Once school’s done, I’m out. I’ll be traveling all over the world, and I won’t have much time to be with my brother anymore.

I’ll never see whoever’s at the party ever again.

This can be my last chance at a good boy rebellion.

* * *

I siton a sofa that has multiple cigarette burns. It stinks of beer. Perhaps it’s the people sitting around me who consumed too much beer, and now I pay the price. Religiously following my parents’ advice, I don’t drink, smoke, or take any drug offered to me. I carry an empty red cup around to keep up pretenses.

Not that anyone pays me any attention. I relish in that.

An hour ago, I came here only to find out that my brother was upstairs with his best friend’s girlfriend. His best friend is up there, too. Yes, Vegas is that type of guy. All the girls fall to his feet, and he doesn’t even try. He charms them with his honesty. He doesn’t see the ugliness of people even when they’re trying to get to him because he’s popular.

Still, he breaks bro codes left and right, fucking girls in front of their boyfriends and behind their boyfriends’ backs. He likes to experiment with people, and yet, nobody complains. He could fuck his best friend’s mom, and his best friend would applaud him.

The prick invited me to come to a party I had no business attending, only to avoid me.

I’ve been sitting on this nasty sofa for an hour now, and I’ve decided to make my way home. Vegas will come home whenever he feels like it, and our parents won’t say a word. They’re used to his mischief.

I make my way out of the crowded space of the living room, depositing my filled cup on the floor. Nobody will notice my absence. That’s the beauty of an outcast. He’s never seen, rarely heard, whereas my brother’s always the center of attention.

It’s never cold in San Ricardo, but that night, on my long walk home, the cold breeze brushes my skin with a wrath I’m not used to.

It’s sinking in.

Finally.

I’m alone. My parents and my brother… They only love me because they have to. I’m the weirdo that can’t even stand up for himself. The dreams of my future are vivid, but they’re stuck in my imagination.

Will they love me if I go against their wishes?

I’m too weak to test that theory.

My phone vibrates.

Unknown number:

Where did you go?

Remo:

Who is this?

I’m Remo, the brother in the shadows. Random people don’t have a habit of texting me. I shake it off. Perhaps somebody stole my brother’s phone, and they have decided to prank me.

Mom doesn’t want us walking around at night, but the busses are lame, and my brother and I don’t believe in cars when our neighborhood’s so small.

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