Page 12 of Every Thought Taken

My lips kick up in a small smile. “No one shares a birthday with you except me. Ever.”

For the briefest of seconds, he smiles. A genuine smile, not the forced one he usually gives everyone. I memorize this gentle, carefree smile and store it away. Lock it up tight, swearing to only bring it out when he has a dark day.

“Still think birthdays are stupid, but yeah. Sure. I’ll never share a birthday with anyone else.”

I pat his leg then hop up from the couch. “Be right back. Going to change.” I walk toward the hallway. “You guys pick a movie.”

“You seriously like this?” Anderson asks.

Mags pushes up on her elbow from our spot on the floor and looks past me to Anderson and Lessa, who giggles on the other side of him. Her eyes narrow, as if daring him to make fun of her movie choice. If I were him, I’d tread lightly.

“Yes,” she says with bite. “I do. And so do your sister and Lena.”

I turn my head to look at him. Head on a pillow, eyes on Mags, he scrunches his brow in confusion. “Why?”

Mags huffs, sits up straight, and pauses the movie. “Because it has adventure and excitement and young love. It makes me smile and dream about happy stuff. It makes me feel good.”

Anderson clamps down on his lips and gives a slow nod. “Oh,” he whispers.

Satisfied with his short acceptance, Mags lies back down, grabs her bag of Twizzlers, and hits play on the movie. On the screen, Jessica is telling Bella who all the Cullens are, talking about each with envy but acting as if she couldn’t care less.

Part of me wonders if high school will be like it is in movies or shows. It seems so boring and routine—except for the drama they add for effect. Middle school has been somewhat dull. The only difference from elementary school… pettiness and jealousy. Almost every day, someone is upset about something. How someone talked about them or didn’t give them the time of day. How someone has the latest and greatest, but they don’t, so they spread rumors to make themselves feel better. Girls are meaner now. Guys are somewhat the same, some a little mean.

Boring would be nice.

I lift the box of Sno-Caps and dump some in my hand. “Want some?”

Anderson purses his lips and takes a few from my hand. “Thanks.” Besides sharing the same birthday month, we also both love the same movie snack. On occasion, we share a tub of popcorn, but one of us always has Sno-Caps.

I toss the rest in my mouth. “Mm-hmm.” After I swallow, I lean in close and whisper, “Never talk bad aboutTwilightaround Mags.” I inch back and slash my fingers across the front of my throat.

This makes him smile for the second time in a single day. A lightness fills my chest at the sight.

He nods. “Promise I won’t.”

We watch the rest of the movie, Mags hanging on every word and moment while Anderson, Lessa, and I pay more attention to our snacks. When the ballet studio scene comes on, I peek at Anderson out of the corner of my eye. Watch him while he watches the movie. Although this isn’t the darkest movie or show, there is a dark undertone. And if I pick up on the darkness, Anderson definitely will. The last thing he needs to believe is love and darkness go hand in hand.

Wanting to distract him, I reach between me and Mags for my new Polaroid. I inch closer to him and lay my head on his pillow.

“What are you—”

I hold the camera over us. “Take a picture with me.”

His brows pinch together. “You’re weird.”

I chuckle and Mags shushes me into silence. “So are you.”

Before he says another word, I press the button. A small rectangle pops out of the camera and I hand it to him. Holding the camera higher, I press the top of my head to his temple, make a face, and take another picture.

“Will you stop,” Mags huffs out. “The flash is messing with the screen.”

I pinch my lips between my teeth to not laugh. “All done.”

I remove the second picture and wave it back and forth to develop faster. Little by little, the picture replaces the black rectangle and our faces become more defined. I stare at the goofy face I made and swear no one but the four of us will see this photo. Then I look at Anderson in the picture. The corners of his mouth are tipped up slightly. Most people wouldn’t notice the faint smile, but I do.

And after seeing it, I promise no one else will see this picture. Only me and him.

Anderson is like my little brother and I will protect him within my means. Sharing his smile is his decision, not mine. He gifts it to me because I care for him. Because I make him comfortable. Because, in some ways, we are family.

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