I'M SORRY, BROTHER

If someone ever asks me who the most annoying person in the entire world is, I won't need even one second to think about it.

My brother.

Sanjay.

Nineteen years old.

Professional headache.

Part-time worker.

Full-time nuisance.

And unfortunately...

My brother.

There are many problems in my life.

School.

Homework.

Money.

Our leaking roof.

The terrifying mathematics teacher who looks like she can smell incomplete assignments from three classrooms away.

But none of those problems are as serious as my brother.

I opened my eyes to the sound of someone banging on a metal pot.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

I pulled my blanket over my head.

“Rhea!”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Rhea, wake up!”

I didn't move.

“Rhea!”

I grabbed the pillow and shoved it over my ears.

Then came the final weapon.

Sanjay: “You're going to miss school!”

I sat up immediately.

Rhea: “WHAT?!”

I looked at the clock.

6:47.

My school bus came at 7:20.

I had thirty-three minutes.

I stared at the clock.

Then at the door.

Then back at the clock.

Rhea: “WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP EARLIER?!”

Sanjay: “I've been trying for ten minutes!”

Rhea: “YOU COULD HAVE TRIED HARDER!”

Sanjay: “I banged a pot!”

Rhea: “WHO WAKES PEOPLE UP WITH A POT?!”

Sanjay: “Apparently you.”

I threw my pillow at the door.

It missed.

Obviously.

Sanjay laughed from outside.

I hated him.

I really, really hated him.

Well...

Not always.

But at 6:47 in the morning?

Absolutely.

I jumped out of bed and ran toward the bathroom.

Then something suddenly landed on my head.

A sock.

I stared at it.

Then I slowly looked up.

Sanjay was standing near the doorway.

Sanjay: "Have you seen my other sock?"

I blinked.

Rhea: "You threw a sock at me to ask me where your sock is?"

Sanjay: "Technically, yes."

Rhea: "You're unbelievable."

Sanjay: "Thank you."

Rhea: "That wasn't a compliment."

Sanjay: "I know."

Our house wasn't exactly what people would call beautiful.

It was small, old and permanently crowded with things that didn't really belong anywhere. The walls were stained in places, the paint had peeled off around the windows, and one of the cupboard doors had been broken for so long that we'd stopped remembering what it looked like when it worked.

The kitchen was barely big enough for two people to stand in.

Which was probably why Sanjay had banned me from entering while he cooked.

Not because he was worried about me.

Because he didn't want me laughing at him.

And I had very good reasons to laugh.

The last time he'd tried making noodles, he somehow turned them into something that looked like wet rope.

I still had nightmares.

I brushed my teeth as quickly as humanly possible, changed into my school uniform and ran back into the main room.

Sanjay was standing beside the tiny kitchen counter, staring suspiciously at a frying pan.

I stopped.

Rhea: “What are you doing?”

Sanjay: “Cooking.”

Rhea: “That's concerning.”

He looked at me.

Sanjay: “Good morning to you too.”

Rhea: “What are you making?”

Sanjay: “Eggs.”

I leaned closer.

Rhea: “Are those eggs?”

Sanjay: “Yes.”

Rhea: “Are you sure?”

Sanjay: “Rhea.”

Rhea: “They look angry.”

Sanjay turned toward the pan.

Sanjay: “They're eggs.”

Rhea: “They look like they've been through something.”

He picked up the spatula.

Sanjay: “Go get your bag.”

Rhea: “I'm already wearing it.”

He looked at my shoulder.

I looked at my shoulder.

My schoolbag was hanging from one strap.

Sanjay: “You are unbelievable.”

Rhea: “Thank you.”

Sanjay: “That wasn't a compliment.”

Rhea: “I know.”

He sighed.

I smiled.

That was usually how our mornings went.

Arguments.

Insults.

More arguments.

Then one of us would eventually realize we were going to be late.

Today, unfortunately, it was me.

I grabbed my shoes and sat near the door.

Sanjay placed a plate in front of me.

Rhea: “I'm not hungry.”

Sanjay: “Eat.”

Rhea: “I said I'm not hungry.”

Sanjay: “You barely ate yesterday.”

Rhea: “I ate.”

Sanjay: “Three bites don't count.”

Rhea: “They were big bites.”

Sanjay stared at me.

I stared back.

Sanjay: “Eat.”

Rhea: “You're so annoying.”

Sanjay: “And you're still hungry.”

Rhea: “I'm not.”

Sanjay: “Then take it with you.”

I looked at the plate.

Then at him.

Rhea: “I'm not carrying a plate onto the school bus.”

Sanjay: “I didn't say take the plate.”

Rhea: “Then what am I supposed to do?”

Sanjay: “Put it in a box.”

Rhea: “We don't have a box.”

He opened a cupboard.

Sanjay: “We have this.”

He pulled out an old plastic container.

I stared at it.

Rhea: “That's your lunch box.”

Sanjay: “Not anymore.”

Rhea: “Then what are you going to eat?”

Sanjay shrugged.

Sanjay: “I'll figure it out.”

I frowned.

He said it so casually.

Like skipping lunch wasn't a big deal.

I pushed the plate toward him.

Rhea: “You eat it.”

Sanjay: “Rhea.”

Rhea: “I'm serious.”

Sanjay: “So am I.”

Rhea: “You need to eat too.”

For a second, he didn't answer.

Then he smiled.

Sanjay: “Look at you. Suddenly worried about me.”

Rhea: “I'm not worried.”

Sanjay: “You are.”

Rhea: “I'm worried you'll collapse somewhere and embarrass me.”

Sanjay: “There she is.”

I rolled my eyes.

He put some of the food into the container and handed it to me.

Sanjay: “Take it.”

Rhea: “Fine.”

I took it.

He smiled.

I immediately regretted being nice.

Rhea: “Don't get used to it.”

Sanjay: “Too late.”

I stood up.

Rhea: “I'm leaving.”

Sanjay: “Wait.”

He reached toward my hair.

I moved away.

Rhea: “Don't touch me!”

Sanjay: “You have something here.”

Rhea: “Where?”

He pointed at my cheek.

Sanjay: “Flour.”

I wiped my cheek.

Rhea: “Is it gone?”

Sanjay: “No.”

I wiped again.

Sanjay: “Still there.”

Rhea: “Where?!”

He laughed.

Sanjay: “Other cheek.”

I wiped the other side.

He laughed harder.

I realized what he'd done.

Rhea: “You idiot!”

I grabbed the nearest thing I could find.

A rolled-up newspaper.

He immediately ran.

Sanjay: “HEY! DON'T HIT ME!”

Rhea: “COME BACK!”

Sanjay: “You're violent!”

Rhea: “YOU STARTED IT!”

Sanjay: “I'm nineteen!”

Rhea: “I DON'T CARE!”

Our landlord's voice suddenly came from outside.

Landlord: “WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING THIS EARLY IN THE MORNING?!”

Silence.

I slowly lowered the newspaper.

Sanjay looked at me.

I looked at him.

Neither of us moved.

Then he whispered:

Sanjay: “Run.”

Rhea: “Why?”

Sanjay: “Because she's coming.”

The front door opened.

Our landlord stood there with her arms crossed.

She was an older woman with a permanently tired expression, probably because dealing with us had shortened her lifespan by several years.

Landlord: “Sanjay.”

Sanjay: “Good morning.”

Landlord: “The rent.”

Sanjay's smile disappeared.

Sanjay: “I'll pay it.”

Landlord: “You said that last week.”

Sanjay: “I know.”

Landlord: “And the week before.”

Sanjay: “I know.”

She sighed.

Landlord: “I'm giving you more time because I know your situation. But don't make me keep asking.”

Sanjay: “I won't.”

She looked at me.

Landlord: “And you. Go to school.”

Rhea: “I was already going.”

Landlord: “Then why are you standing here?”

I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

She shook her head.

Landlord: “Both of you are impossible.”

She walked away.

I looked at Sanjay.

Rhea: “She likes us.”

Sanjay: “That's her angry face.”

Rhea: “She has an angry face?”

Sanjay: “She has several.”

I laughed.

Then I heard the school bus horn.

My eyes widened.

Rhea: “OH NO.”

I grabbed my bag.

Sanjay: “Your lunch!”

I grabbed the container.

Rhea: “Got it!”

Sanjay: “Your shoes!”

I looked down.

I was wearing one shoe.

Rhea: “OH, COME ON!”

Sanjay burst out laughing.

Rhea: “STOP LAUGHING!”

Sanjay: “I'M TRYING!”

I shoved my other foot into the shoe and ran toward the door.

Sanjay: “Rhea!”

I turned.

Sanjay: “Have a good day.”

I rolled my eyes.

Rhea: “You too.”

And then I ran.

At the time, it was just another morning.

Just another stupid argument.

Just another day with my annoying brother.

I had no idea why I would remember mornings like this so clearly later.

For now, though?

I was just trying not to miss my bus.

____

The bus doors were already closing when I reached them.

Rhea: “WAIT!”

The driver looked at me through the mirror.

Driver: “Again?”

Rhea: “I was here!”

Driver: “You were running here.”

Rhea: “That's basically the same thing.”

He stared at me.

I stared back.

He opened the door.

I climbed in, breathing like I'd just completed a marathon.

I walked down the aisle and found Sony sitting near the window.

The moment she saw me, she moved her bag from the seat beside her.

Sony: “You almost missed it again.”

I dropped into the seat.

Rhea: “It wasn't my fault.”

Sony: “It never is.”

Rhea: “My brother woke me up late.”

Sony: “Sanjay?”

Rhea: “Who else?”

Sony smiled.

Sony: “What did he do this time?”

I turned toward her.

Rhea: “He threw a sock at me.”

Sony: “Why?”

Rhea: “Because he couldn't find the other one.”

Sony covered her mouth.

Sony: “Did you find it?”

Rhea: “No.”

Sony: “Where was it?”

I stared out the window.

Rhea: “On his foot.”

Sony burst out laughing.

Rhea: “Don't laugh!”

Sony: “I'm sorry!”

Rhea: “You're supposed to support me!”

Sony: “I am supporting you.”

Rhea: “You're laughing!”

Sony: “Supportively.”

I crossed my arms.

Rhea: “Everyone is against me.”

Sony: “I'm not.”

Rhea: “You laughed.”

Sony: “Okay, maybe a little.”

I tried to stay angry.

I couldn't.

I started laughing too.

That was Sony.

She had this strange ability to make even the most irritating day feel slightly less irritating.

She was my best friend.

Actually...

My only real friend.

We had known each other for years, and somehow she was the only person who could listen to me complain about Sanjay for twenty minutes without telling me to shut up.

Well...

Sometimes she did.

Sony: “What did he make you for breakfast?”

Rhea: “Eggs.”

Sony: “Were they good?”

I looked at her.

Rhea: “No.”

Sony: “How bad?”

Rhea: “I think the eggs were angry.”

Sony laughed again.

Rhea: “I'm serious!”

Sony: “I believe you.”

The bus turned onto the main road.

I rested my head against the window.

Outside, the city was already awake.

People were rushing to work. Shops were opening. Street vendors were setting up their carts. Cars filled the roads, horns blaring every few seconds.

Everything was expensive here.

Food.

Rent.

School supplies.

Even the tiny room we called home cost more than Sanjay could comfortably afford.

Sometimes I wondered how he managed it.

But whenever I asked, he always said the same thing.

"I'll handle it."

I hated that sentence.

Because somehow, Sanjay always said it like everything really was going to be okay.

Sony nudged my shoulder.

Sony: “You're thinking about him again.”

I immediately sat upright.

Rhea: “No, I'm not.”

Sony: “You were staring out the window.”

Rhea: “People stare out windows.”

Sony: “Not while thinking that hard.”

Rhea: “I wasn't thinking.”

Sony: “Okay.”

She smiled.

I knew that smile.

It meant she didn't believe me.

Rhea: “What?”

Sony: “Nothing.”

Rhea: “Tell me.”

Sony: “You complain about him a lot.”

Rhea: “Because he annoys me a lot.”

Sony: “Maybe.”

Rhea: “Definitely.”

Sony looked out the window.

Sony: “Still, he's working really hard.”

I frowned.

Rhea: “I know.”

Sony: “You know?”

Rhea: “Of course I know.”

Sony: “Then why do you always complain?”

Rhea: “Because he's annoying.”

Sony: “That's not an answer.”

Rhea: “It is to me.”

She laughed softly.

Sony: “You're impossible.”

Rhea: “That's what he says.”

Sony: “Maybe he's right.”

I gasped.

Rhea: “Whose side are you on?!”

Sony: “Nobody's.”

Rhea: “Liar.”

The bus stopped outside the school.

Everyone began getting down.

Sony grabbed her bag.

Sony: “Come on.”

I stood up.

Rhea: “I'm coming.”

We stepped off the bus together.

Another ordinary morning.

Another ordinary school day.

And for once, I was hoping it would stay that way.

____