“Hey.” Kaiden nodded as he stepped into the home. He’d just gotten back from tutoring Dacey for the day.
“Hey?” Quinn didn’t look up from his sketchpad. “Hey? That’s all you’re going to say?” His voice sounded different. Strained.
“Uh, hi?” Kaiden arched an eyebrow, slightly confused as he set his bag down inside the door. “What did you want me to say?”
“Oh I don’t know.” Quinn shrugged, slamming his drawing book closed as he spoke next. “Maybe something about how you’re sorry for stealing him away from me!” He snapped as he looked up to lock eyes with his brother.
“Quinn what in the world are you talking about?” Kaiden blinked at him. “Who am I stealing?”
“Stop playing dumb! You know you’re doing it! You always do this shit!” Quinn exclaimed, standing up and pacing the room.
“You’re acting crazy, Quinn. I have no clue what you’re talking about.” Kaiden eyed his brother, confused.
“Ever since we were little you always had to ANTAGONIZE me!” The word antagonize was punctuated with a shove to the other’s chest. “Taking the toys I wanted, breaking my crayons, talking to dad when I wanted his attention!” Quinn listed off, getting more furious by the moment.
“Are we really fighting about me breaking your crayons when we were like five?”
“NO!” Quinn groaned. “You’re so…imbecilic! That wasn’t the point!”
“I’m not stupid!” Kaiden retorted. “Quit acting like you’re so much better than me!” He still didn’t even understand what Quinn was so upset about but he wasn’t going to stand here and be called an idiot.
“Are you kidding me?” Quinn looked at him like he was insane. “I’m NOT better than you! You’ve always had more friends, dated more than I have, been more social in general! Smarts are the only thing I have! Then the second I thought I might, just might have a chance with a boy you steal him away! You’re ridiculous, Kaiden!”
“What boy?” Kaiden shouted.
“SHION! Fucking Shion!” Quinn screamed, shoving his brother roughly with each word he spoke. “You knew it was him! You knew I liked him and you just couldn’t have that, now could you?!” Quinn was never a violent person, not at all. But he was fueled by rage at something his brother had not known he was doing…
“You like Shion?” Kaiden’s eyes were wide.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t know! You fucking knew all along! That’s why you brought him home in the first place. You thought I wouldn’t know? He’s the complete opposite of your type! Why else would you bring him here?!” Quinn raged as he paced the room. He was furious.
The fury had built every night when he watched the two of them in HIS backyard, laughing and cloudwatching… He couldn’t stand it. And now he was finally done.
“Quinn I swear! Calm down!” Kaiden held his hands out in front of him.
“NO! I can’t believe you’d do that to me! He was the one boy who has ever shown any type of interest in me!” Quinn’s thin form was shaking violently.
“Quinn-“
“SHUT. UP.” Quinn spit out through gritted teeth. “Out! Get. Out!” He didn’t care that this was Kaiden’s house too. Didn’t care that it wasn’t his choice to make if Kaiden could stay here or not. He just wanted his backstabbing brother out of his sight. He shoved Kaiden towards the door roughly.
“Quinn, let me talk!”
“GO!” Quinn roared, shoving Kaiden outside and slamming the door in his face. He rested his back against it, his breathing heavy as he tried to calm himself down.
