The Twins & Me

Any Kind

We've entered the Renaissance Period in Art History, and while I was waiting for this chapter, my thoughts are completely on Arlo. I sip the coffee he bought for me and watch him out of the corner of my eye.

"I didn't mean to scare you," I whisper to him.

Without looking at me, he takes my hand into his lap. "I know."

A few minutes of listening to our Professor, and I look at him again. "Did you know Ollie was tracking me?"

He shakes his head. "Not until this morning."

"When did he do it?"

Arlo sighs. "The first night you came over to our place. When you and me were in the shower, before he took us out to eat."

I do the math. Almost two weeks ago.

"It's comforting for him," Arlo says softly, still not looking at me.

The slide changes at the front of the room. A nude Goddess flashes on the screen, flanked by her many lovers. Her expression is one of peace; there's a sly smile on her lips and her fingers lazily twirl in her hair as she lounges on a chaise. The men surrounding her are on their knees, pain in their faces as they are not permitted to touch her.

"This one time," Ollie begins, gaze locked on the screen, "on a school trip when we were younger, we got put in different groups during a tour at the Smithsonian. I didn't like it, but Ollie freaked at not knowing where I was. It was the first time we'd been separated like that. When everyone met back up for lunch he screamed at me, right there in the museum cafeteria.  He made me cry. The chaperones decided to keep us in the same group for the rest of the trip."

I watch him carefully. This story isn't one he's used to sharing.

"And that same year, the hospital Mom worked at flooded and they had to shut it down for repair. She disappeared those three days on a bender. We were twelve. Didn't know if she was ever going to come back. You know, you think like that when you're a kid."

I squeeze his hand. I remember when Lila first left for college. It felt like a chunk of our family was missing. Her room was empty. We didn't set a place for her at the table. Mom held it together long enough to see her off, but that night she locked herself in her room.

With a jolt I realize she might've done the same for me when I left.

Arlo finally looks at me. His eyes are soft, how I'm used to seeing them. "You didn't do anything wrong, Wren. I was just worried. And Ollie too, in his own sick way."

"Is that why he's going to..." I can't bring myself to say it.

Arlo bites his lip, keeping back a smile. "Yeah."

"It's not funny."

He winks.

After school, I go straight home. I want to be there when Lila gets home, because I know she will only be madder if I'm not. Ollie doesn't seem to understand that my obligation to my sister is greater than my obligation to him, but I don't care. If he's going to punish me for accepting a ride from a guy then I can make him wait to do it for a day or two.

As expected, Lila lets me have it for staying out all night, but she doesn't ground me. I guess she was impressed that the apartment was clean when she got home. Roark told her I did it. I decided not to stir the pot by asking her about this Brian guy, and the night ended in pizza and watching the Titanic, to which we both cried at the end.

Friday night, and I ask her if I can hang out with some friends.

"Would this be a boyfriend?" she asks in a low tone.