My Stepbrother.

You'll See

"I'll have pancakes, maple syrup and ice cream with a coffee please " Michael smiled at the waitress waiting impatiently for both of our orders, her blonde curly hair bounced against her shoulders. "Yeah I'll just get a coffee with cream please" I handed her my menu as Michael intervened " Actually she'll have the same as me" his stare burned lethal holes in the side of my face from across the booth as I refused to make eye contact with him "Actually no I won't" I reasoned with the waitress as she scribbled out the order Michael just gave. "Lauren don't test me" Michael said through gritted teeth "Then don't order for me" I rolled my eyes at him as the solution was simple. "She'll have pancakes, maple syrup and ice cream with a coffee the same as me" Michael repeated, the waitress eyes gazed from Michael's to mine unsure whether to write down the orders, I nodded subtly as she scribbled it down once more before turning her back and mumbling something like "ya'll need couple counselling".

I took in the surrounding around me trying to calm myself from controlling Michael, the walls of the diner painted a vibrant green and the decor pink, it was cute and I started to wonder how after 17 whole years of the same neighbourhood I'd failed to notice its existence. Taking in a deep breath from my nostrils and slowly exhaling I let my eyes fall onto Michael's, his eyebrows rising at the sound of my sigh.

"Why did you do that?" I wanted to shout but we were in the middle of an American styled diner so I didn't want to make our issue public "Do what? You need to eat" Michael pulled out the sugar container and poured it upside down spilling the contents into the table. "And I'm not hungry. You would know that, but wow.." I waved my hands in front of his face "you're not me" I continued. "You will be hungry though so eat it because we aren't stopping anywhere when you get all moaning about being hungry" Michael spat back "I don't moan and stop pouring that thing everywhere" I snatched the glass pot he held in his hand as he laughed "you're moaning now" his face creased as he removed the Snapback from his head to fluff his hair up. "No I'm not" I tried to hide the smile forming on my face "yes you are" He picked the sugar pot up again "well you're being argumentative" I chuckled "yeah because you're moaning" Michael reasoned as a coffee was placed in front of us by the same waitress as before, I hushed in her presence because she already thought we were both crazy.

"I don't moan" I whispered leaning across the booth Michael planting his finger on my nose pressing it "Whatever babe" he looked smug knowing full well he'd just won, "where are we going anyway?" I asked in a desperate bid to change the subject. "Somewhere" Michael winked enjoying his moment, take a sip from the mug in front of me.

My stomach was full, Michael was right maybe I did need to eat after all but I'd never let him know that. "Tell me where we're going now?" I questioned in a desperate bid to find out "I don't know" Michael chuckled placing his fork and spoon to the side of his plate. "You don't know?!" My smile fell flat the excitement falling from my body "yeah you heard me" he pushed his plate into the centre of our booth, my blank face still staring at him. "You said you had plans" I tried desperately to hide my disappointment, failing miserably. "I have plans, but I don't know where those plans are" Michael got progressively more and more confusing. "What?" My question was blunt, but I had no idea as to what Michael was getting at. "You'll see".
**
"We're here".
I diverted my eye contact from my lap onto the location I was being presented with. "Michael that's the train station" I mumbled still fairly confused. "Now we have gathered you don't need glasses, would you please get out of the taxi before it costs me an arm and a leg" His sarcasm was strong and I let the laughter fall from my mouth. "Any particular reason we're here?" I questioned slamming the door as Michael took out his wallet "Could be, might not be all depends" a mysterious smile crept onto his face "

"Right, we're choosing a random platform, a random train and a random destination" I stared at Michael wide eyed "You're crazy Clifford" a low throaty chuckle filled the cold air surrounding us "You only just realised Wheeler?" I raised my eyebrows at him, wondering how I could of ever mistaken the kind of person he was. "Okay, I'll chose the platform, you chose the train and we both chose a stop?" I smiled through my confusion. "Platform 5, How many times have you even done this" I laughed "First time" He shrugged returning him with a laugh. We were stood under the shelter at Waterloo rail station rain dripping from our faces but it wasn't dimming our mood "Alright" He sniffed "The Portsmouth Harbour train" He finished and I cheered doing a little happy dance "Yeeesss" I smiled earning a weird look from Michael, blushing I laughed "Let's get off at Portsmouth & Southsea pleaaseeee?" he gave me another weird look as if to say how do you know the stops of by heart, shrugging I announced "My dad used to take me there all the time, it was our little place, it would be nice to show it off to someone else" I frowned at the memory of my dad leaving me, I never really considered it as 'passing away' in my mind it had always been 'leaving' as this indicated he had a choice.
I felt Michael's hand on my shoulder and I immediately smiled wiping away the tears in my eyes. "Sounds amazing" He smiled pulling me in for a hug, obviously feeling my pain.

Taking my hand in his he entwined our fingers, making me blush we climbed aboard the 13:07 train to Portsmouth Harbour from platform five. To anyone we seem like a normal boyfriend and girlfriend and I was happy for that to stay that way for a few hours.