Not Having Fun

039

Chris' POV

"Right, you're watching Max this afternoon,"

"What?" I mute my headset. "Dad, I have to platinum this game by tonight! I have to give it back to Marcus tomorrow,"

"It'll be two hours, maximum. I promise. Your mother and I are just going to the neighbours' engagement party,"

"Lee and Cheyenne? I thought you hated them," that's true, Mum and Dad hate them.

"That's why we'll be under two hours," he sighs. "We just need to show up and then we'll be back,"

"Fine," I turn off my game after reaching the save point. I wasn't on multiplayer, thankfully. "But I want a PlayStation Plus card for this,"

"Five pounds,"

"Ten,"

"Deal," Dad turns to leave, but he doubles back. "But you have to actually interact with him, alright,"

"Mhmm," I play on my phone. So what, it's not like they're leaving yet. I don't have to watch him until the second they leave lmao.

Max POV

"Can I come?" I ask. I'm at my homework table. It's taking forever tonight! I have three different tasks to do.

"Ehm, no," Dad shakes his head while they're getting their coats on. "It's an adult party,"

"But I don't want to stay with Chris!" He just ignores me.

"Don't worry. He's coming down to be with you," he takes a second and then warns me. "You better finish your homework when we're away,"

"I wiiiiill," I pout. When I look at the numbers, they're all jumbled.

Once Mum and Dad leaves, Chris gets crisps from the fridge and eats them in front of the TV. Something he watches is on, and it's boring. It's a really long film about pirates. I just work on my homework.

I try Question 4

There are 3 children. Each child has 5 oranges. How many oranges do they have in total?

I don't know what that means. We've been doing the times tables so it must be times-ing.

"How the fuck are you still doing that? You're in Year 2, your work is easy as piss,"

I look up at him angry. I don't want to tell him the telly is distracting me. The movie is boring but it's still watching a movie during homework time!

"Leave me alone,"

I leave my maths for now and move on to my reading. I start reading aloud to practice, and I keep hearing Chris groaning.

"Ugh, give me that," he pulls it out my hands.

"Hey! I need that!" I do. I need it to do my homework, and he stole it! "You aren't meant to steal,"

"Look, just watch the film yeah? It's so distracting hearing you,"

I don't want to listen to him. Every time I do, I get into trouble. But he seems angry. And I'd rather watch a movie, even a boring one.

"Okay," I put my homework back in my folder. I'll do it in secret after I get put to bed! I sit up on the couch with Chris. This movie is boring in a lot of places, but some of them have super cool skeletons.

Mum and Dad do come home early, and all they do is complain about the party.

"Did you finish your homework Max?" Dad asks. I look at Chris, who gives me a glare.

"Y-Yeah..."

"Good,"

Chris POV

Mum texts me during my English lesson that I need to go down to Max's primary school and deliver a note to them. The school's phones aren't working - because schools in England seem to be stuck in the fucking nineties - and she needs to tell them he'll be off next week since he has a dentist appointment.

After school, I run down to Max's school and tell them I'm here to pick him up at the office. The office woman calls his teacher down, and she appears. Thankfully, I never had her when I was in primary school.

"Hi, I'm here to pick up Max?"

"Yes, is Mum or Dad not coming?"

"No, sorry," why do teachers always call your parents Mum and Dad? I'm nearly thirteen, I know their bloody names.

"Well, we've had a bit of an incident with Max not doing his homework, I'll need to write a note for them to sign,"

Shit. I stopped Max doing his homework. "Does he need to get a note?"

"Yes, your Dad asked me to write a note if there were any issues with Max's homework,"

Ugh, she's a fucking busybody. I feel sorry for little kids now. You can't get away with anything! Parents are all up in your school business. This might be a boomerism but when I was in Year 2 we'd say 'Sorry, I forgot to do it,' and we'd get a dirty look from the teacher and they'd move on. Like, it's not that big a deal.

And I know exactly what'll happen to Max if they get a note. When it was technically my fault. Shit. I can't let Max hey that note because... well, it's totally because he'd tattle on me to our parents. Not because I actually care if he gets in trouble. Nope.

"Look, please don't write a note," I sigh.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"It's my fault he didn't do his homework last night. I was watching him and got annoyed with him doing it so I made him stop. It's not Max's fault,"

The teacher looks at me for a few seconds. "I wouldn't believe you if he hadn't done any of it," she says. "But when I looked at it I could see he'd attempted a hard question a few different times. Did you get annoyed because he was trying and failing to do the question?"

"Yeah, kind of,"

She purses her lips. My teachers do that as well. "In the future, to avoid getting annoyed - maybe you should help your brother when he finds questions difficult,"

"Yeah," I shrug. "Sure, yeah, I will," she's actually right. Like I could've paused the movie and even just told him the answers. I t would have taken 5 minutes.

"I won't write him a note this time," she gestures down the hall. "Go and pick him up,"

"I also have to tell you he won't be in next Thursday."

She's already walking away. "That's fine, just ask your parents to phone us in the morning,"

I go to the classroom and Max has his head on the desk. "Right, time to go mate,"

He looks up angrily. "It's your fault I got a note!"

"Calm down, you haven't got a note," I roll my eyes. "I took care of  it,"

"You did?" He gets up and brings his bag.

"Yeah, just don't mention any of this to Mum and Dad alright?"

"Alright," he nods. I hold his hand so he doesn't get lost on the way out. Thankfully everyone else has gone home already. Otherwise I'd be looking for him in a sea of literal toddlers.