Brotherly love

Window Pains

Ollie age 15
Alex age 12

Alex's pov

"How mad do you think he's gonna be?" Ollie asks, looking at the smashed window. "Pretty mad." I shrugged. "Yeah." He nodded, kicking a little piece of glass. "How did you even do this anyway?" He asks.

•••

It was hot, hotter than any other day this summer, and Ollie was babysitting. Which meant I had to be outside, "playing."

I knew my big brother was into baseball, but I could barely count as a rookie. I took one swing of the bat and knocked the ball out of the park!

Right into a window.

•••

"Been there." Ollie smirks after I tell my story. "I'm kinda impressed, actually. You hit the ball kinda far. And hard enough to smash a window? You should try out." He gave me a proud smile. I shrugged in response to the praise, feeling awkward.

"What are we gonna tell Ry?" I mumbled. "I'm gonna tell Mr. Scarypants, I broke the window practicing again. You're not gonna say a thing." He said plainly, as if it were obvious. "Then you'll get in trouble for breaking another window." I pointed out. "That's what big brothers are for, I should've been watching you." He waved me off. "But -" I started. "Alexander, you say a word to Ryley when he gets home, and I'll have you pinned to the floor faster than you can blink." He threatened. "Fine." I sighed.

"Help me clean this glass up." He said, going into the laundry room for a broom.

°°°

"Boys!" Ryley booms.

"Guess he's home." Ollie said, giving me a sarcastic smile. "Stay in here, 'kay?"

"Okay." I mumbled, feeling guilty.

OLIVER'S POV

I go to meet Ryley, beginning to wonder why I decided to take the fall. The closer I got, the better I could see how angry he was. This was like the fifth window that's been broken... but who's counting?

"Hey Ry." I said nervously, trying to get the blame to fall onto me. "Did you bust another window?" Ryley asks coldly. "Yes, sir." I answered. "Then I'll have to bust your ass. What did you do?" He questioned, almost as if he didn't believe me.

"I was practicing again, I hit the ball too hard, and it went through the window." I mumbled back what Alex had told me. "Uh huh." He nods. He moves around me into the hallway, yelling for Alex.

"We'll see."

ALEX'S POV

"Alexander!" Ryley yells. I hopped to my feet and scrambled to the door. I'm weirdly happy he didn't buy it, I'm so guilty I was about to go out there willingly.

"Yes, sir?" I asked, coming into the living room. Ollie had always told me to answer everything with Sir when one of us is in trouble, even if it's not me, Ryley tends to get extra swatty when he's riled up.

"What happened to my window?" He asked sternly, eyeing me hard. I took a glance to Ollie, trying to tell if the jig was up or not, but that seemed to be all the answer Ryley needed.

"Thought so." He nodded.

"I'm going to take a shot in the dark here and say that Alex busted the window, and you were gonna cover?" Ryley asks Ollie.

"Yeah." Ollie sighs, nodding in defeat.

"So you lied to me, and you were gonna let him?" He turns to scold me.

"Yes, sir." I mumbled, looking at my shoes.

"Over the couch, both of you." Ryley sighed, making a move to grab the paddle.