Morning Shift

The Outsiders

        Nicky only had one weekend left until he had to go back to the prison called Westview Academy. Two measly days, and he had spent the majority of his first one moping around his house and trying his best to take care of the other Haddad kids, who's cabin fever was causing them to grow restless.

        Usually, he'd be a little kinder when Nasir and Nadyah refused to take their nap and instead insisted on watching the same episode of Paw Patrol for the umpteenth time, but he was not in any mood to turn off his movie so they could watch a show about puppies that save the day or whatever.

        He was only in the mood to do one thing, which was listen to Bob Dylan with Jonah in the near-empty convenience store for three hours straight.

        He realized that on Sunday, day two of his sulking fun, before the little guys had woken up and it was just him and the twins watching Rugrats on the couch.

        "What's got you down, Dots?" Naveen asked, poking his cheek as Nahla continuously jabbed the other.

        He slapped both their hands away with a scowl. "Nothing. I just can't wait until you guys are back at school."

        Nahla gave him a sideways look, like she was trying to decipher him. She tilted her head to the side just a bit, and looked him up and down with her wide green eyes, and for some reason, Nicky thought of Jonah. He thought of Jonah's confusion-filled looks and the pink that only sometimes showed up on his tan cheeks and made his entire face glow.

        "He's thinking about someone," she told Naveen matter of factly, flipping her short brown coils of hair over her shoulder.

        "How'd you get that? He's showing literally no emotion."

        Nicky gave his sister a deadpan look, but she just shrugged. "I know my brother."

        "Really? What am I thinking right now?" Naveen challenged, leaning over Nicky's legs and staring wide eyed at his irritated twin.

"I don't know."

"Ha! So you can't read minds!"

"Of course I can't read minds, idiot. I've just figured out how to interpret Dots' silence. Wanna learn?"

Naveen nodded, so the twins leaned in and propped themselves up on Nicky's legs so they could stare at him. His eyes bounced back and forth between them, eyebrows drawn together in confusion, but it's not like he wasn't used to their antics at this point. "See his ears?"

"So they're kinda big for his face, Nahla. No need to be rude."

She rolled her eyes, but continued. "They're bright red. The only time his ears are that red is when we're watching TV and a hot guy comes on screen."

Naveen gasped. "You're right!"

"No she isn't," Nicky scoffed, praying she was indeed wrong about his apparent ear-blushing.

"Remember when we watched The Outsiders?" Nahla asked with a smirk.

Nicky pursed his lips, but Naveen's mouth was wide open. "They turned red again!" He exclaimed, fascinated by Nicky's embarrassment.

He touched his ears self consciously, realizing they were a bit warm to the touch, but he scowled anyway. "Can you give me some peace and quiet? It's only ten and I'm already sick of this family."

"Is he hot? Like Sodapop hot?" Nahla asked, looking far off into the distance like she was imagining young Rob Lowe standing right in their living room.