“Where's Seb?” I asked instead, my loneliness pushed deep inside.
His laugh surprised me, and the familiar cadence pinched a small smile from me. “He has detention because he didn't do his homework.” Cooper’s smile encompassed his eyes as if just the idea of my brother in trouble was the most hilarious thing about his day so far.
“Are you sure?” My brother never had detention. Sebastian was the quiet one. He would have sat in the shadows, happy to do the bare minimum so long as it meant he remained on the periphery.
“It's true.” The glint of mischief in his eyes told me there was more to it. Missed homework had Coop’s carelessness written all over it, yet Seb was the one in trouble. Watching them hash it out later would be the highlight of my afternoon - that I already knew.
“Coop, you coming?” Their friend Derek asked as he walked past with a group of older boys.
I hated Derek. He was mean to me when Sebastian and Cooper weren’t around. Always calling me names or telling me how weird it was I carried my calculator around.
I wanted to tell him about our neighbour who had a rabbit called Derek and how it ate its own poo. I also wanted to tell him even without a calculator I knew if he were an equation, he would be the remainder no one wanted. Only those were things I thought, too scared to say them aloud.
“Nah. Evy and I are going to the canteen,” Coop stated. Simply. As if being with me wasn't an inconvenience and I wasn't just the annoying younger sister.
Again.
He slung his arm around my shoulder, guiding us towards the tuck shop, the weight of his touch as reassuring as it always was.
Only for the very first time, I noticed things about him I never had before.
Standing this close, I realised he wore spicy cologne. I noticed he’d grown a lot over the summer and the hair on his forearms hadgotten a little darker. I noticed the envious eyes of some of the older girls we passed, who watched on as Cooper Dane had his arm draped around the unknown junior with the curly hair and large glasses. And most of all, I noticed how comfortable and safe I felt when I was with him.
Marlee beelined for me the second we arrived, sweeping me into her coconut infused embrace, and whispering in my ear. “Has he tried to get frisky with you yet?”
“Of course. We just did it in the lift on the way up,” I replied quietly, before laughing at her scowl. “But seriously, regardless of what you are about to hear, I can assure you, sex is the last thing on his mind,” I added in a hushed whisper so neither my brother nor the man in question overheard.
“What am I about to hear?” She asked surreptitiously.
I shook my head, not even sure how to begin to tell her. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I dragged her towards where Seb and Cooper were standing, mulling over some bottle of scotch Seb had been given by a supplier.
“All I’m saying is it tastes eerily similar to one of yours I’ve tried,” Seb insisted while pouring them both a glass.
Cooper twirled the drink before taking a sip while we all watched. He stared at Seb, not saying anything before smelling the liquor in his glass again and having another taste.
“Eerily similar or the fucking same?” He asked incredulously.
Sebastian nodded, never taking his eyes away from his mate.
“Where’d you say you got this?” Coop clarified, reaching for the bottle and scanning the label. I was semi-confused, but it was evident both of them weren’t pleased with the similarities.
“What’s the problem?” I asked and they both looked towards me as if they’d forgotten I was here.
“Sorry,” my brother said, coming around the bench to greetme with a hug. “I got this bottle from a supplier as a thank you, but it tastes exactly like one of Coop’s.”
“Too similar to be a coincidence?” Marlee asked.
“Doesn’t it all taste the same?” From the look both my brother and new boss shot me, it was a stupid question.
“Mind if I take it with me, I’ll look into it.” Cooper was scanning the label again as he spoke.
A shrill buzzer pierced the tense silence and Marlee reached for my hand.
“That’ll be dinner. We’ll be right back,” she said over her shoulder.
The second we stepped outside, a barrage of questions came at me, impressive even to someone as fond of asking them as I was. Drawing a deep breath, a smirk tugged at my lips and I answered the impromptu pop-quiz.
“No, it was not a Billy Maddison style interview. No, he hasn’t asked if I have a boyfriend. No, he did not profess his undying love to me and no we definitely did notbang on the barrelsas you so eloquently put it.” I finished on an exhale, honestly miffed I had to even say those things aloud.
