My Brother's Best Friend • Prucan

Hot Chocolate

Matthew sighed as he pushed the hair out of his face and shoved his notebooks into his backpack. It was last period, and he had spent the whole time doodling and hearing his brother Alfred talking to his obnoxious clique of popular kids. When the bell finally rang, Matthew practically ran out of the classroom. Despite being brothers, Matthew and Alfred never walked home together. Matthew was a junior in high school and Alfred was a senior, causing both of them to have different interests and different friend groups. They were still best friends at home, but not really at school.

It was a fall afternoon, and Matthew was beyond excited to get home, make some hot cocoa, and get started on his French homework. Though he despised every other type of homework, he adored learning French. Alfred, on the other hand, took Spanish, because he thought it was sexy. Matthew always mocked him by sarcastically saying,

"MMmmMmM conjugations.. soooooOooOoOo sexy."

and Alfred would respond with a playful punch and a few giggles. They got along quite well as long as Al wasn't with his loud friends.

As Matthew walked home, he texted his friend Arthur on his phone.

Matthew: Ugh. Alfred invited his clique over the house tonight. Want to come over and do homework or something to distract me?

Arthur: Bloody hell... I'm avoiding your house at all costs. There's no way in hell I'm coming over if that lot is there.

Matthew: Pleeeeease?!?! I'LL BUY YOU EDIBLE SCONES.

Arthur: MY SCONES ARE FINE YOU GIT.

Matthew: YOU ALMOST BURNED MY HOUSE DOWN!... TWICE.

Arthur: Okay fair point... but I'm not coming over.

Matthew: Fine. Have fun with your burnt pastries you fun-sucker.

Arthur: Bye. Have fun with the "awesome squad".

Matthew: I hate you.

Arthur: The feeling is mutual. (:

Matthew: Bye.

Arthur: Cya

Matthew sighed as he shoved his phone in his pocket. Arthur wouldn't come over and there was no way he could do homework if Alfred's friends were over. It was a Friday anyway, he had the whole weekend to finish homework. So as he approached his house, he decided on just making some cocoa and reading a book.

As he opened the door to his house he was met by their dogs, Nova and Penn. Matthew named his dog Nova after Nova Scotia and Alfred had named his dog after Pennsylvania. They figured it would be interesting to give their dogs unique names. As Nova pounced on him and licked his face, Matthew noticed Alfred and his friends approaching the driveway. Desperate to avoid them, Matthew petted the dogs one last time and then made his way upstairs to his room.

He shut the door to his room just as he heard Alfred and his friends walk into the house. He figured it was the usual Gilbert and Mathias that usually came over as he heard their voices coming from the kitchen below. He was about to start his homework when he realized he forgot his hot cocoa. He sighed and took a deep breath, mustering up the courage to go down to the kitchen even though his brother's friends were probably in there making food.

He tiptoed down the stairs and into the kitchen, where he was met by Alfred and his obnoxiously tall friend with the wild hair named Mathias and his loud, white-haired friend named Gilbert.

"Hey Mattie" Alfred greeted as his brother entered the kitchen. Both of Alfred's friends turned around and waved as they noticed the younger brother.

"Hi." Matthew responded, feeling a little shy at all the eyes on him. He opened the cabinet and revealed the hot chocolate, which was unfortunately on the third shelf. Alfred was making sandwiches, so he didn't really notice his brother's struggle to reach the cocoa on the top shelf. Matthew tried for a few seconds, barely grazing the box of hot chocolate with his fingers, pushing it further into the cabinet with each try.

"Hey Matthew? Do you need help?" Matthew heard from behind him. He turned around to see Gilbert, the red-eyed German from his chemistry class, smiling at him in pity. Matthew had never noticed how attractive Gilbert was before. He always avoided making eye contact because Gilbert was so intimidating.

"No, it's fine." Matthew mumbled, suddenly embarrassed that he needed help reaching the top shelf.

"You sure?" Gilbert asked again, this time making direct eye contact with Matthew. Matthew blushed at the attention and nodded weakly, finally giving up. Gilbert just laughed and reached up, grabbing the hot chocolate and placing it on the counter.

"Th-thank you." Matthew stuttered, turning even more red in the face. He was a junior in high school, not a baby! Matthew was a little surprised that Gilbert was so kind. He always pictured Alfred's friends as mean jocks.

After Alfred finished his sandwiches, him and his clique made their way to his room, where they immediately began blasting music. Matthew stayed downstairs to finish making his hot chocolate and smiled to himself. Though Matthew hated him for being in the "awesome squad", he wasn't afraid to admit that Gilbert was pretty hot.