When You Left Me

[4]

Jasmine

The Brother Who Forgot Me

"Larry?" I softly said his name and backed up slowly away from him. Larry watched me with brown eyes so observant that I felt exposed to my very core from the gaze.

"You seem familiar and sound familiar, but I can't place why." Larry said with his head cocked to side slightly in contemplation. My eyes scanned him over and I could see how much taller he was now than previously, easily towering over me at maybe a good six feet three inches. I could also admit that I was having quite a bit of trouble trying to place this grown handsome man with the childish sweet boy i remembered quite fondly from high school days.

"Do I know you, because I swear it feels like I do?" Larry asked without moving from in front of me, the middle of his eyebrows crinkling as he focused in one me. Feeling extremely exhausted all of a sudden, I sighed and ran my hand through the copper wires I called my hair, deciding to just answer honestly. After all, I didn't see what it mattered if he knew who I really was or not.

"Um, we actually went to high school together. My name is Jasmine. I was . . . Laurents friend, so to speak." I answered a little awkwardly while scratching the top of my nose. I heard what sounded close to a ragged breath being inhaled and glanced up to see Larry's features quite ashen with his eyes sitting wide open on his face. All the color seemed to just drain from lustrous to dull and I could've sworn he looked almost pained. He backed away a few steps and just continued to gaze at me. I mean a stare so focused and disbelieving that I felt like he could break me in pieces should he only blink.

"No...
You look nothing like her.
It couldn't be....
But your face is so similar...
Shit it is you Jay!" Larry mumbled with apprehension and forced laughter as though he was finally figuring out a cruel joke. Annoyance etched into my mind at the nickname that Larry gave me back a few years ago, complaining that my real name was too long and took too much work to say. Larry placed his hands inside the back/front pockets of his black skinny jeans and I distantly wondered how his hand fit in those pockets with all those damn rings on. Larry looked behind him and back at me swiftly with a look I couldn't quite decipher.

"Its been a long time Jasmine. You look beautiful, I could barely can recognize yo-"

"What, without all the fat?!" I rudely interrupted Larry with my nostrils flaring ever so little, the insinuation loud in the air. He stepped back a few more paces with his hands in the air like a surrender.

"Aye calm down, I was just saying you look different, no need to get so damn defensive. You act as though you were some obese creature that was on display." He rolled his eyes and bit his lips, which I immediately recognized as signature Larry. Of course he wouldn't understand the level of truth he actually spoke.

"Whatever." I brushed past Larry roughly, my inner demons fighting their way back to the surface of my mind and decided to just go and get this day over with. Like why the hell was he here anyway? Shouldn't he be in the dance studio with the dancers. Chorus class was for musicians and i didn't recall Larry ever grabbing a microphone and letting music pass his lips that wasn't in dance form.

"Hey hold on. Wait dammit! I see your
stubbornness hasn't changed though." Larry yelled out with a sneer on his full lips. I ignored him and just kept going until I arrived at the stands with the rest of chorus class and waited until Ms.Manor started. I glimpsed Larry out the corner of my eye shaking his head and muttering to himself. I just rolled my eyes again and looked away.

"Okay everyone, now usually I know that we do our vocal warmups and runs but today we have a special surprise. We have two very famous dancers here today who are also artists and would like to share some of their knowledge and love for music with you guys. So if you guys will give up for Les Twins Larry and Laurent!" Ms.Manor said cheerfully, clapping her hands together like some over excited child. I felt my body grow cold again as I looked to the doors to see not only Laurent but Jessica walk in, holding hands and smiling like a happy and in love couple.

I felt so sick I just wanted to run away again, this time to a place where I could just be alone. Larry looked my way with apologetic eyes and a sympathetic frown on his face. Perhaps I shouldn't have been so rash and actually just talked with him, instead of letting my mouth speak for me without the benefit of actually thinking.

"Hey everybody, I'm Laurent, that is my twin brother Larry over there and this here is my friend Jessica. We will be here with you guys today to teach you about dancing and the profound love for music." Laurent said with this small smirk on his face. Before I could stop myself, I felt the words leave my mouth

"And what the fuck would you know about love ?!"