My Brother's Best Friend

Memory One

It was the first day of school and I hadn't gone because I was sick with the flu. I was disappointed because I'd been so excited to start the first grade. I was six then so I still liked school. I was bored laying on the couch watching Spongebob and sweating from the many blankets my mother had put on me. I was waiting for Joseph who was at school enjoying his first day of 4th grade to come home so he could entertain me, but it was taking forever.

At around 3:30 in the afternoon Joseph opened the door to our house and I said, "Joseph you're home!"
I used to get along with my brother then even though he didn't like to play with me because he said I was too young and a baby. He looked at me as if I were contagious and I guess I was that day.
" Don't talk to me until your cold is gone. I'm a fourth grader now, I can't afford to get sick." he informed me.
Joseph thought being in the fourth grade was so cool then and I did too but hey I was only in the first grade. I turned the TV off and sat up on the couch.
" Oh no you don't." my mom said walking into the room. She was carrying a bowl of chicken noodle soup and some orange juice on a tray. "Lay down and put the covers back over you." I sighed. My mom just loved when we got sick because she was able to baby us.

"But mom I want to play with Joseph." I whined. Joseph scoffed. Like he'd ever play with a six year old.
My mom turned to him and asked, "How was your first day of school?" Joseph stuffed his hands in his pocket and replied, " It was cool. Uh mom is it ok if a friend comes over?"

"Sure Jo you know your friends are welcome anytime. When are they coming?"

"Uh actually he's outside right now."

"Well don't be rude! Bring him in. I'm sure he doesn't want to wait outside all day!"

My mom shook her head and sat my soup on the table in front of me. Joseph rushed out of the door and returned with a boy who looked his age carrying a red Spider-Man backpack on his shoulder. He had gray eyes and dark full hair. Of course at six I wasn't really paying attention to his looks. He was just Joseph's friend.
"Hello I'm Joseph's mom." my mother greeted him. Drew looked down at his feet and didn't say anything to this day I still don't know why. She stood there for a minute waiting for him to reply and when he didn't she simply said, "Well, I guess I'll leave you two to play."
And with that she walked away. Joseph took his backpack off and tossed it to the floor. "C'mon let's go play video games." he urged. Drew just continued to stare at me.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked. I could tell he was getting bored and wanted Drew to just come and play already.
" She has a cold." he explained and as if right on cue, I sneezed loudly causing a big glob of snot to shoot out of my nose.
"Ew! You're disgusting!" Joseph said horrified.

I covered my nose and asked in a muffled voice, "Joseph can you please get me some tissue?"

"Why would I do something like that?" he laughed before dragging Drew out of the room with him.
I sat there covering my nose on the verge of tears when Drew returned with a box of tissue. I'm sure Joseph had no clue he'd come back or he would've been upset. We didn't speak actual words to each other, but we had an understanding. He handed me the box and walked away. That little exchange meant a lot to me for some reason because at the age of six not many boys are nice to girls. They either think you're stupid or had cooties yet he was nice to me in a way.

It was like that from then on. We were never friends or anything but unlike Joseph's other friends, he didn't join in when Joseph was mean to me. I think that's one of the reasons why I still remember that day.