Don't Try the Noodles

Chapter 18.5

Chapter 18.5

Joel

"Caleb, about time you're home! I made some tacos..." My voice dies down the moment I see my little bro's face.

"I'm not hungry," he sighs.

I place my delicious tray of tacos down on the dining table and follow my little brother into his room. He looks terrible, and I have a feeling I know why.

"It's okay to cry," I tell him, sitting next to him on his bed. "It's a natural part of heartbreak."

"I'm not heartbroken, Joel."

He's so in denial. Poor kid. Perhaps a different approach is needed.

I tackle him down and place him in a headlock, playfully nudging his head with a fist.

"Caleb, I have the perfect plan for tonight. We'll eat the tacos and go to a club. There's one that's owned by Matt's cousin. We'll sneak you in. You can meet all the girls you want. I'll even stay over at Matt's, so you can have the apartment to your—"

Caleb pulls his head free. He doesn't look happy as he gets himself under the covers. "I want to go to bed. Can you leave me alone?"

"Oh, okay..." I feel like I've shrunk half my size as my shoulders curl in. I tiptoe to the door without a sound and turn off the lights. "Well then, let me know if you need anything."

He turns his back to me. "I'll be sure not to."

"That's cool, too. If that's what you want, little bro..."

I shut Caleb's door and sigh. I must have overdone it again. Forget girls, or even Matt for that matter. My brother is the biggest enigma of them all. I never know what's the right thing to say to him. It's times like these when I feel I have become a failure of an older brother. I should've spent more time with him growing up. I want to make up for it, but it's proving a lot harder than it sounds.

We may look alike, but Caleb and I are pretty much the opposite personality-wise. I've always enjoyed sports, parties, occasionally doing something illegal (Sorry, mom.), basically anything that could get me out of the house. On the other hand, while Caleb will never admit it himself, he's a lot more introverted than he lets on.

Not to brag, but I was homecoming king. Meanwhile, I don't even think Caleb went to his homecoming, nor prom. He has always been so busy with his band stuff. It's like the more he played music, the more he stepped away from having a social life.

He completely neglected dating in high school. Yeah, he can try hiding it all he wants, but I know my little bro has never had a girlfriend. It's so adorable. Yet, his older brother here had probably slept with half of the girls in his grade back in high school. (That's an exaggeration. Don't worry, mom.)

Judging by looks alone, Caleb definitely chose to stay single. He's honestly way better looking than I am. And I am the model between the two of us.

What if he's chosen not to date because his heart has stayed with Bailey this entire time? She is his first crush after all. You know what they say about first crushes...

One never forgets.

To have liked someone for so long and then see her with another guy. Damn. No wonder Caleb looks so much worse than this morning. He's continuing further down this devastating spiral of heartbreak by the hour. I can't even do anything to help. What kind of older brother am I to just be sitting out here like this? There has got to be something I can do for him.

I decide to call Matt.

"Babe, what's up?" he says over the sound of his busy bar.

"Hey. Sorry for calling during work."

He laughs. "For you, I can talk anytime and anywhere."

My heart melts. Seriously, where has he been all my life? "Matt, I need help." Lowering my voice, I add, "It's about Caleb."

I've already told Matt the gist of my brother's dilemma earlier today, so he knows exactly what I'm referring to. "Look, babe. I've given it some thought, and I think you should keep yourself out of it."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Caleb's probably got his own way of dealing with this. Let him recover on his own."

"B-But he's never even been through heartbreak before!"

"Another reason why you should leave him to figure things out by himself. Besides, if the kid's going through heartbreak, his feelings are going to be all over the place. Him seeing another girl right now to try and move on will only hurt him more."

I remember the girls' numbers I had saved onto Caleb's phone this morning and my offer to take him to a club just before. I suddenly feel like an idiot. I should trust Matt on this one.

"Alright," I say. "I won't try to get him a girlfriend anymore."

"That's a good boy. Anyway, I've got to go, babe. Don't worry too much, okay? I'm sure he'll be fine in no time."

I look at Caleb's closed door. "Yeah, I hope so."