youll be just fine (oh alien)

Nine (Gifts)

When Tyler is nine years old, he decides that he's been treaded on for too long.

He realizes this when he notices that his mom always lets Josh scoop his ice cream first. After that, Tyler began to pick up on everything else. His parents always listen to what Josh says more. His mom doesn't give Josh as much homework as she gives Tyler. His dad bought Josh his own basketball, but Tyler still has to use the worn one he shares with Zack and Maddy. (Josh doesn't even play basketball; Tyler's pretty sure that the ball is just sitting in their closet with all Josh's other junk.)

Does Josh help Zack with his homework? Does Josh practice basketball with Maddy and let her win (most of the time)? Does Josh take the trash out to the curb every Monday and Thursday night?

No. Tyler does way more than Josh does.

He has to do something about this.

"That just sounds kind of mean," Jenna remarks.

"Well, can you blame me?" Tyler says. "You see how he gets treated compared to me. I don't think it's too mean."

"I think that there's a difference between you being right and you just being a bully," Jenna says.

Tyler scowls. "You're supposed to be on my side," he complains.

"I'm not not on your side," Jenna says. "I'm just trying to be reasonable here. That's what my mom always says to do."

Mrs. Black is rarely wrong, but Tyler doesn't feel like being reasonable.

"Josh, can you grab that pot?" Tyler asks, peeking up from his homework surreptitiously so he can watch without Josh noticing.

Obediently, Josh goes to pick up the pot. The handle, however, is still hot, and Josh drops it with a loud yelp. The sauce spills everywhere, and the pot hit the floor with a loud boom.

Josh cradles his burnt hand to his chest, lower lip trembling. He's such a crybaby. Tyler bets it didn't even hurt that bad.

"Look what you did," Tyler says, and Josh bursts into tears.

"What was that noise?" Tyler's mom asks, running into the kitchen and stopping when she sees the sauce all over the floor. "Who did this?" she demands.

"Josh did it," Tyler says quickly, and Josh looks down, ashamed.

There. He's finally going to get in trouble.

"Oh," Tyler's mom says, face softening. "It's all right, honey. Accidents happen to everyone." Josh sniffs.

"R-really?" he asks, rubbing his mouth with his unscathed hand.

"Really," his mom says. "Oh, Josh! Your hand!"

"I'm sorry," Josh whispers.

"No, no, don't apologize for getting hurt," she says quickly. "Come here. I'm going to pick you up so we can put some cream on it. Is that okay?" Josh nods, holding his arms out, and she scoops him up. "Tyler, can you clean up the sauce? Thank you."

Tyler watches, disbelieving, as he watches his mother carry Josh upstairs.

That did not go as planned.

Tyler's room underwent major renovations when Dr. Stump found out about the stuff under Josh's bed.

Tyler's dad turned Josh's bed over, and Dr. Stump went through every single thing under Josh's bed. Tyler watched for a couple minutes, but it got pretty boring really fast, so Tyler went to Jenna's house.