CLIFFORD TWINS » muke

Nineteen

Michael sat on top of the bottom bunk of their room, a laptop placed on his legs as he typed away on it. That's when Michael felt content, at the point he was unbothered by people and doing whatever he wanted. It wasn't long before he was interrupted.

Buzz. Buzz.

Michael's phone vibrated next to his leg, easily catching his attention.

Brady
Mom wants you in the kitchen

Michael unlocked his phone to reply to the message but soon received another.

Brady
or just out of your room either way

Without a reply, Michael took his laptop from his lap to be placed beside him, took off his headphones, and then headed out of the room when closing the door behind him. Michael walked down the hall, and finally into the living room.

Brady sat in a recliner cozily, tucked under a blanket while texting away on his smartphone. The way his mother didn't seem to be mad at him confused him. He was already mentally listing the things he had done wrong the current week.

"Now that I'm out of my room, can I go back now?" he asked, looking over at their mother.

"No," she sternly replied, immediately catching both of their attention, even if it wasn't needed. "Sit down."

Michael shuffled at his current spot, feeling anxious at her tone. She wasn't harsh, but yet she didn't seem too happy at the same time. "Am I in trouble?"

"Not at all," she replied. "Just sit down, Mike. I want to talk. To my two boys."

Michael sat down on the couch beside her, "Do you ever wish you had more kids?" he asked.

She shook her head, "You both make me wish I never had kids," she replied.

That easily caught Brady's attention, both finding out by his overdramatic gasp. "I'm hurt." The boy sat up in the chair, pouting.

The truth wasn't made for him.

"You'll get over it," Michael scoffed, already having enough of his annoying twin. He swore sometimes Brady spoke just to annoy him, and sometimes he was actually right. "Don't act all innocent like you're the favorite."

Brady sat up, squirming in the chair as he tried to think of something to say. "Well at least-"

"Stop talking, boys," their mother interrupted. She waited for a moment for the boys to speak but happily received nothing from the twins.

She couldn't be more thankful for that. She loved her boys, but sometimes they needed to stop talking and never speak again.

"I talked to Luke."

Those simple words caught both of their attention, probably easier than it should've. She waited for one of them to speak, but she heard nothing. It was such a confusing pause, and awkward too.

Maybe it was the fact that teenage boys are awkward, or maybe just the whole Clifford family.

"You were supposed to continue," Michael was the first one to say anything, breaking their silence. "Was he cute?"

She started to nod, then changed her mind, "That isn't the point. You were to ask what we talked about."

Brady shrugged his shoulders. "I heard that's rude."

"He's right. That's what you always taught us," Michael added.

"The one time I want you two to ask questions you don't," she sighed. Before Michael or Brady could speak up, she quickly looked over at them

"Pretty much, yeah," Michael shrugged his shoulders, and Brady agreed.

"That's how it works, mom."

She sighed, and then continued, "Luke and I discussed that he isn't to talk to the two of you."

"Why?" Brady asked. He didn't even talk to Luke anymore, he was just curious. It almost made him want to talk to him again just so he could feel rebellious.

"He's too old for you boys, and your father and I just want what's best for you two. Luke isn't the best."

Michael was left speechless, and Brady was trying to think of which question he should ask first.

"I thought you liked him?" The youngest spoke up, and his mother nodded.

"We did, but he's started to cause trouble. So... we just ended it. No more texts or calls, he promised me that he wouldn't contact either of you and I believe him. He's a young, trustable, man.

"Yeah," Michael nodded, "he is."