The Girl he Wants

14- It's About Time We Talked.

***SAM'S POINT OF VIEW***

  "So, how was your date?" Sam's voice filters through his brother's room. Hanes rolls his eyes at his brother and drops his wallet off on his wooden dresser across the room.

   "It wasn't a date." Hanes affirms, his dark hazel eyes narrowing.

   "Sure." Sam's sarcasm is evident. "So, tell me. You get some sugar?"

   "It's not like that." Hanes growls lowly. "Ruth and I just hung out and talked. Did you know she likes fashion a lot? She has a whole notebook of clothing designs made by her."

   "Wow. That's great." Sam pats his brother's back. "Now, let me tell you what's not great."

   Hanes's attention is caught as Sam's finger presses against his chest. "You keeping that from me. We're twins. Brothers. We are supposed to tell each other everything."

   Hanes doesn't move. "Yeah. I know... But I didn't get the chance to tell you. Sorry, man."

   Sam's ears perk at the sincerity in his brother's voice, and he drops his hand back to his side. "It's okay."

   Sam watches as Hanes lifts his arms up and pulls the back of his shirt, lifting it smoothly up and over his head. He says, "I'm tired, man. I'm gonna go ahead and get in bed."

"Um... No you're not." Sam argues as he throws his hands up in the air. "I didn't get a chance to talk about my day."

"Sorry..." Hanes seems surprised that he forgot to even ask by the look of awe on his face. "How was your day?"

"Great; I spent it with the fam." Sam replies, crossing his arms over his chest as Hanes nods. "But, guess who else I saw."

"Who?" Hanes's thick eyebrow peaks.

"Natalie. That girl at that party." Sam's words are like a song to his own ears. "She was the waitress at our table today in Cheddar's."

"Awesome." Hanes says unenthusiastically, his eyebrows dropping. He shrugs. "So?"

"Dude." Sam slams his hand against Hanes's chest. "She's fucking beautiful."

Hanes's eyes narrow. "She's just as pretty as any other girl."

Sam's jaw drops and his chest is suddenly tight. "No, she's not. She is cuter. Prettier. Did you see her dimples?"

Hanes bursts into a fit of laughter, his dark hazel eyes glittering. "Wow. Okay. Did you get struck by an arrow of Cupid's or something?"

   Sam frowns, his eyebrows lowering. "What? No! Did you?"

   "No." Hanes laughs, and then pats Sam on the back. "Good luck with Natalie, okay? I'm gonna hit the hay."

   "Whatever." Sam glares down at his brother as Hanes plops on his bed, spreading across the width and length of it. He doesn't give Sam another glance, which slips a bit of pain into Sam's heart, but also gives him an opportunity.

Quietly, and stealthily, Sam walks up behind his older brother and peeks around him to see what Hanes has pulled up on his iPhone screen. Hanes always checks it before he goes to sleep, and right now, he has his messages pulled up. The contact name to the number reads, "Ruth" accompanied by a heart-eyed emoji, and the text that he types says, "I had so much fun today. We need to hangout again sometime really soon."

As slick as a dolphin in water, Sam backs away and exits the room, his mind on Hanes. His older brother has never lied to him like that, never put their parents in an awkward position like he did this morning, and never not asked about Sam's day. It's like Hanes has it set in his mind that he can only have one person in his thoughts at one time, and right now that person is Ruth.