'Best Friends'

ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｔｈｉｒｔｙ

ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｔｈｉｒｔｙ

After getting let out early from work, Mikey decided to surprise his family with food from McDonalds. He walked in with the bag and a drink container, having trouble opening the door without setting either down. His youngest brother was walking up the stairs seeing as all of them had just gotten home a couple of minutes ago—their grandmother picking them up from their respective schools—and he turned on the step.

Max eyed the bag with a twinkle in his eye and asked suspiciously, "is that for all of us, or is Jasper here already?"

Mikey shook his head and told his younger brother about the food he got them. So, the two of them shouted for the other two Balm boys and they congregated in the kitchen. Max yelled for their grandmother and she appeared from the basement with her arms full of trash bags and a black sweatshirt.

She extended the sweatshirt to Mikey and he gasped. "That's Jasper's."

Thanksgiving flashed behind his eyes and immediately he looked away, cheeks warming up. Max laughed and asked for his food, already looking and reaching in the bag. He helped Mikey display all the food and Mikey pointed out Max's food and drink (a ten piece nugget and an orange juice). Noah and Aiden followed the smell and Mikey handed them food and drinks, then Marlene stepped over and she was given the two hamburgers, fries, and a sweet tea Mikey bought for her. The family ate at the table.

From across the table, Aiden smirked and he called out to their grandmother. Mikey watched carefully, not liking the look he was given right before their grandmother looked towards him.

"Did you know—"

Mikey threw a fry of his own at Aiden and glared at him. "Shut the fuck up Aiden."

Aiden threw the fry back and went back to telling his grandmother, "did you know that Noah has a girlfriend?"

With his hand raised to throw a fry, Mikey's jaw dropped, eyes swiveling towards his quiet brother. Everyone's eyes did the same and soon the middle Balm boy's cheeks were flaming red and he was drinking his soda. He coughed before reaching over and punching Aiden's arm.

Noah cleared his throat and looked to their grandmother shyly. "Um, yeah. She's in my math class."

Then he narrowed his eyes and spitefully stated, "and did you know, Nanny, that Aiden is dating Cadence? I saw them kissing the other day in the toy room."

Now it was Mikey's turn to look at Aiden, both choking on their food. Mikey only joked around about Aiden and Cadence dating since his brother always did it with him and Jasper, but who knew they would actually be dating? He simply thought the two were close friends, being touchy was fine since it's the twenty-first century and boys can be affectionate with their other boy friends. But this was a massive pill to swallow for Mikey.

Aiden glared at Noah and grabbed his food, taking it with him to Mikey and his room. The door closed and the table was awkwardly quiet. The person to disrupt the silence was Max and he cheerfully said, "I kissed Brody today at school!"

Brody was Max's best friend and Mikey laughed from it, seeing the resemblance of him in Max: kissing their guy best friends and having no shame over it.

Mikey looked at his eight year old brother and nodded, telling him, "congrats. What happened?"

The rest of the Balms listened to Max talk about his best friend and how they were dared to kiss from the other third graders at recess. Noah and Marlene shook their heads at the antics from other students and Mikey encouraged his little brother to keep telling him the details so he could tease him for it later. Now, Mikey has something for every brother—it was a dream come true for him.