For When You're A Man (under reconstruction)

The Stew Pot Chronicles

Biola and I were cooking together one day because Mum was at work and Biola thought it would be a nice surprise for her. I obliged her because truthfully, I have a soft spot for my older sister.

"Any crazy customer stories today?" I asked her whilst stirring the stew pot.

"Another day, another proposal," She rolled her eyes. 

This was to be expected, she had a face like a doll. And a tall frame of 5'11. Plus her part time job as a waitress means she's the ultimate crush material. Occasionally it gets annoying when we just want to watch a movie and some creepy guy keeps trying to get her number but it's amazing how many free or discounted things pretty people get.

"I tend to turn them down after they tip, but seriously. I just want to make some extra Uni money, why do they have to constantly irritate me?" She whined. 

I can't blame her.  The way men salivate over women is repulsive. But I can't pretend that it wouldn't be nice to have a guy pining after me. I wish I knew what that felt like.

"You should make some new school friends, now is the time," she said whilst checking on the boiler chicken.

"I know that some of the people at Hawthorne are total snobs, trust me. But you should give them a shot," She said, closing her eyes in a sage-like manner. She had way less tolerance for toffs than I do. Back when she went there, she was known for her dry humour and cutting responses to ignorant comments. After around a term, everyone quickly learned to leave her hair alone.

It's almost as if she has some sort of third eye, honestly. 

I heard the kitchen door slam open and I immediately knew who it was. 

"Out," he said in a bored tone.

"Fuck off, we're cooking for Mum," I said without looking up at him.

"Remember who you are before you speak to me, little brother. Who is the one who's made it out of here? You'll do well to remember that you are the third Oduwole scholarship winner with the lowest attainment." he said scornfully. He had his own place but I imagine he returned here to gloat or something. He really should return to Oxford street with his people like he so badly wants to.

"You do know that no one even wants you here," I said under my breath.

"You do know that you don't even matter here. You haven't even done anything with yourself, When I was only a few months older than you, I had already left school, and I was doing my first year at Cambridge." He laughed.

I hated that.

Do what you want but don't laugh at me.

"At least Dad liked me," I said smiling to myself, looking him dead in the eyes. 

That feeling lasted about one second before he lunged at me. 

Biola made me go up to my room and then the bickering began.

It was quite entertaining, I can't lie. In the same way that you feel guilty for watching reality TV and you know that you should probably get therapy for enjoying the pain of others.

"Why do you always do that? Make him feel small?" Biola asked.

"He's a little prick! Why do you dote on him so much?" He shouted back.

"For fuck's sake, how old are you! To be bickering with your little brother instead of helping him, he just lost his hero. You're pathetic." She replied.

"Well whether you two like me or not, I'm supposed to be part of this family. Wish I could say the same for you," He said. I could hear his smug smirk from here.

He definitely deserved the face full of hot stew he got after that comment. 

I went down to help her clean up and salvage the rest of the food.

Our family's a little fucked up you see. Mum and Dad split up once in between Jonah's birth and mine. Don't ask why I have no clue. That's when she had Biola and eventually got back with Dad. She didn't know until Dad got ill, her surname has always been the same as ours but he wanted to tell her before he passed. 

Jonah has been so angry for the past couple of years and no one can fathom why. But since he's the family cash-cow Mum kisses the ground he walks on. It's always Biola and I against my Mum and Jonah. My Dad was always impartial and fair. He really was our glue.

This was just too much for me right now.

"Don't listen to him, you are much more my sister than he is my brother," I said, hugging her.

"What happened between you two, you were two peas in a pod at one point?" I asked.

"Something happened that made him so angry and bitter at the world. I've got no clue what, it was slow. Fewer smiles, less fun, less talking. Then eventually he just shut off one day, threw himself into his work and never opened up again," She said simply.

Weirdly, I was the one getting misty-eyed. I told you, I cry too much.