Me and My (Worst Enemy) Brother:
Chapter Three: Increase
Bart watched in silence as he lifted Dox up, letting out a small giggle as the wet tongue of friend sloshed against his face. He set the puppy down and watched as it bounded back into his arms.
"Dox! Hee-hee-hee, stop it!" He rolled on his back and lightly shoved his puppy away. "Good boy, down!"
Dox sat on his rump and cocked his head, panting slightly. His warm almond eyes watched Bart with unconditional love as the boy got to his feet and walked slowly into the kitchen.
"Hey Helen." Bart let out as looked at the woman. "What are you making?"
Helen's bright blue eyes looked down at the boy. "Christmas cookies honey, you want to test one for me?"
Bart snatched a small one from the tray and strolled over to the oven. "Where are Thad an' Max? Neither are home. and it is kind of quiet." He paused considering his words. "Not quiet, its just empty."
The woman grinned and nodded. "Thad went to his study session, and Max is at Wally's for an hour or so."
Bart made a face as he made a grab for another cookie, but his hand was lightly caught. "School is out for Winter Break, Thad doesn't need to study!"
"Nice try hon, why don't you call Preston if you are so lonely?"
"I'm not lonely." Bart let out as he looked at his friend. "I am just curious."
"Yes well, I can't help you with that." She answered, hurrying over to the oven and pulling out another tray. "I am busy, some of these go to Matt for his Christmas gift! I need to finish them, so why don't you take Dox for a walk?"
Bart shook his head, and walked away. He looked at where Dox sat, gnawing on a small play ball. The boy grinned, sliding down to his knees, and tearing a small hole in the knee of his jeans. "Hey Dox, you want to help me out?"
The puppy just gave a small puppy smile.
Thad smiled at Carol as she scribbled down on a small sheet of paper. Her eyes were small as she gritted her teeth in determination. "You need help?"
"No, I can do it. just give me a second." The girl answered as she looked up for a moment, allowing him a smile. "I plan to beat you Thad."
He grinned right back, and shrugged, looking down at his own paper, seeing the math problem finished. He loved spending his afternoons with Carol. She was the perfect idea of a friend that he had always pictured. She was smart, fun, kind, and even a little pretty.
When everyone else had ignored him, she was the one who offered her friendship. It was no wonder Bart liked her so much. The girl was wonderful. "Carol. thanks for, er, thanks for letting me come over for this. It really is a lot of fun to hang out with you."
The girl smiled at him, nodding her head. "No problem Thad, it is nice to have another friend out there. Heh, I just wish you and Bart could get along. I know you try, but Bart can be so odd at times. He acts like a little kid, like he doesn't have a clue. I don't know." She sighed and rubbed her temples.
"You give?"
"Yeah, you won, did you get the answer?"
Thad nodded. "You bet! You want me to show you how?"
Carol sighed, and shook her head. "Not now, I need a break. What do you say we head out and get a bite to eat or something?"
"Sure, whatever you want. Think Roland, Mike, and Wade would want to come? They came the last time."
"They might." Carol began as she considered the question.
"We could go alone if you want too. I just thought that it couldn't hurt to invite Rolly and the others, or even maybe Bart."
Carol shook her head. "I don't feel like talking to Bart after how he is treating you Thad. Bart is mean and unkind. I don't want to look at him until I am sure I can control my anger."
"BANG! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!"
The two spun around as the sound was let off behind them.
Carol swallowed, moving forward. "What the? What is that?"
Thad shook his head, and approached the opposite room, from which the noise had come from. "Stay here, I'll check it out." He entered the dark room, and stopped as he heard the sound of someone breathing sharply. The boy threw himself at the form, knocking a fist into the figure cruelly. Yet then spat as a bushel of hair became caught in his mouth.
"Ack! You are eating my hair! Get off!"
Carol ran into the room and threw on the light switch, seeing Thad pinning Bart to the ground. "What they? Bart how did you get in here?" She watched as Dox came bounding over to Thad, growling angrily as he threatened to attack the person on his owner.
"Dox down." Thad hissed as he pushed to his feet, looking at Bart who slowly got up. "It's just me."
The puppy ran to Bart and licked his face. A small trickle of blood ran from above Bart's right eye.
The three looked at each other for a few moments, and Bart glared at Thad. Then he speed off, vibrating through the wall, and leaving a stunned Thad, Carol, and a happy Dox.
"He hit me!" Bart let out as he zwiped into the room and grabbed Helen around the waist in a sudden hug. "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!"
"Bart calm down. Tell me what happened slowly." Helen explained as she looked down at the boy. "Who hit you?"
"Who do you think? Thad did! I hate him!" Bart cried as he shook his head. "Carol hates me now because of him. Roland and Wade and Mike all like HIM better than they like me now! He is stealing my friends!"
"Bart, why did Thad hit you?" Helen questioned quickly. "He didn't just come up out of no where and hit you did he?"
The boy's eyes filled with tears and he shook his head. "Helen, I hate him, and he hates me! He wants to kill me!"
"Stop being silly Bart! Why did Thad hit you?"
"I made a lot of noise."
"What? So he hit you?"
Bart took in a deep breath. "Carol and he were talking about me behind my back and I got so mad I fell back and then next thing I knew Thad was attacking me and he hit me."
"Why were you spying on them?" Helen asked slowly. "Did they invite you over? Or did you just go into the house without asking?"
"I always go to Carol's, why does it matter if I asked or not?"
"No Bart, you don't just go into someone's house without asking if you don't live there! That is not how things work. you probably scared them both so Thad pounced on you. am I right?"
Bart shook his head as the front door slammed shut and Thad walked into the kitchen, holding Dox. "It doesn't matter! You like him more now! I hate it, I can't stand him!"
Thad looked at the ground. "I'm sorry about hitting you Bart. You just surprised me and Carol."
Bart shook his head and snatched Dox from Thad. "Dox is mine, you can take my friends, and Helen and Max, but Dox is mine!"
"I am not stealing anyone Bart!" Thad snapped as he let the boy have the dog. "You are just being so stupid that you can't see why no one likes you!"
Bart took in a sharp breath.
"Yeah, you heard me! You are so spoiled and you act like you are three years old!"
"I am three you idiot!"
Thad made a face. "You act like a baby all the time, and no one likes a baby who cries all the time! Everything has to be your way, and I am sorry that you don't like me, but tough!"
"I hate you! You want to ruin my life, and I know it Thad! Don't lie about that!"
"I don't want to ruin your life! I am not out to kill you idiot! Just try and understand what you are saying! I have tried everything to get you to join me and Carol, but you refuse!"
Helen walked over to the two. "Both of you calm down and stop fighting. Wait till Max comes home to settle this."
Thad glared at Bart and stormed down the hall.
"See, I told you that he hates me!"
Helen took in a deep breath and looked at the boy. "I don't want you to go near him. I want you to leave him be Bart." She turned back to the kitchen.
Bart watched her go and glared after Thad. He took in a deep breath and rubbed him thumb against his Impulse ring. He needed to talk to someone who would understand and make some sort of sense to him. Carol couldn't, none of his friends could, there was only a small group of people that came to mind that might understand.
The boy stepped backwards, dropping his hands to his side and looking around with a sly smile. He could run there and be back home before anyone missed him. So he did.
Bart watched in silence as he lifted Dox up, letting out a small giggle as the wet tongue of friend sloshed against his face. He set the puppy down and watched as it bounded back into his arms.
"Dox! Hee-hee-hee, stop it!" He rolled on his back and lightly shoved his puppy away. "Good boy, down!"
Dox sat on his rump and cocked his head, panting slightly. His warm almond eyes watched Bart with unconditional love as the boy got to his feet and walked slowly into the kitchen.
"Hey Helen." Bart let out as looked at the woman. "What are you making?"
Helen's bright blue eyes looked down at the boy. "Christmas cookies honey, you want to test one for me?"
Bart snatched a small one from the tray and strolled over to the oven. "Where are Thad an' Max? Neither are home. and it is kind of quiet." He paused considering his words. "Not quiet, its just empty."
The woman grinned and nodded. "Thad went to his study session, and Max is at Wally's for an hour or so."
Bart made a face as he made a grab for another cookie, but his hand was lightly caught. "School is out for Winter Break, Thad doesn't need to study!"
"Nice try hon, why don't you call Preston if you are so lonely?"
"I'm not lonely." Bart let out as he looked at his friend. "I am just curious."
"Yes well, I can't help you with that." She answered, hurrying over to the oven and pulling out another tray. "I am busy, some of these go to Matt for his Christmas gift! I need to finish them, so why don't you take Dox for a walk?"
Bart shook his head, and walked away. He looked at where Dox sat, gnawing on a small play ball. The boy grinned, sliding down to his knees, and tearing a small hole in the knee of his jeans. "Hey Dox, you want to help me out?"
The puppy just gave a small puppy smile.
Thad smiled at Carol as she scribbled down on a small sheet of paper. Her eyes were small as she gritted her teeth in determination. "You need help?"
"No, I can do it. just give me a second." The girl answered as she looked up for a moment, allowing him a smile. "I plan to beat you Thad."
He grinned right back, and shrugged, looking down at his own paper, seeing the math problem finished. He loved spending his afternoons with Carol. She was the perfect idea of a friend that he had always pictured. She was smart, fun, kind, and even a little pretty.
When everyone else had ignored him, she was the one who offered her friendship. It was no wonder Bart liked her so much. The girl was wonderful. "Carol. thanks for, er, thanks for letting me come over for this. It really is a lot of fun to hang out with you."
The girl smiled at him, nodding her head. "No problem Thad, it is nice to have another friend out there. Heh, I just wish you and Bart could get along. I know you try, but Bart can be so odd at times. He acts like a little kid, like he doesn't have a clue. I don't know." She sighed and rubbed her temples.
"You give?"
"Yeah, you won, did you get the answer?"
Thad nodded. "You bet! You want me to show you how?"
Carol sighed, and shook her head. "Not now, I need a break. What do you say we head out and get a bite to eat or something?"
"Sure, whatever you want. Think Roland, Mike, and Wade would want to come? They came the last time."
"They might." Carol began as she considered the question.
"We could go alone if you want too. I just thought that it couldn't hurt to invite Rolly and the others, or even maybe Bart."
Carol shook her head. "I don't feel like talking to Bart after how he is treating you Thad. Bart is mean and unkind. I don't want to look at him until I am sure I can control my anger."
"BANG! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!"
The two spun around as the sound was let off behind them.
Carol swallowed, moving forward. "What the? What is that?"
Thad shook his head, and approached the opposite room, from which the noise had come from. "Stay here, I'll check it out." He entered the dark room, and stopped as he heard the sound of someone breathing sharply. The boy threw himself at the form, knocking a fist into the figure cruelly. Yet then spat as a bushel of hair became caught in his mouth.
"Ack! You are eating my hair! Get off!"
Carol ran into the room and threw on the light switch, seeing Thad pinning Bart to the ground. "What they? Bart how did you get in here?" She watched as Dox came bounding over to Thad, growling angrily as he threatened to attack the person on his owner.
"Dox down." Thad hissed as he pushed to his feet, looking at Bart who slowly got up. "It's just me."
The puppy ran to Bart and licked his face. A small trickle of blood ran from above Bart's right eye.
The three looked at each other for a few moments, and Bart glared at Thad. Then he speed off, vibrating through the wall, and leaving a stunned Thad, Carol, and a happy Dox.
"He hit me!" Bart let out as he zwiped into the room and grabbed Helen around the waist in a sudden hug. "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!"
"Bart calm down. Tell me what happened slowly." Helen explained as she looked down at the boy. "Who hit you?"
"Who do you think? Thad did! I hate him!" Bart cried as he shook his head. "Carol hates me now because of him. Roland and Wade and Mike all like HIM better than they like me now! He is stealing my friends!"
"Bart, why did Thad hit you?" Helen questioned quickly. "He didn't just come up out of no where and hit you did he?"
The boy's eyes filled with tears and he shook his head. "Helen, I hate him, and he hates me! He wants to kill me!"
"Stop being silly Bart! Why did Thad hit you?"
"I made a lot of noise."
"What? So he hit you?"
Bart took in a deep breath. "Carol and he were talking about me behind my back and I got so mad I fell back and then next thing I knew Thad was attacking me and he hit me."
"Why were you spying on them?" Helen asked slowly. "Did they invite you over? Or did you just go into the house without asking?"
"I always go to Carol's, why does it matter if I asked or not?"
"No Bart, you don't just go into someone's house without asking if you don't live there! That is not how things work. you probably scared them both so Thad pounced on you. am I right?"
Bart shook his head as the front door slammed shut and Thad walked into the kitchen, holding Dox. "It doesn't matter! You like him more now! I hate it, I can't stand him!"
Thad looked at the ground. "I'm sorry about hitting you Bart. You just surprised me and Carol."
Bart shook his head and snatched Dox from Thad. "Dox is mine, you can take my friends, and Helen and Max, but Dox is mine!"
"I am not stealing anyone Bart!" Thad snapped as he let the boy have the dog. "You are just being so stupid that you can't see why no one likes you!"
Bart took in a sharp breath.
"Yeah, you heard me! You are so spoiled and you act like you are three years old!"
"I am three you idiot!"
Thad made a face. "You act like a baby all the time, and no one likes a baby who cries all the time! Everything has to be your way, and I am sorry that you don't like me, but tough!"
"I hate you! You want to ruin my life, and I know it Thad! Don't lie about that!"
"I don't want to ruin your life! I am not out to kill you idiot! Just try and understand what you are saying! I have tried everything to get you to join me and Carol, but you refuse!"
Helen walked over to the two. "Both of you calm down and stop fighting. Wait till Max comes home to settle this."
Thad glared at Bart and stormed down the hall.
"See, I told you that he hates me!"
Helen took in a deep breath and looked at the boy. "I don't want you to go near him. I want you to leave him be Bart." She turned back to the kitchen.
Bart watched her go and glared after Thad. He took in a deep breath and rubbed him thumb against his Impulse ring. He needed to talk to someone who would understand and make some sort of sense to him. Carol couldn't, none of his friends could, there was only a small group of people that came to mind that might understand.
The boy stepped backwards, dropping his hands to his side and looking around with a sly smile. He could run there and be back home before anyone missed him. So he did.
