Reggie, finally, came over later that night and put her hand on my
shoulder, I didn't look up but I moved my head slightly to respond.
"You have to rest Lars; Twister will be ok sleeping without you. If you don't rest tomorrow you'll be too tired to help him," she said and I let go of Twister's hand and stepped away. Reggie was of course right. I slept better then I thought I would, in the cot next to Twister's. It was morning, when I woke, Otto, Sam, Tito, and Ray had already left. Reggie was getting ready taking longer then Otto and Sam she was a girl after all. She continued to glance at Twister to see if he stirred. I sat up, I still wore my clothes form yesterday, I felt my pockets and pulled that harmonic out. Twister loved the sound so, as before I played knowing he'd dream of it. Reggie looked over for a minute and then continued with that girl stuff. I played I lost myself in the playing, I played my guilt away. I played so much I woke Twister. Reggie walked over to him and I played. She kissed his head and I played. He whispered something to her and I played. She nodded answering pack and I played. They talked from a few minutes and I played. Reggie went back to getting ready and I played. Twister looked over at me and...I stopped (Ha Ha I got you).
"I like it when you play," Twister grins propping himself up on his elbows.
"I know that's why I played," I answered. I move over to him and fell to my knees, "I'm so sorry," I touch his face, "I should have been there I should have protected you," Reggie looks over.
Twister grabs my hand, "Its ok, I'm ok you took good care of me."
"I swear Twister I will not let anyone ever lay a hand on you that includes me," he looks me over. This meant something he had been though a ton just because I had decided he was "over due" if he didn't have to worry about that anymore then life for him was different.
"I believe you," is his reply.
"Twister you're to forgiving. Do you forgive Jeff too, do you?" I ask.
"I do, because you never will," he says confidently, sitting up, "Will you hand me my shoes I want to be ready for the race."
"Yeah, sure," I put them on the bed next to him, with his crutches. He looked at the crutches in disgust, "What if those are my life forever?" He asks, "He messed my leg up pretty bad."
"Ugh this is my entire fault," I stand up and head out. Leaving him inside, I shouldn't have the right to be in his sights. Reggie follows me out.
"Lars, Twist needs you," She says angrily.
"I failed him, damn it Reg, he doesn't need me," I say angrily as she, I kick a tree just to show her.
"Lars stop, he's ok, he knows it's not your fault. Now you have to see that," She orders me.
"It is my fault, I'm the cause of his worse pain, I always have, I always will," I say.
"That's because he loves you," she says.
"Loves me, ha, hell I don't give him anything to love," I say, as my eyes tear in anger at myself.
"Yet he continues to grasp the little bits that you can't possible take from him. Lars he's your little brother, he has faith in you. Don't let him down twice," she says.
Twister came out at that point still not dressed not even shoes, "Lars would you stay in there with me it gives me the creeps. What if Jeff comes in?"
"Uh..." Twister gives me a pleading look, "Sure."
"Maybe you should get ready too," Reggie says, "We compete soon and remember its ice luge so dress warm," she says heading back to the tent. She wasn't done getting ready. I let Twister led us in. Twister slowly gets ready it was hard doing anything with that leg. I slipped in to the uniform, I wasn't cold and I wasn't planning to be.
"I wish I was competing," Twister says sighing.
I looked at Twister and zip the jacket up, "I'll win it for you."
"The competition?" Twister looks at me.
"Yeah, the whole race then you can have that crown and be Prince," I say.
"What about Otto?" Twister looks at me.
"This is bigger then Otto, this is you, me, and Jeff," I say.
"That's so cool Lars," Twister gleams.
"Otto's not going to like this, he's an awful loser," Reggie says pointing the hairbrush in her hand at us.
"He'll get over it, besides, it's for Twister," I say.
"Fine but he's going to bust, maybe you should warn him, he might back off," Reggie continues to brush her hair.
"I will then," I start to leave.
"Don't leave me alone," Twister says in fear, he still had to get ready.
"I'll be here Twist," Reggie says.
"I'll be right back, I know," I take his hat off and slip my hat on his head, "Now you can't be afraid because I'm always with you." I put his hat over mine.
"Might want to fix that hat hair," Reggie points out; I take her brush, "Hey that's mine." I fix it before handing it back to her, "Thank you," she turns towards the mirror.
"Why don't you wear those butterfly clips you said they brought you luck?" I ask. Twister looks over from where he was finally putting his shoes on.
"Otto doesn't like when I wear them, too many memories, Ray's the same way," Reggie says touching the clips that she had brought.
"Put them where they can't be seen," I say
"Where?" She questions.
"Under your goggles," I say pointing to her goggles that lay gentle by the clips while she brushes her hair out.
She grins and picks them up and puts them in, "There what do you think? She turns to me.
"Beautiful like an angel," I say I think I was really getting this friend's thing.
"Yeah Reg," Twister comes over, "You're prefect.
Otto and Sam walk in already ready, "Lets go." Otto says Reggie slips her goggles on.
"Ready to win guys," Sam says.
"Sure am that crown is as good as Twister's," I say.
"Twister!" Otto and Sam say.
"Lars is winning the crown for Twist or so he says," Reggie explains.
"Sure if he beats me," Otto says.
"Otto, I've beaten you plenty of time, and now I have motivation to win this competition," I explain.
"What are you saying?" Otto asks.
"Be afraid very afraid and let the best man win," I stick out my hand for a shake.
He looks at me funny, "I can win it for Twist," Otto says.
"We know you can," Reggie says, "It just means more from Lars."
"Don't go easy on me, Rocket, Ur I mean Otto," I say.
"Deal," he shakes, "But remember I'm on your team don't snake me.
"Who me...Never," I say grinning my evil grin just to leave that question still open. Then I went out to the buses. We still had to get the competition site.
On the bus ride all I thought about was winning for Twister. He sat comfortable in two seats his bad leg propped up. Reggie and Sam say together across the aisle from him. Otto sat next to me silently.
"You'll have to win the next two competitions," he says, I nod.
"I can do it," I say confident.
"Where's your hat?" he ask but I don't answer, "Did you eat?"
"Are you worried about me?" I wonder.
"Its Sam, he thinks you haven't eaten this whole trip, I said you did, but I can't remember you eating," Otto says.
"Don't worry about me," I tell him looking out the window. We pull to a stop and everyone got off, one of the coordinator came up and to explain this race.
"It's a longer competition because you don't all go at once, we have to take all of your times the person with the best time wins," he says, "You get one shot don't blow it by crashing." There was no way I could lose I had a mission, "We'll go by teams the rest of you can watch from the TVs in the lodge or the sides. Jeff's team is first, in 10 minutes."
Jeff and his team walk by, "Good luck," Twister says, "Cuz," he wasn't scared now I was there.
"Uh...thanks," he shoots a glance at me and backs away.
"What did you do to him?" Twister asks.
"You don't wanna know," I say not sure what I did. We watch Jeff's team go Jeff did well. He was competition. Otto said it had to be a blood thing, because Twister was good a Luge and well he wasn't sure about me but he thought I must be good at luge too since my brother and my cousin were.
"Ha did you see that," he says to Otto, "You lost this one Rocket Dork," He looks towards me, "Ha Cuz looks like I go home the victor wait until I tell the whole family."
"Don't count chickens, cuz," Twister says still knowing that I had his back.
"You better watch it Maurice, I'm not scared of you or your brother," Jeff sneers. His ego had won over his fear.
Twister backs up, "I was just kidding cuz," he says running into me as he backs away. He looks towards me fearfully, I reassure him by putting my hand on his shoulder.
"Hey look," Otto points, "The Smith's Team is going." We watch in silences as none of them beat my cousin.
"Great job, Mike," Reggie smiles as they walk by, "We're up."
"I'm ready," Sam says putting on a team helmet.
"Twister stay with Ray," I point towards him and Tito.
"Ok, Lars if you lean too much you'll beef," Twister says to help. He nervously looks towards Jeff.
"Twister," I lift his hat slightly with my finger. He nods and heads over to Ray and Tito.
"You gave Twist your hat?" Otto says putting on his helmet.
"Yes," I put one of those yellow helmets on. We walk over to the starting line.
"Ok, ready," that Tai-woe-fu guy says.
"Sure am," Otto says sitting on the board waiting for him to say go.
"Ready, set, go," Otto takes off barely cutting the first turn. He's going super fast making the turning murder.
"He's going to beef," Reggie says biting her nails. Otto didn't crash, well not until after the finish line. About 20 yards from the finish line he began to spin out of control. Sam covered his eyes as Otto crashed to the ice. Reggie looks worried until he stood up and walked it off.
"Can I open my eyes," Sam asks.
"He didn't even beat Jeff," Reggie says.
"Open your eyes Sam you're next," I tell him. He gets on and goes down slower then Otto but getting a good time. Reggie went next, but I didn't watch I was nervous I had to win. I got on the board and I began to think to myself Ok you can do this.
"Go," I hear. I go fast, really fast, but I liked it. It was freeing a lot like body surfing. I kept thinking about Twister he was up there watching I had to win. Had to I'd give anything to win Prince for Twister. I slid past the finish line with my eyes close it was silent for a moment. Then a Cheer went out. Yes! I knew I won. I walk off solemnly, not showing the excitement I felt inside myself. Otto, Reggie, and Sam run over saying a million things at once.
"That was..." Twister came up, Otto, Reggie, and Sam look from me to him to me and then to him, "Amazing it was like you weren't even trying like you didn't go full out."
"Yeah," I say.
"I bet it does have something to do with the fact that you're related," Sam says with a look of curiosity. "You beat Jeff by 30 seconds. He's mad see."
"I hope not too mad," Twister says nervous again.
"That was inspired," Otto ignores Twist.
"Hey look the other team is going," Reggie says Otto and Sam look over and Reggie slips her hand in Twister's.
So I had won now I was tied again with Otto, he didn't seem mad this time. As we watch a replay that night. Twister sits next to me spying Jeff across the room still angry that I won.
"Wow Lars you're a natural, like Twister," Otto compliments both of us.
"Major props," Sam says.
"Awesome," Reggie says, I think I finally was fitting in with them.
Twister looks towards me and then at his hands, "What?"
"Well we are all friends now, but when we get home and you have your friends," he frowns. "I'll miss you so much if you went away."
"I'm not going anywhere," I pat his head, "Don't worry about home.
"But its backwards here that's why you like me," Twister says his gang gets quiet to hear my response.
"Twister liking someone and not liking someone isn't backwards," they look confused, "Love and hate aren't opposites sometimes they're the same thing the opposite of Love is Apathy."
"What's that?" Twister asks.
"Apathy is when you don't have feelings for someone like a stranger you can't love or hate them so you feel nothing, but to feel that way about a person you know is worse then hating them because hate easily turns to love. I could never feel that way about you, never have," I explain.
"Ok then, but what if you hate me?" He asks.
"I don't Twister I gave you my hat and I swore I'd never let anyone lay a hand on you that includes me," I say. "Let's go to bed Twist," he nods and stands up.
"Aren't you hungry Lars?" Reggie questions. I shook my head and they exchange looks of worry Twister didn't seem to notice as we head out of the lodge to our tent.
"When we were little, were we friends," Twister asks.
"Best," I tell him, "But we moved and you meet Otto and I got pushed aside for him."
"I ditched you," he says amazed I held the door open for him.
"You were little you didn't know," I say.
He sits on his bed in between Otto's and mine, "I hurt you didn't by leaving you out. That's why you womp me and trick me."
"It was at first I guess," I say. "Don't worry about it Twist."
"I wouldn't if you stop blaming yourself for last night," I nod to make him feel better. He changes into pjs and falls asleep. I lay awake knowing nothing was going to be the same when I got home. I couldn't turn my back on Twister and Reggie was my friend again, I was also dropping sports for Twister at least until he was better. What would I do for that long? Well at least I had Twist to hang out with. We could put together another movie I liked the other one about the flying skateboard. I fall asleep before anyone comes in and I'm up before dawn.
"You have to rest Lars; Twister will be ok sleeping without you. If you don't rest tomorrow you'll be too tired to help him," she said and I let go of Twister's hand and stepped away. Reggie was of course right. I slept better then I thought I would, in the cot next to Twister's. It was morning, when I woke, Otto, Sam, Tito, and Ray had already left. Reggie was getting ready taking longer then Otto and Sam she was a girl after all. She continued to glance at Twister to see if he stirred. I sat up, I still wore my clothes form yesterday, I felt my pockets and pulled that harmonic out. Twister loved the sound so, as before I played knowing he'd dream of it. Reggie looked over for a minute and then continued with that girl stuff. I played I lost myself in the playing, I played my guilt away. I played so much I woke Twister. Reggie walked over to him and I played. She kissed his head and I played. He whispered something to her and I played. She nodded answering pack and I played. They talked from a few minutes and I played. Reggie went back to getting ready and I played. Twister looked over at me and...I stopped (Ha Ha I got you).
"I like it when you play," Twister grins propping himself up on his elbows.
"I know that's why I played," I answered. I move over to him and fell to my knees, "I'm so sorry," I touch his face, "I should have been there I should have protected you," Reggie looks over.
Twister grabs my hand, "Its ok, I'm ok you took good care of me."
"I swear Twister I will not let anyone ever lay a hand on you that includes me," he looks me over. This meant something he had been though a ton just because I had decided he was "over due" if he didn't have to worry about that anymore then life for him was different.
"I believe you," is his reply.
"Twister you're to forgiving. Do you forgive Jeff too, do you?" I ask.
"I do, because you never will," he says confidently, sitting up, "Will you hand me my shoes I want to be ready for the race."
"Yeah, sure," I put them on the bed next to him, with his crutches. He looked at the crutches in disgust, "What if those are my life forever?" He asks, "He messed my leg up pretty bad."
"Ugh this is my entire fault," I stand up and head out. Leaving him inside, I shouldn't have the right to be in his sights. Reggie follows me out.
"Lars, Twist needs you," She says angrily.
"I failed him, damn it Reg, he doesn't need me," I say angrily as she, I kick a tree just to show her.
"Lars stop, he's ok, he knows it's not your fault. Now you have to see that," She orders me.
"It is my fault, I'm the cause of his worse pain, I always have, I always will," I say.
"That's because he loves you," she says.
"Loves me, ha, hell I don't give him anything to love," I say, as my eyes tear in anger at myself.
"Yet he continues to grasp the little bits that you can't possible take from him. Lars he's your little brother, he has faith in you. Don't let him down twice," she says.
Twister came out at that point still not dressed not even shoes, "Lars would you stay in there with me it gives me the creeps. What if Jeff comes in?"
"Uh..." Twister gives me a pleading look, "Sure."
"Maybe you should get ready too," Reggie says, "We compete soon and remember its ice luge so dress warm," she says heading back to the tent. She wasn't done getting ready. I let Twister led us in. Twister slowly gets ready it was hard doing anything with that leg. I slipped in to the uniform, I wasn't cold and I wasn't planning to be.
"I wish I was competing," Twister says sighing.
I looked at Twister and zip the jacket up, "I'll win it for you."
"The competition?" Twister looks at me.
"Yeah, the whole race then you can have that crown and be Prince," I say.
"What about Otto?" Twister looks at me.
"This is bigger then Otto, this is you, me, and Jeff," I say.
"That's so cool Lars," Twister gleams.
"Otto's not going to like this, he's an awful loser," Reggie says pointing the hairbrush in her hand at us.
"He'll get over it, besides, it's for Twister," I say.
"Fine but he's going to bust, maybe you should warn him, he might back off," Reggie continues to brush her hair.
"I will then," I start to leave.
"Don't leave me alone," Twister says in fear, he still had to get ready.
"I'll be here Twist," Reggie says.
"I'll be right back, I know," I take his hat off and slip my hat on his head, "Now you can't be afraid because I'm always with you." I put his hat over mine.
"Might want to fix that hat hair," Reggie points out; I take her brush, "Hey that's mine." I fix it before handing it back to her, "Thank you," she turns towards the mirror.
"Why don't you wear those butterfly clips you said they brought you luck?" I ask. Twister looks over from where he was finally putting his shoes on.
"Otto doesn't like when I wear them, too many memories, Ray's the same way," Reggie says touching the clips that she had brought.
"Put them where they can't be seen," I say
"Where?" She questions.
"Under your goggles," I say pointing to her goggles that lay gentle by the clips while she brushes her hair out.
She grins and picks them up and puts them in, "There what do you think? She turns to me.
"Beautiful like an angel," I say I think I was really getting this friend's thing.
"Yeah Reg," Twister comes over, "You're prefect.
Otto and Sam walk in already ready, "Lets go." Otto says Reggie slips her goggles on.
"Ready to win guys," Sam says.
"Sure am that crown is as good as Twister's," I say.
"Twister!" Otto and Sam say.
"Lars is winning the crown for Twist or so he says," Reggie explains.
"Sure if he beats me," Otto says.
"Otto, I've beaten you plenty of time, and now I have motivation to win this competition," I explain.
"What are you saying?" Otto asks.
"Be afraid very afraid and let the best man win," I stick out my hand for a shake.
He looks at me funny, "I can win it for Twist," Otto says.
"We know you can," Reggie says, "It just means more from Lars."
"Don't go easy on me, Rocket, Ur I mean Otto," I say.
"Deal," he shakes, "But remember I'm on your team don't snake me.
"Who me...Never," I say grinning my evil grin just to leave that question still open. Then I went out to the buses. We still had to get the competition site.
On the bus ride all I thought about was winning for Twister. He sat comfortable in two seats his bad leg propped up. Reggie and Sam say together across the aisle from him. Otto sat next to me silently.
"You'll have to win the next two competitions," he says, I nod.
"I can do it," I say confident.
"Where's your hat?" he ask but I don't answer, "Did you eat?"
"Are you worried about me?" I wonder.
"Its Sam, he thinks you haven't eaten this whole trip, I said you did, but I can't remember you eating," Otto says.
"Don't worry about me," I tell him looking out the window. We pull to a stop and everyone got off, one of the coordinator came up and to explain this race.
"It's a longer competition because you don't all go at once, we have to take all of your times the person with the best time wins," he says, "You get one shot don't blow it by crashing." There was no way I could lose I had a mission, "We'll go by teams the rest of you can watch from the TVs in the lodge or the sides. Jeff's team is first, in 10 minutes."
Jeff and his team walk by, "Good luck," Twister says, "Cuz," he wasn't scared now I was there.
"Uh...thanks," he shoots a glance at me and backs away.
"What did you do to him?" Twister asks.
"You don't wanna know," I say not sure what I did. We watch Jeff's team go Jeff did well. He was competition. Otto said it had to be a blood thing, because Twister was good a Luge and well he wasn't sure about me but he thought I must be good at luge too since my brother and my cousin were.
"Ha did you see that," he says to Otto, "You lost this one Rocket Dork," He looks towards me, "Ha Cuz looks like I go home the victor wait until I tell the whole family."
"Don't count chickens, cuz," Twister says still knowing that I had his back.
"You better watch it Maurice, I'm not scared of you or your brother," Jeff sneers. His ego had won over his fear.
Twister backs up, "I was just kidding cuz," he says running into me as he backs away. He looks towards me fearfully, I reassure him by putting my hand on his shoulder.
"Hey look," Otto points, "The Smith's Team is going." We watch in silences as none of them beat my cousin.
"Great job, Mike," Reggie smiles as they walk by, "We're up."
"I'm ready," Sam says putting on a team helmet.
"Twister stay with Ray," I point towards him and Tito.
"Ok, Lars if you lean too much you'll beef," Twister says to help. He nervously looks towards Jeff.
"Twister," I lift his hat slightly with my finger. He nods and heads over to Ray and Tito.
"You gave Twist your hat?" Otto says putting on his helmet.
"Yes," I put one of those yellow helmets on. We walk over to the starting line.
"Ok, ready," that Tai-woe-fu guy says.
"Sure am," Otto says sitting on the board waiting for him to say go.
"Ready, set, go," Otto takes off barely cutting the first turn. He's going super fast making the turning murder.
"He's going to beef," Reggie says biting her nails. Otto didn't crash, well not until after the finish line. About 20 yards from the finish line he began to spin out of control. Sam covered his eyes as Otto crashed to the ice. Reggie looks worried until he stood up and walked it off.
"Can I open my eyes," Sam asks.
"He didn't even beat Jeff," Reggie says.
"Open your eyes Sam you're next," I tell him. He gets on and goes down slower then Otto but getting a good time. Reggie went next, but I didn't watch I was nervous I had to win. I got on the board and I began to think to myself Ok you can do this.
"Go," I hear. I go fast, really fast, but I liked it. It was freeing a lot like body surfing. I kept thinking about Twister he was up there watching I had to win. Had to I'd give anything to win Prince for Twister. I slid past the finish line with my eyes close it was silent for a moment. Then a Cheer went out. Yes! I knew I won. I walk off solemnly, not showing the excitement I felt inside myself. Otto, Reggie, and Sam run over saying a million things at once.
"That was..." Twister came up, Otto, Reggie, and Sam look from me to him to me and then to him, "Amazing it was like you weren't even trying like you didn't go full out."
"Yeah," I say.
"I bet it does have something to do with the fact that you're related," Sam says with a look of curiosity. "You beat Jeff by 30 seconds. He's mad see."
"I hope not too mad," Twister says nervous again.
"That was inspired," Otto ignores Twist.
"Hey look the other team is going," Reggie says Otto and Sam look over and Reggie slips her hand in Twister's.
So I had won now I was tied again with Otto, he didn't seem mad this time. As we watch a replay that night. Twister sits next to me spying Jeff across the room still angry that I won.
"Wow Lars you're a natural, like Twister," Otto compliments both of us.
"Major props," Sam says.
"Awesome," Reggie says, I think I finally was fitting in with them.
Twister looks towards me and then at his hands, "What?"
"Well we are all friends now, but when we get home and you have your friends," he frowns. "I'll miss you so much if you went away."
"I'm not going anywhere," I pat his head, "Don't worry about home.
"But its backwards here that's why you like me," Twister says his gang gets quiet to hear my response.
"Twister liking someone and not liking someone isn't backwards," they look confused, "Love and hate aren't opposites sometimes they're the same thing the opposite of Love is Apathy."
"What's that?" Twister asks.
"Apathy is when you don't have feelings for someone like a stranger you can't love or hate them so you feel nothing, but to feel that way about a person you know is worse then hating them because hate easily turns to love. I could never feel that way about you, never have," I explain.
"Ok then, but what if you hate me?" He asks.
"I don't Twister I gave you my hat and I swore I'd never let anyone lay a hand on you that includes me," I say. "Let's go to bed Twist," he nods and stands up.
"Aren't you hungry Lars?" Reggie questions. I shook my head and they exchange looks of worry Twister didn't seem to notice as we head out of the lodge to our tent.
"When we were little, were we friends," Twister asks.
"Best," I tell him, "But we moved and you meet Otto and I got pushed aside for him."
"I ditched you," he says amazed I held the door open for him.
"You were little you didn't know," I say.
He sits on his bed in between Otto's and mine, "I hurt you didn't by leaving you out. That's why you womp me and trick me."
"It was at first I guess," I say. "Don't worry about it Twist."
"I wouldn't if you stop blaming yourself for last night," I nod to make him feel better. He changes into pjs and falls asleep. I lay awake knowing nothing was going to be the same when I got home. I couldn't turn my back on Twister and Reggie was my friend again, I was also dropping sports for Twister at least until he was better. What would I do for that long? Well at least I had Twist to hang out with. We could put together another movie I liked the other one about the flying skateboard. I fall asleep before anyone comes in and I'm up before dawn.
