Brothers

"See?" The young, lanky teen pointed out towards the open sea. 

The other boy stared at the distant spot. He looked behind him. Then, back again, to the sea. "Literally, what?" 

"Charlie. Look. Really fucking look!" 

"There isn't--" 

"It's right fucking there!" He gestured more violently at the point and his long hair whipped across his face.  

Charlie grunted in exasperation. He stomped forward, shoved his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, and got as close to the edge as he could without pitching off the cliff into the waves below. He squinted and scanned the horizon, determined to find it. "I still don't see i— Ahhh!" He suddenly found himself falling towards the sea and then launching backwards towards land and his legs gave way from underneath him. He melted to the ground. His body shook and his breath came quickly.  

Roger was laughing, bent over, arms wrapped his stomach, then fists beating his legs. He joined Charlie on the ground, his legs weakened as pure amusement coursed through his veins. Tears began to streak down his face and –thwomp-- "Ow!" Roger dove into Charlie and both grunted and shouted as they grappled with each other. They wrestled for a few minutes, neither willing to withdraw. Roger rammed his elbow into Charlie's ribs. Charlie punched Roger in the cheek. Roger's attempt to knee Charlie in the groin was deflected. Charlie's attempt to grab Roger by the hair was dodged, though barely. Finally, Roger put his foot on Charlie's stomach and, with a loud grunt, launched the smaller boy a few feet to the side. With a thump, Charlie landed, sprawled on his back. Roger starfished out and both laid still. They stared up in silence at the dimming, orange-purple sky. 

"Is Dad home yet, you think?" 

Roger didn't answer. 

Charlie craned his neck to look over, not moving his body. Roger's eyes were closed. Charlie relaxed his body flat again.  

"Does bubbleface still try to trip you on the bus?" 

Charlie groaned. 

"What?" Roger asked. 

Charlie shook his head and threw an arm over his eyes. Roger quickly leapt up and threw himself at the younger boy before he had any time to react. He sat on him, grabbed fistfuls of his cotton shirt and roughly pulled his face up close. Charlie squirmed in his grip, attempting to get loose. His hands tried to unclasp Roger's.  

"Hey! Knock it off!" Charlie cried. 

"Give it up, nerd!" 

"Give what up? I didn't even say anything..." 

"As if," Roger retorted.  

"I..." Charlie squirmed again. 

Roger gave him another shake, rattling the boy's glasses down his nose. 

"Fine!" Charlie pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose in exasperation and gave Roger a shove. Roger let himself fall back. Charlie sat up and huffed and sagged. He rubbed his face with his hands. 

"So." He began. He took a breath. The rest fell out quickly. "I was on the bus and Bubble was sitting there and he pulled these water balloons out of his bag and he was putting them in a sling and he was gonna hit Joey and Vicki and I saw it, so I... I don't know! I just ran and grabbed him and, and, and, and, and, and he let go of the stupid balloon and it hit Maggie and ruined her hair and now she hates me..." 

Roger stared. Then, he began to laugh. He laughed so hard, tears began to run down his face. His body shook. He wiped his eyes and the continuous flowing streaks on his cheeks. His laughter slowed ever so slightly and then halted when he saw Charlie's face.  

"Oh relax, will ya?" 

"She hates me! Hates. Me. You think I'm joking, but I'm not. The one girl in the entire class who... Ugh. I just.. I... And then, stupid Bubble went and told everyone that I did it! That I asked him for the balloon and threw it at her! And everyone believed him! The bus driver told Mrs. Farroway and she called my dad..." 

"They called your dad? Over that?" 

"He told Mom." 

"Oh, shit." 

"Yeah." 

Roger pursed his lips and burrowed his eyebrows. "You're going to grow up to be just like Henry, unless you shape up, young man! Blah blah blah." 

Charlie laughed, but it faded quickly. "Mom told me--" 

"--What?" 

Charlie was silent. "You're leaving, aren't you?" 

"No. We aren't." 

"You're not?" 

"No." 

"Oh." 

"Don't believe everything you hear, okay? I ain't leaving. And by the way, any girl that's gonna believe Bubbleface over you, you shouldn't like anyway. Like someone else. Go like someone who'll punch Bubble in the face for you." Roger threw a punch into the air, real tough-guy-like. 

"Nah, I mean, I only kinda liked her, I guess... She gave me her chocolate milk a few times, so I thought she liked me, but then I saw her hanging around Tommy Macky and everyone knows that guy is trouble." 

Roger looked at him in amusement. "Oh, everyone knows, do they?" 

"Yeah! You think I'm joking, but I'm not. He once ate a live goldfish." 

Roger snorted. "Don't be a dweeb, dweeb." He looked at his watch.  

Charlie looked at his own watch. They both stood up.  

"See ya." 

"See ya, four eyes." Roger leaned over and pushed Charlie's glasses back up onto his face. They headed their separate ways, on to their homes. 

The following week, Charlie hiked up the hill, just as he did every week. He reached the top and walked over to the cliffside. He sat down on the edge, feet dangling over the waters. He waited. He watched as the sun slowly lowered down to the horizon and the sky turned its magnificent shade of orange and purple. He looked down at the water that rushed towards the cliffside and broke against the rocks. Then, he pulled out the letter that his mom handed to him, as he made his way downstairs and out the door. It read: 

Hey Nerd, 

"New Mom" caught me climbing out the window and told dad, so I'm grounded, and she still keeps trying to get me to call her mom. Like, what? Come on. So fucking weird. Anyway, now, we live in Arizona. Here's the thing though. I'm saving money, so I'll probably have a computer soon and we can email or something.  

This one's a quick letter cuz I'm supposed to be getting "stuff done around the house, young man." Blech. He's starting to sound like mom. They should have just stayed together.  

P.S. Don't think that I'm going not going to kick your ass just cause I'm not on that cliff. There are ways. There are aaaalways ways.... BOO! Hahaha 

P.P.S I've been here a day and there's already a hot girl. Mom better let you come visit. I'm working on a trip back too. 

P.P.P.S. Dad says hi. 

See ya, glasses. 

Rog. 

Charlie sniffed and wiped his nose with his sleeve. He pushed the glasses back up on his nose. He turned and crawled back a little ways, before sprawling across the ground on his back. He had his eyes closed and tightly gripped the letter in his hand. Then, he looked up at the sky, full of colors. As the colors faded out, Charlie stood up, folded the letter, put it in his pocket, and headed home. He had a letter to write.