Class Of 96': 1994 (BxB Mystery)

Chapter XLII - "My brother."

    "You . . . called?"
    "Yes. I have a question." Molly crosses her arms and leans back. She asked to meet me back in her dorm while Ollie was in his extension club. Weird request, yes. But I accepted it without question . . . though I wonder why. "What is my brother to you?"
    " . . . Why?"
    "Because I sense something. You're thinking about him, aren't you?"
    My eyes widen and I point at her, hitting jackpot. "There! Right there. I knew it!"
    She tilts her head in confusion. "What?"
    "You know!"
    "Know what?"
    I spin around in annoyance. She's avoiding the topic. "You always know when I'm thinking about your brother!"
    She laughs and claps her hands. Seems like she also hit jackpot. "So you do think about him!"
    Madonna plays in the background as I fight my urges to shut her stupid record player up.
    I groan, having enough chit-chat. "Stop it! Stop— Stop knowing so much! I've known him since we were juniors! Of course I would think about him!"
    She takes a bite out of a cream-filled cracker and talks through a mouthful on the side of her cheek. "Yeah, right. You know how I know you're thinking of him? Because he's thinking about you."
    My cheeks burn red again as my fingertips fluster cold. "How would you know that?!?"
    "I'm his twin!" Molly throws her hands up in the sky. "Honestly! I've known him before we were even born! Okay listen. Why do you think he even gave you that useless burner phone in the first place?!?"
    "Wait." I close my eyes in an effort to get my act together. "Molly—"
    She snorts another laugh, finishing her cracker and patting the crumbs off. "Don't get mixed up, Steph. He's a flirt. And I'm sure you're straight."
    " . . . "
    She offers me a cracker and I snatch it from her dark red nail-polished fingers without thinking. "I don't even know if he's straight or queer."
    "I think that's his business." I furiously take a bite, standing beside her, pondering all about Ollie. "It's up to him if he'll come out of the closet."
    She sharply exhales. "My brother is no fan of confrontation. He'll never admit anything. But I must say, I feel he's gotten a liking to you."
    I know. He kissed me.
    She scans me up and down, checking what Ollie sees in me. "He's probably toying with you." She whispers.
    My chest tightens. Him . . . toying with me? "Why would you think that?"
    "Because!" She points at my brown skin, my lips, my clothes, and underneath my clothes, taking a peek. "He's probably homophobic or something . . . "
    I recoil and cover my body, leaping away like a frog. Oh my God! Maybe talking to Molly was my worst decision yet!
    "Hey! I am-" I consider my next words very carefully. I clear my throat. "I am not–"
    "Then tell him that!" She exclaims. Even this conversation is paining her.
    "Ugggh!!!" I cover my face in frustration and hop around her dorm. "Molly!!!"
    "Look, Stephie. I'm just saying."
    I sigh, slightly violated. "I get it but would you not look inside my clothes?"
    She scans her hazel eyes on me again, narrowing them. She circles me and I just stand there, giving up on her antics.
    "You like my brother, don't you?" She asks out of the blue, startling me.
    "Stop!" I yell. Maybe I was expecting that. Maybe not.
    "Yes or no! Simple yes or no question!" She splurts out.
    The door suddenly opens. And to our horror and surprise, Ollie runs towards me, being a beaming ray of sunshine.
    "Stephan!" He smiles while Molly and I exchange nervous glances. "I thought you went home already!"
    "Was just about to . . . actually."
    He raises a brow. "Mhm . . . I heard yelling from outside. Is everything okay? What were you guys talking about?"
    Molly and I both freeze.
    "Football!" She blurts.
    "Boys!" I spill.
    She slowly looks at me. Her face tells me everything. 'So you do like my brother!'
    Ollie stands still, confused. "Uhh . . . "
    "Boys!" Molly spills.
    "Football!" I blurt.
    Oh my God.