Chapter 1: Reality Shock

I woke up in the morning excited that the day outside had cleared. Last night, heavy rain fell over the city. I heard thunder for several hours, some incredibly loud. I thought I was going to wake up on a rainy day, or a sky full of clouds, but the sky was clear, and the sun was high in the sky.

I stretched out of bed and took a quick shower. Putting on my clothes, I took my bag, it was time to go to school. Down the stairs, I headed for the kitchen table for a quick breakfast and found my brother two years younger, Max.

He was having lunch looking upset. I thought about asking what the problem was, but I knew I shouldn’t. We don’t have a good relationship nowadays. When he was younger, especially before my physical problem, he was very dependent on me, almost idolizing me.

After my physical problem at the age of twelve, however, he started to distance himself from me. Nowadays, he almost ignores me at home, most of the time he is acid or rude. The strange thing, however, is that when he has a problem, like computer problems, I am the first person he always comes to ask for help.

If there’s one thing that hasn’t changed about him, it’s his dependence; I think I will continue to be the useful brother for a few years. Maybe when I finally get the damn surgery, our relationship will get better. Did I say how I hate superficial people? It hurts to know that my brother is like that.

I don’t hate him, however. It’s not like he’s going to be like that for the rest of his life. I hope one day to fix our relationship and be a good brother again. I miss that part of my life.

I sat at the table and thought about what I would eat. I wanted something tasty, but I didn’t have much time. While I was thinking, my brother, generally acid, said good morning, and I returned reflexively.

“Good morning.”

Only then did I realize that my grumpy little brother said good morning to me. What happened? Is the sun rising in the west? I was tempted to really look at the sun outside even though I knew it was overkill.

I looked at him and saw that, although he looked upset, it didn’t seem to have anything to do with me. Normally, he would leave if I approached and sat with him, but he continued to sit there eating his cereal.

“What happened?”

I could no longer hold back my curiosity and asked, even though I knew the effect it would have. I was expecting the rude words he would always use with me, but instead, he said the strangest words I have heard since ... ever?

“I asked to go out with a girl yesterday. She said she was going to answer me today, I thought she would answer me at school, but she texted me this morning saying I was too ugly.”

I felt my mind empty when I heard my brother’s words. Too ugly? Max wasn’t exactly a movie star, but if I had to say, he falls into the category of handsome. Fortunately, he inherited all the good genes of our parents, unlike me.

I heard stories recently that he was very popular at his school. This girl who rejected him wanted to date a movie star? It is not easy to find someone who looks good like that. At my school, at least, I only know three guys that I could fit into the category of a movie star: one of them is my friend, Jeff.

That’s the best part of Jeff, actually. Even though he is so handsome and popular, he is one of my best friends, and he really cares about me, I respect him deeply.

I strayed a little. Back in the present situation, there is something that shocked me even more about my brother’s words than the content of the words themselves.

It was the fact that those words came out of his mouth.

How long has it been since he vented to me? He usually barely talks to me. Days can go by without him saying a single word to me. Now, he spoke several words, and even shared a personal problem with me, obviously waiting for advice or comfort.

Finally, I can act like a good brother again, but it was so sudden that I was silent for a few seconds in shock. When I recovered, I saw in his eyes how much he wanted to be comforted, so I tried my best to compose myself and say it.

“This girl is crazy. You are not ugly, and you know it. I am ugly, look at my face. Whenever I go to school, there is someone who calls me the Hunchback of Notre Dame. I don’t like it, and I always curse these people in my mind, but I have to admit that I am ugly.”

“But you, my brother, have been blessed with all of our parents’ good physical characteristics. You may not look like a movie star, but you are handsome, I guarantee that. This girl you asked to go out is crazy. I want to see her ask to go out with Johnny Depp, let’s see if she can even get a look from him.”

I thought my words would cheer up my brother. I tried my best to articulate so that he feels good, I even depreciated myself for that. I feel like I was pretty persuasive. I’m a good brother, don’t you think? However, my words caused Max to get up from his chair and respond with red eyes.

“Brother, what are you talking about? Are you lying to me, and to yourself, just to try to comfort me? How can you say that? You don’t know how I felt all these years growing up with a handsome older brother...”

Tears started to fall from his eyes and I stood up, not understanding what was going on. When I saw that he was going to run to his room, I took him by the arm and asked.

“What are you talking about, Max? Where did I lie?”

“YOU KNOW VERY WELL!! I HATE YOU!!”

After shouting those words, he broke free from my hand and ran upstairs to the room. I stood there, confused, looking at my brother’s back as he ran.

My brother’s screams seemed to alert my mother, who came running from the back of the house with her gardening clothes.