1

It was a great day to stay inside and just watch TV, but Nicky had to waste his valuable time playing some sport. He hated this. No, he loathed this with a passion. Nicky could understand if his brother needed him to play because they were low on players or something, but this was ridiculous. They had nine players already! Why would he make him leave the coziness of the couch to sit on a bench and dry out in the sun? Which was as hot as balls, by the way.

"You need to get out more. Being cooped up in your room isn't healthy." Ricky stated as he threw the ball to his younger brother. They were complete opposites, a real yin and yang pair. Ricky; 21 years old, repeating senior year…again, built like a bull, as dumb as rocks, 6ft. 2in., has over 300 million friends/admirers. Nicky; 18 years old, senior, lazy, street and a little school smart, 5ft 5in., anti-social and likes it that way.

"Yeah? Well, how do you know what's healthy for me?" he spat back at Ricky. Normally, Nicky was a kind, sweet kid who hardly gave attitude, but this is his brother, of course he has to bust his balls. Plus, this heat was really irritating him, damn teenage hormones. He threw the ball back, barely reaching Ricky. He sucked at sports, and he admitted it, but for some reason his brother still encouraged him.

"Cause' I take health class, remember?"

"Oh yeah, you're still stuck in that hell hole of a school with me."

"Shut up about that."

"What is this, your third time being a senior?"

"Ha, no. Shows you who's dumb, you can't count. It's my fourth." Ricky slyly replied, throwing the ball back to Nicky.

"That's not somethin' to be proud of Rick." Nicky laughed as he gave it back.

"Shut the fuck up. At least I have things to be proud of, unlike you lazy ass."

"The only reason why I don't have anything that you would consider 'to be proud of' is cause' I think everything about high school is pointless." Silence grew between to two, with the exception of the loud CLAP noise their gloves made every time one of them would catch the ball.

"So, you got a girlfriend?" Ricky asked in general, not thinking much of the topic. Nicky blushed harshly, but tried hiding it by pushing down his cap.

"Ricky, I don't even have regular friends. Why would you think I have a girlfriend? God, use common sense sometimes." Nicky mumbled, each word more irritated then the last.

"I was just asking, Jesus. What crawled up your leg and bit you in the ass." Ricky asked rhetorically. He noticed the blush on his brother's face and thought about what he said that would have caused it. What crawled up your leg and bit you in the ass…crawled up your leg and bit you in the ass…bit you in the ass…in the ass…the as- WAIT! ...in the ass? Then Ricky's eyes widened. The puzzle pieces were coming together. Does Nicky like it in…Maybe Nicky doesn't have a girl friend because he's… No, not Nicky! He would never…would he? When did he find out he was…that? Does he like a certain guy? DOES HE HAVE A BOYFRIEND!? So many thoughts were racing through Ricky's mind about his younger brother. A few made him flinch or shiver like Is he still a virgin? , Has he had sex more then once?, Is he top or bottom?, and Is he one of those dresses-like-a-girl fags, but only does it when no one's around? Well, these thoughts were natural, right? Ricky used to have these thoughts when he was 16. Hell, he still has these thoughts once in awhile, but of course he hasn't and never will tell anyone. Maybe that was the problem, he never told anyone so he doesn't know how to handle his feelings. If he doesn't talk to Nicky about them, will Nicky turn out just like him? Scared and confused, but acts like nothing's wrong? Maybe we should talk about our homosexuality together to feel better and understand it more? …Nah that's gay. Ricky sighed at how he phrased his last thought. This is gonna be hard…FUCK!

"So, ah, no girlfriends, right?"

"That's right." Nicky answered. Catching the ball Ricky threw; he looked at his face and realized how terrified his brother seemed.

"So, um, does that, ah, mean any…you know?" Rocky tried to ask without actually saying it.

"No, no fuck buddies either. I told you I'm still olive oil." Nicky replied to what he assumed Ricky would ask. Olive oil, like virgin olive oil, was way to say virgin in front of each other. It just felt awkward and weird saying virgin to your sibling. And plus they can say it in front of others without getting embarrassed. Well that answers three of my questions, well two technically. I still don't know of he prefers it up his ass or not…gross. Ricky thought.

"I know, I meant any…you know?" Ricky tried asking again , almost forgetting it was his turn to throw the ball in this game of catch.

"No, I don't know. If I knew I, would have answered your question already." Nicky said while rolling his hazel eyes.

"Any…boyfriends?" Ricky asked finally, whispering the last word.

"Any what's?" Nicky asked, acting as if he couldn't understand. He knew what Ricky said, but he wanted to see how long his brother would stay on this particularly GAY subject. Plus, he didn't even know myself how he felt about guys, damn teenage hormones.

"Any…boyfriends?" Ricky said again, this time adding a little more volume to the last word.

"Any WHAT'S?" Nicky asked, laughing to himself about how red and awkward Ricky looks right now.

"Never mind! I'll ask you at the house. So, how's school?" Ricky asked to change to the subject.

"I don't wanna talk about it…" Nicky said while tossing back the ball.

"What? I thought you liked school?" Ricky asked

"Obviously not as much as you do, seeing that you love staying for another four extra years." Nicky stated, trying to get his brother's mind off of his problems. He would rather have his brother being frustrated then him being concerned.

"I said SHUT UP ABOUT THAT SHIT!" he shouted back. Ricky threw the ball in frustration, hard and fast, back to his sibling.

"Aw, fuck! What the hell dude?! Aw, God damn it, my hand!" Nicky ranted, ripping off the piece-of-shit glove and nursing his throbbing hand.

"Come on, were goin' in. The game's gonna start soon." Ricky said. He grabbed Nicky by his uniform sleeve and dragged him to the dug out.

"Why should I be in a rush? Its not like I'm playin'!" Nicky said. After jerking his arm away from his brother's grip, he walked to the dug out on his own, fists clenched, head down, and mumbling inaudible words. Ricky honestly felt bad for him; he's a bi-polar nutshell. Well, they both are bi-polar nutshells. Hell, even their old man was a bi-polar nutshell. Now that he thought about it, their mother was really the only one who was normal. Whatever was going on in his mind, it would have to wait until after the game. When they get to the house they'll figure it all out.