FORTY- THREE

I was watching the TV while eating my breakfast and I asked Mark,"Mark, how come you don't donate to anyone?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, why don't you give out money like a philanthropist? Most other billionaires do it, like Caren Sanders on the TV, she's sponsoring all the kids in two orphanages, or Greg Howard, he's building a school for a remote community in Nepal, why don't you do the same?"

"Why should I?"

"Well umm... you're getting money, but not giving, wouldn't that make people think you are little...stingy?"

"So? Since when did I care about what other people thought of me?"

"...yeah, but come on, wouldn't your heart prompt you...just a little bit?"

He sighed and said,"You wouldn't give up, will you? I do give to the poor, a lot, I just don't like anyone knowing. It makes me feel like I'm being a show off."

"Well, give me one example."

"I don't want to bluff about it, the people are happy, so am I."

"You wouldn't be a show off, you would..."

"I've got to go to work..."He said and kissed my forehead,"Bye."

He left me with my tutor.

I was writing my Chemistry test several hours later. I was thinking deeply, stressed out, then I heard a tweet.

I looked out the window to see a cute robin, it was fluttering and singing then perched on the window.

I stared at it intently, with great interest, till a grey blur zoomed in front of it and it disappeared.

I ran and looked at Ash as he raised his extended claws to end the little bird's misery—which he had pinned down.

He was lowering his claws when he got hit by a textbook.

I saw the bird fly free and was proud of my achievement...until it was hit by a bus.

My eyes were widened in horror as Ms. Michaels touched my shoulder and gave me a piercing look through her cat eye shaped glasses.

I smiled nervously, closed the window and went back to my paper. I took up my pen and thought...

What is the general chemical formula of amino acids?

I got it and was about to write when I heard a loud, high- pitched screeching.

I looked at the window to see Ash, scratching the window...I ignored him till I could no longer bear it.

I opened the window and frowned at him as he sassily catwalked into the house then went back to sit down.

I was writing the equation when I felt something soft and fuzzy on my legs. It was Ash.

Why would you claim me if you already own me?!

I ignored him then looked back at the paper.

I kept writing till another bird tweeted, I looked at the window for a second then looked back at my paper in horror as Ash stretched on it, letting his claws shred it like a quad pair of keratin scissors.

Ash looked at me and blinked one eye after the other (which, I didn't know he could do) then coughed up a hairball on the paper and scratched it with his hind legs.

My eye twitched dangerously.

The cat went flying through the open window and landed on it's feet, then started catwalking away...till War and Peace fell on it.

I furiously took another paper to begin, I started writing then freaked out when Ms. Michaels said,"Five more minutes."

I was writing faster then thought to myself...

No, rushing only over works your brain, calm down...

"One more minute!"

How is that even possible?!

I was writing as fast as I could till I finished, fifteen seconds to spare. I looked back at the paper to see I had only scribbled on the last half of the paper.

I squealed and took yet another paper and began till a hand of thin fingers held the paper's edge.

I looked up to see a deadly look on Ms. Michaels' face.

I didn't want to let go and I begged her to give me more time but...no.

I was surprised as to how long she sat down, marking it since it was blank, but my heart stopped when the door opened...

Mark...

Ms. Michaels took the paper to my elder brother and said,"Your little brother failed."

Those words pierced me like a knife.

Mark looked at me then back at Ms. Michaels and said,"Let him retake the test."

"What?!"Ms. Michaels and I yelled simultaneously.

"My brother is not a slacker, I know there's a good explanation, let him retake the test."

"B- b- but he failed, I can't let him try again."

"Okay, you can go."

"Really?"

"Yes, and never come back."

"What?"

"You're fired."

Her jaw dropped.

"Master Mark, I beg of you."

"Fine, then let him retake the test."

"Yes sir, right away sir."

I got an A on the test and thanked Mark then said,"So...how was work?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"I asked first."

He sighed and said,"It was usual."

"Oooh, what happened?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you're lying."

"How?"

"Come on, I've been your legitimate older brother for three months, I know what you do when you lie."

He sighed and said,"I got a date."

I gasped and said in one breath,"What's her name? How does she look? What's her job? Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

He sighed again and said,"Her name is Tina and she's a reporter."

"Am I sensing a Clark Kent and Luis situation here?"I asked teasingly.

He sighed and said yes.

"Can I come?"

"You mean like a third wheel?"

I nodded.

"Sure, I'll love for someone to evade a private conversation."

"Yes! Yes! I'm going on a date!"

He doesn't understand sarcasm, does he?

I had to be prepared.