Are you in love with my brother?

The Next Day***

Richie was at a children's hospital to meet with his pedodontist. He had a swollen gum and as usual, he was scared to go to the hospital. His dentist is like his worst nightmare.

Although Richie's dentist is a nice and friendly man who understands children just like Richie, still Richie gets nervous, each time he visits his dentist to check his teeth.

To ease his nervousness, he usually goes to the hospital with Carl but this time around, Carl couldn't meet up so he went with his best friend, Anne.

Anne who is now Richie's best friend is currently with him in the hospital. He was lying down on the orthodontic chair, firmly holding Anne's hand the whole time the dentist was checking his gum.

"Just give it two weeks and your gum would be perfectly fine," The dentist said, smiling at Richie.

"you heard that Richie, your gum would be perfectly fine," Anne said.

"in two weeks!?" Richie growled.

"C'mon, it's just two weeks," Anne said and Richie rolled his eyes.

"Hey, don't be so stubborn... And make sure you don't skip any of your medicines, understood?" Anne said firmly, pointing at him and Richie nodded his head.

The dentist laughed at the scene and just then Anne's phone started ringing. She checked it and saw that it was Victoria calling her.

"excuse me, I have to take this" Anne said and left the ward.

"Why are you staring at her like that?" Richie asked the dentist, looking at him suspiciously.

The dentist gave Richie a puzzled look. He was a little shocked at the question Richie just asked him.

"I said why are you staring at her like that?" Richie asked again but with narrowed eyes.

Richie who is a very smart kid has been observing how the dentist was checking Anne out. Ever since the dentist saw Anne in the hospital, he hasn't stopped smiling and staring at her as if he was interested in her.

"Nothing, I just find her attractive" The dentist chuckled nervously.

"yes she's very beautiful but keep your eyes off her," Richie said in a warning tone.

"why? She has a boyfriend?" The dentist asked curiously.

He finds Anne to be extremely attractive and it wouldn't be a bad idea if they started hanging out. That's if she is single, the dentist thought. After all, he's also a single man.

"Yes! She's in a relationship with my elder brother" Richie said, sneering at the dentist.

"Mr. McAlester?" The dentist's eyes widened and Richie delivered a smirk.

"Oh my God! I had no idea. I'm really sorry. Please don't tell your brother I said anything." The dentist pleaded.

The dentist knows Carl so well and he knows how influential Carl is. Flirting with Carl's woman alone could get him into a serious trouble and Carl can make him go broke because of that. Carl has that power.

However, the dentist had no idea that Richie was just toying with him. Anne is definitely not dating Carl.

Richie's phone started ringing and he brought it out of his pocket.

"Oh, speak of the devil," Richie said because it was Carl calling him.

"you're not going to tell your brother anything right?" The dentist said, feeling apologetic.

He also knows that Richie has a big mouth and he could exaggerate everything to Carl so he was a bit worried. It's not his fault to look at Anne like that. Anne is just too beautiful and hot. It'll take a man with strong self-control not to drool over her flawless beauty.

"fine! I won't tell him. Just give me some privacy" Richie said sternly.

 "Alright," The dentist muttered, leaving the ward.

Meanwhile, Richie was staring at his phone screen feeling reluctant to answer Carl's call.

'what does he want now after he refused to come with me to the hospital,' Richie said in his head, rolling his eyes. Either way, he still answered the call.

"What's up, Rich?" Carl said to Richie on the phone. He was sitting down on his swivel chair in his office.

"I'm alive" Richie replied.

"Richie… I know you're still mad at me, I'm sorry" Carl apologized for the hundredth time.

He has been apologizing to Richie for not going with him to the hospital because he was too busy and occupied with his work. The few days he skipped work has made him extra busy.

"It's okay, just buy me a new laptop and a new iPad then all is forgiven," Richie said and Carl chuckled softly.

"consider it done," he said.

"So how's your gum?" Carl asked.

"umm it didn't hurt much since Anne was with me," Richie said.

"Anne is with you? Like right now?" Carl was surprised.

"yeah, but she's outside the ward..." Richie said on the phone.

Carl rested his back on his swivel chair with a broad smile on his face. Only the thought of Anne made him smile stupidly like she was in front of him.

"…since you couldn't come with me to the hospital, I asked my best friend to replace you and she did without any excuses," Richie added.

"Richie, I need you to do something very important for me," Carl said seriously on the phone, sitting down erectly.

"what is it?" Richie curiously asked.

"I want you to help me stall Anne at the hospital until I get there. I need to see her." Carl said and Richie immediately pulled a long face.

"Richie, can you hear me?" Carl said after hearing no response from Richie.

"yeah, I hear you loud and clear. This morning you told me you can't come with me to the hospital because you're too busy and occupied with work… and now you wanna leave your busy schedule and come to this same hospital just to see Anne? What kind of a brother are you?" Richie vented.

"Rich, please calm down. You know how I feel about Anne" Carl said softly, stroking his forehead. He already feels bad for dissing his brother.

"how do you feel about Anne? You used to tell me that I'm still a kid and I won't understand" Richie said.

"Okay, okay fine. I love her, I'm in love with her. Richie, I see you every day at home but that's not with Anne. I only get to see her when the universe permits. I'm so sorry I couldn't give up my busy schedule for you, that was dumb of me…" Carl sincerely apologized

"…very dumb of you," Richie cuts in.

"Richie please forgive me. I promise to buy you a BMW car when you turn 18" Carl said.

Richie took a deep breath. There's no way he can resist that.

"It's okay big brother… I've said this before, I'll be very happy if you and Anne start a romantic relationship" Richie said and Carl smiled

Fortunately, Carl knows Richie too much and how to stop him from being angry or upset. It's simple, just give him a gift.

"I'm going to stall Anne for you so you better come here quick!" Richie said on the phone.

"Thank you! Thank you, Rich!" Carl was more than happy, grinning from ear to ear.

"Whatever, just show up ASAP. My dentist is already flirting with Anne." Richie said.

"What???" Carl exclaimed with a serious expression on his face.

"yeah bye," Richie said and hung up immediately.

"hahaha," Richie laughed a satisfying laugh. He could imagine the look on Carl's face when he talked about his dentist flirting with Anne.

"what's so funny? It seems your gum is doing perfectly fine already" Anne said coming inside Richie's ward. She has been hearing Richie's laughter from outside the door.

"umm… it's this game I'm playing on my phone. It's kinda funny when the villain dies" Richie obviously lied but Anne bought it.

"and my gum?" Richie said, using his tongue to touch his upper gum that is swollen. "it's getting better and better" he said.

"That's good news" Anne smiled.

"guess what? Your dentist told me that is time for us to go. So let's start leaving" she said.

*Ding* Richie's phone beeped. He just received a text message from Carl.

'make sure Anne doesn't leave the hospital, I'm on my way' Richie read Carl's text in his head.

"hum… Anne?" Richie said.

"yes, Angel," Anne replied.

"what do you think about my dentist?" Richie blurted. It was the slip of the tongue. He was supposed to ask Anne about Carl, not his dentist.

Richie nearly rolled his eyes at the question he just asked.

"Well, I think your dentist is doing an amazing job for you to have a nice set of teeth... Also, he's a very nice guy" Anne said.

Richie scoffed at her last words.

"nice guy?" Richie air quotes.

"of course" Anne replied.

"so do you find him attractive?" Richie asked with creased brows.

"attractive? Well, he's good looking" Anne responded flatly.

"Anne, don't tell me you like my dentist," Richie said with a frown.

Anne laughed. "what do you mean by that? I just find your dentist to be a nice guy that's all"

"Okay but my brother is also nice and more handsome than him so do you find him attractive?" Richie questioned.

"hum Carl?" she asked

"Yes! Carl. Do you find my brother attractive? Do you like him?" he questioned.

Anne bit down her bottom lip, thinking about Carl. She knows he's a good guy and handsome as well but she doesn't understand what Richie meant by do you like him? It made her freeze.

"Richie, we should start leaving, there's no need to still be in this hospital," She said nervously.

"Not until you answer my question. Are you in love with my brother?" Richie asked again. He was also doing that to delay Anne in the hospital.

"umm… wh... what?" Anne stuttered.

She was stunned by Richie's question and she didn't understand why he was asking her such questions all of a sudden. Also, Anne was starting to become nervous just at the thought of being attracted to Carl.

Some weeks back, she wouldn't hesitate or feel anything to say the bitter 'NO' but now she's finding it difficult to respond.

"you like him don't you? Or you probably have a little crush on him" Richie said with a smile, winking at Anne in a teasing manner.

Anne's heart skipped a beat hearing what Richie just said and since Anne couldn't give Richie an answer, he guessed that she has a little crush on Carl. Besides, they're best friends now so Anne ought to tell Richie anything and everything.

"you know, Richie, I think you're too young for conversations like this" Anne said.

'women! why can't she just tell me if she's in love with Carl or not,' Richie thought

Suddenly, the door opened and Carl walked inside the ward Richie and Anne were in.

Anne's face lit up immediately after she saw Carl. Although, she wasn't expecting to see him at all.

He looked so handsome and sexy as usual. He was wearing a cyan blue corporate long-sleeved shirt that hugged his body and his rock-hard-toned chest could be vaguely seen since his first three buttons were loosed. His shirt was tucked into his grey color corporate trousers and the black shoes he was wearing made him look too classy and expensive despite him being simple.

Meanwhile, Carl on the other hand was also admiring the goddess in front of him. Anne was putting on a black short dress with a silver chain belt around her waist. Her sexy slim figure appeared to be more visible due to her skimpy dress making her look very seductive and breathtaking. No wonder the dentist couldn't keep his eyes off her. She's just too beautiful.

Anne and Carl were just staring at each other like its the first time their meeting.