Basil and Blaise Round Robin

“Go away!!” A black-haired teen shrieked at the top of his lungs.

An identical face huffed in frustration, “ I just wanna help, dude!”

“Well go away!” the heated voice repeated harshly, obviously not in the mood to correct his venom-laced tone.

Blaise Bixler puffed up like a blowfish and walked away before the insincere thoughts, exploded from his mind and made matters worse. “Whatever you say… but you brought this one upon yourself, dude.” Blaise mumbled.

At this, Blaise growled, thoughts racing through his skull. He didn’t mean to drive Blaise off, but honestly, he wasn’t in the mood to be friendly; wasn’t in the mood to be sensitive; wasn’t in the mood to explain the drama overwhelming his life; wasn’t in the mood, overall, to be him.

Basil pulled his knees up against his chest and buried his head like a little immature child. He was mad, and Blaise, for once, had been right. He had brought this on himself. He brought all his drama on himself—stressing was his fault, crying all the time was his fault, wanting everything to be perfect all the time was his fault, and this whole ordeal today? HIS fault!!!!

Just then, Tabs Milford walked over and observed a fuming Blaise and an upset, crying Basil.

“What’s the matter” she soothed.

“With him or me” Blaise snapped.

“Both of you!” she snarled.

“Well Basil is stressed like always” “and I tried… actually tried to calm him down” “and he had the nerve to screech at me to leave HIM alone.” “Rolled his eyes” Blaise took a deep breath. “And its completely his fault, there’s no way mom and dad are going to blame this one on me” “Their sweet Basil messed up” he raised his voice where Basil could here him “I wish he would just grow up” he announced proudly, at making his brother more upset. Tabs looked as if she were confused, and turned to look at Basil. Usually it normally was Blaise’s fault, are the twins trying to play a joke…. No she rethought Blaise actually looks concerned. And Basil upset.

“Well” she murmured.

She bent down, where Basil sat heaving, tears leaking out from under his arms, no doubt from Blaise’s loud comment of wishing he’d grow up.

“Basil,” she tried gently.

Blaise interrupted her, “He’s not gonna open up to you! He wouldn’t open up to me!!”

Tabs snapped her head around at the overly-confident brother, “Yeah, because he never has opened up to you! What have you ever done to help him??”

“I tried helping just now!” he yelped in his defense, “Just today!”

Tabs chewed on this for a moment before agreeing, “Yeah, you did actually try…” she sighed, “but however, I’m a pro, and therefore, I will be able to help.”

“Go for it” Blaise tried to hide his feelings but it still managed to come out as a high-pitched yelp. Why does he always open up to her? I’m the one who has to deal with him at home. It wouldn’t have hurt him to open up to me this once. It sure didn’t hurt me to try and calm him down. Blaise felt disappointed his relationship wasn’t as strong as Basils and Tabs. He was somewhat disappointed with his overall attitude with Basil. But decided to let it slide on by. At this he would be considered a “Basil.” He went to the other side of the hallway to sir and watch. He hoped Basil would blow her off, leave her lost like a puppy dog without their tags. He severely doubted it because Basil told Tabs every thing. But he had a deep gut feeling of misery. Don’t open up; give me another chance, just one more. He pleaded in his mind.

It was like watching a horror flick. He wanted to watch, wanted to see the reaction…and yet…he didn’t. He sucked in a deep breath of air as Tabs placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. He made a mental note of it.

He observed as moments passed by, moment by achingly slow moment. Basil seemed to be locked in an obstinate state of mind. He wouldn’t budge. Good, Blaise thought, in your face, Tabs!!

And, of course, in that rejoicing second, Basil looked up. Blaise scowled. Why can’t he tell me how he feels?? I’m his twin!! I’m not that shallow, am I? I’m not that bad of a brother, am I? C’mon, Basil, please, I do care! I really, really do, I promise! It’s just a challenge for me to express my emotions. But I’m willing to try! Please, I want to be there for you. I want us to be close. I want to understand you the way that Tabs does!! Basil, give me the opportunity!!!

He looked over again at the two, and Basil’s face was a waterfall. He was…yelling. And Tabs had her arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed as if she were upset. Blaise knew he was being cruel, but his heart leapt. Basil wasn’t going to tell her!!

It was his opportunity; Blaise stood to his feet and strutted over to Basil and Tabs.

“Here let me try again,” he forcefully told Tabs. “Any way I think your “pro” license has been EXTERAMATED!” he smirked at her.

Tabs rolled her eyes and went to where Blaise had been sitting the moment before. Of course to see how things would turn out, she knew Blaise would make it worse and she would be there to fix it!

“Basil I know we don’t get along allot of the time, well most of the time, but sometimes, well sometimes”

“Sometimes what” Basil interrupted.

Blaise was shocked his speech was working, and he was making it up along the way! He looked over to see if Tabs was looking, and she was. Blaise lifted up his eyebrows and gave her a sly grin, and turned his attention back to Basil.

“I do care I suppose, I’m just not all that great at expressing my feelings you see.” Blaise said quietly, he most definitely did not want any one to hear. “As much a you think I don’t care, I do, you just never give me a chance” “maybe because I act so self absorbed sometimes here at school doesn’t mean I act like this all the time, you just overlook me”

“Really I thought you thought I was a total mistake, and yes you are self absorbed” basil replied.

“Dude I’m trying to help now is not the time to get back at me” Blaise chuckled. Basil laughed at his brother’s comment.

Blaise smiled in the moment. He liked the feeling. He liked this new closeness.

“So…what was different just now?” Blaise questioned. He had to know what he’d done right, in order to continue it.

“What do you mean?”

“You actually looked up, and we’re actually having a real conversation.” His voice was still a whisper. He didn’t want his friends, his basketball friends, to hear. He’d be scarred for eternity.

And yet…another part of him didn’t care. This was his brother, and if his friends didn’t like Basil, then they might as well not like him.

“Because you came back,” Basil shrugged, “That showed you cared, and I appreciate it,” he nudged Blaise playfully, who now straightened up.

“Okay, now will you tell your caring bro what happened?”

Basil made a sound between a squeak and a sob. Blaise could tell that he’d hit a sore spot. He pulled his arm around him.

“You don’t have to tell me until you’re ready, okay?”

He nodded, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”
They laughed in that moment in unison, “Can I pinch you? Or myself? Or both of us?” Basil chuckled.

Blaise burst out in laughter, “Why?!” he exclaimed.

“Because this has to be a dream.” Basil smiled, “You’re never this nice!”

Blaise nodded as if he had the perfect explanation, “That’s because I’ve been possessed!” he joked.

“I believe it!” Basil replied.

“You’re supposed to be like nah you’re just a monster” Blaise joked, again.

Basil laughed “Well… If you”

“Never mind I ask” Blaise interrupted. They laughed again. Basil looked over at Tabs she looked pretty angry, but he was enjoying this, it rarely ever happened and Tabs would understand. He would say he was sorry later.

“I don’t know what was wrong” Basil stammered.

“Huh” Blaise questioned, he was daydreaming.

“Are you stressed?”

“No” “I don’t think so”

“What were you and mom arguing about this morning?”

“I refused to go back to the physiatrist”

“You refused?” Blaise sniggered.

Basil ignored his comment, “ She wanted me to go back again because I’ve been overly stressed the last few weeks”

“Well scene we are twins and look alike I can solve this”

“You be me? No way” Basil laughed

“Yes it would solve things between you and mom, and me and you, and me you and mom, so why not” Blaise questioned. “ And besides I could tell this guy where to stick it”

(To be continued)