Bill decided to ignore Tom and stomped lazily down the stairs. He pretended he didn’t hear Tom walking behind him, and when he reached the kitchen and sat down with a bowl of cereal, he pretended Tom was not sitting across the table, staring at him.

Tom asked Bill if he’d had any dreams. Bill ignored him.

Tom asked if Bill had any plans for the day. Bill kept chewing.

Tom grinned and stood up. Bill asked where he thought he was going.

“Bill, do you want to be left alone or not? You can’t have it both ways.”

Bill growled at him. Tom left anyway.

Bill threw his bowl into the sink and went upstairs to take a shower. Tom was nowhere to be found. Bill took his shower with a feeling of resignation.

A few minutes after he had gotten out of the shower, the phone rang. Bill ran to answer it. It was Gustav.

“Bill, it is 11:24 AM. Do you know where your brother is?”

Bill was not in the mood for jokes. He hung up.

Gustav kept calling until Bill unplugged the phone. He turned off his cell phone before gustav could think to call it.

The door opened. Bill heard the familiar sounds of Tom’s walk. He walked downstairs. He was trying to look nonchalant, but he could tell by the look on Tom’s face that he’d failed dismally.

“I was talking a walk,” Tom explained.

“Like I care,” Bill snapped.

Tom shrugged. “Okay.” He started for the stairs.

Bill followed and punched him in the back. “What are you doing?” he asked.

Tom snorted. “Bill, are you aware that you’re not wearing a shirt?”

Bill hadn’t been aware. He fought to keep from blushing and kept from covering his chest. “So?”

“So. Was that your intention?”

“N… Yeah, maybe. So?”

“Is that your favourite word now?”

“You’re a jackass.” Bill would’ve kept going, had Tom’s door not been slammed in his face. Feeling bratty, he pounded the door irritably.

Tom opened the door unexpectedly, causing Bill to fall slightly into his brother. When he’d straightened up, he realised for the first time that he was slightly taller than his brother. He’d never thought about it before then. He looked down at Tom awkwardly.

“What?” Tom asked.

“Why’d you slam the door on me?”

“You’re being annoying.”

“I’m taller than you.”

Tom stared at Bill as though he were a lunatic. Bill thought that maybe he was.

“I’d noticed…” said Tom. He was great at making Bill feel retarded.

“Well. I am.”

“Hey Bill, did you know that I’m ten minutes older than you?”

“It’s kind of obvious.”

“So are our heights, genius.”

Bill did his best to look down at Tom until the door was closed on him again.

“I’m still taller!” he called.

He listened for only a moment, but he could have sworn he’d heard Tom laughing.