"Can't catch me! Can't catch me!" Noah called running ahead of me. I laughed and sprinted after.

"Gotcha!" I said wrapping my arms around his waist. Noah tripped, sending me with him as we rolled down the grassy hill.

 

"Zaye" my brother whined. "It's not fair your legs are longer than mine."

 

"I can't help it" I said panting lightly. The sun was low over the horizon, leaving the sky a pretty salmon color.

"Sure you can" Noah said poking my arm. "You can shrink"

"You're silly; people don't just shrink on a whim" I'd always been taller than my brother but I hardly minded. He was only a couple years younger and I was sure one day he'd be a giant like me.

"Zaye, what's highschool like?" Noah asked resting his chin on my chest. His hands were a little closer than I was comfortable with.

"Hey, don't touch me there." I said holding his face up. "It's not a propitiate for a brother to his sister."

"It's not like there's anything to " Noah giggled giving one of my s a pinch.

"Hey! I don't go up to you and pinch your " I pushed him off me.

"At least my testicals have substance" Noah countered pinching me again. I hated my flat chest sometimes, but he had a point.

"Shut up" I said tickling Noah. He squirmed and giggled, begging me to stop.

"Stop or I'll pinch you again!!" He laughed loudly. "Pinch! Pinch!"

"Hush child" I said standing. I gave my brother a chance to regain his breath before offering my hand.

"Good thing you love me" he smirked.

"Yeah good thing.." I played along "..good thing, 'cause you're it!" I said letting go of his hand and running down the hill. I reached the bottom in no time but looked behind me to see that Noah was not following me. Noah had fallen again and rolled down the other side of the hill.

"Noah!?" I called. The boy emerged from the other side, covered in more dirt and grass stains.

"I'm okay!" Noah stumbled to the house. "I'm alright"

"You're filthy" I chuckled. "Come on, let's get inside" I got changed quickly and pulled my hair back in a loose ponytail. My arms were a little scraped from rolling around on the hill.

"Zaye?" Noah asked, poking his head in the doorway.

"What'd I tell you about knocking?" I said placing a bandage on my forearm.

"That you might be changing" Noah said in a sulkish tone. "But I wanted to show you that I'm all clean."

"Fine, let me see" I could tell that Noah had rushed through getting changed as his shirt was inside out and all twisted.

"You're still covered in dirt, go shower" I said honestly.

"Where?" He teased. "I can't see it"

"Come with me" I said pulling him to the bathroom. I sat on the lid of the toilet seat, with my brother standing between my legs. I rubbed a wet cloth over his dirt smudged face as much as I could before telling him to shower and clean himself.

My mom called us for dinner not too much sooner. I sat beside Noah at the table to make sure he wasn't playing his gameboy under the table during grace again.

"Zaye's play was chosen to be in the school's festival" Noah said when everyone had fallen silent.

"Honey that's terrific!" My mom exclaimed.

"Nah it's nothing" I waved it off. I'd honestly been trying to keep my parents as uninvolved with the school's festival as much as possible. I didn't want them to be part of the process I just wanted them to see the final product.

"Oh darling, it's huge" my dad said wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"So do you get to direct?" My mom asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah..."

"Can I be in your play?" Noah asked.

"If you audition" I said returning to my food.

"I can't wait to see it" my mom and dad took turns telling me. I continued to eat in silence. I had alot of thoughts on my mind that I wanted to sort through myself.

***

"Goodnight, Zaye" my brother called from his bedroom.

"Goodnight, Noah"

"Will you come tuck me in?" He asked cutely.

"You're big boy," I yawned. "You don't need my help"

"What if I want your help?" Noah looked at me with puppy dog eyes. "Please?"

"Alright, alright"  I gave in. I stood in the doorway with my arms crossed.

"Come on, Zaye" Noah closed the door behind me before pulling my arm.

"You know we aren't allowed in the same room with the door closed, right?" I said reluctantly being pulled to the bed.

"Mom and dad don't know"

"What about Jesus?"

"Shh, what Jesus doesn't know, can't hurt him" Noah said climbing into bed. "He can't see."

"Jesus is always watching" I corrected, pulling the blankets over Noah.

"Then Jesus will see how much I love my sister" Noah said sitting up and hugging my waist.

"Aww I love you too" I said his back. I chuckled when my brother nuzzled his face in the crook of my neck; my brother could be so affectionate when he wanted to be.

"Noah are you in bed?" My mom called, opening the door. Looked over my shoulder to see her expression was so taken aback—most likely at the position we were in.

"Zaye" my mom cleared . "You need to keep the door open when you two are in here alone."

"Sorry.." I muttered.

"Noah" she turned to my brother who had nestled close to my chest, as if I was his heat source. "You need to get to bed. You're starting school tomorrow" she said leaning nst the frame of the door. I said and laid Noah back on his bed.

"Nighty night" I cooed, poking his nose. "Don't let the bedbugs bite"

"Night Zaye" Noah waved.

That was the last time I so well.