My Bully’s Unexpected Crush

Keira Ten Years Earlier The first time my mother told me I needed to lose weight, I was seven. I remember because it was my birthday. Well, technically, it was Kevin’s birthday too, since we were twins, but he never let me forget that he’d been born twelve minutes before me. Twelve minutes. According to Kevin, those twelve minutes made him older, wiser, and responsible for telling me what to do. According to me, they made him an annoying little brat. Back then, Kevin was my best friend. We did everything together. We played in the backyard, watched cartoons on Saturday mornings, and built forts out of blankets in the living room. When Mom worked late, which was practically every night, Kevin and I would curl up on the couch together until she came home. I couldn’t imagine a world where my brother wasn’t right beside me. Our seventh birthday was supposed to be special. Mom had bought us a chocolate cake from the grocery store, and I’d been excited about it all day. Chocolate was my favorite, especially the thick frosting around the edges. Kevin got the biggest slice because he was the birthday boy. I got a smaller one because, according to Mom, I needed to start watching what I ate. “You’re getting a little chunky, sweetheart,” she’d said while cutting my piece. “You don’t want to end up being the fat girl in school, do you?” I didn’t know what to say. I looked down at my cake, suddenly wondering whether eating it was something bad. Kevin was already shoveling frosting into his mouth. Nobody told him to be careful. “Can I have another piece?” he asked. “Of course, honey. You’re a growing boy.” I remember looking at him, then at my own plate. Wasn’t I growing too? I never asked. I just ate my smaller piece and pretended it tasted as good as I’d imagined. ⸻ Three Years Later By the time I turned ten, I’d learned that Kevin and I weren’t treated the same. He was athletic, handsome, and popular. Even at ten, girls were already giggling whenever he walked past them. He had Mom’s light brown hair and a smile that seemed to make everybody like him. I had Dad’s dark brown hair, which fell in thick waves down my back, and a body that seemed determined to grow differently from everyone else’s. Mom said I was built like her side of the family, only bigger. I didn’t understand why that was something she always sounded disappointed about. Kevin never seemed to notice. At least, not until Adam Case moved into our neighborhood. I remember the afternoon we met him because Kevin and I were playing soccer in the backyard. I wasn’t particularly good at soccer, but Kevin didn’t care. He’d kick the ball toward me, and I’d chase it until I managed to kick it back. Sometimes he’d let me score. Sometimes he’d laugh so hard at my terrible aim that he’d fall onto the grass. But he never laughed to hurt my feelings. “Keira! You’re supposed to kick it toward the goal!” he shouted after I sent the ball rolling into Mom’s flower bed. “I was aiming for the goal!” “Then why’d you hit the flowers?” “Because they got in my way!” Kevin doubled over laughing, and I couldn’t help laughing with him. That’s when we heard someone on the other side of the fence. “Hey! You guys playing soccer?” A boy stood there with his hands wrapped around the wooden fence, looking into our backyard. He had messy brown hair, bright blue eyes, and the longest eyelashes I’d ever seen on a boy. I noticed those eyelashes immediately. Which was probably why the first thing I said to him was incredibly stupid. “You have pretty eyelashes.” Kevin groaned. The boy blinked at me. “What?” “Your eyelashes,” I repeated, pointing at my own eyes. “They’re really long. Girls would love to have eyelashes like that.” For a second, he just stared at me. Then he laughed. Not a mean laugh. Not the kind that made my stomach hurt. Just a surprised laugh. “Uh, thanks, I guess.” Kevin elbowed me. “You’re so weird, Keira.” I stuck my tongue out at him. The boy grinned. “I’m Adam. Adam Case. We just moved into that big house down the street.” “I’m Kevin. This is my sister, Keira.” “Your little sister?” “My twin,” Kevin corrected proudly. “But I’m twelve minutes older.” I rolled my eyes. “Here we go again.” Adam laughed. “So you’re the big brother?” “Yep.” “By twelve whole minutes,” I muttered. Kevin ignored me. “You wanna play?” “Sure!” And just like that, Adam Case became part of our lives. At first, I thought having another friend would be wonderful. Adam was funny, and he was really good at soccer. He and Kevin spent the entire afternoon running around the yard while I tried to keep up. Whenever they scored, they cheered like they’d just won the World Cup. I cheered too, even when I wasn’t sure which team I was supposed to be on. By the time Mom called us inside for dinner, the three of us were sweaty, dirty, and starving. Adam said he’d better get home, but Kevin begged him to stay. “Come on, Mom! He’s new here. He doesn’t know anybody.” Mom looked at Adam and smiled. “Well, we certainly can’t have that. Why don’t you call your parents and see if you can stay for dinner?” Adam’s face lit up. “Really?” “Of course.” I smiled too. I liked Adam. He seemed nice, and I thought it would be fun having someone else to play with. That night, we sat around the kitchen table eating spaghetti while Kevin and Adam talked about soccer, video games, and all the things they wanted to do together. I tried joining the conversation a few times. Mostly, they talked over me. I didn’t think much of it then. After dinner, Kevin asked if Adam wanted to see his bedroom. “Can I come?” I asked, already getting out of my chair. Kevin stopped. “Why?” I frowned. “Because we’re going to play, aren’t we?” “Adam and I are going to play video games.” “I like video games.” “Yeah, but you’re terrible at them.” “So? You said we could all play together.” Kevin looked at Adam, then back at me. “Maybe later, Keira.” I stood there holding the back of my chair. Maybe later. Kevin had never said that to me before. Adam didn’t say anything. He just followed my brother down the hallway. I heard their footsteps pounding up the stairs, followed by Kevin’s laughter. For the first time I could remember, my brother had gone off to have fun without me. Mom started clearing the dishes. “Don’t look so upset, Keira. Boys need time with other boys.” “But Kevin always plays with me.” “Well, he’s getting older. You can’t expect him to entertain you forever.” I looked toward the stairs. I wasn’t asking him to entertain me. I just wanted my best friend. That night, I sat outside Kevin’s bedroom for almost half an hour, listening to him and Adam laugh. Every once in a while, I considered knocking. But I remembered the way Kevin had looked at me when I’d asked to come along. Like I was bothering him. Eventually, I went into my own room and climbed into bed. I told myself it was only one evening. Tomorrow Kevin would want to play with me again, and everything would go back to normal. After all, we’d been together our entire lives. Twelve minutes apart. Ten years side by side. Surely one new boy couldn’t change that. I had no idea that Adam Case had just walked into my life and started taking away the one person who’d always made me feel like I belonged.