Watching my little brother pace around the living room during the storm did amuse me, but over time, it became a little unnerving. He kept racking his brain for something, and continuously checking his computer screen. His black hair fluffed up in a mess, and his eyes had a shade of purple around them. Scabs also started appearing where he’d been biting his lip.

“Illate,” I said, while grabbing him by his shoulders, “what’s up with you? Are you okay? Is there something going on?”

Only after a moment of silence, did Ilate respond to me, but he didn’t respond with words. Instead, tears started to flow from his eyes. He didn’t even start speaking, he just started sobbing in my arms. I only had one way to react to this break down, and that was with a hug.

Embracing my little brother, I lent him a shoulder to cry on. He stayed in my arms for a whole ten minutes, before he pulled away and started elaborating why he acted the way he did.

“I’m scared,” he told me, “I might have said something wrong to Itra…”

It took a lot of power for me to not giggle at what he said. That might sound mean, but I found that to be really funny. Who would have thought that my brother would start crying to me over girl trouble? Instead of laughing at him though, I simply listened.

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“I kept pushing about helping her, and then she just left,” Illate recounted, “and now, she won’t respond to my email…”

Illate fidgeted, as he told me his story. He talked about how they had a great day, until he kept trying to get her to open up. Now, she wouldn’t respond to his email, and he kept getting more and more worked up. Really though, he’s being too silly.

“Illate,” I placed a hand on his shoulder, “what did you email her?”

“T-this,” he responded and showed me his laptop screen that displayed:

Dear Itra,

I’m so very sorry about yesterday, and I know that I must have overstepped my bounds, which is why I’m very sorry. I never should have pushed you to try to open up, and I kept ignoring your pleas to stop. I’m hoping that you could forgive me for yesterday, and that we could also go out again today? We still have more work to do on my draft…and it would be great if I had your help too.

Sincerely,

Illate

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My brother never failed to amuse me. What kind of person offers to go on a date when it’s storming outside? Plus, the email heavily put on how sorry he felt, which made him sound so desperate. Illate needed to learn how to interact with other people. Maybe if I left him alone with all this, he might be able to grow on his own. Before that though, I needed to inform him.

“Illate,” I looked him straight in the eyes, “you know there’s a blackout, right? There’s no way you’re getting a reply with no internet.”

He deadpanned, and I couldn’t hold my laughter much longer.