Sully & Mick

“Sully. Chill. He will be here.”

Mick lounged lazily in his chair. He looked up from his copy of To Kill a Mockingbird as Sully bounced up and down nervously outside his bedroom door.

“I’m chill. I’m chill. I’m… Do you think I should text him?” He reached for his phone, tucked deep within the back pocket of his skinny black jeans.

“Whoa, whoa. Slow down, Casanova. He’s not even late.”

“But …”

“Don’t make me put this book down and come over there.”

“Hmm…” Sully sighed, letting the phone slip from his fingers, back into its resting place.

“Trust me. He’ll be here. Where is it you're going anyway?”

“I don’t know. He never said.”

“So, a surprise then? Cute.”

“Yeah…” Sully giggled, brushing a loose strand of hair out of his eyes.

“Well, you two have fun now. Meanwhile, I have to get this read by third period - Monday. It’s certainly not what I would call light reading.”

“Hey, I’ll swap you. I’ve got to read Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 2 and memorise it for Drama.”

“That sounds fun.”

“Sarcasm?”

“No. I like Macbeth. Never got to do it last year. We had The Tempest instead. Which, you know, is fun and all. But I really wanted to do a tragedy rather than … I don’t even know how to classify The Tempest.”

“Is that the one with Ariel?”

“Yeah.”

“That hot guy from Merlin played him in a production. You know who I mean. He was Merlin in Merlin.”

“Colin Morgan?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, aye? Any good?”

“I liked it.”

“It or him?”

“Both… though I don’t remember much outside of him.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

“Shut up.” A smile flashed across Sully’s lips.

“There we go. I know you’re nervous, but try and enjoy it. Yeah?”

“Y..yeah.”

“Oh, and if he hurts or upsets you, I'll break his kneecaps.”

“Mick!”

“I’m kidding! I’m kidding! Mostly. No one breaks my brother’s heart and gets away with it.”

“Please don’t embarrass me.”

“Can’t make any promises. Now, sit down, you’re putting me off.”

Mick patted the sofa beside him.

“I …” Sully began hesitantly.

“Sit. I have to give you the talk.”

“No, you really don’t.”

“But I do.”

“Nothing is going to happen.”

“Well, if it does, just be careful, yeah?”

“Ugh, this is so embarrassing.” Sully blushed, burying his face in his sleeve.

“Ha!” Mick opened his mouth to say more, but was mercifully cut off by the long drone of the buzzer.

“Saved by the bell.”

“Your stay of execution. Ha. Go! And good luck.”

“Thanks, Mick.”