Page 36 of We Shouldn't Be Together
“Pfft.“ My lip upturns. “We are good. We’re the best.”
Jamie huffs, throwing her hands up. “That’s what I keep telling her.”
“You want a shake?” Maddy asks, walking Milo further into the cafe. “It’s on the house.”
My groan reverberates in my throat. Is she treating Milo like family just because he’s my identical twin? That’s so unnecessary.
“Oh, I’ve still got cash,” Milo says, digging his hand into his pocket for his wallet. “I didn’t drop it all at the bookstore.”
“There’s a first,” I blurt.
Milo stumbles on his footing at the sound of my voice and almost stacks it in front of my booth. My eyes can’t help rolling. My brother, ladies and gentlemen. The straight-A student who got an F in walking and standing still. Seriously, if there’s not a day where this genius doesn’t trip somewhere, it’d shock me.
Milo steadies himself and shrugs. “They didn’t have the book I wanted. I had to order it.”
I nod at his white canvas tote bag. “Looks like it didn’t stop you, though.”
Milo chews his lip, looking down at the bag. “Well, I was in the bookstore.”
I fake sneeze. “Nerd.”
Maddy passes behind my seat and whacks the back of my head. “Be nicer to your brother. I think it’s admirable how much he reads outside of school assignments.”
Jamie subtly yaps her hands together behind her aunt’s back, and I involuntarily let out a snort.
“Jamie,“ Maddy scolds without having to look.
“What?“ Jamie squeaks. “I’m not doing anything.”
“Mm-hmm. Tell that to your tone,” Maddy says, going behind the counter and grabbing a large silver milkshake cup. “What’ll it be, Milo?”
My head pings with the answer, “Strawberry Shortcake,” just as my brother says it.
“Can read you like a book,” I mutter at him.
Milo’s eyebrows raise over the top of his glasses. “Oh, you know how to do that?”
Maddy bursts into laughter as she scoops strawberry ice-cream.
Jamie folds her arms, eyeballing me as she cheers, “Burn.”
I roll my eyes and stand up. “Whatever.” I grab Milo by the shoulder and turn him toward the opposite side of the booth. “Come on. Sit down while we wait for Mom to arrive.”
“Aunty, can I go with them?” Jamie calls behind us.
“Have you finished cleaning your section?” Maddy calls over the top of the milkshake machine.
Jamie answers with a drawn-out grunt. As I sit across from Milo, I watch her grab a cleaning cloth and spray bottle and trudge toward the tables.
“Isn’t it service with asmile, James?“ I tease.
Jamie liberally sprays a table with a cleaning solution and huffs. “Thisisn’t service. This is where I find out just how messy our customers are.”
Milo sits taller in his seat. “I won’t make a mess, Jamie.”
“I would hope not, with a milkshake.” The corners of her mouth curl upward. “Although, Milo, you’re such a klutz. It wouldn’t surprise me if you spilled strawberry liquid everywhere.”
At that, Milo goes back into his usual hunched position, his floppy hair hanging over his glasses. It’s easier to see how no one mistakes us for each other. I like standing tall and letting my presence be known. Milo is a background blender.
