Chapter 84

Chapter 8 "Grayson, are you almost done with lunch?" I asked. "I'm starving!" "So you've said a dozen times already," Grayson said from the kitchen. "Seriously, though, you had a huge breakfast and you're still hungry. Why?" I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just hungry." "You've been just hungry for a few days now," he said as he walked out of the kitchen, sitting down on the couch and handing me a plate with quite a large sandwich. "It probably has to do with stress," I said. "University life is stressful." "True that," Grayson muttered as he took a bite into his own sandwich. It wasn't long before someone knocked on the front door. However, Grayson basically ignored it and continued devouring his sandwiches. He sure loved his sandwiches. I sighed, placing my plate on the coffee table and getting up from the couch. When I opened the door, I couldn't help but smile. "Tony!" I said happily, wrapping my arms around my older brother. "What are you doing here?!" "Well, I thought it was time to visit my little sister," he said, ruffling my hair. I stepped aside, allowing him to walk in. I closed the door behind him as he took off his shoes. "Nice place," he said. "Hi, Grayson." Grayson gave my brother a wave, still devouring his sandwich. Tony followed me to the living room, sitting down on the chair we had as I took my spot back on the couch to continue eating my sandwich. "So, how's university?" he asked. "Stressful, right?" I scoffed. "You have no idea." "Uh, Poppy? You know I was in university already, right?" he asked. "Well, yeah, but you never took Intro to Biology," I said. Tony gave me a weird look. "What are you talking about? I studied biology. I'm a biology teacher!" I shrugged as I took a bite in my sandwich. I was still starving even though I did have a big breakfast. I had been really stressed for the past couple days and I was usually a stress eater. That definitely planned a part in my hunger. "So, besides it being stressful, are you enjoying the university life?" Tony asked. "I bet there are loads of parties." "Loads of parties, yes," I said. "But I haven't been to one yet. Grayson, on the other hand, can't seem to stop getting invites from them. Almost every day, it's party invitation after party invitation. I don't know how he does it." "Wait, you've been in university for how long? A month?" Tony asked. "And you haven't been to a single party? Are you crazy?" "Not everyone likes parties," I muttered, taking one final bite out of my sandwich. I sighed, leaning back in the couch and turning my head to look at Grayson. "I'm hungry." Grayson nearly choked on his sandwich. "Again? Are you serious?" "It was a small sandwich." "It was a large sandwich," Grayson objected. "Go eat some chips or something." I got up from the couch and went to the kitchen, grabbing a bag of chips from the cupboard. When I sat back down on the couch, Tony gave me a concerned look. "Are you okay?" he asked. I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why wouldn't I be?" "Grayson told me that you've been hungry for the last couple days," he said. "And that you had a big breakfast, plus a large sandwich, and you're still hungry." "Tony, you know I'm a stress eater," I said. "University has been stressful." "True," Tony said. "So, besides university, how is everything?" "Good," I said. "Well, starting this week it's been good. The past couple weeks were honestly a bit shaky." "Why?" Tony asked. I looked over at Grayson, honestly to tease him a bit. "Yeah, Grayson? Why?" Grayson glared at me, placing his now empty plate on the coffee table. "I apologized, alright. I thought we got past that." "I'm kidding," I said with a smile. He just gave me an eye roll before reaching for the TV remote and turning on the TV. "So, something happened between the two of you?" Tony asked. "Wow. I never thought that would happen." "It's happened before," I reminded. "But everything's fine between us now so it's all good. How's high school without your awesome sister in your class?" Tony chuckled. "Different, actually. The senior class isn't as hyper as you guys were last year." "You mean awesome?" I corrected. "Yeah, sure," Tony said with an eye roll. "But teaching there is basically the same. Oh, except for the new teacher that's working there. She just graduated from university and she's so annoying. Conceited, think she knows everything about science even though she never took biology in university." I couldn't help but smile. "Aw, Tony!" "What?" he asked, looking awfully confused. "How old is she?" I asked. "My age," he said with furrowed eyebrows. "What's her name?" I asked. "What does she look like? Is she pretty?" "Okay, I know what you're trying to say, but no, I don't like her," he said, narrowing his eyes at me. "Like I said, she's very annoying and conceited. I seriously don't know what goes on in that little mind of yours." "Uh huh," I said, still with the same smile. My brother totally liked the new teacher working at the school. They could bond over teacher stuff. I totally shipped it now. "Want anything to drink or eat?" "Got any soda?" Tony asked. I nodded and got up off the couch, heading towards the kitchen. I opened the fridge, grabbing what I believed was Tony's favorite flavor. As soon as I closed the fridge, I suddenly got very dizzy, which caused me to stumble a bit and bump into the fridge. "Flower?!" Grayson called. "Are you okay?!" "Yeah!" I called back, closing my eyes as I rubbed my forehead. "I'm fine! I just got dizzy!" After I was feeling better, I walked back to the living room, handing Tony the soda can. "Are you sure you're okay?" Grayson asked. "I haven't seen you like this before." "I'm fine," I said. "It's the stress getting to me." "You haven't been that stressed recently," Grayson pointed out. "This week wasn't stressful for you. Do you want to go to the doctors?" "Grayson, I'm fine," I said. "I promise." "Okay," Grayson said, but in a tone that was doubtful. "But if this continues to happen, I'm taking you to the doctor." I gave him a reassuring smile. "And the doctor will probably tell you that it's stress. I was up late for the last couple weeks, so the stress and exhaustion are probably catching up to me. And I was dizzy one time. I got up to fast, that's it." "Okay," Grayson said again before turning his focus to the TV. Thankfully he didn't say anything else about it. I knew I was stressed and tired. That was it. I looked at Tony again, putting the smile back on my face. "So, this new teacher..." Tony groaned. "Don't bring that up, Poppy." "I just want to know her name," I said, turning my smile into a frown. "Charlie," he said. "Why?" "I had to know," I said. "Which one sounds better? Tarlie or Chony? I kind of like Tarlie better." "You... Don't start with that," he said with an irritated look. "I told you that I don't like her. She's annoying and conceited and a know-it-all and extremely gorgeous." I smiled wider. "You do like her!" "What? No, I don't," Tony said. "Grayson, help me out here." Grayson glanced at Tony before looking at the TV again. "Sorry, but I'm siding with Poppy on this one. You do realize that you said this Charlie is extremely gorgeous, right?" "I never said that," Tony said. "You did," I said. "You totally did. Dude, you're twenty-three. You're an adult. You can admit when you like someone." Tony sighed, leaning back in the chair. "She's always getting on my nerves, but... I don't know. There's just something about her." "You need to ask her out," I said. "Yeah, right," he said. "We argue a lot. Well, she argues with me which makes me argue with her. I have a feeling she isn't that fond of me." "You never know," I said. "She might be arguing with you because she likes to make you angry. I do that to Grayson all the time." "What?" Grayson asked. "Shush, I'm giving out sisterly advice," I said. "Anyway, you either ask her out or wait if you know for sure that she likes you." "Yeah, I didn't come here for sisterly advice," Tony said. "I came here for a visit because I haven't seen you since you moved out. You live further away from me now." "It's not my fault I have to be close to the university," I said. "But thank you for the surprise visit. I have an idea. Let's play some video games." It was nice to hang out with my brother. I really did miss him, especially because I never saw him now. Before, I saw him every day at school because he was my biology teacher and he didn't live that far away. For once since university started, I was starting to feel relax. I just hoped I could stay this way.