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Jesus, I don’t even want to think about hi on my bed

Then again, he is twelve years old and probably has boxes of tissues and paper towels stashed under his bed the sa random erections at inconvenient times

Alex is definitely way cooler than I ah There’s no doubt he is part of the popular crowd—the one I was never part of while growing up He plays football and lacrosse and doesn’t give a rat’s ass about academics, so I’m shocked he would use any room to study and do homework in, let alone my room

Coa on the wall across frorandmother for my fourteenth birthday, and it’s a lot nicer than the one that’s in the den downstairs

Not to brag, but I was always one of Grandma’s favorites

“You knohat I would appreciate, Alex? I would love it if you would get out of my bedroom”

“When did you becoive me my privacy, and I can see he’s surprised by my attitude I don’t usually kick him out when he makes himself at home in here, probably because he doesn’t co my space for his own purposes, I need to set boundaries and reestablish my territory

I glance at him over my shoulder and pry open the box “You should probably watch your mouth Does Mom know you swear like that?”

I catchhis eyes at me “Dude, I’m twelve, not a baby”

I can see that he’s not a baby—he looks like a preteen now, having shot up several inches in the short tiland

Alex is al to do

“I didn’t say you were a baby—I asked if Mom’s ever heard you swear like that”

“Yeah right,” he scoffs “She would have a fit, then Aunt Myrt would get involved, and soon everyone would be yelling at me No thanks”

He’s not wrong; since Aunt Myrtleherself into fa drama where none previously existed

Guess she’s bored as hell with nothing else to occupy her time but us

“It’s like living with the Crypt Keeper,” Alex continues

“Hey—don’t be mean”

“I’ mean! She’s a hundred years old Do you kno not cool it is living with a geriatric?”

I turn and level him with a stare “Would you say that to her face?”

“No”