"Don't you ever knock, Ang?"

"Answer my question."

"I have my right to keep my mouth shut, don't I?"

"Answer my damn question!"

"No, there's nothing going on!" Malcolm shouted at Angus. "There is nothing between us, so you can untie the knot in your panties and get the hell out of my room!" Malcolm stood from his bed and tossed his magazine on his dresser before walking toward Angus, forcing him out. Angus put either hand on the door frames and held his ground.

"What's with all the sneakin' around then, huh? Keepin' everything a secret from me Mal!" The older boy scoffed and shook his head. "Why can't you jus' tell me?"

"'Cause it's not my news to tell! If anyone ought to tell you, it should be Hannah herself." Angus dropped his frown. "And there's no sneakin' around, so calm the fuck down."

Angus was gently pushed out of the room and the door was closed on him. Angus stuck his foot out and caught it just in time. With all the strength his tiny form held, the door was slowly pried open, his face appearing on the other side with a wild look. Malcolm held his back to the door to push it closed, but was surely losing the battle. "Don't you know Mal?" the younger boy asked, baring his teeth. "I'm never calm."

"It'd be great if you started." Malcolm gave up with one last shove and in his brother waltzed; a hidden look of pride washing his features. The bed sunk as one boy gave it company while the other leaned against the dresser to complete his look of satisfaction. A sighing breath fogged the room. "You can go now, Ang. You won."

"Naw, I ain't finished with you just yet," the boy said sauntering toward him. Malcolm glanced at the ceiling with a futile hope of a breakneck solitude. "What's up your boxers, Mal? Why'd you get so defensive?"

"Why'd you get so confrontational?"

"Perhaps I have a reason to be." The older boy laughed humorlessly and lay back, head hitting the pillow.

"I'd love to hear it."

"You tell me. You're the one-"

"I'm not doin' anything!" Angus frowned, taking a few steps toward the bed. His hands grabbed his brother's arm and pulled him up while Malcolm resisted familial arrest. "Let go, you arse!"

Angus was pushed to the ground before seizing Malcolm's ankle and pulling him down with him. Pushes and shoves were exchanged to the point of disinterest, and they continued their fight with whatever they found around the small room. The pillow Angus took wasn't a match to the soccer cleat Malcolm had.

Malcolm had Angus cornered, whacking the pillow shielding the younger boy's face. Sitting there like a duck wasn't what Angus had planned so he jabbed his foot out attempting a few kicks in Malcolm's direction. One kick to the arm sent Malcolm away, and the cleat flew into the lamp on his dresser. Both boys watched the lamp fall and shatter, then gave each other a look. Mrs. Young was up there in a second.

"What on Earth are you boys doing?" She gasped as she saw blue shards on the floor, the shoe laying against the wall, freshly thrown. Mrs. Young gave her sons a hard glare. "This better have been an accident."

"It's Angus' fault!"

"You smacked me over the head with a shoe!" Angus gave Malcolm a swift kick inciting him to make another lunge. The woman pulled her sons apart, standing them up a good distance away from the other.

"You boys are way too old to be acting like this!" she yelled. "Are you really such children that I need to keep you from fighting? Do I need to call a baby sitter?" No answer. "Do I? Next time I see or hear you fighting, especially breaking things, I won't hesitate to call someone to look after you." Angus looked away from his mother, her hand still holding his arm. "Angus, look at me. You're fourteen! You know better."

Malcolm couldn't help the rising snicker that formed in his throat. His mother didn't waste any time lighting into him about it. "Are you laughing?" His smile dropped. "Are you?"

"No, ma'am."

"I hope not, this isn't funny. You're even older than him, you shouldn't be hitting anybody with a shoe like a toddler."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'm already on you boys for breaking the television the other day." She released Angus' arm. "And the window. Now, I understand that was an accident, and maybe breaking the lamp was an accident too. But I can't be letting you two get away with nonsense like this. Can I?"

"No, ma'am," Angus mumbled. He gave Malcolm a dirty look over his mother's shoulder, and he responded the same. Had she noticed, their punishment would be lethal. She turned her attention to Angus.

"Makes me wonder if you deserve going to that dance on Saturday."

"You said I only had to pass the test!"

"That was before the two of you started acting up, isn't it?"

"But Mum-" She held her hand up to silence him.

"Why on earth should I let you after this display of behav-"

"He just asked Hannah to go with him, Mum," Malcolm explained. Angus looked at him in disbelief that he should help him. If his suspicion was correct, Malcolm should have been ecstatic that Hannah would be available and would do everything to keep it that way. "That's why."

Mrs. Young turned her head. "You asked Hannah?"

Angus nodded.

"What did she say?"

Another nod.

"Why would you ask her when you yourself didn't know if you could go?" Mrs. Young asked running a hand through her hair.

"She was helping me study, and-and I wanted to take her out. As-as a thank you, ya' know, and-"

"And I promised I'd drive him," Malcolm interjected. "We were gonna pick her up, and I'd take both of them home."

"Is this true?" Mrs. Young asked Angus.

"Yes, Mum." Her eyes scanned her children for any signs of a trick, to get out of trouble and to get out of the house. Malcolm stared at her with a look of determination, Angus couldn't bear her gaze, and instead looked at the shards on the floor. They seemed to be laughing at him.

Rain commenced its pour right as Hannah closed the front door to her house. Her uniform didn't get wet this time. A schoolbag was placed on a kitchen chair and a new album was placed on the record player, the needle carving into the vinyl as it spun and crackled to life. The music of the sixties brought out her mother from her dressing room. "What's this?"

"My new album," Hannah said.

"Were you at the music store?" her mother asked with venom dripping from her tongue. "You remember what I said?" The sleeve was grasped tightly like a shield in front of her.

"I promise, I didn't go to the music store today," Hannah equivocated. "Angus gave it to me. As a present."

"A present?"

"He asked me to the dance too...I mean, he might not be able to go, but I told him yes," the girl explained. Her mother shook her head and walked to the kitchen.

"Hannah dear, would you come set the table for dinner?" Two plates were placed on the table, one on either side of the centerpiece of roses Hannah had picked. Seeing them made her wrists itch. "I hope nothing's burned, I walked away to fix my hair for a few minutes."

Hannah sat on one side of the table still listening to her new record. Luckily her mother didn't take it away from her.

"Does Angus know how clumsy you are with records?"

"I told him I broke one, but he bought it for me anyway."

"Wonder how smart that kid is..." Food was poured on both plates and both girls bowed their heads. "It's your turn, sweetheart."

"Dear God..." Hannah opened her eyes and snuck a peek around the room. The record still played in the middle of grace, her math book sat in her schoolbag and the rain thundered outside. Her eyes closed again. "Thank you for this food, let the rain stop in time for the weekend, thank you for my new album, and please help Angus pass his test tomorrow. He really deserves it," she whispered. "Amen."

"Amen."

"Was that okay Mom?"

"That was just fine. What was that about that math test? Aren't you taking it too?"

"Yeah, at a different time. But Angus has been studying real hard and-"

"Why are you asking help for him?" her mother interrupted. "You ought to be asking for you to pass." Hannah twirled her fork.

"He's been studying real hard-"

"Not as hard as you, I'm sure. Pass the potatoes, honey." The bowl was handed to the other side of the table. "Thank you."

"So...if Angus passes the test, it means he can take me to the dance on Saturday," Hannah mentioned. No answer came from the other end of the table. "Can-can I go?"

"Who asked you?"

"A-Angus."

"That same boy? When did he ask you?"

"Today. While we were studying he asked me."

"Uh-huh...and uh, how did you expect you were gonna get there? I can't drop you off, I'll be busy the whole day."

"Malcolm said-"

"Who's Malcolm?" Hannah dropped her fork and rushed to pick it up.

"He's his brother, he said he was gonna drive us."

"Put that in the sink, get a new one." Hannah did as she was told. Her mother wiped her mouth on a napkin. "How old is Malcolm?"

"Sixteen."

"He go to the same school?"

"He used to..." Her mother raised an eyebrow. "He dropped out last year."

"Dropped out? You hang around dropouts?"

"They let you out at fifteen, Mom. It's not like he just quit. And Angus hasn't dropped out."

"Yet," her mother added under her breath. "You're asking for permission?"

"Yes please." Her eyes searched her mother for any signs of affirmation. There wasn't any. Yet there wasn't any refusal either.

"Those two kids you hang around with, they're the problem children I hear about aren't they? Why would Angus want to go to the dance with a nice girl like you?"

"Who else would he go with?" Hannah frowned as she thought of Susan. A bit surprised as well that he hadn't asked her.

"Maybe some girl he met behind the bleachers he's always caught making out with, or giving STDs to," the woman spat out. Hannah choked on her rice and washed it down with a swig of water. "Slow down on your food, honey."

"As far as I'm concerned, Angus hasn't done either of those things, so..."

"Do you stand by his side twenty four seven?" Hannah shook her head. "No. You don't." The woman took a few more bites of food and silence fell over the table. "Does he treat you well?"

"Yes, very well," Hannah answered.

"And Malcolm?"

"Same answer."

"I believe he's the more behaved one anyway...why wasn't he the one who asked you?"

"I told you, he dropped out. He can't go to school dances anymore. But he can chaperone, so Angus asked him if he would." Her mother considered all the information given to her.

"You really want to go with him?" The girl nodded her head earnestly, hoping she'd hear a yes. "Well, I guess I can't stop you. If I say no I'm afraid those two will smuggle you out anyway. As long as this Angus picks you up on time and drops you off on time, and Malcolm is a responsible driver and doesn't go out drinking while you're dancing."

"He won't, his mother would kill him if he did."

"Good woman. And I don't want my girl coming home with tears on her face, if he breaks your heart, I'll break his-"

"Okay Mom, I'll let him know," Hannah cut her off. She didn't feel it necessary to hear of her mother's quite truthful threats. "Thank you." The two shared a hug, and Hannah went to clear the table and wash the dishes.

"On one condition..."

"Another one?"

"Yes. I get to help you get ready." The young girl smiled in return.

His attention was pulled back to his mother when she walked to the doorway. "No drinking and driving, Mal. Okay?"

"Okay Mum. I promise, I won't do anything I'll regret," Malcolm answered with a responsible smile. She turned to Angus.

"I'll let you go to the dance, Angus, if you get no less than an eighty percent on that test. Passing isn't enough anymore."

"Thank you," Angus called out as she walked down the hall. Before she left, she called behind her.

"And as long as the rain stops by that evening too. I don't want you dragging the poor girl through puddles of mud and getting her all wet, okay?"

"Sometimes I think she deserves it," Angus mumbled. Malcolm gave him a look, but he didn't dare let his mother know what he said. The rain still shot outside making both boys nervous. It didn't look like it was stopping anytime soon, and that could ruin all their evenings.

"The renovators are installing our new television and window on Saturday too, might as well have you two out of the house so you won't disturb them." She headed down the stairs then stopped. "And boys?"

"Yeah, Mum?"

"Clean that mess up." Her footsteps trailed down the stairs leaving the two boys in silence. Malcolm looked at Angus wondering if he was going to let Hannah know he planned to spend his night with Susan. He was almost mad at his brother. Taking a sweet girl like her out to a dance to ditch her and try for a girl who wanted nothing to do with him. One of the reasons Malcolm agreed to drive them was if Hannah got ditched she'd have someone to run to. If Angus was smart, he wouldn't try anything that stupid. Angus stood there with his hands in his pockets, eyes resumed to looking at the pieces of what used to be a lamp on the floor. He didn't know what to think. His arrival at that dance and Hannah's front door all depended on his test performance. If Miss Jackson was having a bad day, he might not score a good weekend. And the blasted rain...a good grade would be all for naught if it didn't quit.

Then he thought if Hannah's mother would even allow her to go. She knew what troublemakers both boys could be and how Hannah even got into trouble when she was around them. That whole party they threw on summer break, the fight in the cafeteria leading Hannah to ditch class, and all the pranks they pulled together growing up.

Angus smiled to himself. All those days meeting at school to hang out, or going downtown with Malcolm to visit all the sights in Australia. The waterpark where he got stuck on the slide or where Malcolm lost his trunks in the kiddie pool. Hannah was the only one not afraid to lose her dignity and fetch them for him. The whole rest of the day Malcolm was in her debt, but the very next morning he stuck his dirty sock in her mouth as a joke while she slept. So much for returning the favor.

The movie theater when Hannah went with a few friends and denied Angus access to them, so he snuck in. Sure enough he got caught, and had to be sent home with Hannah who happened to be caught sneaking in a whole bag of candy. They had a good laugh about it on the way home despite what their parents thought.

"Whatcha thinkin' about, Ang?" Malcolm asked. The boy looked up at his expectant brother.

"Jus'...thinkin', that's all."

"I saw that smile, thinkin' 'bout Susan?"

"No!" Angus snapped. He pushed past Malcolm and headed out his door.

"We still have the lamp to clean up. What made you think Hannah and I had anything goin' on? Why'd you get so crazy on me earlier?" Angus closed his eyes and balled up his fist. Without turning around, he closed the door.

"I don't know."