A/N: wrote this for class, decided to post it here. Hope you like :)

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“Patrick, I think we should be heading home.” She walked in slowly, Patrick following close behind. “The cops wouldn’t like this. If we get caught-”

He laughed, the bell ringing in his ears as the door closed. “Don’t be a sap, Gloria. Trust me, nothing will happen.”

When the couple were inside, two older men were smoking on the corner next to the trash can, eyeing the door.

“There’s just no way.” The slightly shorter man, Ricky, shook his head as he put his cigarette out. “Who in their right minds would go to the parlor in the middle of January  while there’s an investigation on our street? They’re definitely going to do something else.”

The taller, John, shook his head and pressed his thin pink lips together. He was dragged here by the other out of bed, threw on his tight coat, and was now hiding in this smelly ally.

“Does it really matter what he does after this?” He huffed and spun his heel over to his brother, who groaned. “He’s…what, 17?”

“19, wiseguy. Do you know what all nineteen year-olds think?”

Before he could stop himself, he grinned. “I know what you were.”

Ricky groaned again and smacked the back of John’s head. He peeked inside from the window, moving the frost away with his fingertips. He rubbed his hands together as he saw his little brother and his little girlfriend sit on the tall stools and pull out school work. He scoffed.

“God, what a nerd.” He pulled his red scarf above his mouth and adjected his hat. “Get a move on it.”

The bell hollered their arrival. John sat at the red booth in the back as Ricky looked right and left, swifting his big eyes to the front where the couple were mindlessly chatting. The waiter came up to the table.

“What would you like?”

Ricky made his voice deeper, still eyeing Patrick’s back. “Just coffee. Three sugars, no creamer.”

“Um, I want-”

“You hippo! Keep your voice down!” He looked away when Gloria turned her head slightly to the noise, then sighed when she looked away.

As John was ordering, Ricky adjected his body slightly to hear what those two were saying. It was difficult, considering everyone else talking, but he did pick up a bit.

“Boy, you’ve been staring at the menu for ten minutes. Pick something or beat it.” He snickered at that. Of course, his little brother would be getting chewed out by a grandpa behind the counter.

Patrick rubbed his face. “Um, I still don’t know.” He looked over to see his date laughing, his cheeks burning. “Actually, I choose chocolate.”

The man smiled now, getting his sliver scooper out. “Attaboy!”

She drank her root-beer float. “I'm surprised. Don't you like vanilla?”

“I do, but, well, your eyes kinda look like chocolate.” He pulled her in by her side.

John saw his annoyed face. “I told you he's fine. You baby him too much.”

“I don't.”

“You do. He's nearly done with college at nineteen. The kid is a genius. You just have to relax.”

He huffed. Patrick’s a good man. He goes to church, he prays nightly, he does his work, he really is the gentleman that their mother likes. But nobody could be perfect all the time. Gloria is a beauty. Everyone stares at her. There's no way they haven't done anything by now.

“One hamburger, fries, and a chocolate milkshake.” The waiter gave John his food. Ricky scoffed. 

The only sound for a while was chewing. He must’ve been famished. The hamburger was savory, grease going down John’s slightly double chin as he chewed the beef. Each fry was a unique blend of flavor and texture that crunched and left crumbs around his mouth. But his favorite part was the creamy milkshake. The chocolate was rich and thick, sliding down his throat and making his body chill.

As this was going on, Gloria whispered something to Patrick, making him laugh.

“Well, I think we should be alone together after this!” The man was talking loud, making both his brothers wide-eyed.

“That's swell! I made sure I had my good socks on!” She stood up, the other shooting up with her. “Let's go right now!”

As they walked out the door, John threw down his napkin. “Socks?! We gotta split, now!”

The men ran out after paying, John still having his half-eaten burger in his hand. They heard kissing in the back. They were rushing to stop them, but before Ricky could shout, Patrick grabbed him by his shirt.

“Why were you pecking on us, huh?!” He let go and was holding Gloria's fluffy black coat. “You think you're the big cheese, huh!”

Ricky moved back, the wind blowing in the dead trees. “You were going to have premarital sex!”

“No! Gloria knew you were snooping, so we made that whole thing up!” John slapped his forehead. “And even if we did, so what?! I'm a man!”

“But you're-” he stopped himself. This grown, angry man was his brother. He wasn't a kid anymore that got upset when he would hide his stuff or call him chubby. He was an educated, working, cursing adult. “Oh, I need a minute.”

Ricky sat on the ground, his back coming cold and stiff. Patrick sat next to him, passing him a cigarette. John tried offering his burger to Gloria as an apology, but she refused. Good thing she did. He wanted it all to himself.

“Look, Rick, I know me getting older is hard for you.” He took a drag, enjoying the way the smoke curled around itself. “But I know what I'm doing. Gloria knows, too. We don't need you guys sneaking on us.”

He curved his mouth. “I know, I'm sorry.” He looked up at John. “And I'm sorry for dragging you here.”

“At least I got food from it.” The food was finally eaten, the man still tasting it in his mouth. “I hope you learned something from this.”

“Yeah, I did.”

Gloria and Patrick helped him up. “C'mon now, let's go home.”

Ricky looked at him again. He was so grown up. He shook his head, realizing what a fool he's been. “Yeah, I'm cold anyway.”