“I won't.” He carried me back to the bed and tossed me on it. “You think you're mean? Now it's time to show you who's the mean one among us.” He threatened, with a straight expression on his face.
“You're not as mean as I am.” I stick my tongue out at him.
I tried to rise from the bed, but he didn't allow me to do so. He pinned me down with that large hand of his.
And it sent ripples down my spine.
“You'll see!” He started tickling my side. His merciless hands trying to tickle me to death.
“Stop…. *giggles*….tick… *giggles*… ling me!” I kicked my legs. But he still held me. His hold on me made it difficult for me to break free from him.
“I won't stop doing this until you agree that I'm your master. Do you agree?” He raised a brow.
His mouth tilted to the side in amusement. His eyes glittering with mirth.
“Never!” I laugh.
I furiously kicked my legs as he went back to tickling me until he…. stopped.
“What's wrong?”
Knowing my brother, he won't stop tickling me until I accept defeat, and I've not done that.
“Where did you get this?” He took up the wristwatch I stole with Jane up. His face was masked in a very dark frown.
The watch was in my pocket. And it fell off due to how much I was kicking my feet.
“Ehm… I,” I nervously scratched my hair, my mind trying to think up a believable lie to tell my brother who doesn't mention how I stole the said watch.
I can't tell him how I got the watch, else he'll prevent me from seeing Jane ever again, and that's not something I want.
“Don't think of lying to me, Tap. Who gave you this?”
His reference to me as Tap instead of baby boy proved the gravity of whatever is going on now. It shows just how pissed my brother is right now.
“I—Jane gave it to me.” I smiled brightly. “She said it was her Grandma's.”
I applauded myself for coming up with a believable lie in just a short time.
“Her grandmother's name is Peter?” He raised a brow at me. “Is that what you're trying to say?”
Uh oh.
“It might have been her grandpa's, and he gave it to her. I never listened to her when she told me who among her grandparents owns the wristwatch.”
I nervously scratched my hair.
“I think I'll call her and verify. “ He slowly climbed down from his bed. His eyes trained on me as if imploring me to say the truth to prevent him from going on with his dare.
I didn't make a move to stop him because I know he doesn't have her number.
He's just emptily threatening me.
“Go ahead and call her then.” I inwardly smiled.
He gave me a long look.
The expression on his face caused me to rub my arms.
My brother turned and levelled another dark look at me, as if willing me to tell him the truth, but I ignored him.
“Hello, Jane.”
“_”
I stared, mouth agape at him.
“This is…” Silence on his part. “I've had your number from the first day you and my brother became friends.” He darkly grimaced again.
Wait a damn minute, is he truly calling Jane?
That can't be.
I highly doubt she's the one he's calling. He must have dialled one of his friend's numbers and is pretending to be talking to Jane, while that's not true.
“Who gave Tap the golden wristwatch she brought back?” He slowly asked. His eyes trained on me.
I leapt to my feet and I walk closer to him, but he moved a bit farther from me.
“He told me you're the one who gave them to him. Why are you then saying someone gave it to him?”
My eyes were nearly boggled at his words.
My brother levelled a freezing gaze at me before he turned up the volume of his cell.
“Oh.” I heard Jane nervously chuckle. “I thought he said he won't tell you I was the one who gave those to him. Guess he had a change of mind.”
At the sound of Jane's voice, my heart leapt into my mouth. The beating was so loud it was almost deafening to my ears.
“Who gave them to you?” Brother asked. That same dark look on his face as he gave me a look. One he hasn't for once sent my way.
“My uncle.” Jane sharply said. “He…”
“Jane!” I shouted when I deduced she's likely to keep on heaping more lies to the ones we already told.
“Oops.” I heard from the other end of the call.
“Thank you for that.” He disconnected the call. “ Well, well, Tap. How did her Grandma turn to her uncle?”
“I can explain. “ I tried to walk closer to him, but he held his hand up to stop me.
“You can explain from there. “
“She told me she got the wristwatch from her grandma. She never mentioned anything about an Uncle. I guess her uncle might have given the wristwatch to her grandma. That's the only explanation on how it got into the hands of the grandmother.” I smiled at him. “ The uncle might be Peter.”
I felt damn proud of myself for having come up with a believable lie in a short while.
Brother won't be able to smell the lies from the words I just said. Not even Sherlock Holmes can detect the lies in my words.
“Are you trying to tell me the grandma has another son? Last I checked, Jane's father is the only son.” Brother looked disappointed as he said those words. “I never would have believed you're capable of lying. The brother I grew up with can't be a liar.”
His words sliced through my heart.
“That's not true, brother. I can explain…”
“Explain what Tap? Just a simple question asked, yet you can't seem to answer it. Tell me what you have in mind to explain!”