Cousie

“WHAT?!?” he asks me as he looks at me straight in the eye.

“Nothing,” I stuttered as I quickly turned away. My brother and I exchanged glances that read, ‘what was up with that?’ I haven’t seen him for over 2 years and the vibes he is sending me now isn’t exactly positive. I wondered how he turned out to be such a rude, snobbish kid. He used to be...a normal kid I suppose.

He talks to everyone with a sense of arrogance. And definitely without a sense of respect. Yet, it wasn't my place to tell him off. I was practically a stranger to him as he was to me. I wondered whether it was his upbringing or perhaps, he was of that age when being snobbish is cool...Whatever it is, he baffled me.

He asked for my number as we left. I wasn't sure when will I be seeing him next. Or, whether he will trod down that dark alley. Who knows.

The next day, an sms came through, "Guess who? How are you doing? What are you up to?"

I replied.

And another sms came right after.

And another one.

And another one.

We exchanged about 30 smses over 2 days.

It felt strange initially. Why would he even bother keeping in contact with me. Where was the arrogance. Where was the I'm-too-cool-for-school attitude. Where was that sense of indifference. I replied each sms hesitantly but politely. I asked him questions about himself because really, he shouldn't be a stranger to me. After all, blood is thicker than water.

On the way home one evening, an sms came through, "Sorry for bothering you so often. Thanks for replying my smses. You have really lifted my spirits and given me the courage..."

Suddenly, the pieces all fit together. He wasnt that snobbish kid I pictured him to be. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Perhaps, he was trying to pull it all together and needed someone to tell him that he can do it.