Mahdi sat at the kitchen table, his knees pressed up to his chest. It was the one place in the house not filled with his brother's friends. Mahdi had turned eighteen on Wednesday, and since their parents were going to be away that weekend, his older brother Chris had promised to throw him a party. He'd been excited at the time, but now he couldn't fathom why.
He'd never been popular at school. The first strike was his name -- he could blame his parents for that, at least. Second had been his clothing style. The baggy clothes and dark colours that most boys wore had just never been appealing. And third, he was gay. If he'd had any hope of friends before, it was lost the day he came out. Now he was sitting quietly alone in the kitchen at his own birthday party, listening to the festivity going on outside the door.
That is, until a girl burst through the door, in the middle of shrill laughter. She suddenly stopped when she saw him. The door swung closed behind her, and she flexed her jaw awkwardly, he stared up at her through his reddish bangs.
"Aren't you...Chris' little brother?" She tried to sound friendly. Mahdi nodded. "Um..." she wobbled on her feet, "So isn't this your party? You don't look too happy about it." He didn't respond, so she continued, "Do you...do you want me to get your brother?"
"Yes, I'd like a word with him." Mahdi hoped his anger would come through in that statement; that the girl would convey it to her brother. "Tell him I'll be out back." He unfolded himself from the chair.
"Sure thing..." the girl slipped out of the kitchen, glad to be away from such an awkward atmosphere. She was very happy she wasn't Chris.
Mahdi pulled his sweater sleeves over his hands as he walked out onto the back porch. The air had a chill to it, but it wasn't cold. Maybe it was just because he was upset. He leaned on the railing, half anticipating and half dreading his brother's appearance. Chris shouldn't be mad at him for interrupting the party -- it was his party after all.
He heard the screen door swing open behind him, but didn't say anything until he heard it bang closed. He turned around.
Chris stood before him, looking ruffled. He clearly wasn't pleased about having to pander to his little brother. "Brittany said you wanted me...?" he sounded out of breath, but was still trying to look like the party could wait.
It didn't fool Mahdi. "So I guess my birthday was just an excuse for you to throw a party for your friends." He said in a low voice.
"What do you mean...? I told you I'm throwing you a birthday party." He gestured back at the din coming from the house, "What do you think all this is? Isn't it good enough?"
