I'm getting ready to leave the school. Until the main doors open again and Mikey and Renet Tilley blast out like they're on the run. 

"Okay, Okay, believe it or not, I can dri- Donnie??"

"Hi, Mikey. Hello, Renet. What's new?"

"Mikey, this is your brother, right?"

"Yup! This is Donnie!! He's the one I was telling you about that built the robot! D, can you show Renet Metalhead?" Mikey leans close to the giggling Renet and whispers: "I named him myself." 

Oh well, why not? So I take my robot out of its box. It was supposed to be for the science fair, but it's getting an exhibition anyway. The robot is about the size of an average cell phone. I would have liked to make a bigger model, but this one is easy transport. I'm actually having a good time explaining the building process until I see the time- 11:30. 

Unfortunately for all parties in attendance, I have to be the responsible one. "Renet, do you have a ride home?"

"Actually, that's me." Mikey stammers shyly.

"Michael." I say realistically. "You're fourteen, you can't drive." 

He starts to argue, but I cut him off, stating that I'll drive them. I drive really slow and easy, considering that I technically didn't exactly have my license either at that exact point in time. I stare politely at the floral wallpaper while Mikey and Renet say good night, and then it's just me and my brother in the car. And Metalhead, but he's in power saving mode. I'm just pulling into our apartment parking lot when Mikey speaks up again. 

"Donnie...?"

"What's up?" People sure are saying my name a lot tonight. 

"You're growing... Aren't you?"

Man, my brothers sat weird stuff. I'm laughing lightly as I gesture to my tall self. 

"I don't think there's much growing left for me."

"No..." Mikey stares up at the roof of the car like it houses all the answers of the world. "After April... You kinda shrank. But now you're expanding out again." 

I honestly had no idea what to say, I mean, I thought I had succeeded in hiding my feelings after she left. I painted a smile onto my face and acted like everything was okay. But maybe I wasn't as well disguised as I thought. "Huh."

"Yeah. I'm happy for you, Dee."

I pull the keys out of the ignition and we step out into the clear night. "Thanks, Mikey. That means a lot."

Because it really did.