Everything & Nothing

(041)

Spring is almost over, but for a light chill that lingers in the air between the sun’s rays. Two teenage boys share a picnic blanket, propped up unevenly by patches of grass, an open backpack sitting beside them. 

“Why don’t we toss for it?” Ben says, lifting himself up onto his elbows from his lying position. 

Ollie shakes his head defiantly, whipping his mop of dark hair left and right. 

“Uh-uh – you always win.”

Ben bites his tongue to stop from smiling. 

“Come on–” 

“I don’t trust the coOoOin-uh!” Ollie whines, flicking his fringe out of his face again.

Ben stifles a laugh. “What if you pick and I toss?”

“It won’t make a difference.” 

“Come on,” Ben says, fishing in his pocket and pulling out a dull gold and silver coin, “I’ll even let you place it.” 

Ollie’s lips twitch at this, weighing up the odds. 

“Fine.” Ollie plucks it from his hand and inspects both sides, a sardonic grin pulling at the corners of Ben’s mouth. 

“Heads.” He says, slapping his older brother’s leg for him to put his hand out. Ben sits up, offering his fist with a thumb primed underneath his index finger.

“Close your eyes.” Ollie says.

Ben laughs. “Come on, really?”

“I don’t want you cheating!”  

“Fine, but as soon as I flip I’m opening them.”

“Yeah, yeah whatever– shut ‘em.” 

Ben shuts his eyes and Ollie watches closely to keep him honest, before gently placing the coin in the right position.

“Okay, three, two, one–” 

Ben’s thumb fires the coin into the air and his eyelids lift to see it spinning and glinting in the sunlight. He unfurls his fist to catch it in his open palm, with both sets of eyes remaining pinned to it as it drops, landing flat in his hand without rolling. 

“Told you!” Ollie says, stomping his feet and rocking onto his back to shout at the sky. “I always lose!” 

Ben cackles at the seemingly inevitable outcome, shoving his brother’s leg with his foot to infuriate him more and receiving a slap on his calf in return. 

“I swear I’m cursed.” Ollie grumbles. “You got all the luck.” 

“And the looks…and the brains…thinking about it, what did you get?” Ben says, reaching over towards the backpack. 

Ollie hooks one of the straps with his foot and tugs it out of Ben’s grasp, before hopping up and running off with it.

“The speed!” He shouts, haring across the field towards the trees, his older brother chasing after him.