You sit on the edge of your bed, staring at your reflection in the mirror. Your heart is beating faster than usual, not because of an exam, but because of a date.

A date.

You take a deep breath and tug lightly at your top again. Jeans, sneakers, a simple top, and a basic jacket.

Nothing special. Just you.

Just normal. Exactly how you wanted it.

From the living room you can hear the commentator’s voice from the TV. Lando’s watching some football game again.

You and Lando are twins, but sometimes it feels like he’s ten years older than you.

Then the doorbell rings, and your head snaps up.

You jump off the bed, fling the door open, and rush downstairs, taking two steps at a time. “I got it!” You call out immediately. “It’s for me!”

From the couch, Lando looks up, the remote freezes halfway through changing the channel. “For you?” He repeats slowly.

You stop in the hallway, reaching for the doorknob. Only then does his gaze drift down over your outfit.

“Wait a second.” Lando’s voice suddenly turns suspicious. “Why are you…dressed up like that?”

You half turn toward him. “Because I’m going out?” He frowns. “With who?”

You sigh quietly. Of course this was coming. “With Mike.”

For a moment, nothing happens. Then Lando slowly raises his eyebrows. “Mike…from our class?” You nod. “Yeah.”

“That Mike?”

You cross your arms. “How many Mikes do you know?”

Lando stands up, slowly, way to calm. He shakes his head like he just heard something incredibly stupid and walks toward you into the hallway.

The doorbell rings again.

You reach for the handle. “Don’t." Lando says. You freeze. “What?”

He steps beside you, crossing his arms, exactly the same pose he always has when he’s talking to his boys at school. “You’re not going out with him.”

You stare at him. “Excuse me?”

“No chance. I don’t trust him.”

“This isn’t a job interview with you, Lando!”

“Last week he told a girl in the courtyard that her style looked ugly.”

You blink. “That was a joke!”

“That wasn’t a joke! She cried and he laughed.”

The doorbell rings a third time and you turn back to the door. But Lando suddenly places his hand against it, blocking it. “Lando!”

“No. I’m not letting this happen. He’s an asshole."

“You’re not my father!”

“No, but I’m your brother.” He says calmly. You try to pull the door open, but he just holds it shut. “You’re impossible!" You hiss.

“He is too.”

“You don’t even know him that well!”

“Yes, I do.”

You blink. “Oh really? How exactly?”

Lando shrugs. “He talked to you once in the hallway. And he had a trial game with my team. Tried to take the captain spot from me.” He pauses. “And I really didn’t like that.”

You stare at him in disbelief. “That’s your argument?”

He simply nods.

The doorbell rings again.