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Logan stares down at his report card and sighs. 'Full of untapped potential,' his art teacher had written. What was that even supposed to mean?
"Psst," Remus says, appearing next to him. "What didja get?"
"All A's except Math," Logan says, with a heavy sigh. His parents are going to be disappointed in him. He tried so hard, though! It's not his fault that numbers are so confusing. They even seem to switch places on him, which doesn't help.
"Lucky," Remus grumbles, kicking a pebble. "I got Needs Improvement," he says, flapping his report card in Logan's direction. "Roman got Excellent. 'Cause of course he did."
"I'm sorry, Remus," Logan says, as the bus pulls up. Remus gives him a sideways look through his fringe.
"Can I sit next to you on the bus?" Remus asks.
"You don't want to sit with your brother?" Logan asks. Remus shakes his head.
"Not this time," he mumbles.
"Okay," Logan says. It's certainly a change, someone wanting to sit next to him, but he welcomes it. The exhaust makes his throat itch as he climbs up the steps, choosing his customary seat in the middle of the bus, on the left. Remus slides in next to him, legs dangling.
"Roman always gets good grades," Remus announces. "And I always don't." He sighs, world weary already. "It's not fair."
"Maybe I can help?" Logan offers. "Not in Math, though," he amends. "I um, I got a B. And I think it was almost a C."
"Better than I would do," Remus pronounces, with another hefty sigh. "I'm just dumb."
"No, you aren't," Logan says. "You led half your class to mutiny at recess last week. You made your teacher cry. I don't think a dumb person could do that."
"That's just 'being disruptive,'" Remus says glumly, making air quotes with his fingers. "That's not smart. Roman is smart. I'm the dumb twin."
"That's not true," Logan says, flustered. "You-" He leans in closer. "You helped me out with that red mark," he whispers, his ears burning as he prays nobody else hears him.
"Aww, anybody would have done that," Remus says, dismissive. "You just didn't know how to do it. That's all."
"Who thought of it first?" Logan counters.
"The fifth grader I stole the idea from," Remus answers promptly. "I watched him do it 'cause I was curious how he was gonna explain to his parents, but then he did that."
"I don't think I would be able to do it even watching someone," Logan says. "And I bet you'd be great at art."
"I'm great at making a mess," Remus says. "Let's face it, Lo. I'm just dumb."
"You are not," Logan says fiercely. "You're just- just- you're full of possibilities. Like my art teacher told me, you have untapped potential. That doesn't make you dumb. That just means you haven't had a chance yet to show how awesome you are."
Remus blinks at him in surprise. Logan sits back, face flushed from his outburst.
"Sorry," he mumbles. "But it's true. You aren't dumb. I used to get Needs Improvement all the time. Maybe you just need an assessment or something."
"Maybe," Remus says hesitantly. He glances at Logan again. "Untapped potential, huh?"
"Yeah," Logan says. Remus bumps his shoulder with his and finally smiles, revealing the gap in his teeth.
"Thanks, Logan," he says. "I owe you one."
"I did what anyone would do," Logan says, using Remus's own words back at him. "But you're welcome."
"Wanna come over?" Remus asks. "Maybe if you're over, I won't get yelled at as much."
"I just have to ask my mom," Logan says. "But sure."
Remus grins.
"See you then," he says, as the bus trundles to a stop at their bus stop. Logan watches Remus catch up with his brother and smiles.
"See you," he echoes.