When we were little, there was always an electric hostility between them. I was young enough not to mind, and I don’t remember much—being so much littler—but I know for certain that Dick put the bad blood there first.

My mother tells me that Dick was my role model until we moved here. I remember a vague hero worship—the kind that some younger brothers get for their older, manlier brothers. More clearly and recently, though, I remember meeting Raven. She was soft where Dick was difficult; smiling where Dick was jeering.

Mom says that for the first few years we lived here, I hugged her a lot. Although I don’t remember the times I did it, I do remember that it was because all her shirts were so much softer. At this point, I know it’s because all her clothing is worn in to the perfect point of optimum comfort.

Either way… I suppose all that hugging rubbed Dick the wrong way, after having a loyal lackey for years. Whenever I catch him in a Raven mood now, half of what he talks about is what he wasted—as all witnesses agree that she obviously had a hell of a crush on him when we moved in. Heck, she told me so herself.

Anyway, I guess she’s smarter, now. Dick is still jealous of our friendship—that’s lasted for years, whereas he never even got to have one. She says she’s gonna hang out with me all summer, since she’ll come back from college to stay with Angela.

They graduated six days ago. About a month before, Dick asked her to the prom… but she already had a date. That was quite an evening. I got to do the whole brotherly sympathy thing.

It’s always awkward, as she and I remain really good friends. One night, when Dick was feeling really bad about the whole long-term mess, he called me stupid and asked why didn’t I ask her out already?

I let it slide, even though I was actually dating Victoria at the time. Dick just doesn’t understand. And yet, from a distance, it really isn’t all that surprising. To use an old-fashioned term, Raven’s always been a bit out of his league.

Dick isn’t supposed to understand her.