The Unseen Hero

My mom always said my little brother “exaggerated things.” He was 9, energetic,

awkward — the kind of kid adults dismiss without thinking. So when he told me,

“Your boyfriend doesn’t like you… he likes your stuff,” I brushed it off. I wish I hadn’t.

At first, it seemed harmless. My boyfriend loved hanging out at my house.

Too much. He’d always “forget his wallet,” borrow chargers, hoodies,

snacks… little things. Then expensive things went missing. My headphones. My watch.

Gift cards I hadn’t used yet. I thought I misplaced them because my room was messy.

But my brother kept watching him. Like a tiny detective. One day he whispered, “He took your wallet.