I [22/M] overheard my little brother [18/M] saying how he likes this girl [18/F] I'm secretly seeing. What should I do?

A lot of people are calling you a shitty brother and I don't think that's true. I love my older brother. After I started going to middle school, he and I have been great friends. I spend most weekends during the summer (when he's not sleeping) doing stuff with him.

However, the silver spoon was put in his mouth. My parents and he claim that he was the test child and that all my accomplishments are a result of his failures. He got the nice things (minus clothes, I usually always got new clothes unless something didn't fit him) without really doing anything for them. He got a car, laptops, smartphones, nice bedroom, nice furniture, et cetera, without there being any reason.

On the other hand, there were several holidays and birthdays where I wouldn't receive any presents. Most people would think that my parents just thought that I was a happy child who never wanted anything, so they didn't buy anything. Which is and was true, I only ever wanted an up-to-date laptop every three or four years. I didn't really care that I didn't get any presents, I can't change the past nor is there any reason to, but my brother always got expensive gifts; even when it wasn't a holiday.

He went to a specialized high school as he got rejected from other schools. He got a 2100 on the SAT by studying for a couple of months each time he took it. He got a 30 on the ACT as well. I got into the twelfth best high school in the nation after doing well on the entrance exams, essays, and application. He had been rejected from this same school. My accomplishment was shat on by my parents and him: I had only gotten in because he had not. I had gotten in because he had failed the exams. This isn't true at all. I didn't even know what was on the exams, he had never told me what was on the exams, I was just smart enough to get in. Our exam scores were vastly different in scores as well. Hell, I got a 2340 on the SAT by studying the week before and a 35 on the ACT without even studying. There's no way that my academic accomplishments are a result of me improving from his mistakes. I got through school and my past year at college with minimal effort. I'm a terrible and lazy student, but I know how to problem solve. That's all there is: basic intelligence.

This might have just been me venting, but still. There's nothing wrong with what you have done.

He already thinks I'm an "ass who always gets his way."

You get your way because you work hard and work towards your goals. He hasn't. Your brother hasn't learned what you have and that's that. If he wants to date girls, he needs to learn to talk to them. Furthermore, he hasn't made any effort in dating this girl. You've done nothing wrong. It's his problem.

If he gets angry, that's also not your problem. Anger and failure generally help people grow. There is absolutely no reason to tell him. People who are saying that this is a part of communication and family are full of shit. There's no reason to tell him, even if he's your brother. As far as he knows, you didn't overhear that phone conversation. If he doesn't understand how it's his problem when he finds out that you're dating this girl, then he will eventually. You can help him with his disadvantages if you want, but there's no point in telling a jealous brother that you're dating the girl he likes, it'll just add fuel to the fire.

/r/AskMen Thread