My Dunya (NEEDS EDITING)

Chapter 11- Babysitting Mishaps

            "Toopy and Binoo!" he yelped in joy pointing to the TV. Thank God, I'd finally get some peace and quiet while Malik watched. I turned the TV onto the Treehouse channel and watched him sit down, eyes wide in concentration.

            I went to the kitchen to get an Advil pill for both the headache I began to have, and to help my sickness ease. That's when I heard Malik singing along to the show's theme song. "Toopy, that's me, and here's my friend Binoo. Binoo, Binoo. We love to laugh and they love to play. That's us Toopy and Binoo!" Man, the show was so annoying, I felt like pulling my hair. I don't understand how kids can stand it, but by looking at the outrageous smile on Malik's face, I'm sure it must have some brainwashing effect, cause it did work. But in all honesty, I shouldn't be complaining. Seeing as he wasn't causing a riot, yelling, or anything of the sort, than I should be grateful for the stupid show.

            Once the show was over, Malik started jumping up and down yelling "Again, again!" I replayed the show and he shut up for a good ten minutes. When it was over, he begged me to sing the theme song with him. At first, I shook my head no, but then his dang lip started quivering again and I didn't want him to cry, so I began mumbling it. He told me to wait and came back with the toy microphone he brought with him to my house. He gave it to me and I figured, eh why not? It's not like there's anyone here watching me. Well, other than Mariam but she seems to be in her own little world.

            I cranked the volume up a little and took hold of the microphone while standing up on our coffee table. Malik joined me and we began singing along. "Toopy, Toopy, Binoo, Binoo, Toopy and Binoo!"

I looked over at the single couch to find Mariam not there. But I didn't think about it as we continued singing to the theme song, really getting in the groove. I added my own twist to the song's pitch and rhythm, and began moving the microphone back and forth like an actual performance. Right in the heat of the song, I jumped turning around only to find myself staring at Cameron who stood in the doorway with Maxy. Mariam was there holding the door for them looking at me smugly. My mouth hung open and instantly, my heart began racing like crazy. After a few seconds of a stare-down, Cameron burst laughing and I hid my face. He stayed like that for so long until I begged him to stop.

"I can't," he panted, out of breath. "That was hilarious!"

"Cameron," I whispered then sneezed. "Please don't tell anyone what just happened."

"Dunya I need a year to recover from that," he said still laughing. Mariam looked amused. Yeah, she would. Once Cameron took a few breaths to pace himself and finally brought his breathing to normal.

"Look, whatever just happened, doesn't leave this house okay?" I threatened glaring at him.

"Okay, okay," he surrendered. "I won't tell anyone that you were standing on a coffee table rocking out to Toopy and Bino on a plastic microphone" he burst out laughing again. Oh gosh.

            As they both came in, Malik approached Maxy and gave her a very toothy grin. "Do you want to play hide and seek?" he asked hopefully.

            Maxy adjusted the frame of her glasses and thought about it thoroughly before responding. "Okay, but I'm hiding first," she said matter-of-factly and Malik nodded in acceptance. "1, 2, 3, 5, 4, 6, 8," Malik began counting and Maxy ran to find a hiding spot, her ponytails bouncing as she moved.

            I sniffled and then sneezed, wiping my nose with a tissue I held in my palm. "So, are you planning on taking that mask off?" Cameron asked and I glared.

            "Not if I want to get everyone sick, no," I responded bitterly and he just laughed.

            "Okay, well, either way you look really bad," he said and I scowled at him in utter disbelief. How rude, even for him.