"Sunshine, are you sure you'll not come to the game with me?" Paul's face peered into the half-opened door of my room.
I was lying on the bed reading a Clive Cussler's novel when Paul entered and landed with a muted sound creating waves on it. "I'm not feeling well, bro."
He took the novel from my hands, closed it and tucked it under one of the pillows. "And lose my number one cheerleader."
I giggled. "Paulie, obviously I'm not the only person chanting your name throughout the game. There are other girls out there who can replace my post. I can name them." I sat upright scratching the back of my head.
"Don't even start, sunshine!" Paul was laughing his heart out.
"I'm sure, bro. You know Chelsea. She's been trying to cross you off as one of her victims." I moved my brows for emphasis.
"She's everybody's bitch." Paul sounded exasperated.
"I agree. How about?" I stopped midway when he covered my mouth with one hand.
"For Christ's sake, stop please." He glared at me full time and I just raised my hands as a sign of surrender. "Did you drink your meds already?"
"Done, Paulie." I smiled.
"I don't want you alone in here." He said while standing up and fixed the sleeves of his varsity jacket.
"Mom and Dad will be home soon from work." I told him whole throwing a pillow towards his direction and he just dodged it."Get the hell out of here."
"Watch your mouth, sunshine!" Paul glared one more time at me.
"Fine, father!"
Then Paul's phone suddenly rings, he pulled it from his pocket and his brows furrowed upon seeing the name on the display.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Stop bugging me about your stupid offer!"He almost shouted on the phone in frustration before dropping the call unceremoniously.
"What was that all about?" I looked at him in intrigue.
"Some stupid guys trying to manipulate high school basketball games." He managed to blow an air of frustration.
"Really?" Curiosity got the best of me. "You never told me such detail before."
"It doesn't concern you at all," Paul said point blank.
"Whatever, Paulie. Keeping such things to me. You always treat me like a little girl." I pouted as I went around the room picking clothes lying around.
"You'll always be my little ray of sunshine, Myah. Need not concerned yourself about those things." He picked up his Vans snapback on top of mine, placed it on his head and checked himself out in front of the vanity mirror.
"Whatever!" I stood with hands in akimbo.
"Stop repeating that word, sunshine. It's starting to annoy me. You don't want to belong to Chelsea's category. Right?" He mirrored my stance.
"I'm not a bitch. I'm not most girls." I said with conviction.
"You're so right. Sunshine, you're my lucky charm." His smile was so genuine and it erased my brewing tantrums inside. "Are you not going to give me tips on how to defeat the Centaurs?"
Biting my lips, it was my turn to glare at him. "That look is not gonna work on me," Paul said nonchalantly. "Come on, Myah. I know you have some inputs about the Dunhill players."
"Fine." I looked for my phone, found it on the bed and checked my notepad. "The Centaurs ranked second in defensive stats. Make sure to have Luke exert more effort in the game or else you'll just lose to second points in the pane."
"Point taken. Any other areas that need to be covered?" Paul was listening intently to me.
"Please maximized ball rotation. Multiple touch passes before shooting for the hoops. And you as team captain, don't crack under pressure. I'm not there to calm you down." I know I was right on the last part.
"That's all?" One of Paul's brows arched.
"Obviously." I made face at him.
"Come here. Give your brother a big hug." I ran into his open arms for a warm brotherly embrace. Paul hugged me tight that night for a very long time. "I love you, Myah. Always my sunshine. Forever my lucky charm. Thank you for those pointers. We can surely use it in tonight's game.
"I love you too, Paulie bro. You're the best brother in the whole wide world." What I said made him laughed so boldly before messing up my hair.
"Gotta go, sunshine."He said pulling my hair abruptly and I yelped in pain.
"Kick some ass, bro."I cheered him.
"I surely will."