“Good luck, bro,” Lewis says, seemingly happy to give up the controller.
Kai taps his controller against mine. “We got this, James.”
I move my character along the rock formations above the molten lava river. Kai pushes his character ahead, just as in life, he has to lead. Not that I mind. Kai’s viewpoint gives me the advantage of seeing what’s ahead before my character gets there.
Our characters race across a rope bridge as axes swing from above. Next is a series of landings we have to jump across while avoiding booby-traps. I watch Kai’s character and memorize the traps and pitfalls. When his character plummets to his death, I jump the first few landings while he respawns.
As I jump higher than Kai managed, Lewis gasps and throws a pointed hand towards the screen. “There it is!” he cheers. “The emerald danger is at the top. You guys gotta get it.”
“Dang it,” Parker blurts. “You guys are gonna finish the mission.”
Kai smirks. “Why’d you ever doubt me?”
“Well, you seemed useless without Jamie by your side,” Parker jokes.
“It’s his birthday,” I pipe up. “Don’t call him useless.”
“Thanks, James,” Kai says, leaning forward and lifting his controller as if it’ll help his character gain more air. “Come on, little Kai, you can do it!”
Tyler laughs at the screen. “It always weirds me out when you call your character that.”
Nevertheless, little Kai leaves little Jamie in his dust and collects the emerald danger.
Kai launches off the couch, lifting his arms in the air as he cheers. The guys jump up, cheering with Kai. I cup a hand around my mouth, muffling my laugh. My goodness. Have they been trying to achieve this all day?
Kai turns from the screen and bows in front of me. “Thank you for your service.”
I clap and stand with the boys. “Cake now?”
Parker jogs to the staircase. “Heck yes. Sugar is a must.”
As the boys head downstairs, I signal for Kai to hang back. “They can’t start without you, and I want you to open your gift.”
“Aww, Jamesy, is this from you?” Kai asks in a cutesy tone as I lift the gift from the carpet.
“Happy birthday, King Kai.”
“Thanks,” he says, taking the foot tall, wrapped gift. He gives it a slight shake. “It’s such an odd shape.”
I giggle. “Come on, open it already.”
Kai grins and perches on the arm of the couch. He rips the paper from the taped seams, revealing parts of the gift.
I clasp my hands together and squeak. “I hope you like it.”
The last of the gift paper falls to the carpet and Kai’s mouth falls open. He stares at the open-boxed drone covered in hard plastic and takes two goes to get a word to come out.
“Jamie, this is insane.” He looks up at me with worry. “Is it okay that you got me this?”
“What do you mean? Of course, it is. I know how devastated you were when your last one crashed. I saved up to buy you the latest model.”
“But…” he pauses after the word, gritting his teeth. “It’s a lot of money.”
I smile. “Okay, when I say I saved up, Maddy did help out. She’s downstairs, so you can thank her too.”
“I don’t think you’re getting what I’m saying. It’s fine for my parents or grandparents to buy something like this for me, but you and Maddy…”
I stare into his eyes, knowing the word“poor”is rolling around inside his head.
