After grabbing a cookie to make sure I got one, I set the plate down and backed away for my own safety. They inhaled everything within minutes, and I was almost surprised they didn’t eat the plate.
“So, Jackie,” Parker said, licking her fingers clean. “Do you know how to play Mario Kart, or are you too girly to like video games?”
The twins were already gone, probably off to beg their mom for more, and I decided this was the perfect opportunity to get to know Parker better. Since I’d moved in, Parker had made it obvious that she didn’t like me. She was always making comments about how girly I was, as if that was some kind of crime, and one time she purposely spilled Kool-Aid on my favorite skirt. If only I could find some common ground between us, I might be able to connect with her. I didn’t know much about being an older sister, but I always loved when Lucy let me win at games.
“I think I can handle it,” I told her, plopping down in one of the beanbags. “But I want a controller without chocolate on it.”
While she was setting up our race, Parker took the time to explain the game to me, pointing out which button did what. Later, when Bowser sped over the finish line just ahead of Princess Peach, Parker punched her hand into the air. “Yes!” she shouted, jumping up in excitement. “I win again!”
“Wow, you’re too good at this,” I told her, trying to hold back a smile.
“Not really,” Parker said as she rolled her eyes at me. “I just don’t drive like a girl.”
“Parker?” Alex asked, sticking his head in the room. When he spotted her, he said, “There you are. Mom wants you downstairs.”
“Fine,” she responded, tossing her controller on the floor. “I was getting bored with kicking butt anyway.”
We both watched her go, and after she slammed the door shut, Alex turned to me. “Hey, Jackie,” he said. “What are you doing in here?”
“Trying to bond,” I sighed, twisting the game cord around my finger. “Something I’m evidently not very good at. I don’t think she likes me.”
Alex considered this as he came into the room. “It’s not that she doesn’t like you,” he said, sitting down next to me. “I just think she isn’t used to having another girl in the house.”
“You’d think she’d be excited,” I said, sinking back into the beanbag in disappointment. “After having to put up with so many boys her whole life, I expected that she’d want to spend some decent girl time.”
“If you haven’t noticed, Parker isn’t really a girly girl.” He picked up the controller his sister had tossed to the floor and wiped away a chocolate smear.
I shot him a look. “I realize that, but I want her to like me. We’re kind of outnumbered around here.”
“Well, that’s never going to change, no matter how close you two get,” he said. “Just let it go. She’ll get used to you eventually.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“How about we play a quick race and you show me what you got?”
“All right,” I told him, sitting back up. “But don’t go easy on me.”
“I would never,” he said, twirling the controller in his hand. “I want to beat you fair and square.”
“Good luck,” I told him, as we both chose our characters.
“Don’t need it.” His forehead was scrunched up as he focused on the TV.
The game started again to the sound of twirls and bangs, and unlike last time, my kart was the first to cross the finish line.
Alex chucked his controller. “Unbelievable!” he yelled.
I winked at him. “Told you you’d need some luck.”
He narrowed his eyes, suspicious of my newfound racing skills, and asked, “Go again?”
“If you want to lose a second time.”
“You’re so going down,” he said, a determined look on his face.
Unfortunately for Alex, I was the champion of Mario Kart. For the next thirty minutes, I beat him using every single character. It was too easy—Lucy had been obsessed with the game when we were kids, and we spent every day after school racing.
“You know, I was just letting Parker win to be nice,” I told him, when he finally gave up.
“I realize that,” he said, his pride damaged. “You’re not allowed to tell anyone.”
“Says who?”
“Me. That’s confidential information.”
“Does it matter that much?”
“You don’t understand,” he tried to explain. “I’m the king of video games. Nobody beats me, not ever.” Alex shook his head in disbelief.
“You’ve been dethroned,” I said, wiggling my eyebrows at him. “And I did it all with Princess Peach.”
As if in a daze, he shook his head and looked up at me. For a second I thought he was mad, but then he said, “You know you’re adorable, right?” Then, he clamped his hand over his mouth as he realized what he’d said.
I smiled. “You’re not so bad yourself.”