Izzy sat on the bleachers, typing away at his laptop, working on a new program he'd just downloaded. On the field, the soccer team practiced their new plays in a scrimmage. Every once and a while, Izzy's dark eyes would dart up to the field, but they would immediately return to the screen. Except, of course, for when…
"Kamiya! Get in there!" the coach yelled, grinning as he swatted at Tai with his clipboard.
"You got it, coach," Tai called back, running in to take one of his teammate's places. The players on the opposing 'team' groaned. Izzy's eyes flicked up to the field and stayed there as Tai played, watching the goals his friend scored and the way he made it look so easy to steal the ball from another player. After Tai's fourth interception, the coach blew his whistle and sent in another player for him. Immediately, the opposing 'team' regained its confidence, and Izzy's eyes returned to the computer screen.
"My brother is really good," Kari said, plopping down on the bleachers next to Izzy. Grinning at his perplexed expression, she added, "Well, yeah, duh. But, I mean, he's the only sophomore on the varsity team. Everyone else is a senior. And he's, like, the MVP."
"Always has been," Izzy pointed out, not unkindly, still while typing away at his computer.
"I think he really likes to show off, though," Kari teased. "Especially when you're around."
"I'm sure," Izzy replied dryly. Kari laughed.
"He likes to show you that he can do something well," she said. Softening, she added, "Don't get me wrong, he appreciates you helping him with his schoolwork and all, but…"
"I know what you're saying," Izzy cut her off, fingers hesitating over his keyboard. He knew that Tai liked to impress him with his soccer skills, but Izzy also knew that Kari's reasoning was far from the actual truth. He'd been nagging Tai for a while to tell her what was going on, but the older boy just kept putting it off. Kari didn't seem to pick up on it, either, which surprised Izzy; she was always very perceptive, especially when it came to her brother.
"You know…and don't take this the wrong way…" Kari shot Izzy a sidelong glance, and he quickly shook his head to signal that he wouldn't. "If I didn't know better, I'd think he was trying to impress you because he liked you." Izzy's eyes didn't leave Kari's, not even for a minute, but his lips curved upward in a wry smile. "No offense, or anything. I mean, I don't know how you feel about…"
"None taken, of course," Izzy replied, turning back to his computer. Maybe Kari wasn't as in the dark as he'd thought.
The whistle blew again, and Izzy looked up to see Tai jogging back onto the field. The older teen glanced up, making eye contact with his computer-whiz friend, and grinned cheekily. Sighing, Izzy saved the file he'd been working on and closed his laptop.
"He certainly likes having your full attention," Kari noted pointedly.
"You have no idea," Izzy said.