The ball bounces off the cracked concrete as it returns to my hand. I make a quick cut left, feeling my foot push up in my shoe. I get around my defender and bring the ball up to my face. Shoot the ball, my brain reminds me, but we've been through this before. Game after game. Twin intuition. Instead, without looking, I bounce the ball towards the basket knowing he will be there. He is always there. He's been there from the start. The ball finds him, two steps and release. Swish.

That was a good day.

I watch the ant maneuver out of the crack and onto the court. The ant stops, faces me, and stares. I stare back. "Where is he?" The ant wiggles his antennae and hurries away. Finally, I get up, kick the ball off the court, following it home. I sigh. Ever since our birthday, something is different. Less time at home, less time on the court. Just less...him.

I walk up the driveway and toss the basketball at the hoop. Clank. "Figures," I mumble. Mom is in the kitchen as I walk through the door.

"Hey," she says over her shoulder as I walk by her. "Sit down, honey, and I'll bring it to you."

"Sure," I reply, taking a seat.

Mom places the food down and sits next to me. I pick up the fork and push my food around. I never quite get any on it before I set it down.

"At least try it first," she says.

"Yeah, I guess I'm not really hungry," I say, keeping my head down.

She reaches over and gently touches my hair. I don't move away from her hand, letting it settle there.

"What's the matter, honey? Are you not feeling well?"

Not saying anything in response, I continue to shift the food around absently.

"It's okay if you aren't hungry. I'll take care of the plate," she says.

I get up and head to my room. When I reach the door, I look back at her as she rinses off the plate in the sink. I close the door behind me.

I sit on the bed and see Treasure Island on the nightstand. Why not. I grab it and swing my legs up, lying back. I open to the dog-eared page and begin to read.

*"I began to understand that there were men who were not afraid of anything."*

Not afraid of anything. I repeat the words in my head. Is it possible not to be afraid of anything?

I'm still wrestling with that thought when the front door slams. I hear my brother's voice speaking to my mother. I set the book on my chest.

"...No, I ate at Jake's."

Footsteps move in the direction of my room. They grow louder. The book rises and falls quickly on my chest. A door opens. Not mine. His. The door closes and Treasure Island settles.

I turn onto my side, facing the wall we share. My breathing comes in unsteady, jagged waves.

---

The days blur together. School, basketball, dinner, homework. Repeat. I haven't picked up Treasure Island at all. I wonder what Jim Hawkins is up to. Has he found Captain Flint's treasure yet? Maybe Long John Silver comes around. They can celebrate together.

Speaking of celebrating, this weekend should be different. The big game against Syracuse, our main rival. We'll cheer and have our own celebration. Things will be back to normal.

Saturday is finally here. I run into the living room and turn on the TV. The game is about to tip off—the rivalry game for our favorite team. We always watch this one together. I look toward his room. His door is closed, but he'll be here soon.

Minutes later, his door opens and he walks toward the kitchen.

"Hey, the game is about to start," I say.

"Oh, right. Yeah, I've got plans with some people, but let me know how it goes," he replies.

"Yeah, sure." A complete miss. Airball.

---

The next day, I wake up. While lying in bed, I reach over and grab a tennis ball. I toss it towards the ceiling, seeing how close I can come without hitting it.

One toss isn't even close. The second toss hits the ceiling and I have to stretch to get it.

I should just ask him if he wants to play today. *Toss.* Once on the court, things will be different. *Toss.* We can run our infamous pick and roll. *Toss.* and win a few games. *Toss.* Don't they say winning improves chemistry...

*Toss.* The ball hits the ceiling again and bounces out of my reach. Time to get up.

---

I open my door and see my brother's door ajar. I hesitate but decide to knock. No answer.

"Hey, you there?" I say. Nothing. I push the door open and he's not there.

Heading into the living room, I see my mother on the couch reading.

She looks up from her book and says, "If you are looking for your brother, he said he was going up to the court to play."

"How long ago did he leave?"

"Oh, like 15 minutes ago."

I head back to my room to get my basketball shoes and the ball. I head through the living room and say to her, without turning, "I'm going to go meet up with him."

"Okay honey, be careful."

---

I dribble the ball while walking to the court. Thump thump. Here's our chance to play together again. Thump thump. We have always been together. Thump thump. Never a day apart. Thump thump.

I can see the court and notice there is a game going on. My brother is playing.

I stop at the edge and watch. His team has the ball and they run the pick and roll. His teammate dribbles left and my brother cuts to the basket. The other kid makes the pass. My pass. Two steps, release. Swish.

He was always there.

I turn and head home. The ball hits the sidewalk and bounces. Lower each time, until it doesn't.

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