Someday we'll decide

 Matty forgot how he could actually scowl until Kevin mentioned Brick was coming over to play basketball with him.

"Why me?" Matty fretted. Didn't his brother understand having a girlfriend took a lot of preparation? He'd even bought one of those facial masks to keep his skin be ever so soft, but he didn't know when he could use it. Especially if his brother kept bugging him.

"Because I'm a middle schooler and you're not," Kevin shrugged.

"But..but..we aren't even friends. I mean, seriously, I haven't talked to him in forever," Matty really wasn't up to being around pesky Brick, who always seemed to know more than Matty about anything and he was younger and...Matty didn't even want to think about how ridiculous Brick could be. "He's your friend," Matty emphasized.

"Well, Lily moved away and I know he's a little down. You know, they've known each other since fifth grade. At least they had Halloween," Kevin sighed as if it was their last.

Matty winced, he shook his head no. "I don't think so," Matty said about basketball.

"Please," Kevin begged. "He's a freshman and he needs friends."

"He does not," Matty scowled once more. Just hanging around Brick was a headache. He was a show-off and obviously a lot taller than he remembered. Because Brick showed up.

Matty was certain he didn't want Valentina to meet him. Lord knows what he might say. Anything was possible. Matty guessed he could shoot a few hoops. 

"But not for long, I've got stuff to do," he told both Brick and Kevin. He was certain Brick would have a comeback line, but he didn't. He was absolutely stoic. It just wasn't natural. Brick always needed to talk about something. 

Kevin played with them. He was shorter and mostly hung out on the side-lines but Matty kept throwing him the ball to shoot. He didn't think he could help the Brick situation. But maybe he was growing up. Although, he was certain Brick always thought he'd been so wise.

Brick's real dad was in prison. He'd tried to kidnap Brick some Thanksgiving ago and he'd accidentally hurt Brick. Although, he'd never breathed a word of that to Kevin nor Matty. They knew it hurt and he'd been a good big brother to his mom's two toddlers with her new husband. At the moment neither knew if he was really OK about Lily moving. He always had something to say about Lily, but not today.