The Cunningham brothers were known for two things, being gifted athletes and best friends. Their speed and prowess with sports was legendary. Explain the simple rules of a game and hand them the equipment, they could outplay those who had been practicing for years. The Cunningham brothers were going places; their coaches remarked with admiration. So, it stunned everyone that the mighty duo was no longer a united force. At first, people assumed it was a bad day, or they had eaten the cafeteria’s mystery meat for lunch. The first fight on the field created audible gasps. When one of them stormed off, faces were crushed. The big game against Westfield Middle School was next week. Without the Cunningham brothers, Heritage Middle was not going to fare well at all.
Coach Aiken barked at the other glowering brother, “Bentley, hit the locker room!”
Bentley marched over to his gear bag and snatched it up. He conveniently forgot to grab his brother, Hudson’s. Coach Aiken bellowed to the other players, “Start laps now!” The audible groans from the team registered their displeasure with the brothers, too.
Coach Aiken pushed through the metal door. It swung shut with a loud crash. He stood with his hands on his hips. The clipboard of plays clutched in his left hand. “What is going on with you two?” Hudson kicked at the floor with his cleat. Bentley’s arms were tightly crossed as he leaned against a locker. “I asked you boys a question. I expect an answer.”
Hudson shrugged, “I don’t know.”
Bentley nodded, “Yeah, me neither.”
“You both don’t know. Well, it looks like you can figure out together in here. Until you do, your other team mates will keep running.” Coach Aiken spun around and flung open the door.
Both boys jumped when the heavy door snapped closed. Bentley sank down the length of the locker. The ridges bumped along his back. Hudson turned on the bench. He stomped his feet on the wood and jammed his elbows into his knees. Resting his face in his fists, the younger brother stewed.
“Stop talking!” Bentley barked.
Hudson spun around and slammed his feet on the concrete floor. “I didn’t say anything!”
“I heard something.” Bentley defended.
“Yeah, that would be a first.”
Bentley popped up from the floor. “What’s that suppose to mean?”
Hudson jumped up. Both boys were a year apart, but close to the same height. “It means, I told you to pass me the ball.”
“You weren’t open. I sent it to Tom instead.”
“I was wide open.”
“Joshua S. and Joshua B. were all over you.”
“I could have still gotten it.” Hudson declared confidently.
Bentley sniffed, “Yeah, like last week, when you totally fumbled that play.”
“The sun got in my eyes and blinded me.”
“Great excuse. The sun got in my eyes and blinded me.” Bentley danced around and mocked.
Hudson shoved his brother on the shoulder. “Stop it!”
Bentley pushed back, “You stop it!”
An innocent request escalated to a full fight. The boys were soon on the floor wrestling. Bentley pinned Hudson. But his younger brother slipped out of the hold easily. The older brother kicked Hudson in the side, and he cried out in pain. Hudson curled up in a ball and tried to resist crying, but his side hurt too much.
“Hud, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.” Bentley reached out to his younger brother. Remorse washed over his face and his actions.
Hudson glared at him and yelled, “Get away from me. You’re not my brother!”
Bentley stopped and tears welled up in the corner of his eyes. “I’ll always be your brother.”
Hudson sniffed and gruffly wiped at his cheeks. His side was beginning to feel better. “You don’t act like it lately.” Hudson scooted toward the lockers, a safe distance from Bentley.
“You’re the one who is moody all the time.” Hudson started to protest. Bentley said less agitated. “I don’t know what I did to you to make you so mad at me.”
“You act like I’m not important to you anymore.” Hudson looked away toward the wire bin full of balls.
“Hud, you’re the most important person to me. You’re my best friend.”
Hudson didn’t look back but he sat up straighter. “I am?”
“Yeah, who can make me laugh so hard milk shoots out of my nose.”
“Me,” Hudson mumbled.
“And who eats my broccoli when mom isn’t looking.”
“I do like broccoli.” Hudson turned to his brother. He pulled his knees up to his chest.
Bentley made a face, “That stuff is disgusting. I don’t know how you do it, but you do it for me.”
“If that’s true, why did you move out of our room? Why did you have to get your own room and leave me by myself?”
Bentley pulled his knees up and inched closer to his brother. The toes of their cleats touched. “I just wanted my own space. It doesn’t have anything to do with you.”
Hudson dropped his forehead on his knees and tried to not cry. “I just miss you. It’s no fun in there without you.”
“We have fun all the time,” Bentley laughed. “Not lately, but we have fun.” He reached out and touched Hudson’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I hurt you.” Bentley didn’t mean just hitting his brother either.
Hudson glanced up and smiled. “You have a mean right foot.”
Bentley snorted, “You are really hard to pin.” He popped up and reached his hand out to his brother. “You’ll have to teach me that move later.”
Hudson grabbed his brother’s hand and let Bentley hoist him up from the cold floor, “Deal!”
Bentley wrapped his arm around Hudson’s shoulders, “We better get out there. Do you think the other guys will be mad at us?”
“They’ll get over it, especially when we beat Westfield next week!” Both brothers high fived and pushed together through the locker room door, out to the field.