Friends

"You know", Raul said, placing a card don't the growing Uno stack, "This is pretty fun".

"It's pretty relaxing", Zephyr answered.

"You're saying that because you're somehow winning every round", Michael exclaimed, throwing a card in.

"I'm certain that you're cheating", Paolo complained, taking a card from the deck.

Sticking his tongue out, Zephyr replied, "Only a loser would say that", placing a card on the stack.

"How do you keep winning though?", Raul asked, looking up from his deck and picking one up.

"Mathematically speaking, it's a game of probability", Zephyr replied, "What's more, you guys give it away when you have a good card".

"No we don't!", Paolo exclaimed.

"You do", Zephyr retorted, "When Raul has a good card, he instantly moves it to the front. When Michael has a good card, his right eye twitches and when you have a good card, you constantly look around and hide your deck more than normally".

"Woah", Michael muttered in awe, "You're like a detective", with Raul and Paolo agreeing with him.

"I guess", Zephyr remarked, shrugging his shoulders.

When the door to the room they were in opened, a woman in her early 40s with blonde hair walked in, "I know you're having fun, but are you guys hungry?", she asked, showing the tray of food.

"Mom!", Michael complained, "I told you not to do this".

A smile appeared on Mrs Hans' face hearing what he said, "But you love my food".

Coughing, Michel rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, but you're embarrassing me in front of my friends".

"Don't worry", Zephyr said.

"We'll have some food Mrs Hans", Raul added, with Paolo nodding as well.

"You're all such good kids", Mrs Hans replied. Giving each of them a small plate of food, she smacked the back of Michael's head, "See. Why can't you be like your friends?"

"Oww", Michael complained, "I don't want to be a nerd like them".

Snorting, Paolo replied, "At least we're not idiots like you".

"Hey", Michael exclaimed, "Take that back. I'll have you know my intelligence is beyond human comprehension".

"So you're an alien?", Raul teasingly questioned, "That would explain so many things about you".

"Exactly my thoughts", Zephyr added, barely restraining his laughter.

Seeing their interaction, the smile on Mrs Hans' face brightened. "I'm going to go now, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask".

"""We won't""", Zephyr, Raul and Paolo replied at the same time.

As soon as she left, Michael looked at his friends, muttering, "You guys are so annoying".

Rolling his eyes, Paolo replied, "You're just saying that because you're embarrassed".

"As if", Michael mumbled, looking away from them.

Deciding to put an end to their antics, Zephyr placed his last card on the stack in the middle, "I believe that is my fifth victory in a row".

Angered, Michael kicked the stack of cards with his foot, "I'm bored of this. Let's play something else".

"Sure", Raul agreed, with Paolo and Zephyr deciding to follow his decision.

"What do you want to play then?", Zephyr asked, taking a bite out of one of the cookies.

"I don't know", Michael shrugged his shoulders, "Any game that's not Uno. If it's a game that you're not good at, even better".

"It sounds like you're targeting me", Zephyr replied.

"Of course I am", Michael retorted, "We've tried so many different games and yet you still somehow beat all of us in them".

"Perhaps I'm just really lucky", Zephyr teasingly replied.

"Don't even try", Paolo interrupted, "There's no way you can be lucky that consistently".

"You're just really bad", Zephyr remarked, casually shrugging his shoulders.

"I know!", Raul exclaimed in excitement, "Let's play baseball".

"There's not enough space outside though", Paolo explained.

"Then we can go to a baseball field", Raul explained, "There's one less than 10 minutes away".

"There's not enough people though", Michael countered, "4 people isn't enough".

"That's not a problem", Paolo retorted, placing his arm around Zephyr's shoulders, "Zephyr can invite Alex and those kids he hangs out with"

"Oh yeah", Raul agreed, "I like that Manny kid. He's fun to talk to".

Michael rolled his eyes, "You're just saying that because you're both so similar".

"No we're not!", Raul argued.

"You are", Zephyr countered.

Hearing his words, Raul gasped, clutching his chest as though in agone, "How could you Zephyr? I thought we were friends"

"You have friends?", Zephyr teasingly asked.

"I'd like to meet them someday", Michael added.

"Urgh", Raul groaned, "You guys. How can you be so heartless?"

Rolling his eyes, Paolo interrupted them, "Are we going to invite them or not?"

Sighing, Zephyr replied, "Sure. Why not?"

"Attaboy", Paolo exclaimed, slapping Zephyr's back.

[Time Skip]

"Play ball!", Manny, who was the catcher, shouted.

Melaina, who was the pitcher, nodded and threw the baseball as fast as he could. Michael, who was batting, swung the bat, hitting the ball high in the air.

"Fly ball!", Paolo shouted, "Don't run Luke!". Unfortunately, Luke didn't hear and continued running.

Zephyr, who was the outfielder in the left field, caught the ball after it bounced. Not hesitating, Zephyr quickly threw the ball to Cam, who was the third baseman.

Having caught the ball before Luke could pass him, Cam shouted, "Out".

"What?!", Luke exclaimed, "Why?!"

"If you didn't know the rules, then say so", Claire exclaimed.

"I know the rules!", Luke shouted, "When the ball's hit, I run".

Shaking her head, Claire turned to Alex next to her, "It's your turn now".

Nodding, Alex made her way towards the field and stood in front of Manny, swinging the bat a few times to get a feel. Once prepared, she looked at Melaina who threw the ball. Unfortunately, Alex didn't manage to hit the ball which flew into Manny's glove, who threw the ball back to Melaina. After a few seconds, Melaina threw the ball, with Alex missing once again. On the final throw, Alex managed to hit the ball. However, due to her lack of accuracy, it ended up going straight into Phil's hand.

"Out!", Phil exclaimed.

"Damn it!", Claire muttered under her breath, "We can't lose to them", she told the rest of the batters.

"It's just a game", Jay tried.

"Just a game!", Desiree shouted, "This isn't just a game. This is my dignity on the line. I can't lose to Matt of all people".

[Flashback]

"We still don't have enough players", Zephyr remarked, seeing the number of players present.

"I can join", Phil, who brought Alex over, said, "It was in the Fun Zone. I was 11. I hit 10 straight fastballs in the batting cage. Then my best friend, Jeff Sweeney stepped in and took one in the groin. I yelled out 'Ball two'".

"Honey", Claire complained, "You've said that story so many times. And besides, you're not as young as you were, so I don't think you can keep up with them".

Hearing her response, Phil gasped. However, before he could retort, he was cut off by Michael, "It's fine. You can join Mr Dunphy. You can as well if you want Mrs Dunphy"

"See", Phil remarked, "I can play. And besides, I'm probably in better shape than you".

"As if", Claire scoffed, "You know what. I'm going to play as well".

"Mom!", Alex tried but was swiftly ignored.

"Jay", Gloria said, "I want to play too".

"You can play as well", Paolo replied.

"Ayy Jay", Gloria stated, "You play as well"

"Urgh", Jay groaned, "Sure"

"Hey!", Matt shouted as he walked towards them, "Phil told me that you guys are playing baseball and I came to watch"

"Hey Matt", Claire greeted, "Since the boys are short on players, we're playing. Why don't you join us?"

"Matt doesn't really play baseball", Desiree said, "And besides, he's not that good"

"Excuse me?", Matt asked, "You know what? I'm going to play and prove you wrong".

"Fine then!", Desiree shouted, "I'll play as well".

"Since you're all going to play, you might as well invite Mitchell, Cam, Melaina and the others", Zephyr plainly replied.

"That's not a bad idea you know?", Matt remarked.

[Flashback end]

[Time Skip]

"I can't believe that you guys actually won", Desiree muttered.

"You better believe it", Matt replied.

Hearing his words, Desiree rolled her eyes, "You're so annoying".

"No need to be salty", Matt teased, "I'm told as people age they have performance issues"

"Are you calling me old?!", Desiree all but screamed.

"W-what?", Matt anxiously replied, "No. No. No. No", he replied, frantically waving his arms, "You don't look a day over 20".

Snorting, Desiree walked away from him with Matt following after.

"Ayy Jay", Gloria said, "That was so fun"

"I'm sure it was", Jay remarked.

"What's wrong?", Manny asked, "Upset that you didn't manage to bat the ball a single time?"

"Oh yeah", Gloria muttered, "You didn't hit the ball once".

"Don't remind me", Jay grumbled.

"I told you!", Phil told his wife, laughing at her face.

"Fine", Claire stated, "You're not too old to play baseball. There I said it. Satisfied".

"I thought you were awesome Dad", Luke said, "You hit the ball really far as well".

"Thanks kiddo", Phil said, rubbing Luke's head.

"Did you have fun?", Zephyr asked.

"Yeah", Alex answered, "That was pretty fun".

"You did pretty well as an outfielder", Zephyr remarked, "You caught a few balls".

"Thanks", Alex shyly replied, "You did well as well".

"That was so entertaining", Cam commented, "Don't you think so Lily?"

"I didn't enjoy it at all", Mitchell replied.

"Don't be like that Mitchell", Cam tried, "It's not your fault that you're bad at sports".

"I just think that we could've spent this time doing something more productive", Mitchell argued.

"Please", Cam waved off his concerns, "You're just saying that because Luke caught one of your strikes".

"No! That's not it!", Mitchell tried, but Cam just ignored him.