Twenty thousand plumerias

I still remember like it was yesterday. The green light from the TV danced on James’s face as his eyes stayed glued to the screen,fingers pushing the buttons on the controller like there was no tomorrow,just like when we were kids—I’d give anything to go back. “Haha,I’m about to win you pearl.You have lost your touch”James said,snapping me out of my thoughts. “No way that’s going to happen”I replied, focusing on Jaloraba—the special game James and I found on a dusty roadside bench on our walk home from school when we were little. Ever since then ,Jalaroba has been our thing. “Pearl wins”, the game echoed,I let out a sigh of relief only then realizing how tense I had gotten. I leaned back on my chair ,“that was too easy” I said to James giggling slightly at how red his face was. “You hacked the game,no way you beat me again”, James shot back. This only made me chuckle. James and I have been best friends since I could remember,we’re neighbors but he’s always at my house and we do basically everything together. I wonder if people know we’re not related.James walks into our house like he pays rent,opens the fridge like it’s his and even argues with my mom more than I do. And right now he’s sending me death glares across the room because of a game . “Keep laughing ”he said,crossing his arms dramatically.“One day I’ll expose you cheater ”. “Oh please”,I rolled my eyes,“you can’t accept im better ” He scoffed.“ Better? You? Never!”. “Okay then I challenge you,if I win you’ll buy me twenty thousand plumeria bouquets”I replied, nudging the console towards him. He snatched it from my hands “you’re on Pearl”.But before we could play, my mom’s voice burst through the room. “Come down for dinner!”