Chapter Seven

"I want to see too." When Caleb started to peel up the blindfold, but his brother quickly swatted his hand away.

"There's no way you're going to guess this one." He grinned.

"Is it the new hoverboard with the LED lights I wanted?"

Michael shook his head, "Definitely not."

When Kylian finally stopped he was standing in front of the two boys. He almost laughed out at the way Michael was staring up at him.

"Reach out in front of you and try again." Said Sapphie from somewhere behind him to the left. The little boy did as he was told. The first thing he came in contact with were his fore arms then chest and shoulders.

"You brought me... a person for my birthday?" the confusion and disappointment was evident in his voice.

"You haven't guessed yet." She was trying hard to not snicker.

"Geez I wonder who it could be?" Kylian had to bite his lip to not laugh. Beneath that blindfold, he was sure Caleb had rolled his eyes.

"He smells nice at least," he paused, tilting his head to the side, "is it... Kylian Mbappé?"

Everyone in the room went quiet.

"How the heck-? Are you cheating?" Asked Michael as he waved a hand in front of his brother's face.

"What? Really?!" Caleb couldn't have ripped the blindfold from his eyes any faster, and looked up at his hero in disbelief the moment he recognised him.

"Salut, Caleb. Happy birthday." Grinned Kylian, holding his arms wide open for a hug.

That's all it took for the now eleven-year-old to vault into him and wrap his smaller arms tight around his torso.

"I can't believe it!" he sobbed into Kylian's chest, "it's Kylian Mbappé in our living room. Mom look, it's Mbappé."

When he pulled back to look up at him as if to make sure it really was his idol, Kylian was touched by the gratitude in the boy's watery eyes.

Caleb then looked at his mother and smiled, "Mhamha look, it's Mbappé!"

When he finally turned his attention to his sister, he stared at her utterly in awe, "Sapphie, you brought Mbappé for my birthday?"

"Do you like your surprise?" She asked from behind her phone. She'd started recording the moment Kylian stepped into their house.

Caleb didn't answer then and there, instead, he ran around their sofa and jumped into her arms, wrapping his arms as tight as he could around her.

"You're the best sister ever! I promise I won't be mean to you ever again. Thank you." he sobbed against her chest.

"You're totally welcome, buddy." She rubbed his back then looked up to see Kylian watching them with a tender look in his eyes. She mouthed 'thank you to him' to which he nodded in acknowledgement.

Seeing that look of pure joy on her baby brother's face was worth making the all the effort to come and surprise him.

"Hey, Mbappé-I mean Kylian," Michael said, "Cale and I were just playing Ultimate Team. Do you mind playing with us one game before you have to go?"

Kylian resisted the urge to check his watch. Though he always made sure he had a good long night's sleep the night before a game, he supposed he could make an exception this once. After all he wasn't staying for long and it was just one game.

With his mind made up, he turned to the younger brother.

"What do you say, Caleb? I know you're my fan and it's your birthday but that will not stop me from destroying you."

Caleb gave him a toothy grin, "You're so on. You're in my house now."

From there Kylian couldn't have avoided dinner at the Maida residence even if he'd really wanted to. Despite Sapphie's attempts to get him out before he was 'trapped', when her mother started setting a place for him at the table, it was game over.

It had been a long time since he'd had a meal with anyone outside the sphere of his football career or his family and close friends. He liked to think this was a nice change of pace. Plus, it didn't hurt that Sapphie's family looked like good people. He already liked them. So, he quickly texted Gabriel to pick him up later and took his spot at the dining table. While Mrs Maida sat at the head of the table, Sapphie sat on the other end with him to her right and Michael to her left and of course Caleb got to sit right next to him.

Mrs Maida was a strong, hardworking woman devoted to seeing to her family's every need. Though humorous and cheerful, it didn't come as a surprise that when needed, she ruled her small household with an iron fist. One example being her biggest dinner table rule. No one was allowed access to their phone while at the table, including guests.

"Alright people, fork them over." From the cabinet behind her spot in the dining room, she pulled out a small straw box. Then she moved around the table collecting everyone's phone. Only topics of general interest could be discussed to make everyone feel included.

Kylian decided he liked these rules as he quickly put his phone on silent and placed it into the box.

At one point, he looked around the room, at the small family around him and couldn't admire how close and lively they were with each other. It reminded him of his family.

"Okay, my turn," Mrs Maida reached for the mason jar in the centre of the table as the laughter died down. She retrieved another strip of paper and read from it.

"Michael, if you could be invisible for one day. What would you observe?"

"Uh, I'm not sure you want the answer to that question mom." He smirked, causing everyone to groan and complain.

"Boy, I will smack you into next week-"

"I'm joking Ma, relax." He laughed, "okay, let's see. I would go to a Man United game without paying and watch the game from the players' bench. Then I'll sneak into the locker room and get myself Rashford's jersey."

"That's so boring. You can buy a ticket and still be able to do that...well almost." Caleb rolled his eyes.

"What, you think you have a better idea?" Challenged Michael.

"I would go to Carrefour Market, wait until they close for the day and then eat anything and everything I want."

"What is wrong with the both of, the question said to observe not do." Argued Sapphie.

"Yeah, and I'd be observing how many packets of Doritos I can fit in my stomach." Replied Caleb, causing everyone to burst out laughing again.

"You're not going to worry about all the CCTV camera's in there?" This time it was Kylian who asked.

"Why would I?" Shrugged the boy, "I'm invisible. The best thing they would come up with after watching the security footage is that their store is haunted. Case closed."

"I swear, there's something wrong with both of you." Sapphie rolled her eyes even as everyone started cackling again.

Yeah, definitely like his family...

He decided he liked them. It was a little surprising how it felt like a breath of fresh air to not about football once. Not that he was sick of it-far from it, the change of pace was like a breath of fresh air.

However, there was one thing he was still curious about. Something he'd ask Sapphie another time. Her father. The background picture on her phone only included the four people surrounding him. Before tonight, based on a previous conversation, he'd thought their father had never been in the picture to begin with. But that was until he walked into their house and saw pictures of him everywhere.

Was he stationed elsewhere? Had he walked out on them or had he passed on? Kylian filed away his question for later on.

After an excellent meal of rice, veggies, chicken cordon bleu and a homemade chocolate birthday cake, everyone gathered their plates and took them to the kitchen.

"Don't worry," Sapphie intercepted him and collected the dirty dishes from his hands, "I've got this one. I'll just help Mhamha to clean up then I'll walk you out."

"Are you sure? I can help."

"I would never hear the end of it from her. It'll be quick."

So, he ended up following the boys into the living room. Later on, once they'd finished most of the work in the kitchen, her mother shooed her out.

"You can't leave a guest alone to fend for themselves, how many times have I taught you that?"

"You make it sound so drastic. Kylian is a big boy Ma. Plus, it's not like he is alone. He's with Caleb and Michael." She shrugged and continued to dry the water glass in her hands.

"Sapphira?" her mother cocked a warning eyebrow at her. That look used to send shivers down her back when she was younger. One look and she'd be the most well-behaved kid in the country.

"Okay, okay. I'm going. But you're sure you don't need me in here anymore?"

"Stop stalling. Go."

Sapphie didn't see the knowing smile her mother cast her back as she left the room to do as she'd been told.

She found the guys still playing video games. She made herself comfortable in the corner and waited for the boys to notice her. But that didn't happen.

"Are you guys ever going to stop playing this crap?" she leaned over her arm rest to purposefully wave her hand in Michael's face.

"Language. Or I'll tell mom." Said Caleb with his eyes still glued to the tv. He was playing against Kylian and the score line was two to one in favour of none other than PSG's golden boy.

"Kylian's the unbeaten champion. We made a bet so we can't just stop."

"What bet?"

"If they beat me, that's when I can go home." Answered Kylian. His eyes too were glued to the screen while his thumbs moved furiously over the controls on the gamepad clutched in his hands.

"Boys, come on. You can't do that, Kylian has a game tomorrow and it's already past nine. He needs to rest."

"Don't be such a party pooper Sapphie?" Kylian said.

"Yeah! Don't be such a party pooper." Parroted Caleb.

She ignored her annoying brothers and fixed her gaze on him.

"You know this is not a good idea. I will not be responsible for any poor performance tomorrow."

"I can't back out of a challenge, Sapphie. You know that, unless you know how to make the stakes more interesting." He winked at her and went back to focus on the game.

Sapphie grinned as a light bulb went off in her head.

"Uh-oh, I know that look." Michael nudged Caleb with his elbow.

"Okay, tell you what? I'll play against you. If the score line is three-nil in my favour, then your previous bet will be off."

That was enough to gain his attention. He paused the game and stared at her.

"I thought you once said you were not a fan of FIFA?"

"Or of football." Shrugged Michael.

"I'm not. But I love video games."

That had Kylian's eyes bulging out. 'You work at a Ligue 1 club and you're not a football fan?"

"What can I say, I was cut from the same cloth as my mom. It's not like liking football was part of the job requirements. I may know how the game is played and everything else to do with it, but it doesn't mean I love the sport." She shrugged.

"Are you even sure you want to go against me?"

"Don't tell me the great Kylian Mbappé is afraidof a girl?" She fluttered her lashes at him.