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*3rd Pov
The library was never like this.
Usually, it breathed silence. A sacred hush lingered in the air—pages whispering, pencils scratching, time itself seeming to slow.
But not today.
Today, it pulsed with life, stuffed wall to wall with curious eyes and hushed voices. The sound wasn't silence anymore—it was a heartbeat. The murmur of excitement. And all of it orbiting around one name.
Georgie Cooper.
Sheldon sat stiffly at the table, his sandwich half-unwrapped and untouched. He scanned the crowded room, his brows twitching in suspicion.
"Why is everyone here?" he muttered.
A pair of students whispered nearby, stealing glances at their table. Sheldon's frown deepened. "Why are they looking at me?"
And then it clicked. He remembered Veronica's words from earlier.
"Ohh… it's because of you, big brother."
Georgie looked up, a sheepish smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. One concert. A handful of songs. That's all it took. Now the entire school was acting like he'd just won a Grammy.
'What's it gonna be like when I actually appear on TV?' he wondered.
Veronica, sitting close beside him, gently took his hand. Her fingers were steady—supportive. She followed the giggling gaze of a group of girls across the room and smirked.
"You're in Music Now Weekly, Georgie," she whispered. "A full-page spread. That cowboy hat? It's practically iconic now."
Sheldon tugged his mask higher over his nose. He looked visibly agitated, like he was caught in a science experiment gone wrong.
"Brother," he said in a low voice, eyes darting around, "how about we change seats?"
He didn't sound angry—just tired. Overwhelmed. Since this morning, the spotlight had found him too… not for his brain, but for his last name.
Georgie stood without hesitation. "Alright."
Veronica nodded and rose with him, brushing back her hair with quiet elegance.
Just as they began to leave, Tam hurried toward them, flanked by a girl he was clearly trying to impress. He flashed a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"You know," he said with forced confidence, "I'm really close with Georgie."
He turned to the group and raised his voice slightly, "Hey, big brother!"
Georgie blinked at the title but played along with a quick nod.
But Sheldon's head whipped around.
"Big brother?" he repeated, offended. "He's not your big brother. He's my big brother."
The words cut the air like a blade.
Tam gave an awkward laugh, trying to smooth the moment, but it was already unraveling. Before he could speak again, the girl took a step forward—eyes locked on Georgie.
"Hi, Georgie!" she said brightly, her voice laced with nervous admiration. "I read the article. You looked amazing in that cowboy hat."
Tam's face flushed. His posture shifted—shoulders dropping just slightly, but enough to betray what he was feeling.
Georgie smiled warmly but with a polite distance. "Thank you. I appreciate it."
He glanced toward Veronica, then added, "I'm sorry, but we're heading out now."
The girl's smile faltered. "Oh…"
Her eyes flicked to Tam, almost like she just remembered he was there.
Tam forced a crooked grin. "Maybe… we could have lunch together?" he asked quietly. Then, seeing Sheldon and Veronica both staring, he shrank. "Or… not."
Georgie gave Tam a brotherly smile and tousled his hair.
"Maybe later, Tam."
With that, he turned and walked away—Veronica close beside him, and Sheldon following with a dramatic sigh, muttering,
"Fame is an infectious social disease."
Tam stood frozen.
The girl slowly drifted back to the chair Georgie had been sitting in moments before, her fingers trailing across the edge like she was trying to hold onto something that was already gone.
Tam watched her. She wasn't looking at him.
He knew what that meant.
Still, he wanted—so badly—to matter in that same way.
He drew in a shaky breath and stepped forward. His voice came out small.
"I'm sorry…"
She didn't answer. Maybe she hadn't even heard him. Or maybe she didn't care.
Tam stared at her for a second longer, then turned away—his steps heavier now. No goodbye. No second glance.
He walked out of the library alone.
—-----------
*3rd Pov
"Why are you here again?" George Sr.'s voice rang out with a mix of exhaustion and disbelief as he looked up from his lunch.
In front of him stood Georgie, Sheldon, and—unexpectedly—Veronica.
He was seated behind his cluttered desk in the cramped but quiet corner of the school's athletics office, a ham sandwich in one hand and a rare moment of peace in the other. A moment that, clearly, wasn't meant to last.
He immediately suspected Georgie had come to mess with him again. But then he saw Veronica standing beside him, and something in her calm presence told George this wasn't just another teenage prank.
Until Georgie opened his mouth.
"We're here to bother you!" he declared cheerfully.
George Sr. let out a long sigh and glanced at the lunchboxes in their hands.
"What's wrong with the library?"
He tried not to engage Georgie's chaos, choosing instead to address the logic of their uninvited arrival.
"That's not a library anymore," Sheldon said matter-of-factly, scanning the room like a hawk. "It's a viewing cage. And we are the wild animals—observed, studied, possibly photographed."
George blinked. "What?"
"Library's packed," Georgie translated flatly. "Full of people. Staring."
George Sr.'s mouth twitched. His eyebrow followed a moment later.
Veronica tried to contain a giggle. "Sheldon's... overwhelmed. No one's reading, they're just waiting for Georgie to look in their direction."
George leaned back in his chair, exasperated.
"And so naturally, you all came here? What, were the trees outside too crowded for you?"
"I don't want to eat outside," Sheldon said immediately, horrified. "There are squirrels. And airborne particles. I could contract a virus. Or worse—a rash. Picnic is horrible!"
George pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course."
Meanwhile, Sheldon wandered the room with surgical precision, finally dropping into the chair at the far corner.
"Hey! That's mine! i called dibs! Georgie barked, pointing.
"I sat here first!" Sheldon snapped defensively. But then he hesitated, logic overriding emotion.
"...Never mind. Here. Have it, brother."
"I've lost all interest in that seat!" Georgie deadpanned, and still walked over just to bother him, nudging Sheldon's arm with exaggerated pettiness.
The bickering escalated, their voices rising and childish antics spilling across the room.
George Sr. stared, vein twitching in his forehead. Veronica stood silently to the side, somewhere between amused and deeply regretting her life choices.
Finally, George slammed both palms on his desk.
"That's it!" he thundered, standing up. "Let's go to the principal's office!"
Veronica blinked. "Uhh... Coach George? We're not actually in trouble, are we?"
George glared at his sons, who continued to ignore him like overgrown toddlers.
"No," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm going to ask Peterson to clear the entire library anytime Georgie's in it."
Georgie, who had been halfway through a dramatic sigh, He turned slowly, smirk forming on his face.
"Ohh, Isn't that a little arrogant, Dad? Clearing out a whole room just for me?"
George stared at him, jaw twitching. That voice. That tone. Georgie sounded like an A-list celebrity asking for a private jet.
"I mean, really, Dad?! That's kind of amazing!" Georgie added and change his voice with mock pride.
But Sheldon turned to George with wide, hopeful eyes—suddenly full of sincere admiration.
George pointed at Georgie like a frustrated coach on the edge of a breakdown.
"Shut up, Georgie!"
With that, he grabbed his lunch, threw open the door, and stormed out.
The three of them followed him into the hallway.
—--------
"We're home!" George Sr. called out as he stepped into the house, his tone flat and tired. The kind of tired that came from dealing with both students and traffic.
Trailing behind him were his two sons—Georgie with his flannel shirt half-untucked and bag slung carelessly over one shoulder, and Sheldon with his suitcase clutched like a precious artifact.
"I'm just saying," Georgie said, exasperated, "a lightsaber would totally destroy that little plastic phaser of yours."
"That's objectively incorrect," Sheldon replied immediately, eyes narrowing. "A phaser on stun mode has non-lethal precision. A lightsaber is a primitive melee weapon requiring proximity and reckless movement."
Georgie groaned. "Sheldon, lightsabers can cut through anything. Your tiny stun gun couldn't even slow down a stormtrooper."
"Stormtroopers have the worst aim in cinematic history," Sheldon shot back. "That alone invalidates your argument."
"I'd like to see your Captain Kirk try to fight Darth Vader."
"Captain Kirk would outwit Darth Vader," Sheldon said smugly. "And then date Princess Leia."
"Ew!" Georgie grimaced. "He'd be like—her creepy uncle."
They were still mid-banter as they stepped into the living room—and stopped.
Mary was standing by the archway to the kitchen, looking like she'd been caught trying to smuggle a raccoon out of the house. Her smile was too polite, her eyes darting nervously between George and Georgie.
"Hey, Mom?" Georgie asked, eyebrows raised. "Why do you look like you just fed the cat to the dog?"
Mary opened her mouth, then closed it. Then gave a tight-lipped, I-have-no-idea-how-to-say-this smile.
Sheldon blinked, then turned to Georgie with his trademark confused squint. "Really, Brother? You're the one always claiming to be clever, and you say dog eat a cat?"
"That's just an analogy, Shelly," Georgie muttered. "I didn't mean it literally."
But his attention quickly shifted back to Mary, whose awkward smile hadn't budged. She looked like she wanted to disappear into the wall.
George Sr. let out a heavy sigh, sensing incoming drama. "Whatever this is, I'm not part of it. I'm takin' a shower." With that, he disappeared down the hall.
Mary frowned at his retreating back. She knew he wasn't against her—but he also wasn't backing her up. And right now, that stung.
Georgie exhaled loudly and threw up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright. I'll accept whatever plan you cooked up, Mom."
His voice was calm, almost too calm—resigned in a way that wasn't angry, just... tired.
Mary flinched at his tone. Watching her son surrender like that, without even arguing, cut deeper than any sarcasm could.
"I… I'll call him," Mary whispered. A part of her believed it was the right thing to do. But another part of her still burned with quiet fear.
Georgie let out a tired sigh. He looked at her, his expression flat but honest. "Do I have to get baptized so you can finally feel at peace with me?"
His voice was soft, even a little playful—but it cut deeper than he probably realized.
Mary froze.
Sheldon blinked and turned to Georgie, brows raised in disbelief. "Really, Brother? That's... quite disappointing."
"If that makes Mom smile more," Georgie shrugged. "Sure."
Mary stared at him, eyes wide. Without realizing it, a single tear rolled down her cheek. But she smiled—softly, warmly.
"You'd do that for me?" she said, her voice shaking. "But remember, you do that for Jesus. To cleanse your soul—not just to make me feel better."
Georgie gave her a small, tired smile. "Sure, Mom. But not now, alright? Maybe when I'm seventeen or something."
Mary shook her head, beaming through the tears. "Doesn't matter. Just hearing that... makes me so happy."
She stepped forward and pulled him into a hug, kissing his cheek, forehead, and hair like she did when he was little.
"What about me?" a small voice beside them chimed in.
Mary turned. "Do you want to be baptized too, Shelly?"
"No."
Mary's smile twitched into a flat line. "Of course not…"
Georgie chuckled and pulled her back into the hug. "It's okay, Mom. Everyone finds their own path."
Mary frowned at that. "You're his big brother. If anything happens to me or your father, he and Missy will turn to you. You need to guide them."
Georgie's smile faltered slightly, but he didn't protest. He'd already accepted that truth, even if he didn't say it out loud.
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang. All of them turned toward the door in unison.
Mary went pale.
"Oh no…" she whispered.
"I was about to call and cancel," she muttered quickly, and Georgie gave her a calm nod. "Go ahead," he said gently.
Together, the three of them walked toward the door.
Standing outside was Pastor Jeff, wearing a neatly pressed blue shirt and brown slacks, looking more like a friendly neighbor than a clergyman. Next to him stood a woman—Latina, elegant, and smiling wearily.
"Good evening, Mary," Pastor Jeff greeted, completely unaware that Mary had been seconds away from calling him off. "We were in the neighborhood and figured we'd stop by while we had the chance."
Mary's smile was frozen, a little crooked. She opened her mouth, but Georgie stepped forward with effortless poise.
"Good evening, Pastor... Madame." His voice was smooth and low. He held eye contact just a little longer with the woman than he did with Pastor Jeff.
"Please, come in."
The woman beside Pastor Jeff raised an amused brow, visibly intrigued by Georgie's manner.
Sheldon and Mary exchanged glances—confused ones.
"Brother, weren't you just—?" Sheldon began.
Georgie raised a hand gently. "It's okay, Shelly. They're just visiting."
Pastor Jeff smiled warmly. "Thank you, Georgie. That's very kind of you."
"It's no problem," Georgie replied, stepping aside. "We should have dinner together, if you'd like."
His eyes flicked toward the woman.
Pastor Jeff nodded slowly. "We weren't planning to impose, but if you insist..." He looked at Mary, offering a subtle signal.
"...Sure," Mary replied, barely audible.
"Wonderful. Oh! I want to introduce my wife. Everyone, this is Selena. Selena, meet the Cooper family. That's Mary, the little one is Sheldon, and the tall one there is Georgie."
Footsteps came from the hallway—George Sr., freshly showered and dressed in clean clothes, entered the scene just in time.
"And that's the head of the household," Pastor Jeff added. "Mr. George Cooper Sr."
Selena offered a charming smile to everyone, but her gaze lingered on Georgie, and she gave him a subtle, teasing smirk.
George Sr. glanced at Mary with slight irritation, motioning for her to 'send the pastor away,' looked, but froze when he saw Georgie behaving like... well, someone else entirely.
With a step forward, Georgie gently took Selena's hand and kissed the back of it like a gentleman. "Encantado de conocerte, señorita. Me llamo George Cooper Jr., pero la mayoría me llama Georgie."
("Lovely to meet you, Señorita. Name's George Cooper Jr., but most people call me Georgie.")
He added in a smooth Spanish accent.
Sheldon twitched. "Since when do you speak Spanish?"
That question echoed silently through the room.
"I was born with it," Georgie said with a grin. "Half my blood's from Spain. There's Latin fire in my breath."
The words were completely absurd—but Selena laughed anyway.
"Eres un vaquero tejano... qué peligrosamente encantador."
("You're a Texan cowboy… how dangerously charming.")
she said in Spanish, lightly tapping his chest. Her hand lingered there just a second too long.
Sheldon turned toward Mary and George Sr. with a serious look. "Mom... did you cheat on Dad before Georgie was born?"
"What? No!" Mary snapped, scandalized.
George Sr. glared at Georgie, jaw twitching. He stepped forward and clapped a firm hand on Georgie's shoulder, pulling him slightly away from Selena.
"Alright, that's enough. Let the ladies cook dinner. We men are gonna talk—over there."
Pastor Jeff, still a bit dazed from the exchange, turned toward Mary as if asking, is this normal? He hadn't seen that side of Georgie before.
But dangerously, He still didn't quite realize he was witnessing a young charmer in full form.
Suddenly, the front door opened again. Missy burst in with Connie behind her.
"What's going on?" she asked.
Connie glanced around and grumbled, "Looks like we missed something juicy."
Missy walked over to Georgie, frowning. "What'd I miss, brother?"
"Nothing, princess. We just have dinner guests tonight." Georgie winked at Selena, who chuckled at the interaction.
Missy looked between Georgie and Selena, studying them carefully. Her smirk slowly widened as she figured it out.
Georgie met her gaze and gave her a warning look, but she only chuckled—evilly.