To Be A Prize

Chapter 2

So he had had a bad dream, so what?

 It wasn't abnormal for either of us to wake up terrified of a story concocted by our own brains; I remember one night some time ago, just before we both climbed into bed, I spotted a spider in the corner of the room and, knowing Karl's fear of the things, threatened to fetch it from its spot and chuck it on Karl in his sleep. He didn't find this funny, looking for things round the room to get rid of it with whilst I laughed until my sides hurt. Eventually, however, I was not the one having the last laugh as, upon falling asleep that night, I dreamt of a ginormous spider preparing to eat me for dinner after catching me in its web. I woke up screaming and Karl had to calm me down until we both fell back asleep.

Picking up the sandwich, somehow I had managed to eat my own in the process of making Karl's, I walked back down the long hallway to Karl's room. I heard him before I saw him.

"For fucks sake," he muttered under his breathe, just loud enough to hear.

"Getting all of your swearing out before stream?" I asked, attempting to make him smile. It clearly didn't work as his face didn't change from the look of frustration that plagued his pretty features, in fact if anything it made him look even more mad. What was going on?

"Shut up, my friends will hear you; we're in a call," he responded, quickly muting his mic beforehand but not quick enough that Dream, Punz and Sapnap, who were on the other end of the call heard my previous comment. They faintly greeted me through Karl's headphones, and a smile broke my lips. 

It eased my mind to know that even though Karl wasn't talking to me right now, he still had people he could chat to. 

Although the boys were Karl's friends, I genuinely liked what I knew about them even if sometimes they could be a bit cold towards me. I always just assumed it was because they tolerated me when they had to, as Karl's girlfriend, but ultimately would only see me as an extension of Karl and would never truly care about me. 

How wrong I would prove to be.

"Don't tell me to shut up, especially as I've made you this Michelin Star sandwich" I joked again, trying not to get to retaliate to his rudeness. 

As if to deal with my anger on my behalf, the storm outside howled and rain broke through the clouds, drenching anyone stupid enough to be outside. 

Karl watched the window, searching for anywhere to rest his gaze but my face. His features lit up by a flash of lightening followed by a crash of thunder, so close the house shook startling him from his daydream as he turned back round to unmute his mic, not even saying thank you. 

In the windows reflection, I suddenly caught sight of myself and was disgusted with what I saw: stood with a sandwich in my hand, waiting for my boyfriend to finish playing video games with his friends to grace me with a second of his attention, I looked like pathetic.

The rage at being ignored by a man who supposedly loved me suddenly took over every nerve in my body. 

I may not be a supermodel, or a whizz at maths, but I am still worthy of attention. 

I drop the plate and sandwich on the floor landing with a deafening crash that shook the house and plunged the room into darkness. 

What just happened?

 I may be strong but not strong enough to do all that. My brain slowly made connections trying to comprehend what had happened but was beaten by a troglodytic shout from the darkness that made me jump.

"Shit! Fuck! A fucking powercut! I didn't fucking save my work! No, no, no, no. Fuck my life!" Although Karl swore like a trooper when he was off stream, this really was a side of him that I had never seen.

"It's ok, baby. I can help you get it back. The power will be up soon and we can work on it together" I said trying to calm him down, laying my hand on his shoulder.

"You? You think you can help me? What the fuck are you going to do except flirt with my friends in the call?" He retorted. 

Now I am really confused. 

Flirt?

 I've spoken to his friends before, yes, but never in that way. Besides even if I wanted to, it would be very difficult as they were all so timid with me. 

One time when we were all playing Minecraft and they ganged up on me, I made a joke about them "tag teaming" me and as I sat there laughing, expecting to be met with more laughter, they all fell silent and made excuses to leave.

"Are you taking the fucking piss?" I shouted back "Why the fuck would I flirt with them? The only reason I would ever flirt with them would be to get your attention after you've been ignoring me for weeks! I wouldn't be surprised if you've got a secret girlfriend you've been talking to on Discord with the amount you're on it!" I trust Karl and don't really think he would cheat on me but if he's going to release his anger on me, I'll happily be a worthy opponent. 

He's not actually cheating on me though, right?

"A secret girlfriend? If either of us would be classed as the unfaithful one, it would be you." He screamed from the dark, where we both still stood.

 Although I couldn't see him, I could sense that he was stood right in front of me. His breathe fanned across my bare collarbones. Despite how gentle Karl is I braced myself, expecting to be hit across the face. Instead I felt nothing but his shoulder brush past as he left the room, muttering something about finding the fusebox.

Now, alone, it dawned on me what he had just said. Unfaithful? Does Karl think I've cheated on him? Sitting down on Karl's chair, I pull my knees up to my chest, thinking about what to do next. I sit for what feels like hours.

How much had the people in the Discord call heard of our conversation before the power got cut off?

They definitely heard me cheerfully walk in only to be met by Karl snapping at me, and then probably the thud as the plate hit the floor. Had they told Karl that I had been flirting with them? Is that why they have been so unfriendly?

 Luckily, my phone still has 1 bar of service despite the storm that still rages on outside, so do the only thing I can think of to sort this out- call them.