The name of the game | ONC 2022 ✔

Chapter 15

Jessica: Hey Ash, meet me at the pizza place tomorrow at around 6. Text if you can't make it
AshM: I'll see what happens tomorrow

I wake up 15 minutes before usual because I can bear Mom walking around downstairs with a vacumn.

"Mom it's 7 in the morning!" I yell.

"The early bird gets the worm," Mom yells back.

"But the second mouse gets the cheese," I sigh and look around my room.

My room is on the corner of the house so I get 2 windows. The bed is under one and my desk is under the other. The floor is a dark grey carpet with some imprints from the last owners stuff.

My desk is currently pretending to be a pile of papers but I can just make out the laptop on top. My room being messy us annoying me now so I groan, push the sheets back and start my day.

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Once I've eaten breakfast I head back upstairs, thankful it's a Sunday and start cleaning.

I find a total of: 3 odd socks, 2 phone chargers, 1 adapter and 5 books under my bed. I stare at the pile of stuff.

"How," I whisper. Then I start on my desk.

I grab a plastic bag from Mom's collection and chuck any rubbish paper in there. Once I've sorted the trash from my drawings and picked the best drawings I grab my folder and start sliding the papers in. A single drawing captures my eye. Done in pencil, all light blue and white. Grey rocks with waves crashing over them. The view from the cliff, drawn a few days before the accident. I pull the paper from it's leaf and put it on my desk. 

Then I take the plastic bag downstairs and out to the bin. I open the lid and throw the bag in.

Back up to my room I go. Most of the floor is clear except for the corner to the left of the door. That corner is filled with laundry. I pick it all up and take it to the washing machine.

After separating lights and darks I put the load of darks on first. I leave the other load sitting in a basket and go back to my room. Then I grab the drawing and take it to dads old office. 

I plug the laminator in and put the drawing in the clear sheet. I wait for the machine to warm up before laminating the drawing. I take some poster tack and the drawing.  

I go back to my room and stick the picture on the back of the wall. Then I spin around, surveying my now clean room. Satisfied with it's state I lie down and grab my phone.

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After half an hour of mindless scrolling I decide to get up and do something. I wander around the house, looking for something to do. Eventually I grab the vacuum and lug it upstairs to my room.

I grab my headphones and plug the vacuum in. Then I start cleaning.

Once I've finished my room I do the hall and the stairs. I'm just putting the vacuum back when I hear a knock on the door. I freeze and pull my headphones off. The knock sounds again. I shove the vacuum in the cupboard, put my headphones on the table and go to the front door.

I peek through the window beside the door and see it's only Noah.

"Come in," I open the door and Noah comes inside.

"Hey Ash, you look surprised to see me. I texted you I was coming over," Noah says.

"Oh yeah, I had my phone on silent," I say. "So what did you want?" 

"I wanted to talk to you," Noah says. "About Jess,"

"Oh," I invite Noah into our living area and flop on the couch.

"I know you don't like her but I think this is our best shot at finding out what is hapening at school," I say.

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm here. We need a game plan,"

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Noah and I discuss our game plan while I make some lunch.

"Don't forget the egg," Noah says, watching as I mix up the pie filling.

"I won't," I say and grab the eggs Noah had been whisking.

"Really? Cause it looked like you forgot them," Noah laughs.

"I did not. I was simply testing your observation skills." I say, sliding the pie into the oven.

"Did I pass?" Noah asks.

"Barely," I answer, setting a timer and walking back to the living area.

"Noah, I have a question," I say, returning to my previous position on the couch.

"Ask away," Noah says. He sits on the other end of the couch, facing me.

"Do you want to road trip with me to my hometown?" I ask, fidgeting with my fingers.

"On our bikes?" Noah asks. I nod.

"Hell yeah!" Noah says and I smile at his enthusiasm.

"Calm down buddy. We won't be going for a bit yet because I'm still broke," I laugh.

"And we need to find out the secrets of Jessica Wilson." Noah adds and like he summoned her, my phone rings.

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Noah and I sit at the island in the kitchen, eating the pie. 

"How's my cooking?" I ask, leaning back.

"Watch out, you'll tip your chair over. It's better than I expected,"  Noah says casually, watching as I almost tip the chair over backwards.

"Thanks for the warning," I say, grabbing the bench.

"No problem." Noah's phone buzzes and he checks it.

"Gotta go," he finishes the last of his pie and stands.

"Have fun," I say.

"I will. Oh and tomorrow, don't forget to get on her good side and act innocent," Noah says as he walks out the door.

"I won't," I say and close the door. I grab my headphones and phone then go back upstairs.

The door closes behind me and I spend a few minutes googling Panorama High School. The search turns up a few results about basketball and a few honors students but nothing else.

To clear my head, I decide to go for a run. 

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