The name of the game | ONC 2022 ✔

Chapter 17

I pick my phone up from where it fell on the floor and call my friends

Jake answers the phone before Cole.

"Your turn to yell at Cole?" I ask, smiling.

"You know it," Jake answers.

Before Jake can go get Cole, he joins the call.

"What's up Ash?" He asks.

"I never told you guys about my date," I say.

"Details, now." Jake says.

"Not the details, give us anything you found out about that school of yours," Cole moves around a bit, you can hear the noise of his footsteps.

"There definitely is something going on," I say and pause to let Jake or Cole speak.

"I called it!" Cole yells and Jake and I just laugh.

"Celebrate a little quieter next time," I say and we all laugh.

"So, how did you find out?" Jake asks.

"I asked her about it," I say and Cole interrupts.

"You did what?"

"Asked her and she kept putting it off so obviously something's up." I say and I hear Cole breathing down the phone.

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Jessica: I can't make it to school today Ash, but we can do netflix and chill or something after school
AshM: Sure, I'll talk to mom

I shower and get dressed then go downstairs for breakfast.

"Mom, is it alright if I go on another date tonight?" I ask as I grab bread to make toast. While it cooks, I get the butter and jam out.

"Same girl?" Mom walks over to me and hugs me.

"Yeah," I answer. My toast pops and I pull it put of the toaster and onto my plate. As I butter it, Mom walks out of the kitchen but then sticks her head round the door.

"Can I have an Ash night?" She asks and I laugh.

"Okay, I'll stay,"

Mom mouths thank you, then leaves. I listen to her car pull out of the driveway and onto the road.

Then I get my phone and text Jess.

Jessica: what did she say
AshM: sorry, not tonight. Maybe tomorrow?
Jessica: I'll see if I can after bball practice

I put my phone in my pocket, eat my toast, clean all the stuff up then go upstairs to brush my teeth.

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I meet up with Noah at school. He rode his bike in today and brought another helmet for me.

"Excited to ride again?" Noah asks.

"Yeah, of course," I say.

"Hi Ash," someone says from behind Noah and I.

"You are Ash, right?" The voice asks again.

I turn around and see one of Jess's friends.

"That's me," I say.

"Cool. So, Jess told me to tell you that she couldn't make it to school today." The person says.

"Okay," I go to turn around because, I already know this.

"Wait," they say. I turn around again.

"I'm Lulu, and Jess said that I'm to keep you company in P.E,"

"Thanks, but no thanks. Noah will be joining me in P.E today," I walk off and hear Lulu grumbling behind me.

"What's her deal?" Noah asks when the girls are out of earshot.

"I don't know but Jess didn't say anything about a friend in P.E," I say.

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Lulu approachs me in P.E again.

"Hey Ash,"

I ignore her and keep talking to Noah.

"So you're not going to jog with me?" Noah asks.

"For the first or second lap, then you have to keep up with me," I say and Noah pouts.

"But I'm not at fit as you," he groans.

"Try to keep up," I say but then Ms Jamie calls us over so we can start running.

True to my word, for the first laps I run at Noah's pace.

"Alright Noah, catch me if you can." I say and start running at my usual pace.

To my surprise, Noah manages to keep up with me for 2 more laps.

"Can we slow down a bit?" Noah puffs.

After a few more metres I relent and slow down.

"Thank you," Noah's breathing more comfortably now.

"You're welcome," I say and Noah manages a laugh.

"You're one of those cross country kids aren't you? The ones that run for fun," Noah jokes.

"Actually I run because I do physical therapy," I say and speed up again, leaving Noah behind.

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I feel eyes on me as I walk into the employee room at the pizza place. Cautiously I walk to where the keys hang but before I can reach them, a conversation that I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed hear, stops me.

"Everything's falling into place," a female voice says. "He doesn't suspect a thing."

I try to get the keys quietly but they clang against each other and the voices stop.

Luckily for me my headphones are in my pocket and I shove them in my ears. I hear footsteps and Lulu walks out from Jesse's office. I pretend not to see her and she sees the headphones and retreats back to the office.

"All clear. He had headphones on," I hear her say.

"Can't have the unsuspecting victim find out about our little game, can we?" A voice asks. It sounds like Jess but I refuse to believe that.

"A game which he decides the winner," Lulu says.

"I heard you made a move today. Did you forget the game breaker rules?" The second voice asks and I'm fairly certain that's Jess.

"You were off school. I saw a chance and I took it," Lulu says.

"Time for me to leave," I mutter and go pick up the pizzas and the address.

_____________________

I park the delivery car on the road in front of the house. A thin concrete path leads to a porch. The house is a small wooden one with peeling paint. I grab the pizza and walk up the path.

I knock on the door of the house then step back to wait.

"I'll get it," someone yells and I hear footsteps echo. The door opens.

"Oh hey Ash. Didn't know you were the delivery person," Jess takes the pizza boxes from me.

"Oh hey Jess," I say.

"Jessica! Whose at the door?" A woman yells.

"Pizza guy," Jess yells and shuts the door on me.

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