The Detoxing Game

A Rematch

It had started to rain as Micky pushed his suitcase down the street. A thousand thoughts were going through his head as he marched on into the night. Micky had waited for Davy to come home for over an hour, when he never did, he decided to leave. It was getting close to midnight by this point and Micky had spent most of his time wandering around aimlessly, going in circles and constantly doubting if he was doing the good thing.

By the time he finally made it into the city, he didn't get very far before he froze. In the distance, he could hear the sound of someone screaming.

Almost instinctively, he started sprinting to the source. The sound of crying was coming from an alley and a large group of people ran out of it.

"HEY!" Micky screamed. He set his suitcase on the ground and tried to chase him but they were gone. He let out a frustrated groan and picked up his suitcase again. Slowly, he turned and started going into the alleyway, approaching the crying figure who was crouched on the ground, sobbing.

"Hey..." he whispered, getting on his knees beside the person. "Are you alright?"

The person looked up with red and teary eyes,

"Davy...?" He asked quietly and Davy nodded slightly. "What happened?"

"I'm sorry," he whispered, breathing heavily. Micky frowned and sat beside him, wrapping his arm around his friend and pulling him close.

"I'm sorry," Davy repeated, unable to think of something better to say.

A crack of thunder caused him to let out a cry and cling onto Micky tightly.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Davy sobbed. "Just let me go. Let me..."

Micky began rubbing circles on his back.

"It's okay," he whispered. "I'm right here."

Davy whimpered and Micky sighed.

"Here," he said, pulling away from him and standing. Davy sniffled and looked up and his eyes widened with horror at the suitcase by Micky's feet.

"Y-you're leaving me alone with them?" He asked, his voice trembling with fear.

"No," Micky said, offering out his hand. "Of course I wouldn't. I'm gonna take you home."

Davy looked down at Micky's hand, then back up at Micky.

"Come on," Micky said with a slight smile. Davy stood up on his own and pushed past Micky, walking back.

Davy didn't say anything for the first few days. He mostly just stared out the window, an unreadable expression on his face. He jumped at every noise, every approaching footstep, and every voice he heard. He was paranoid.

"Hey Davy?" Micky called out from the living room, snapping him out of his trance. Micky smiled at him and revealed the chess board on the table.

"Rematch?"

Davy smiled slightly.

"I'll let you win," he said, going over and sitting down at the table.

"No," Micky said, sitting down. "You don't have to. If I win, I win. If I lose, I lose. Just give me an honest fight, that's all I ask."

Davy nodded and moved a pawn forward.

"I'll let you win."

Micky sighed.

"Well, alright then."

Micky frowned and moved his piece forward.

"Don't let me win," he said sternly. "It's no fun if you already know what's gonna happen."

Davy looked up at him.

"It's much more relieving to know the end of the story," he said quietly. "It's less stressful. There's no...there's no surprises or curveballs."

"No fun either," Micky said. "It's your turn."

Davy sighed and rested his head on his hands, thinking.

"What if I didn't go?" He asked finally.

"What?"

"What if I just skipped my turn? What would you do?" He looked up at Micky, who sighed and smiled.

"I'd tell you that it's your turn and you have to go."

"I don't want to," Davy said looking down. "Just go without me."

"No sir," Micky said, looking at his friend carefully. Looking for a sign of what was wrong. "It's your move, you have to go."

Davy sighed and reluctantly moved a piece forward.

"I wish I didn't," he said, yawning.

"Are you tired?" Micky asked, a hint of concern in his tone. Davy nodded.

"Didn't sleep great last night," he said quietly, rubbing his eyes awake. Micky smiled sadly.

"I didn't hurt you too much, did I?"

Davy smiled at that and shook his head.

"Of course not, you-you couldn't hurt me any more even if you tried."

Micky nodded and moved his bishop forward.

"I'll let you win," Davy said smiling. "I'm tired. And after all, that's what you wanted, right?"

Micky looks up at him.

"All I want is an honest fight," he said sternly. "No dropping out or letting me win. Just put up a little bit of a fight, okay?"

Davy sighed and his smile faded.

"Don't stop just because I'm not good," Micky continued. "I know I'm not very experienced when it comes to chess but you don't need to make the game easy for me."

"I didn't sleep last night," he said darkly, pushing a piece forward.

"And?"

Davy looked up at Micky, who flashed a smile.

"I just mean, you know the world doesn't stop turning just because you didn't sleep. I didn't mean that as anything rude."

Davy sighed and nodded.

"Too much on my mind."

"Hell, I know that feeling."

Davy frowned and began tapping his fingers on the board.

"I met someone," he said, looking down at his hands.

"Oh?" Micky asked with a smile. "Is she pretty?"

Davy didn't answer him right away.

"Now, before you say anything, I really like this girl or I thought I did..."

"You like every girl. What's your point?"

Davy sighed. Micky still didn't understand.

"I like her, that's my point," he said finally. Micky frowned.

"But that's a good thing, isn't it?"

Davy never responded to that. Instead, he only moved a piece forward.

"Your move," he said.

"Davy..." Micky started.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it, okay?" Davy snapped and Micky straightened up in his seat.

"You wouldn't have brought it up if you didn't want to talk about it."

Davy frowned and shook his head, his nervous fidgeting becoming worse.

"Just play the game, I wanna go to bed."

"You look like you have enough energy to run a marathon in a minute," Micky jokes, moving a piece forward. Davy sighed and stood.

"She liked me, she says she liked me...I don't know, just...I don't know what I feel anymore..." he said, looking down. Micky stood up slowly and went to him.

"What happened to the hopeless romantic who loves every girl?"

Davy sighed.

"He grew up and got tired. Now, good night."