The Game

Chapter 15

Hey guys ! This is a very short chapter but I thought it would be good for you to know a little better why I titled my story "The Game". Enjoy ;)

Begining of June, probably the busiest month of the year. Tony and I had chosen our song for the concert that would be in a few days and we were working hard on it, desperately trying to reach perfection. We would be graduated in 3 weeks and then we would have 2 months of vacation to prepare for college. Most of the school was hoping to be accepted in San Diego State University and keep a life as similar as possible to their current one.

I was the only one truly moving away from here and, to say exactly what was going on my mind, it was scaring the shit out of me. I was used to changing but there I was particularly fearing being alone. I would be in a new place, and I would have to handle myself with no support from anyone. I would have to act like a true adult with no shoulder to rest on. And above everything, I would be away from home.

But for the moment, this wasn't the good time to think about this all. I wanted to focus on the present. Life was good, even great actually. School was going pretty good for what I wasn't skipping to hang out with Tony or Jaime. Mike was in a lower grade and Vic rarely skipped with us. He wanted to get the highest marks so, later, he could focus on the band a lot more. We were always together on our spare time. He came at home very often and we played music, we talked, or we did some other things. (things that people don't need to know about ;) I could really not get tired of him.

Today I was hanging out with Mike, I don't know why he had called me but I guess he was just bored and no one else answered his calls. So we had just gone for a walk and we stopped to take some ice cream on the beach. He was telling me everything about drums which I found very interesting since it was my favorite instrument and the one I was completely unable to play at all. Everything was doing fine and we were having a great time until he said with an amused tone :

"I totally forgot my dad's birthday the other day. I'm so dumb !"

"I hope you feel terrible." I said calmly, but inside I wasn't so calm, I was even quite irritated.

"It's okay, it's just a birthday anyway, I can still fix this next year."

"Did Vic forget ?" I asked curiously.

"He never forgets this kinda things."

"Mike this is important shit ! It might seem to be just another normal day to you but it's really not ! Does your dad forgets your birthday ? I'm pretty sure he doesn't ! Because he loves you ! Forgetting someone's birthday is like...it's like telling them that you don't give a shit about them !"

"Oh come on ! Chill okay ? I love my dad and he knows it."

"Yeah ? Do you tell him everyday ? Do you make sure he does know ? Because the simplest way to do that is to not forgot his bloody birthday. I mean at least you should apologize to him ! But you know what ? I don't care, it's not my dad, you treat him like whatever you want." I gave up.

"It seems to upset you..."

"My dad died and I still go on his grave every year for his birthday. I never forget ! And everytime I wonder if he knew how I love him, if I told him enough. I will never have the answer. You should let your parents know you love them as long as you possibly can because they will be gone sooner than you think."

"Yeah, maybe you're right."

"I'm not saying that your parents are gonna die tomorrow but just...think about it okay ?"

"Uh huh, thanks from teaching me life !" He said, laughing a little.

"It's not about...I mean I'm just... Nevermind." I sighed and went home, leaving him here.

When I opened the door, I saw Vic and Chris laughing together at the table in the living room. I smiled, glad to see they were good mates and walked toward them.

"Here she is !!" Chris said, pointing me with his finger.

"Hey guys ! What's up ?" I sat next to Vic and he rubbed his hand on my thigh.

"I was just coming to see if you wanted to hang out but Chris told me you weren't home so he offered me a beer and we waited for you." He shook the beer he was holding in his left hand.

"Awww what a nice brother I have !" I said, giving a big smile to Chris.

"Anyway ! I gotta go pick up Kelly at the university. She was in class today. Um...Alfie is asleep so you'll have to look after him until I come back and...yeah, have fun love birds !" Chris said before getting up and throwing his empty bottle in the bin. He took the car keys and left us.

I turned to face Vic and smiled. He hadn't removed his hand from my thigh. I took it and enlaced our fingers together.

"So, where have you been ?" He asked.

"I was at the beach with Mike, just hanging out...But he pissed me off so I left. No offense but your brother is so dumb sometimes !"

"No waaaaay ! I've been living with him for 18 years and I never noticed !" He said sarcastically and laughed. "Okay what happened ?"

"He said he forgot your dad's birthday but it was like he didn't even care so I tried to explain him that he should show his parents he loves them before he's no longer able to. But I mean he can't take it seriously so I didn't bother insisting."

"You're right. It's better to wish a birthday face to face than face to...to grave I guess." He smiled shily.

"Definitely."

There was a silence.

"By the way I've been wondering... I mean you don't have to answer obviously but... Do you still cry ? About your dad and your sister ?" He asked me, looking down at our hands, his thumb rubbing on mine.

"Well, you know, sometimes...But way less than before. Contrarily to what people think, I don't cry because they're gone, I mean of course I miss them but...Remember the first time we skipped together and we went to the lake ?" It all went naturally, I wasn't afraid of opening up with him.

"Yeah ?"

"I told you that story when I was little ."

"Yeah I remember that. The game thing..."

"It's the point. Like I said, I don't cry because they're gone, I cry because they lost the game. I know it can sound stupid and everything-"

"It's not ! I understand..."

"Right..." I let go of his hand and slid it up his neck then kissed him softly. He kissed me back and pulled me closer, making me sit on his lap. We kissed for a long moment. It always felt so good, he always felt so good. He was a great kisser and the feeling of mg body against his was like heaven.