Moonlit Waters

Chapter 9

Later that day, Isa and I go to Alex's place. I'd told her about all my memories of playing with Alex, she'd told me she wanted to try it too. She'd never been particularly good at any sort of gaming, but that could always be changed, right?

When Alex leads us into his room, Pearl is waiting on the sofa, a large bowl of chips in her lap.

She's going to get her controller dirty, but Alex is used to having to clean them up afterward. It's part of the tradition.

Seeing Isa, her jaw drops. "Is she your new girlfriend?" she asks with a broad smile that could mean I'm gonna make this interaction as uncomfortable for you as humanly possible as well as oh, an exciting new person I am excited to meet.

I being myself, blush deeply. Isa sees it and takes on the same expression as my sister. "No, I'm not. Not yet, anyway."

Well, what can I say? Despite the superficial discomfort, there's a beautiful little warmth below, that wouldn't have been there a few days ago.

Alex comes to save the day quickly enough, diverting the girls' attention to the question of drinks.

After that, Alex and I settle on the couch, Pearl and Isa sit on the carpet before us. The couch downstairs would offer enough space, but it is blocked by his parents watching TV.

There isn't even a discussion about who gets to sit where, Pearl has always been the one to sit on the floor and Isa simply settles at my feet and leans against my legs.

Turns out she'd been understating it a bit when saying she wasn't much of a gamer. At least for the first match, she's absolutely terrible. Even Pearl laps her almost twice in a match of only three rounds. My sister spends the next ten minutes explaining every button's function on the controller. Isa had been simply guessing before.

The next match, we let her drive the first round for practice and only then start. Of course, we win still, but it isn't as clear anymore. Then, when Alex and I take to simply trolling each other all game long, it grows to actually become a tight race.

The evening is fun. Time flies and before we know it, it's midnight.

Alex realises with a start he fails miserably to conceal.

"Pearl," he says then. "Don't you think it's time for you to go to bed soon?"

She looks up at him innocently. Those puppy eyes. "Can't we do one more? I have holidays, I can sleep in tomorrow."

For the first time this evening, I don't suppress the yawn. "No, sorry. I should really get to bed too. It's late and I don't want to mess up my sleep schedule."

"What sleep schedule?" Pearl asks with a pout.

"The one I'll be starting today."

Isa is the first to get to her feet.

"Yeah, I should probably get going too." She stretches with a yawn. "I hope we'll find the opportunity for a rematch, I still haven't gotten first."

"Tomorrow?" Pearl asks hopefully.

Alex shakes his head and gets up as well. "I was thinking that tomorrow," he turns to look at me, "we could be going to a party." As if wanting to provide an excuse, he adds, "After all, Isa here has no clue how us countryfolk do it."

Nervously, I glance at the girl standing next to me. She's eyeing me as well. "I mean... If Timothy wants to go, I'd be glad to come along. But I wouldn't mind playing Mario Kart again."

Before I can think better of it, I shake my head decidedly. "No, I'd like to go to the party."

I'm not being pressured. I want to do this.