Forever Could Be Ours

Chapter 18. | Starry Midnight

HAYLEIGH

"Uno."

Piercing blue eyes peek over the deck of cards, flickering with disbelief.

"Hay," Alexander warns, his voice deep. He leans over to use the pad of his finger to double-check the deck of green 4s I have placed in one go. "You're cheating."

I scoff, narrowing my eyes in amusement. "How do you even cheat in Uno?"

"I don't know." he fumbles with thirteen cards in his large hand, clumsy fingers trying to reorganize the order each time I've given him a plus two. "But I sure as hell know nobody's that lucky."

A smug smile plays on my face when he places a set of zeros. "I think you need to realize you're sitting in front of a Uno championship winner," I observe him carefully when I place my final card - a color change wildcard.

"And, you're a sore loser."

Alexander's right eye starts twitching as he leans back in his chair. I understand his frustration. Winning seven times feels like an overwhelming triumph in my department, but who's counting the score?

I'm freaking counting. I never win anything.

He only won once because I was stupid enough to place the wrong card to win in my next round. I'm secretly suspecting he's letting me win just to make me smile. Sometimes when he thinks I'm not looking at his frowning face, his lips tuck upward.

"I'm amazed such a pretty mouth can talk such nonsense." He throws his cards into the messy pile and combs his hair with his fingers.

"As I said," I collect the cards into a neat pile, mixing them together. "Sore loser."

Alexander isn't just a sore loser. His tendency to make everything a competition has made me realize just how big of a competitive person he secretly is. And even if I'm not that competitive, he provokes some feelings in me that make winning much more satisfying.

Even if he's letting me on purpose.

"A sore loser is someone who flips the table in exasperation." He takes a sip of his water bottle. "I don't let my anger get the best of me."

"If that makes you feel better, let's say I cheated."

I didn't cheat. I don't believe there's a specific strategy in playing Uno; unless there's an option to perform tricks such as utilizing card-counting abilities. My only source of expertise comes from playing it with my Mum in front of a gate or playing online with a guy named Karl from Norway.

I'm still holding a grudge for when he tossed +4s in my face three times in a row.

"I don't need your pity, baby," He stretches his arms, sending a wink in my direction to declare peace.

Destroying him in a deck of colorful cards has been the perfect way to end an adventurous day.

Alexander wasn't kidding about never stepping foot outside of Australia. Everything from the airport experience, the ride transfer, and checking out the hotel was equally met with the same curious eyes. Like he was absorbing every moment.

Spending the day exploring and sucking in the culture, the people, and nature have been the highlight of his year – his words, not mine. He has a genuine passion for acquiring knowledge and sharing it with others, I suspect that must be one of the reasons he wants to become a teacher.

I can't believe I even second-questioned bringing him with me. It was the best decision I could ask for. When I told him about the importance of the beach volunteer program, he held onto a smile that couldn't be washed off for hours.