Game Over: Life's Over

Miss Me

Hey, everyone! I'm really sorry that my uploads have slowed over the last month. I started a new job a month ago and the stress is real. I haven't had the time to sit down and write like I wanted to. I'm usually so exhausted after work that I'm just a potato on the couch. I'm working on getting chapters written but it's coming slower than I'd like. Thank you for waiting on the uploads and giving me grace when I take longer than expected. You guys are the best.

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Even with all of my practice, Soleil still beat me at Mario Kart. She only beat me by a few points so I at least had some dignity left.

She didn't talk much while we played. Occasionally, she would yell at me for hitting her with a shell or bomb. I liked to see she still had her fun personality even if it was a little minimized.

She set her controller down beside me and kept her eyes down. "Thanks for coming over."

I nodded. I had been dying to see Soleil ever since she started becoming distant. I wanted her to know that I was there for her and that she could talk to me. "Thanks for inviting me."

"I'm sorry I haven't been around lately."

"You don't have to apologize for that. We all need a break sometimes."

She looked over at me and I could almost see the thoughts swimming around in her head. She probably didn't know what to feel or think. She probably expected me to be mad at her or yell at her. "I didn't mean to leave you hanging."

"I've done it too."

"Yeah, but... this was different. And I don't want you to think it had anything to do with you."

"I wasn't thinking that," I lied.

She gave me a pointed look that said she saw through my lie. "You're allowed to say that it bothered you though."

I shrugged. "That doesn't take away from how you feel. Even though I was sad, I was still worried about you."

She frowned and leaned her head on my shoulder. It was then that I noticed how much smaller she really was as she was now close to my size and I had shrunk, too. "How can I pay you back for this?"

"You can let me win for once."

"I don't think I can do that."

"Why not?"

"I'm having too much fun beating you."

I shoved her playfully. "Maybe I won't come over anymore since you're so mean."

Her mouth fell open in surprise. "But I haven't even shown you my playroom yet."

"What are you waiting for?"

She rolled her eyes and grabbed my hand. She slid off the bed and pulled me along as she headed for the other room.

I followed after her, excited to see what the playroom would look like. Her bedroom already looked nice. I couldn't imagine what her playroom would look like. "Is this where all the stuffed animals are?"

"I took them off my bed so you'd have somewhere to sit."

"So Will was right then."

"No. Will was not right. I'm allowed to like stuffed animals."

"He never said you couldn't. He just said you had too many."

"Will doesn't know what he's talking about."

"Well, he knows you better than I do."

"He's known me longer than you have but that doesn't mean he knows me better."