Coffee and Cream

The Game Room

                                                                                                EMRYS

I was lounging in the game room with my boys, the flicker of the TV casting shadows on our faces as we played. Topher was next to me, hunched over the controller, mashing buttons, trying to beat me at this stupid racing game. I barely had to try; my mind wasn't even on the screen. It had been a decent day—until Topher said something that made me nearly pause mid-race.

"Yo, Em! What's up with you and that Darcelle chick?"

I glanced at him sideways, still focused on beating him. "What do you mean?" I asked, keeping my tone casual, even though I knew exactly what he meant. The other guys were looking at me like I was full of shit.

"Come on, bro. Chic is hot as fuck. We understand that you're... slipping," Donnie said with a sly grin.

Slipping. Meaning, slipping away from Isabelle. My grip on the controller tightened for a moment, but I let out a laugh. "Why do you guys think that?" I asked, pretending to be oblivious. I could feel the heat creeping into the room as they all zeroed in on me.

"Bro, you've been kinda off with Isabelle lately. Plus, we've seen you around Darcelle. You think we're blind?" Justin snickered, half-joking, but there was truth in his voice.

I scoffed. "Still into Isabelle, man. Nothing's changed there." I said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, but the truth was a lot more complicated. I wasn't slipping from Isabelle; I was sliding into Darcelle. But they didn't need to know that.

Topher let out this huge sigh of relief, like he'd been holding his breath. "Oh, good. I thought I was tripping."

I raised an eyebrow at him, still not sure where this conversation was heading, but then he dropped the bomb.

"I think I like her. You think I have a chance?"

My finger twitched on the controller, and I almost paused the game—a fraction of a second. It passed so fast no one noticed, but inside, I felt the rage rising like a wave. I forced a smile, focusing on the game, and tried to laugh it off. "Wasn't Mal like your bro? Didn't Mal like her?"

The room went quiet for a second. Mal wasn't here anymore. And that was my doing.

"Yeah, but Mal isn't here," Justin said almost defensively.

Topher nodded, his expression serious. "I mean, yeah, Mal liked her, but he's gone now. And besides, it's not like they were together."

I gritted my teeth, keeping my voice steady. "Still. He didn't pass that long ago, and you wanna encroach?"

"Dude!" The chorus of voices echoed in the room, the guys looking around awkwardly.

I shrugged, making a small joke out of it. "Why do I feel like I'm the one you're asking permission from?" I kept my smile intact, but inside, I was calculating every move.

Topher looked at me with narrowed eyes, and for a moment, I thought he might catch on. "Maybe because I brought her into our circle and I'm your master," I said, turning it into a joke to throw him off.

Topher rolled his eyes, brushing it off. "More like you're a bit overprotective of her. We all see it."

The others nodded, confirming the unspoken truth that had been floating around the room. I looked up at all of them, pretending like I had no clue what they were talking about. "No way!" I threw my hands up, feigning disbelief, looking up at the skylight like I was pleading to the gods or something. "How the fuck am I being overprotective?"

They started listing things, one by one, circling like vultures. I laughed, deflecting, denying, and acting like they were just overthinking shit. It was all part of the game. Keep them confused, keep them blind.

Topher leaned in again, clearly still curious. "What drew you to her, man? How'd you two even get so close?"

I recited the same lie Darcelle told Nathan. "She helped me find a book in the library. We had a little conversation, and we kind of clicked." The truth was far from that, but it kept the story simple. No one questions simple.

Topher nodded, buying into it, but then he hit me with another question I wasn't ready for. "Do you think she likes me?"

I cracked my knuckles, chuckling like it was all a big joke. "I doubt it. She's got this puppy love crush on her best friend."

"Nathan?" Topher asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Unrequited," I added, knowing full well that would push Topher away. He hated emotionally unavailable girls and hated not being the center of their world. And that was exactly what I needed to keep Darcelle to myself.

Topher let out a sigh, already over it. "Yeah, I might sit this one out."

I dapped him on the back, masking the satisfaction that boiled underneath. One less problem to deal with. "Is that why you friend-zoned her?" Topher joked. "You waiting in line?"

I shoved him playfully, laughing it off as we all started wrestling, the room turning into chaos as we chased each other around. It was all fun and games until they left later that night. Once they were gone, the smile slipped off my face like a mask I didn't need anymore.

I wanted to kill Topher. That stupid fuck. But I couldn't. It would be too sloppy, and I had to be careful. I couldn't afford a pattern—something that would make me too easy to track. But the rage... the rage needed an outlet.

A little prank. Yeah, I could fuck with Topher's head. Something harmless but enough to remind him where he stood. In a few months, when he'd least expect it.

I grunted, grabbing the nearest vase and throwing it against the wall. The crash was loud, the pieces scattering across the floor like fragments of my control. I pressed a button on the remote, and jazz music filled the room. The smooth notes danced in the air, but it couldn't calm the storm inside me. The chaos felt right, like the dark waters of the ocean I loved so much.

I was friends with the darkness.