This is Just a Game...Right?

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Tragedy

"Ahh...what time is it...?" I yawn and stretch, and lean over to grab my phone from my bedside table. I glance at the screen, and let out a startled cry when I see that it's already seven. I leap up, and change quickly, brush my hair, grab my bag and my phone, and head to the kitchen to find Rei already up and ready.

"What took you so long? Please don't tell me you stayed up until like, 3 playing Mystic Messenger..." Rei teases, and I groan.

"I always wake up late, okay? And why didn't you wake me up?!" I snap back at him. He shrugs.

"You looked peaceful sleeping, so...yeah." He gives me that lame excuse, and I send him a glare.

"Kei! Me and Rei are heading out, so...I'll see you later!" I call out to my brother, who's schedule is a bit different from ours. His classes start a bit later.

"Mm-hmm. Stay safe!" He calls back after us, and I throw open our door and walk to school with Rei. Morning classes. I fall asleep in math, and Rei shakes me awake. We're writing a story in Language Arts, and I excitedly pour out my idea onto a document. Science. Nothing much happens. We play with dry ice, and I love doing it. Anything's better than having our damn teacher scream at us all day. In P.E, we're on our volleyball unit, and I play feverently, seeing as it's my favorite sport. After our break, I split up with Rei, and head to my art class.

After greeting Angie, I sit down. I rack through ideas in my brain, trying to find something I wanted to draw. I decide I want to draw a guy extending his hand to the person looking at the drawing. I sketch a base, and draw a beach background. I fill in the details, and color the background a shade of dark blue, wanting it to be a night sky. As I finish up the details on the guy, I realize I unconsciously made the figure similar to Rei. I sigh. I always do this when I draw guys. As I stare at the drawing, I can almost feel the wind in my hair, having someone extending their hand out to me, and I unconsciously mutter Rei's name.

"...rica! Lyrica!" I snap out of my daze as I hear Angie call my name twice. I glance up, forcing a smile.

"Ah, sorry. Was there something you wanted?" I ask, and she nods.

"Could you show me how to draw a female? I've had no luck so far..." She requests, and I nod.

"So...you start out with a basic outline..." I give her an example, then show her how to fill in the details, starting from the hair down to the feet, and when I finish, I turn to her.

"Um, do you want to try now?" I ask, and she nods, thanking me. I turn back to my own drawing, and place it gently in a folder, and when the bell rings, I head to the roof to meet with Rei. Angie said she was busy, and Keiji was with his friends, doing a project. I walk onto the roof, seeing Rei sitting down, munching on a sandwich.

"Hey Rei." I greet him.

"Hey." He replies, and I'm surprised. He's usually super loud and outgoing, what happened?

"Is...something wrong?" I ask, and he shakes his head. I decide not to press it further, and we fall into an uncomfortable silence.

"My mom...she...passed away in the morning." Rei mutters, finally breaking the silence. My eyes widen in shock. "Her condition took a turn for the worse, and I...was too late. She passed away even before I noticed. They...told me at school. I didn't believe them...but..." He explains further, tears forming in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry..." I mumble, and my mind can't think of anything more to say, even if I want to say something, anything, to console my best friend. But I can't think of anything. So I wrap him in a hug. Actions do speak louder than words.