Short Skirts and Video Games

Chapter 1: Some Serious Dumping

(updated 12/11/2018)

Bullets were flying, blood had spilled everywhere. Adrenaline was pumping and the end was in sight. I could see it in the distance, this was it. I grit my teeth, taking aim at the enemy. "What are you waiting for? Take your shot." His voice rang in my ears sounding completely arrogant, as he stood taunting me.

"Come on." I muttered. "Sooo close." I could literally feel victory. That's when he threw a kill strike right through my chest; well, my avatars chest.

"Damn it." I smacked my hands on the keyboard while glaring at bright red Death flashing across the screen. Flipping my headphones off with a clatter, I let out a long exaggerated sigh. It's not like I just spent the past two hours trying to get past that level, only to die probably a thousand times. The only thing to make this worse was the sound of my alarm beeping from across the room.

I turned to glare at it, the phone screen glowing from my bedside table. "Shit." I got carried away. I stared longingly at the computer screen one last time before pushing out of the chair and walking with dragging steps to turn off the incessant alarm.

I had to fight the urge to collapse into the neatly made bed. Instead, I grabbed a yellow sweater and black skinny jeans. When I looked into the mirror, I saw yesterday's makeup smudged under my brown eyes like a racoon with acne. After fifteen minutes of half-assed effort, I still looked like a racoon but a slightly prettier racoon. I was in the process of taming the frizzy blonde mess that was my hair someone began pounding on my window. The glass raddled in the sill.

I rolled my eyes. Setting down the black paddle hair brush, I pulled open the curtains. As expected, a lanky looking guy in a grey hoodie stood at the window looking rather impatient. This asshole, I thought fondly.

I shook my head as I unlocked and slid open the window. The scent of rain came rushing into my room as well as a cool breeze. "This house does have a door you know." I glowered.

"Good morning to you too, Jo." Rickers voice was hoarse. It was at the point I noted how his dark eyes were swollen and slightly red. His usually neat brown hair sat in messy curls on the top of his head. He leaned his elbows on the window sill.

I raised and eyebrow. "Dude, are you okay?"

Ricker shrugged, letting out a quiet sigh. "Don't know? I'm coming in." He didn't wait for me to respond before climbing into my room from the backyard. Ricker was my neighbor and longtime friend. Because of this, I'd let the poor manners slide.

He walked passed me and collapsed onto my bed, disrupting the yellow covers. "Were you seriously playing games all night?" He pointed to the computer, the game Mecha Destruction II still on screen.

I sat down on the end of the bed, tucking my legs under me. "Wow, you didn't point out that I lost, you must really feel bad."

"She dumped me." Ricker stared at the ceiling. "Actually correction, she didn't dump me, she posted a picture of her making out with Keith and then dumped me." He deadpanned.

I stared blankly taking moment to absorb the information. Kaylee has been Rickers girlfriend for the past year and a half. Keith has been Rickers older brother since his dad remarried in middle school. Both Kaylee and Keith were pricks, apparently more so than I originally thought.

"Seriously?" Kaylee was always kind of rude but, I didn't think she could go that low. "That sucks. Are you okay? Like I know you're not okay but, are you, at least like-"

"Surviving? Yeah." Ricker finished the sentence for me. He sat up, crossing his legs. "Did your parents already leave for work?"

I nodded, My parents work at a law firm together.

"Wanna skip school, make some noodles and watch a movie?" He asked while opening the drawer on my bedside table revealing my stash of candy. I watched as Ricker grabbed a peach ring gummy and stuffed it in his mouth.

I shook my head. "We can't, Ella and Derek have that drama performance at lunch." Ella and Derek, my two friends who were abnormally active in school activities. I promised I wouldn't miss the performance.

"Shoot," He swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I forgot, I'll go grab my bag and then meet you at your car."

"Okay," I nodded. "Do you want to talk about it first though? You know, Kaylee?" I said the last part in a hushed whisper as if saying her name quietly would make it hurt less.

"No thanks." Ricker climbed back out the window.

I walked to the window, shutting and locking it while looking outside. Rocker crossed the yard sluggishly and exited out the gate to his backyard. Closing the curtains, I pulled in a pair of black boots and slung my backpack over my shoulder.

Ricker was already outside waiting when I got out. He was leaned back against the passenger door of the blue car, his phone in hand and eyes glued to the screen. He didn't look up as I walked passed him to the other side while unlocking the car with the clicker. The inside of the car reeked of sickeningly sweet air freshener. "Ugh," I groaned as I inhaled the scent.

Ricker sat down in the passenger seat. "That smells lovely." I glared at him as he inhaled deeply.

"I wish you were being sarcastic." I muttered. The car roared to life as I twisted the key in the ignition. A mysterious squeaking sounded as the AC kicked on.

"Are you ever gonna get that looked at?" Ricker gestured to the vent.

I shook my head. "That would be a waste of money. It gets me where I need to go so it's fine."

Ricker still sounded mildly dead inside but I could tell he was trying to sound unfazed. He leaned forward and turned on the radio as I back out onto the road. The sound of The Struts Body Talks came on through the speakers.

After a quiet drive, I pulled up in the school parking lot. It was less quiet there. Being that Halloween was the next day on Saturday means that the school was in full celebration mode. I mean a plethora of teens decked out in costumes ranging from a basic hippy all the way to a full on t-rex -they were bound to be dress coded the second they entered the building.

There leaning against the gates of the school dressed as Barbie and Ken were Kaylee and Keith playing an intense game of tonsil hockey.

A/N: So... this story is back from the dead. I've completely gutted and rewritten the original story and honestly, this version seems to me at least a lot better. I'm going to post the rewritten chapter 2 in a week tops. So, if you have read this, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed and have a great day :)

TTYL