blue (book one) - h.s. ✔️ watty's 2019

chapter 58

"Alex, if you don't stop kicking me, I am going to punch you in your balls," Rebecca threatens as he crosses over her to place his foot on the blue circle.

We've been at this game for about an hour now and no one has fallen. This is only one in a series of events and activities Kate has planned to make up for lost time. After the 'riveting' game of BANG: The Dice game, I invited some of our other friends from college.

"Five bucks says you won't," Ava starts, causing the curly-haired boy to feign hurt.

"I'll give you twenty," Nala laughs chipping in.

Nala is a friend I met in one of my courses last year. She is extremely bright and we share a lot of the same interest. She's easily one of my more cultured friends as she was born and raised in Africa. Although she doesn't share the same dark, ebony skin tone she is still quite beautifully bronzed to show off her ancestry. I think I remember her saying that her mother was Caucasian. Or was it her father?

Ava is one of Kate's newer friends. She seems quite friendly and just adds even more diversity to our small friend group. She's in America for the semester studying abroad from Japan. I was confused at first to hear that she was born in Japan, because she didn't have an accent. Then, I later found out it's because she visits America quite often thanks to her father's business taking off in California. She's extremely funny and blunt - something that Alex is not comfortable with. It's funny how things are different when you're on the opposite end of the stick.

"Remind me to never," Alex begins stressing the word 'never' as he cups himself through his sweats

"Ever, get lost with you two."

I laugh as I read the instruction to the next player in the game. They all look terribly funny wrapped around one another. I take out my phone, snapping a picture to send to Harry.

After the swoosh notification sounds I lock my phone and slide it into my back pocket resuming the game.

We play for another twenty minutes before everyone just collapses from exhaustion.

No winner.

I head to the kitchen as Kate readies everyone for Just Dance and check on the roast I have simmering in the oven. The sound of the game plays from the living room and I smile once I hear the girls coming down on Alex, once again.

I'm so happy that his and I relationship is doing so well -it's almost like most of his aggression towards the slightly taller man has dissipated: almost. I've never seen him so happy since he's been with Kate. She really brings something out of him that's been hidden since his grandma passed away. He doesn't like to speak much about it, because when it does come up, he tends to close himself off for a while. It's nice to see him genuinely living life again.

I haven't had much time with Harry lately. He's been busy with the work I've asked him to do for the sake of his future. Sometimes I don't understand how he even made it this far without me - in the most humble way. I opened his email one day - after he asked me to - and he had several notifications from financial aid warning him of the expiration of his old scholarships and newer ones that he has to renew and apply for.

I just can't with him some days.

As I slice the roast into evenly spaced servings, smiling once I see that the inside is white to perfection - no signs of pink -, I grab one of the lemons I used earlier to flavor it.

I begin on the tuna salad for myself as the rolls finish cooking to perfection and start to worry once I see that Harry still has not responded to my message.

He's usually very quick in his responses. I mean it's our only way of communication right now until he gets his speaker and front camera fixed. He does have a lot of work to catch up on still. I brush it off as him just being overwhelmed with work and plate the tuna while also setting out the roast, mashed potatoes, squash, corn, and rolls on the dinner table.

I walk back into the living room to see that they've already started the game and just stand smiling as I lean on the doorway.