The Gold and the Forest

I

Chapter 1: Play Me a Game

☙⚘☘

It was a close match. One more serve, and if Kade messed up, the point would go to Carl. The two had equal intensities of competitive fire in their eyes. Their gazes locked across the net and sweat beaded on Kade's brow as he positioned the birdie in front of his racket.

Serve.

Carl spiked.

Kade was too slow to retaliate and fell to the floor in a futile slide. He groaned.

Carl grinned and went under the net to thump Kade's back. Kade shot him a sour glare, shoving him off before throwing the birdie up in a last attempt to get it over the net. It failed. He groaned louder.

"Good enough." Carl laughed.

Kade mocked him, slouching and acting like a bear. "Whatever, Wolfie."

"Where's Min?"

"Kristy dragged her off to somewhere. Something about spending time together. They want me to drive them on a road trip to Philadelphia."

Carl ran a hand through his hair. "Then do it."

"Come with us."

Carl stares off into the distance. Kade frowned. "C'mon."

"I'll think about it."

---

We graduated. Everyone has somewhere they're going.

He unlocked his door.

Except me.

Stepping in into the familiar halls of his house, he greeted Declan by tossing the racket onto his stomach. Declan made an "oof" sound before he sat up and threw a can of beans at Carl. Carl caught the can.

"Hanging out with Princey-boy. Don't need me to feed you now, do you? You lap dog."

Carl threw the can back at Declan.

Declan fell back into the sofa, pouting.

"Shouldn't you be studying?" Carl mumbled, walking into the bathroom to splash water on his face. The summer heat was creeping in.

"I could be saying the same to you."

Carl made no response.

"But I guess you managed to graduate."

He remembered graduation day. The tired smile on Min's face. Kade twirling her around, grinning like a madman. The matching rings hanging on delicate silver chains around their necks.

Lips.

He briefly remembered glancing at her from the distance.

Valedictorian.

He shook his head clean of the image and opted to take a shower.

---

"Oh, my god. Vivi." A gasp. "You look stunning."