Playing the Game

Chapter 1

"I can't take it anymore! This case is too stressful! I quit!" I slammed my hands down on my boss's polished oak desk and it didn't even hurt a little. I was so furious that they expected me to be so perfect to figure out any case first try in one day. I was seeing only red.

"Wait, Jacob!" only when I turned and began leaving his office did my boss even address me by my actual name.

"What?" I growled menacingly, slowly turning my head to see him.

Just seeing my seething gaze, the old man started shivering. "What is it? Why are you quitting?"

"I fucking told you!" I venomously spat. "You expect too much from me! I am human, just like you and everyone else, yet when I mess up one tiny part on the beginnings of a case, my pay is docked! What the hell?"

"If you want me to, I will double your pay! Just, please stay! We need you!"

We were at the front of the office, making a scene as many people gathered around us, wanting to see what happened because no one ever quit with such zest.

"Get lost!" I turned my attention to those watching. "All of you!" Only when they all scurried away from me and the boss did I continue. "I don't care what you do. I'm done."

I kicked open the front doors to the building and stormed away to the train station.

~*~*~

"Hi, my little detective. How is life in Idaho? I know I haven't called you in nearly a year, so you must have a ton to update me with! Tell me ALL about it!"

I could hear my mother's voice through my iPhone 7 speakers. It was nearly two in the morning where I lived, and she woke me up with a phone call like she often did. After my outburst earlier, I got home and took a nap. Now, I was in a much better mood than before.

"Mooom," I drowsily slurred, "It's too early in the morning here for this. Could you let me sleep?"

My mother's stern, yet gentle voice rang out over my speaker again. "Jacob, tell me now."

"Mommyyy..."

"Jacob Alice Whitman, if you don't answer me right now, I will make sure you do not wake up tomorrow."

I grimaced at the use of my girly middle name. My mother only used it when I was in serious trouble, as she knew how it caused me physical pain, especially when around my acquaintances and other people that would laugh at it. They already thought I was gay, even though I clearly stated every day I was as straight as spaghetti. Don't get me wrong, I love the LGBTQ+ community, I just also love women and all of their... personalities. That's the right word. It certainly didn't help that I grew my hair out long enough for it to be in a ponytail.

"Okay, okay!" I sat up, wrapped in a royal blue comforter, my messy chestnut-coloured hair all in my face. "I'll tell you about yesterday!"

"I'm listening," of course she's acting like she didn't just threaten my entire existence.

"So, I went to work, solved a case, and got to go home early."

"Really?!"

"No. I actually quit my job. It was getting boring and I'm a lazy son of a bitch that doesn't want to work," I reply, running my hand through my hair to move the pieces in front of my eyes.

"Language!" Every time she called, she reminded me not to curse. 'It's not proper for a young man to talk that way,' she always said. Guess what mom?! I don't care.

"Pardon me. I mean I'm a lazy ass."

"Jacob!"

"Mom!" I mimicked her tone. "I'm twenty-five. You don't need to tell me."

I could hear her audibly sigh over the phone, as she probably wondered what she did wrong to end up raising an impatient, languorous, and overall immature little brat like me. I chuckled a bit at the thought.

"Well, if you aren't going to say anything, I've got to go, but could you send me money, please? I can only last so long with my previous salary. Bye!"

"Jacob!"

I hung up my phone and looked at the clock. In bright red light, it read 2:15. Jesus mom. Do you understand that I don't live in Hawaii like you do? At this point, I was too awake to go back to sleep, so I sat at the edge of my bed looking out across my small apartment. The two large windows on opposite sides of the room illuminated the room with just enough moonlight for me to see the wall opposing me. In the silvery light, the normally light grey appeared slightly lighter than normal. On the wall hung one picture: Me, my mom and dad, and my younger brother, Lukas, all sat in a boat in some tropical country. Were we in Brazil, or Costa Rica? I couldn't tell you, but the trip was fun even though my suitcase was lost for half of the trip.

"What's dad doing now?" I asked myself. "Maybe I should call him. What time is it in Ireland again?"

Whipping out my phone, I started to type in Ireland's time zone. "Wait a minute. I'm gonna do the math because I'm smart! So, if it is 2:25 here, and there is an eight-hour time difference, it is... ten in the morning!"

Wow. I'm a genius! I started typing out my dad's number before waiting for the ringing to start. When it finally did, I just sat there, waiting for my old man to pick up.

"Oh shit," my chocolate brown eyes widened as I realized something. "Dad's at work! I can't call him."

That was the whole reason he was in Ireland. He worked as a world-renowned neurosurgeon that had to constantly travel and treat people in varying countries. My dad was cool, but I didn't really feel a connection to him. Of course, this was because I didn't get to spend much time or bond with him, but it wasn't like I hated his guts. Apparently, he had been doing travelling like this since I was five.

Looking out the window at the moon, I was reminded of my brother. Lukas looked quite a bit like mom and dad, just like me. He had hair similar to my own, but it had more of a red tinge to it and his eyes were silvery-blue, no doubt from my grandparents on mom's side. He was shy and awkward, but it was adorable. From the moment he was born, I just felt attached to him and it was obvious that he felt this connection too. Throughout our childhoods, we were stuck together like glue and I plan to keep it that way.

Even when he gets married, or does whatever he wants to, I will live with him make sure no one ever defiles his body. He is my innocent baby brother, after all. I must protect him.

Suddenly, a spell of fatigue washed over me and I found it hard to keep my eyes open. Laying back down on my bed, I looked straight up at the blank ceiling and felt my eyelids droop.

"Night everyone."

A/N

Pssst. This hasn't been uploaded to my Quotev account, so you guys get an early reading.

Anyway, this was a weird idea I had at school one day. Hopefully, I won't lose interest in this story, because I kind of love this character I've made to tell the story. Comment if you want to about anything, but please do not harass other Quotev users. Feel free to correct my grammar because I am not really proofreading any of this beautiful creation.

Another note: this has not been proofread yet, so correct me in the comments if you want to.

I don't really know how to wrap this note up, so I hope you enjoy this wacky story,