Lost Game Notes (Novel)

Prologue

" I don't want to see you around that boy. He's influencing you the wrong way." Lawrence's voice was abrupt, almost echoing in the silence of the living room.

Alex looked up from his book and was quickly transported back to his world when he saw Lawrence's scowling face. He sat on the sofa across the coffee table from him, but it felt like they were galaxies apart. Alex lowered his book unto his lap, face down to save his page. He spoke slowly. "Excuse me?"
Lawrence's cold gaze didn't flicker. He repeated himself, nothing but his jaw and mouth moving to make the words. "Stay away from that boy. He's rubbing you the wrong way."

 Alex could have laughed it off and returned to his book, but by the look on his father's face, he was serious.

"What boy?"

"Jude."

 "Who says I'm his friend?" Alex snorted at the irony. Friends with his rival indeed.
"I don't care if you're friends with him or not. Just stay away," Lawrence concluded, picking up his pen and resuming with whatever he was writing.

 Alex stared, dumbfounded, for several moments. And then he said, "Are you telling me what to do?" Lawrence didn't look up, and his pen continued to move. "That would pretty much sum it up."

 Alex huffed, jerked his book open and continued to read. But he couldn't see the words. They swam before his eyes like sharks, being replaced by his fathers' words. Inside of him a familiar feeling rose, snapping Alex's head back and snarling,"What the heck – you can't tell me what to do. I'll be friends with him if I want."

 "Language, Alexander" Lawrence muttered, a muscle in his jaw ticking. Still, he kept his eyes on the inky lines rippling out behind his pen.

 "I'll be friends with him if I want." Alex repeated, sitting straighter in the straight-backed one-seated arm chair.
"You heard what I said."

 Now, Alex leapt up from the chair. Yes, he had a short temper. But when Lawrence was looking him in the face and spouting ridiculous orders, Alex couldn't handle the little he had left. "You don't get to tell me what to do! Can't you ever say anything other than telling me what to do?" Lawrence finally looked up, set his paper and pen down, and rose. "I'm your father, Alexander. I have an image to keep clean, if you didn't know."

 "Since when did you care about being a "good" father?" Alex hissed.
"I always have," was the curt reply.

 If the coffee table wasn't between them, Alex would be wrangling him right now. "You liar!" He seethed. "Do you want me to list all the times you've been one hell of a father? You know what, forget it. I don't want to waste my breath on that."

 "Have you thought about the numerous times you've been one hell of a son?" Lawrence stepped up to Alex, looking him in the eye.

 "I don't care what I've been. You and that stupid mother of mine were the ones who made me, so you have yourself to blame. If you hadn't married—"

 "Alexander Brooke! Do you know what you need? A good beating. That's what." Lawrence's brunette hair had escaped it's gel prison and now hung in thick strands everywhere. His face was flushed red, amber eyes aflame.
"You wouldn't dare," Alex snapped, but his mouth ran dry. What was this turning into? All the same. he began to back up to the wall.

 Lawrence unbuckled his belt with jerky motions and yanked it off. Alex stood ramrod-straight, his eyes riveted on his fathers' face.

 He wouldn't dare... he wouldn't dare.

 But by the way Lawrence was advancing, Alex realized he was. Before he could move, a sharp crack of pain jolted across his skin, and Alex hissed and recoiled.
"Stand there, coward," Lawrence snarled, grabbing his collar in a hand and shoving him against the wall. "I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget. Maybe then you'd give me the respect I deserve."

 Alex breathed erratically. His lungs felt tight, his ribs compressed against Lawrence's chest. His heart beat hurried along to wherever it was going. One couldn't see it from the outside, but Alex was trembling inside.

 Lawrence bore a fiery stare into Alex's eyes. He didn't blink, but neither did Alex. Lawrence's grip got tighter and tighter, and just when Alex thought he was about to snap, he let go and stepped away, trembling."Get out of my sight. And forget this ever happened."

 Alex didn't hesitate to comply. He lunged to the side and struck to the front door. What are you doing? A voice inside him screamed. Go back! You're. Being. A. Coward.

But at the moment, all Alex wanted to do was get away. He had seen that glint in Lawrence's eyes, and he didn't like it. He never did.