The Shrink Program

Chapter 75

-One week ago-

"Yahtzee " I cried excitedly, throwing my hands up in victory as the dice landed on the winning roll.

Five sixes...This proves it.

I'm practically a God.

I glance eagerly over at Devin, expecting him to be awed by my brilliance...only to find him nodding off at the table, head propped up on hand.

"Devin!" I complained loudly. He startled awake with a gasp, nearly face planting as his hand jerked out from under his chin.

Devin blinked at my hurt expression with sleep-addled alarm.

"Did you get Yahtzee yet?" The desperate hope in his voice was obvious. "Is the game finally over?"

I glared at him in reproachful silence.

".... Sorry, Maddison." He sighed heavily when I didn't relent in my righteous fury.

Wait for it.....

"It's just some of us actually go to school to learn. " He grumbled into the table. "... and have homework they need to do afterwards...."

There we go, solid evidence that Devin can't open his mouth without disapproving of my life choices.

"You're right," I said, my gaze lowered solemnly to the table. "... I understand."

My calm, excepting reaction, caught my brother off guard.... made him realise how harsh his comment had been... then reduced him to a stuttering mess as he tried to backtrack.

"I-It's not that... I didn't mean..."

Aww... Acting tough only to crumble under the slightest emotional pressure... My bro is so cute...

... Not to mention way too much like his older sister.

"It's fine... if you want to disrespect me, Devin."

I suddenly shot him a glare, slamming a hand on the table. "What I won't stand for, is you disrespecting Yahtzee."

I leapt to my feet, pointing at him in outrage.

"Listen well, young grasshopper. There is only one thing in this entire universe that involves maths, yet can still be considered awesome, and that is Yahtzee Devin!"

Arms crossed, I resorted to my sternest expression.

"That is why, as your older sister, I demand that you get on your knees and pray to the Yahtzee god for forgiveness!"

For a solid ten seconds, all Devin did was blinked at me silently.

"I'm going to bed now, Maddison."

So much for my authority as the eldest sibling.

"Yea, that's probably for the best," I mumbled, slumping back down into my seat as my brother stood from his own.

"Don't worry, I'll pack up....no need for you to participate...we might as well keep things consistent..."

"Good night Maddison." Devin dismissed my dramatics with a small amused smile, placing a small pat on my head as he walked by me.

Devin affection at its finest.

I sighed as the short boy left the kitchen, taking a private moment to sulk.

Devin used to love playing games with me.... why the hell did he have to grow up so fast?

I know that people say that a lot.... but seriously.

Devin's only thirteen, and I swear he had a mid-life crisis last month and is now currently in his fifties.

"Don't worry, Maddison," I said to myself, starting packing up the game. "Another year or so, and Devin will be in his eighties. Then he will be cool enough to want to play Yahtzee again."

The phone rung, scaring the crap out of me and making me drop the dice.

Swearing under my breath, I leapt across the kitchen to pick the phone up before the damn thing woke the household.

"Maddison speaking," I answered politely, instead of demanding to know who exactly had the bright idea to ring the Trampth household at ten o'clock at night.

"We have Vain." A low voice muttered on the other end of the line.

My mind went blank.

"If you want him back, come to-"

"Ah, could you please excuse me... for just a moment." I interrupted, my mind on autopilot as I began to set the phone on the counter. "I'll be right back, don't hang up! "

Before I even knew what I was doing myself, my body had me running out the door, jumping the fence between our houses, and standing next to Vain's window, struggling for breath.

It could be a trick. Please let it be a trick. Even if that means being caught standing like a stalker outside his window...

"Vain!" I hissed loudly, tapping desperately on the glass. "If you're in there come out right now! It's important! Please Vain."

All I received for a full minute of knocking, was silence.

He could be in another room..... but Vain never stayed up late.

He could be visiting someone...... but Vain wasn't really that close to anyone else...

He could just be ignoring you...

But Vain wasn't that cruel.

Even as I ran through all the possibilities in my mind, my feet had begun treading back to the house.

In a daze, I walked into my empty kitchen, past the abandoned game and lifted the phone back up to my ear.

"I'm listening."