Treat Me Like a Game, and Ill Show You How Its Played

Chapter 11: Long Distance Friend

I sit in on my perfectly made bed with the lights dimmed a little and my Tv on. I sit and stare, not paying attention, but remembering the words that are on replay in my head. The ones that said I didn't care. The ones that told me to leave. The ones that rejected me. Then the ones that got me running. Is this the part when he leaves me alone? The part that is supposed to make me happy, jumping for joy and celebrating? There is a part in me that is desperate for love, and it's growing stronger, I just don't know who the part is assigned to. The pot is stirring downstairs and glasses are clinking down on the counter. I had Jade make pasta, after her insisting that it would make me feel better. Or enough to make me talk and tell her what happened. Footsteps sound on the stair case and there is a soft knock on my door. The door knob twists and the door slides against the furry white rug. She slides next to me on my bedspread and puts the bowl in my cold hands. I look up at her and smile, turning the Tv off.

"I don't really want to talk about it." I whisper to her, putting my head in my hands, getting a massive headache. Probably from crying.

"Claire!-"

"Ow. Jade, shut up, I have a headache." I mutter and she gives me a 'sorry'. Lately, she's been the only one here for me. She has her own stuff to worry about, but I have been eating away all her time. My parents work all the time and my brother is in college. How much I wish he was here, he would always help me in these situations that I don't usually get into. He comes home when I ask him to, but like me, focuses on school. He's almost done with his four years but still not quite. Ricky, what would you do?

"Will you just tell me? I could help you..." She whispers.

"So, how's Noah?" I ask her about her boyfriend. I feel bad about all this. She could be spending time with him, but instead is here with me. Wasting a good Sunday.

"Hey, hey, hey-"

"What am I? A horse?" I ask.

"No, but don't try and change the subject on me. And, he's good." She smiles, "Now spill. I wanna help. For now, I will be Ricky." She smiles, knowing he's usually the one to help me along with her. He knows how to deal with boys, since he is one.

"No, I just don't want to talk about it." I say objecting. She sighs and I see the wheeling turning in her head, thinking about what to do. Her eyes are blank and she's looking down like a kid would do after she's been yelled at. She looks up suddenly making me jump and suprise and she stretches to grab my phone that is on the table under the Tv. She unlocks it and scrolls and scrolls and finally her eyes light up in victory and she clicks on it and clicks once more. She tosses the phone to me and I quickly grab it. It says 'Call in Progress' and I put it to my ear. She winks at me and I glance at her questioning but she just gives me a quick thumbs up and mouthing 'trust me'. One ring, two rings, three rings and finally the voice that picks up makes me smile.

Ricky Fisher. My one and only brother. The one with bright green eyes and short brown hair that falls forwards a bit when he looks down. The brother with a contagoius smile and a brother that is way over protective for his little sister.

"Hello? This is Ricky." He speaks.

"Ricky? Its Claire." I say, my voice still weak but nothing he couldn't notice.

"Claire? Are you okay?" No actually I'm not, my parents are not here and I haven't seen my brother in over a year. I have two boys that are shifting my moods back and forth and I have only one friend that truly understands everything. I shake my head 'no' but realize he can't see my motions so I give him a quite 'no'.

"Well, I'm all up for a story, what's on your mind. Maybe your brother can kick someones ass for once. This school doesn't really encourage that." He says and I can hear the smile that's spreading across his face but can also see the concern in his eyes judging by his confronting voice.