Game, Set, Match

{13}

Chase

The shrill of Nate's alarm pulls me out of my peaceful slumber. I've missed sleep. I grunt, stretching my tired limbs and looking at a still sleeping Nate.

"Oi." I nudge his shoulder and his weary eyes flutter open. "Turn that fucking thing off will you."

He huffs, turning off the alarm on his bedside table and I fall back onto his bed, pulling his warm covers up to my face.

"What are you doing?" Nate asks, but yawns midway.

"What do you think I'm doing? I'm going back to sleep."

"It's Thursday, we have school today." He rolls out of bed and I almost laugh out loud at his messy bed hair. One reason why I like having a buzz cut.

"Like I care. I'm not going."

"Like hell you're not going. My mum isn't going to let you skip school. She is very passionate about education." Nate pulls the covers off my face and they pool around my waist.

"I haven't got my uniform."

"I've got spare."

Huffing in defeat, I get out of Nate's bed and roll my eyes at the triumphant smile on his face. He gets me a fresh set of our school uniform and his own set before running off to the bathroom by his parents' room while I use the one connected to his bedroom.

Once we're both ready, we head downstairs to have breakfast. A whole array of food is set out on the table and I can feel my mouth watering just at the smell of the delicious food. It then occurs to me that I haven't had a proper meal in ages and rarely get to see a sight like this.

"Dig in, dig in." Tracy says, eagerly waiting for us to take a seat at the table.

"Mum, why did you make so much food. What ever happened to cereal?"

"Nate, you're friend's staying over, I just want him to feel comfortable."

"By trying to stuff him with food?"

"This is lovely." I interject. "Thanks Mrs Nightly."

She smiles at me before taking a seat at the table too and filling up her plate. I do the same and almost want to cry at how delicious the food is. But I don't. Obviously.

Nate's dad, Lionel, eventually joins us with a newspaper in his hand. "Hi Chase, my wife did say you were staying over, you can stay for as long as you need."

I swallow the excessive food in my mouth before saying "Thank you Mr Nightly."

I look at the family in front of me; a kind mother, a supportive father and their golden boy son and can't help but think that I got the short end of the stick. Nate's lucky, so incredibly lucky that he has a family who cares about him and I got stuck with my lousy older brother.

"Chase, is everything alright? You've stopped eating." Tracy asks with concern.

"Yeah, everything is fine I just erm, forgot something in Nate's room."

I almost tip over my chair from running out the room so quickly. I go into Nate's bedroom, close the door behind me and start packing away all my stuff. Even though I don't have a lot of things, I still don't manage to grab everything before Nate comes in telling me to stop.

"What are you doing?" Nate asks. "You-you can't leave. You have no where else to go."

"Well I can't stay either." I finally get all my stuff in my school backpack.

"What? Why not?" He blocks the door.

"Because you're family doesn't deserve this. You don't deserve this. You guys shouldn't have to put time and effort into me, not when I don't have anything to offer back."

"Have you ever stopped to think that maybe you deserve this?" I'm surprised by his angry tone. He takes a step forward. "Have you ever thought that maybe you deserve to be cared for and looked after for once?"

"I don't deserve that." I whisper, shaking my head slightly and sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"Yes you do goddamnit! You do, we all do!" He shouts.

"It's selfish."

"Then be selfish for once." He's much quieter now and takes a seat beside me. "Let me take care of you."

We head downstairs and my bag isn't filled with my little belongings but with the books and textbooks needed for today's classes.

"Now you two boys have a good day at school." Tracy says as she kisses both of us on the cheek.

"Yes Mum, we'll behave." Nate retorts as he opens the front door.

We step outside and I see a girl by his front gate with her phone in her hands and earmuffs with the letter R engraved in them.

"About time." She doesn't look up. "I've been waiting for you for about 15 minutes. What took you so lo-" Now she does and her eyes widen as she looks at me. But she doesn't look as shocked as Nate.

"W-Why is Chase at your house?" She says, looking confused.

"Rachel!" Nate exclaims. "I forgot you were coming."

Rachel. Nate's girlfriend.

"Forgot?!" She looks a little offended. "How could you forget? I come here everyday." Nate sheepishly scratches at the back of his neck. "And you still haven't answered my question."

"Coach wanted us to do some bonding exercises so that we could get along during practice."

It's not a total lie. Not that I would want him to tell the truth.

"And that requires him staying over?" She glares at me at that. I can tell she doesn't like me.

The feeling's fucking mutual.

"Yes?"

She squints her eyes, trying to figure all of this out just as I am. I've had enough of them. I can't stay here between them any longer so I push past Nate and Rachel to start my journey to school.

"Chase?" Nate calls as I walk down the road.

I'm not allowed to be angry. I know that but I often do things I'm not allowed to do.

"I'll see you at practice."