Extra Ordinary

15.

I felt slightly guilty, messaging Cindy and asking if she wanted to practice online in a few minutes. The guilt was only amplified by her enthusiastic reaction: a sound 'yes!!!!' followed by a bombardment of emojis. 

This was actually the first time I had contacted her first. Huh, ulterior motives? What ulterior motives? 

Aside from never telling her I don't teach video games out of the goodness of my heart, all I wanted to know was whether or not her cousin had been talking about me after Friday. 

I stilled the uncomfortable nagging voice telling me I was awful by not talking about Asa or anything related to him until about thirty minutes into the game.

"So," I said, after Cindy beheaded several androids with one shot. "It sucked I wasn't able to join the tournament at school. Hope Asa didn't think it a waste of time." 

My face heated up at merely saying his name out loud, and I realised all over again I was in way too deep. 

"Nah," Cindy replied offhandedly, right before yelling, "Take that! Hah!" to one of her now dead opponents.

"Okay. That's, uh, good."

I  tugged at a loose thread on my sweater. Cindy was far too focused on the game to offer more information. Or, so I thought. After firing a few more lasers, she snickered. 

"Yeah, I bet 'that's good' because you like him."

At least three inches of  thread came loose from my sweater as I accidentally pulled on it too hard. 

"What? No!" I automatically blurted, but I couldn't exactly say that anymore now. "I mean, ye-- no, maybe?" 

Cindy laughed harder, not even caring she just got killed in-game. "You sound like Asa when I asked about you. Are you his boyfriend now?" 

I pulled my legs and wrapped my arms around them, then pressed my burning cheeks to my knees. I didn't want to have this type of conversation with a ten year old. "I don't know," I muffle-groaned. 

"You should!" Cindy asserted. "You've been around longer than the others now, and I like you much better than the last one. She hated video games and pizza. Who hates video games and pizza?" 

"My parents do."

"Yikes." Cindy paused. "Is that why you don't want to be known and join big tournaments? Because they won't support you doing it?" 

I frowned. "No... Well, that too. But I  wasn't lying when I said I don't like the attention. I'd much rather be in the crowd, watching."

"Oh," Cindy said. "Asa doesn't do mathlete stuff for you to watch anymore, though. Mom said it's too much stress and cause a  re-- re--" Cindy gave up on finding the word. "But he's doing much better lately." 

"I'm happy to hear that," I offered, politely, but while thinking I should steer away from this subject. This was starting to feel like an intrusion. Trespassing like I did in Asa's bedroom and still regretted. 

I knew Asa was being treated, but I shouldn't know any of these things if he wasn't the one telling them. 

"I'd be okay with a more local Double Singularity or Starcraft tournament, however," I changed the topic. "I kinda still need a replacement for Friday." 

"Really? Local is okay?" Cindy's voice grew louder with excitement. "Wait! There's a big one right here in Georgia in a few days! Hang on, let me find it."

"Okay. Link me and I'll check it out," I promised. 

"Honey, who are you talking to?" a woman vaguely sounded in the background.