Match Made in Quarantine

12. Game Night, Pt. 1

I put on the absolute ugliest sweatpants I could find.

They were red with white reindeer and tacky, colorful little ornaments spread all over them. My mother had bought them for me about four Christmases ago and I had worn them a total of four times, during Christmas. Just looking at them gave me a headache and I hoped it would have the same effect on my roommate.

My mission for the day: get game night cancelled indefinitely.

Operation start: 30 minutes from now.

I dug through the black hole that is my closet and grabbed a baggy shirt I'd inherited from my dad. Though, it would be more accurate to say that I salvaged it from my dad's closet when he wasn't looking. It was probably older than I was and barely still holding together at the seams — ugly as sin but comfortable.

I was going to make Maddox regret this stupid freaking rule by the end of the night.

Once I was sufficiently hideous, I took a deep breath and made my way outside.

Maddox was sitting on the couch, three empty bottles of beer were in front of him as he aggressively pushed buttons on his controller. I took a few tentative steps to the couch.

"Give me just a second," he spoke without even looking my way, focused completely on the game he was playing. I stood next to the couch and observed the battle unfolding on the screen — he was playing Halo.

A minute later he was killed and with a few whispered curse words, he put the controller next to him before turning his attention to me.

There was a crooked grin on his face as he ran a hand through his messy hair. "Sorry about that. I forgot I promised a few friends I'd play with them."

Yes, sweet release, he was busy with friends!

"Oh, in that case we should just cancel today, wouldn't want to disappoint your good friends!" My voice definitely sounded too happy and I swiftly spun around to make my escape.

"Not so fast." He reached out and grabbed my wrist to stop me from walking away. His hand was gentle, barely putting any pressure on mine and uncomfortable warmth spread from the place he held. "How about you join me? We can make this the first game of game night." The smile he gave me was intoxicating.

I clicked my tongue, shaking away the hand that held me and crossed my arms over my chest. "The first? How many games were you planning we'd play?" I asked carefully, having a distinct feeling that I would not like the answer.

"Hm, to be determined, I guess?" He spoke in a lighthearted tone before grabbing the second controller and holding it out for me. "Come on, I'll help you out."

I snorted at his remark and sighed in resignation. Taking the controller he held out, I took a seat cross legged on the floor.

He raised one dubious brow at me, shaking his head, "You gonna sit like that for hours? That looks uncomfortable."

I stared back at him defiantly before pointing one finger at his body, sprawled out in the middle of the couch. "No, that looks uncomfortable."

He laughed as if I'd made an excellent joke and moved himself to the edge of the couch. With a smirk on his face he pointed to the spot next to him on the couch and I looked at him in uncertainty.

"I don't bite, Aimee. Unless asked to." He wiggled his eyebrows once and I gagged at the mental image that surged into my mind.

Slowly I rose from the ground and took a seat at the far end of the couch, as far away from him as possible.