“Is he in class with you?”
“Yeah, but we don’t get along.”
“Oh my god! He’s not in your group of friends, is he?”
“No, Mom.”
My mom put on a fake smile just as Jordan came back to the dining room. The rest of the dinner went by slowly, and after more conversation that was more boring than a biochemistry lesson, I looked over at the Xbox by the TV.
“Wanna play a game?” I suggested to Jasper, even though I knew the answer.
To my surprise, he got up and sat on the couch. I followed him as the two adults sipped wine and ate dessert.
He passed me a joypad.
Just like that, in less than a half hour, that kid beat me at each and every game imaginable. I barely stopped myself from jumping up and down when I finally managed to win a single FIFA game.
“Bam! Check that out! Wait until I practice a few times, and I’ll kick your ass.”
He laughed, putting his hand in front of his mouth.
“Curse words make you laugh, don’t they? You’re a little shit.”
Suddenly, Jordan came to see what we were doing.
“Everything okay?” He sounded skeptical.
“Yeah, is this okay?” I replied.
“Are you really playing together?”
“Yup, and I’m winning big-time,” I lied, just to make Jasper talk or laugh again.
Jasper shook his head, amused.
“It would be a good idea to say that you’re letting me win, otherwise you’re the true king of the little guys.”
My mom poked her head in, too, but Jordan motioned for her to not disturb us, and they went back to the table.
“Can you tell me where the bathroom is?” I asked, feeling a sudden urge to pee that was impossible to ignore.
Jasper snickered and pointed out the staircase leading upstairs. Sure. Why not.
“There has to be another bathroom here, isn’t there?”
He made a no signal, continuing to smirk derisively. Well played, shithead.
My mom and Jordan were so absorbed in their conversation about paintings that they didn’t even notice me walking past them. I felt my heart rate increase with every step I took. There were four doors, and only one of them was left ajar. I inched closer carefully. In the dark I could make out a figure hunched over on the bed, staring into the void with his head down. He was only wearing a pair of tracksuit pants and was vaping out the window.
“James?”
He didn’t lift his head.
I should’ve minded my own business and not gone in.
I pushed the door lightly, and it opened magically under the spell of my fingers.
“Everything okay?”
