Page 50 of Game Over

“Oh, you know it. I always do!” She turned to face me, “Every year, we take a girls’ weekend trip up to Pigeon Forge and do all the fun tourist rides and attractions. Sometimes we go to Dollywood, and we shop at all the outlets. It’s a time where we get to unplug and be with each other, without worrying about school or work.”

“Wow, that sounds like a lot of fun. What kind of rides do they have?” I asked because I don’t actually remember ever going. Our “family vacation,” if one could even call it that, was always to places my parents wanted to go to. Which normally was the beach, where we had to stay in the room while they went and got shitfaced at the bars. They made sure to get beachfront hotels so we could look out and see the beach, but we never went and did things together.

“Wait, have you not been?” Olivia’s brows shot to her hairline when she asked me.

“Um, no, I don’t think so. I uh… I didn’t exactly have a great upbringing, so to speak, so vacations that were more family-friendly, we didn’t do.”

Without missing a beat, their mom responded, “Well, then it seems we have to plan another weekend trip so we can take you then, doesn’t it, Spencer, sweetie?” She smiled so warmly at me, but I could see that familiar hurt in a parent’s eyes anytime they heard about my childhood.

“I’d like that very much,” I said, smiling back, and I meant it too. Although it stung to see what I missed out on, I had the opportunity to make new memories.

“Then it’s settled. Allie will get with you about your schedules, and we’ll see what we can do. Now,” she clapped her hands together, “who’s ready for some cake?”

We moved into the living room, sat on the couches, ate the layered chocolate cake her mom made, and talked even more. I had never been around a family that talked as much as they did. It was like they never ran out of topics. Most of the time, I spent sitting back, observing and listening to them, chiming in every now and then. Her mom decided to pull out old photo albums and school yearbooks to show me.

“Wait a second, let me see that one.” I pointed to an old blue elementary school yearbook from the year I was in fourth grade. The same elementary school. I flipped to the fourth-grade classes, looking for mine first, and showed Allie.

“There’s no way. Look.” She pointed to the page next to it, which had the class from another teacher, and there she was. There sat two pages. Two classes that had a simple wall between them in that old school. With two kids who were living such dark lives and were both so alone.

“We were right next door to each other,” I said, still staring at the book. I can’t believe we both went to the same school and never knew.

“I kept to myself a lot. I told you before… I didn’t make friends so.”

“It’s just crazy, is all. There are three other schools, so what are the odds, ya know?” I laughed and shook my head. “Look how cute little Allie was.”

“True, plus two different middle and high schools. I ended up switching to city schools after elementary because we moved,” Allie said as she scooted closer to me.

“Yeah, and I stayed in county schools, so that would be why we didn’t see each other later on.” Closing the yearbook and placing it on the table, her mom handed me another photo album that I began to flip through.

It got close to nine, and Allie announced we probably needed to go ahead and go, so she could let Dolly out. Her mom and sister walked us to the door, arms full of leftovers, both hugging us goodbye, and we walked down to her car. Once in and buckled, she leaned across and kissed me.

“I had a really good time tonight, Spencer. Thank you for coming with me. My family adores you already, I can tell.”

“I’m glad I came. They both seem like good people, and I can see how much they love you. Your mom is also hilarious, too.” I shook my head and laughed as I put the car in drive and headed home.

“Oh, she’s something, alright.” Allie folded her arms, pouting slightly. “How does she know what Netflix and chill is? You know she meant that as a dirty joke, and then she said I was the one who made it that way? Then to follow up, she had to pull out old photo albums of when I was a baby, and ones of me with that awful short haircut too?” She scrunched her nose in frustration, and it was the cutest damned thing.

“It was totally meant to be dirty, but it was pretty funny. Also, the hair wasn’t that bad… Lord Farquad.” I tried, and failed, from busting out laughing, and put my arm up to block the swats she threw my way. “Okay, okay, okay, you win, I’m sorry!”

“You’re so going to regret that. Mark my words.” She wagged a finger at me and had her best menacing face on. She looked like a pissed-off bunny, but it was so cute I played along.

“I believe it. I’m gonna have to sleep with one eye open.”

“You’re such a jackass.” Her beautiful laugh rang out, filling the car. “I can’t wait to be home. I'm so tired, I want to crawl into bed and read.” She leaned her head over onto my shoulders, wrapping her arms around mine on the console, that sweet coconut scent filling my nostrils.

“I’m pretty worn out too. I feel like we’ve had a long week, but I’ve had the best time spending our nights together when we can, and then our dates too.”

“Me too! It’s what I’ve looked forward to the most, just that quality time together.” She nuzzled into my arm more and let out a contented sigh. “Did you want to stay tonight, or did you need to go home?”

“I don’t think I have any extra clothes with me, and I don’t have my work stuff either. I probably should head home, but maybe tomorrow you and Dolly could come over and stay?”

“That sounds perfect.”

We pulled into her driveway and parked the car in the garage, making sure it closed before I followed her inside. I gathered my stuff and threw it in my bag, hating that I was leaving. Allie leaned against the island with her arms crossed, waiting for me as I walked back in, a small furrow between her brows.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” I asked, walking up and placing my hands on her hips and leaning in to kiss her.

“I know I’m being dramatic, but I’m kinda upset you have to go. I mean, I know you need to, you need clean clothes and a proper workspace, but I don’t know. These are new feelings for me, and I’m not sure how to navigate them.” She let the confession flow and looked into my eyes, searching for confirmation that she wasn’t the only one who felt that way.