The gamer

Chapter 4 

Laying lazily on my bed, the pigeon on my window made a lovely sound and the birds on the Cheryl tree close to my window sang melodiously to the movement of the wind and the falling leaves.

Today is mother's day and I'm supposed to go out with my mom by 1pm but the time is 12pm there's no sign of my mom around and she hasn't called me. 

I sighed and went to the kitchen to grab a plate of chips and a chilled bottle of water to pass out time. Getting to our sitting room, dad and Zayn are sitting on the sofa watching a program. I just ignored them and went straight to the kitchen.

Zayn doesn't even bother about the mothers day outing stuff he prefers to stay at home with dad and spend the whole day watching movies or doing some crazy stuff. 

After getting everything I needed, I went upstairs to my room. I found my phone ringing hoping to see my mom's face on the screen. I rushed to my bedside to check the caller but to my disappointment it's my female bestie that's calling. 

I dropped the chips and the water on a table close to my bed and answered the call.

"Hi Clarissa" the enthusiastic voice of Bethel sounded through the phone

"Hi Bethel." Wondering what could have made her sound so happy like that I greeted back and she replied back immediately

"Guess what?" She asked, squealing.

"Come on Bethel, you know I'm not good at guessing just tell me." I replied putting all my frustrations on her.

"I'm going to the mall with my mom and then go to the cinema together to watch a movie by 5pm" she sounded so happy. The way she speaks I know she's really happy about that. Unlike me who has a busy mom

"Alright Bethel." I sighed deeply.

"Come on Clarissa, what's up with you? You don't seem to be happy" she noticed the frustrated tone I was using for her and she couldn't help but ask what's up with me.

"Nothing much Bethel, still waiting for my mom to come back." I replied turning to look at the wall clock in my room.

"Chill girl, she's gonna be home very soon. you know your mom is a busy woman" she replied in a warm way. I knew she's trying to cheer me up

"Okay bethel" I gave her a short response.

"Bye Clarissa and take care " she replied and hung up.

Tossing the phone on my bed I grab a mouthful of chips the next moment I fall asleep.

It's been 2 hours since I fell asleep in my bedroom. I checked my phone if there were any missed calls in it but there's none. Feeling disappointed I threw the phone on my bed and headed into the restroom to wee.

I overheard Zayn discussing his birthday gift with dad so I went downstairs to meet them.

Getting to the sitting room Zayn who was putting on a black turtleneck sweater and a pair of grey jeans, sat opposite dad while they continued their discussion.

I sat on the stairs as I put a call to my mom.

The phone rang thrice but she didn't pick the call so I asked my dad if he had heard from her.

"Dad," I called.

They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice my presence on the stairs

"Clarissa" he replied by mentioning my name.

"Have you heard from Mom?" I asked, hoping to get a good answer.

"No sweetie."

"There you go again dad, you always call her sweetie what about me bitterie? "Zayn asked with annoyance on his face

"No Zayn you're not bitterie, you're daddy's boy." Dad said trying not to laugh at the way he stressed the word bitterie

"By the way Zayn where did you get the word bitterie from" I asked raising my brows at him.

"I got it from my vocabulary." I heard him mumble.

"What vocabulary" dad asked.

"My vocabulary of course! don't tell me you don't know that the opposite of sweetie is bitterie." He said directing the question at the two of us

"Dumbass!" Dad was still trying to stop himself from laughing when I called Zayn a dumb ass.

"Alright Zayn you're daddy's boy and Clarissa is daddy's girl." Dad said trying to cool him when I added more fuel to the fire 

"You're probably jealous, Zayn just admit it." I said laughing out loud.

"I'm not jealous. I'm just telling the truth and trying to express myself" he said, trying to defend himself.

"Save me that sentence" I said, pushing my hair behind my ears.

"Let me call your mom." Dad said as he walked to the dining table to get his phone.

I heard him talking to Mom on the phone but I don't really know what they were talking about and I'm sure they talked for more than ten mins.

Zayn came to sit with me on the stairs, and the way he's smiling I know he had something up his sleeve. 

"Umm can I have your phone?" he said, running his hand over his messy hair.

"No you can't," I said, turning away.

"You don't have to be selfish with your cell phone all the time. Sometimes just try to be a cheerful giver." He said feeling dejected.

Wait, did Zayn just say I'm selfish with my cell phone. No way this boy is getting on my nerves. How can he say I'm selfish

"You're probably jealous of my phone because you don't have one and for saying I'm not a cheerful giver you might have forgotten I caught you using my phone." I replied him in the same manner. Getting pissed off I shifted to the next stairs

"I'm not jealous, Clarissa. You don't even consider me as your little brother. If I have one, I wouldn't be asking for your own." He said feigning tears.

"Whatever!" I snapped.

Finally dad came out,I hope he has good news to say.

My anticipation and curiosity grew as dad comes closer and closer

Seeing that he isn't saying anything

I rushed down to his side to ask him what mom said.

"Is mom coming?" I asked.

"I'm sorry sweetie. She won't be able to make it. She's busy at work and she promised to make it up to you." Dad said, holding my shoulders.

"No, mom can't do this to me. Why did she disappoint me? Why didn't she tell me she can't make it in the first place?" I yelled to no one in particular and my voice echoed through the entire sitting room as a drop of burning hot tears dropped from my eyes.

"Why is mom always doing this to me dad?" I continued.

"It's not her fault Clarissa just try and understand." He said pulling me to himself.

"Now wipe your tears let's go to the mall

" He whispered whilst wiping the tears from my face

"No I'm not going." I said, turning away angrily.

"Why do you say that?" He asked in a gentle voice.

Ever since I was a kid I always fell for the gentle voice of my dad but I'm not going to fall for his gentle voice today.

I noticed the evil grin on Zayn's face. He's happy that my outing with Mom today was cancelled. That grin on his face pissed me off and the way he winked at me made more angry.

"Talk to me Clarissa." Dad said, turning me to face him.

"Today's mother's day not father's day." I yelled with all the anguish in me and rushed to my room pushing Zayn out of my way. The voice of Zayn echoed through the sitting room as he let out a hilarious laughter. 

Rumbling through my closets I found a Flora pink gown. I haven't worn it before. Dad gifted it to me last night as I was too pissed up to come down for dinner. I ran my hand through the edges and the designs were so amazing.

 A sleeveless short gown. I smiled as I envisioned myself in it. I really don't want to stay bored at home today and let Zayn make fun of me for what happened yesterday. So I'm going shopping with my female friends.

Dad gave me my monthly allowance last night and he even added to it to compensate me for what happened yesterday.

Guess what, this money will go a long way for the shopping. 

My eyes ran down my shoe rack and they fell on a black pair of boots. I brought them out and polished them with black polish. I quickly rushed to the bathroom to have my bath. When I came out I saw a text from Bethel telling me to get ready in the next 15 mins that she's coming to pick me up himself with Anabel. 

I only have 13 mins left so I hurriedly put on the dress and packed my hair into a ponytail. 7 mins left, I ran my eyes through my make up kits and found a pink lip gloss and applied it quickly and also applied a light make-up on my face . Gosh, makeup always takes time.

Suddenly I remembered I wasn't putting on pants. The thought of me walking pantless in the mall made my chicks turn hot and red. 

4mins remaining so I rushed back to the bathroom and I almost slipped. I quickly pick a pair of pants and wear them. Hmm I gave a long sigh and walked out of the bathroom.

Back in the room I picked up a black jacket to match my boots then I heard a car horn downstairs and I hurriedly grabbed my purse and ran downstairs holding my boots in my hands.

"Look at you!" Bethel said pointing at me from the car.

"What?" I asked, opening the car door. Then I heard laughter from inside the car. Annabel and Bethel almost had their cheeks tearing off. 

"What? Why are you girls laughing?"

I asked, taking my seat in the car.

"Nothing." They chorused.

They were actually laughing at me because I held my boots in my hands and ran down from the house.

"Whatever, I don't care." I said, putting on my boots as the car drove through the streets of Chicago.

We got to the mall and shopped for more than 4 hours. 

Both of them kept gisting with me on how they spent mothers day with their mom yesterday. I only gave them short replies. Then Bethel asked me if my mom was able to make it yesterday. I nodded my head negatively and told her no. 

Both of them cheered me up and we continued our shopping.

After the shopping bethel drops me off at home and I bid her goodbye and watch her leave. 

By 7:00 in the evening, I showed up at Ken's birthday party. Most of our classmates were all present at the party. 

I walked up to our table where Ken, Bethel and the rest were sitting. The lights made the strapless dinner gown I was wearing glow.

Bethel was also putting on the same design and pattern. This was one of the clothes we shopped today for Ken's birthday. 

The tables were all filled with various types of drinks as the DJ played some mind blowing music. Before I could take my seat, I heard a deep voice beside me. I turned and Mark flashed his white teeth at me.

"You look gorgeous." 

"Thank you." I replied smiling.

"My pleasure," he said, pulling the chair out for me to sit down.

He sat close to me and we both exchanged greetings with the others.

"Happy birthday Ken." I wished him and gave him his birthday gift.

"Thank you Clarissa." He smiled at me accepting the gift.

Some group of girls sitting close to our table were discussing the game that was trending everywhere. They were so serious about it. 

"The game is not real. It does not exist." I said approaching them.

"Have you played it before?" The short one amongst them asked.

"No, I haven't played it before." I responded, standing in front of their table.

"Why don't you play it to prove to everyone that it doesn't exist." They said in unison as if they had planned the words in their mouth. 

I just shrugged and went back to my seat.

"What were you discussing with them?" Mark asked, filling my glass with wine.

"It's the dumbass fake game they're talking about." I replied, sipping gently from my glass.

"Don't say that Clarissa, the game is real." Erick said, taking a seat next to us. 

When did he come in?

"The game is not real! It doesn't exist." I maintained. 

"The game is real. I did research about it a few days ago and it's scary." Bethel chirped in.

"Yeah, very scary. If you fail, someone close to you will die." Anabel supported her.

"It doesn't make any sense to me. Does it mean nobody has ever failed the game?I asked, trying to prove my point.

"You never can tell. Umm Clarissa is right too." Xavier said going through his phone,

"And the game is a dumb game just like Clarissa." He said winking at me which made me angry.

"I'm not dumb okay!" I said looking away.

"Dumb people look away when they talk." He replied, making me more angry.

"I'm not dumb!" I yelled, getting pissed off.

"Who said you're not dumb? Dumb girl dating a dumb guy." He said sipping his drink softly, enjoying the face I was passing him.

"Xavier! Enough please! You can call me dumb not him okay." I said making it clear to him to avoid getting into a fight with Nathan.

Nathan doesn't look like someone who heard what he said. He just sipped his drink and focused on his phone. I really don't know what attracted his attention to the phone than me?

Hmphh!

They are really making this party unbearable for me. Xavier teases me like there's no tomorrow and Nathan doesn't even glance at me more than three times throughout the conversation and he hasn't said anything apart from the greetings we made earlier.

I wonder what's so special about the phone that made him have all his attention on it. Anyway I'm also glad he has his attention on his phone. If not there would have been a big fight between them just now.

"Why don't you play the game to prove yourself." Nathan jumped into the discussion.

"You can play the game and give us feedback," He continued, patting my bare back.

I just shrugged and continued sipping my drink and going to the restroom till the party was over.

After the party Royce and Anabel dropped me off at home and I bade them goodbye.

It was 12 already so there was nobody in the sitting room. I just walked straight to my bedroom and threw my hand bag on my bed. I pulled my shoes from my legs and brought out my cell phone from my purse. My body stings so badly that I didn't know when I rushed into the bathroom. 

After bathing, I slid into my pajamas and sat on my bed. 

The door of my room creaked open and my dad brought a tray with my dinner on it. He dropped it on the table close to my bed and asked if I liked it and I nodded a yes. He further asked how the birthday party went and I filled him in on a few details.

Dad might have waited for me to come back before sleeping. He noticed my presence when I came in. 

So he went to the kitchen to dish out food for me. 

To be sincere I am truly famished, after drinking all night like a slut in the birthday party.

He noticed I wasn't paying attention to him as I was paying justice to the food placed before me. He watched me for a while and bent to peck my cheeks then bade me goodnight.

The thought of the game clouded my senses and I couldn't concentrate on anything. My fingers kept itching for it so I turned on my mobile data.

The strange guy who sent me the message was online. So I immediately sent him a text as I pushed a spoon full of fried rice into my mouth.

"Hey let's play the game."