These Games We Play Novels & Stories

He chuckled slightly, "Yes, it was about your freedom. Let's Play isn't just a game. Games." My face brightened up. I enjoy playing games, and even if they were card games, I would easily beat him. "What types of games?”

I ask. “Not yet. I’ll have time to go over for breakfast on my way out of town at least.” I pay and leave a tip for the bartender. “In that case, wanna come back to my place and play some games?” I ask, meaning video games. It doesn’t matter how old we get, my brothers and I still play video games together. “Hell yeah.” Mason sweeps his gaze out at the bar. “Unless you want to find someone to take home and play with instead?”

It was a given. “So Hazel, you will play in the games me and Axel have planned for you just to keep us entertained. If you win, we call off the war, but if you don't— oh, sweet Hazel, there will be bloodshed.” My tummy clenched, and I found it hard to swallow. It was obvious. This wasn't something simple. “Don't be scared. It's just one game from each of us to appease our wrath.” he explained, and I had that strong persistent feeling that the games would be nasty.

"Do we have games?" He pulled out his phone. "We have whatever she wants." Liyana launched herself off the bed. "UNO! We have UNO! It's in the playroom!" She ran and Valerian looked at me. "UNO?" "You've never played UNO?" "I've never played any game that requires a child to explain the rules." I laughed. Actually laughed. "Tonight you will." The playroom was super crazy. Liyana found the UNO cards. Also Connect Four and even Jenga. She also found a puzzle she abandoned halfway through week and she dumped everything on the floor. "We have to play ALL of them!"

Mia Alexander bounced on his toes like a spring had been released inside him. "Yes! Yes yes yes!" He spun toward Kyle, words tumbling out so fast they blurred together. "We always eat at six-thirty except on Sundays when we have pancakes for dinner which is backwards but fun and after dinner we play games or read stories or sometimes watch a movie if it's Friday and—" He paused to gulp air, then continued without missing a beat. "Do you like board games? We have Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders and Ethan always wins at checkers but I'm better at the memory game where you flip over cards—"

I was lost while playing and sometimes I even got out placing my leg on the lines. Later, we played Jod Sankhli (a game where a denner tries to catch other players and when they succeed they form a change with the help of the player caught, holding hands), Dog and the bone, London London statue and Lock-and-Key. It was a great time with them and even Karan joined us in those games. We were enjoying our level best with laughter and joy filled around us. We all had a big smile and when the sky painted orange-pink we left to our rooms calling it a day.

“Your turn,” I said. I smiled wickedly at River. We were playing a game that we used to play a lot when we were younger called Mancala. The game was in the middle of us on the bed. We sat cross-legged across from each other. The radio was turned up but not too loud. “You’re such a cheater,” River muttered. I fell back onto the bed and laughed at his irritation. “I don't cheat.” River sighed. “You win again, you little loser.”

Even though I was a bit full, I still ate a lot. We then played some childish games. Gabrielle and Levi were the ones who prepared the games and they were all tacky games. Such as musical chairs- which made us all laugh because Paul would do everything to win the last chair-, egg toss- this was played on another level because of the athletic team, Gabrielle and Levi, and the competitive team, Eduardo and Layla. None of them back out. In the end, it ends up as a tie. There were a lot of games. Although childish, it makes the house full of laughter.

“How am I different from her? Why are you scared of her?” “Umm, well, when playing, we always play tea party and dollies. We never play battle game like we just did. She said it’s not very girly…” Alyssa said, swaying her body around while hugging her pillow. “Hmm… Do you not like playing with her?” Jai asked. Alyssa hummed. “No… I like playing with her, it’s just that, sometimes I’m bored with tea party and dolls. Father and Mother plays battle games with me sometimes, but they’re not always at home. Sometimes Helen plays it with me, but not that often.”

Beth tells him. Nick pulls me into a sweaty hug and touches our lips together. “You want noodles Baby?” I wrap my arms around his neck and smile up at him. “I’ll eat anything you know me.” Nick kisses me again before releasing me. Everyone agrees to noodles and Nick puts in the order. He then pulls out a few board games we play with my study group. We chose Trivial Pursuit and start to split into teams. “Me and Raija,” Beth calls and Nick rolls his eyes.