The Game

156 0 2
                                    

Y/n's POV

STILL Monday January 8th
"You said WHAT!" Yelled Susie as we ate our lunch together. Everyone in the cafeteria turned to look at us before returning to their food.
"I know I know! It was stupid, but I couldn't think of anything else to do! I didn't want to get beat up again. I'm so tired of that." I said as I took a bite of my sandwich. I rubbed one of my wrists to test if it still hurt. It did.
"I mean yeah, that's reasonable but did you really have to say that?" She shuddered.
"I mean. It worked didn't it?" I said with a fake grin.
"You probably just postponed it for later. Where did he tell you to meet them?"
"Candy Club. If I don't then I'm getting locked in the boiler room."
"Well at least it's a public area. Kevin is there." She said, trying to make the situation seem less bad.
"I don't know if I should go." I said "It could be dangerous. Like you said, I might have just postponed their attack for later."
"But you would get locked in the boiler room."
"Not if they can't find me."
"That's unlikely. You know they always know where you are. You're also in the same math class as Robert. It would be hard to avoid that."
"Would being locked in the boiler room be worse than whatever they might do to me if I meet them?"
"I don't think they would risk hurting you in the candy store. It's not allowed. Buuuut if you want, I can give you an extra safety net." She dug in her bag and pulled out a walkie talkie. "If shit goes down, you can reach me and I will do whatever I can to help."
She holds the walkie talkie out to me. I hesitate before taking it.
"I guess that settles it." I said. I am going to have to meet them.

I was shaking the entire walk to Candy Club. I held on tightly to the walkie in my hoodie pocket. I tried to take deep breaths but the air would catch in my throat and I would choke. I had to fight every muscle in my body telling me to turn around and run as fast as I could. They were already there when I arrived. Robert noticed me first. It might just be wishful thinking but he seemed to be the nicest of the group.
"Hi, Y/n." He gave me a small wave. 
Roy and Ross turned around to face me.
"Hey, are you kids going to buy something or are you just going to stand around?" Said Kevin. 
"Come on." Said Roy. He walked out the doors and the other two followed him. I assumed that I should go with them. I hurry out the doors to catch up. 
"Where are we going now, Roy?" Asked Ross.
"The park. I don't even think someone as dumb as Y/n would follow us into our usual hangout spot in the alley." Replied Roy
"Roy. That was rude. If you want them to listen to you, maybe you should be a bit nicer." Said Robert
"Yeah Roy. If you want me to listen to you, be nice to me." I said in a mocking tone. If I had said that in any other context I would have gotten beaten up on the spot. Something about this situation, however, has me thinking that that is not a risk. I can't be too careful though. It's the Hatzgang. They're unpredictable.
Roy grumbled and started walking faster. Soon he was much further ahead of us.
"Y/n, I'm so sorry about all the stuff Roy does. He has issues and doesn't know how to deal with them in a healthy way." said Robert. "Honest, he's nice to the people he likes. He just.. doesn't like very many people."
I am surprised. I thought the entire Hatzgang were just assholes. Maybe they could be nice sometimes. I thought about my various encounters with Roy. Well some of them could.
"Oh. Um. Ok. I don't think I can forgive him yet though." I said nervously.
"That's justified. OW-" Ross said before Robert swatted him with his sleeve.
Ross grumbled and readjusted his hat.
We all arrived at the park and went to a bench to sit down.
"So what do you guys want? Why did you want to see me?" I ask firmly. I am not in the mood for their usual shenanigans. 
"I want to make a bet." Said Roy. He got off the bench and stood facing us. What? What was he playing at?
"I'm sick and tired of you and I'm sure you are sick and tired of me." He said. "We could just choose to ignore each other but that wouldn't be very fun. I propose we play a game. A test of willpower. If you win, we will leave you alone and never bother you, or any of your friends, ever again." Now that was an intriguing offer. But..
"What happens if you win?" I ask.
"We ignore you as much as we want but we retain the right to pick on you and your friends if we want to. And, you can't snitch on us." 
The deal seemed fair. I was worried about what the bet would entail though. What game is he thinking of playing?
"What kind of game are you suggesting?" I ask. I am willing to accept his offer but if it is something awful then I wont be participating.
He smirked. I hated when he did that.
"Like I said before, it is a game of willpower. The goal is to make the other opponent(s) uncomfortable enough to forfeit. The first person to back down loses. Each player gets to make one rule or condition of the game."
I furrowed my brow. A game of willpower where the goal was to make the other opponent uncomfortable.
"Why that, out of any game you could have picked?" I asked skeptically.
"You and I are both good at making people feel weird. What you said earlier caught me off guard. That doesn't happen often" He said. Lovely, keep reminding me. "You might actually be a good opponent. I don't find those often."
I thought over what he had said. It was worth a shot wasn't it?
"Are we allowed to choose any rule or condition that we want?" I ask
"As long as it doesn't contradict those that have already been said and it isn't something illegal." Said Roy. 
"Ok then. I accept." I said.
"Oh really? I thought you would say no. That's what people usually say." Said Roy with a slightly surprised yet amused voice. "I will allow you to choose the first rule or condition."
"Actually, is it ok if I go last?" I ask. If we are allowed to choose anything then I had a plan to make this better for myself. It was a risk, but I had to take it.
"Um. I guess?" said Roy. 
"I could choose first." Said Robert. Just as I suspected. The entire gang was joining the game. They were sure to team up against me if I let this happen.
"Sure." said Roy.
"Ok. Nothing physically violent. You can't cause physical harm to anyone during the duration of the game." Robert said. Ok, so far so good.
"Ross, you go next." said Roy.
"Ok. This game has a time limit. 3 months. Last time that we played this it lasted almost 6 and I don't want to have to do that again." said Ross.
"Ok Ok. My turn. My condition is that everything is on the table. Do anything that you can to win. All options are out and don't stop until someone loses. As long as it doesn't go against the other terms and it can't be illegal or morally disgusting." said Roy. That was a big condition. You were allowed to do anything at all to win? (as long as it isn't illegal, morally disgusting or goes against the other terms) The fact that this game was so open scared me a bit. This isn't like a normal game with a static set of rules to keep you in line. This game has endless possibilities in ways to win. The rules and conditions are only set to keep the players safe.
"It's your turn." said Roy. It was time to set my plan into motion. I hoped this plan would work. If it didn't then I was going to be in for it.
"Ok. My condition is... it's just me and you." I said. The gang looked at me with varying expressions of confusion. I stand up in front of Roy. "Neither of your other gang members are in this game nor can you use anyone outside the game to help you win. But, the terms they have stated still apply."
The Hatzgang was in a stunned silence for a moment. 
"Works for me. I don't like this game." said Ross.
"I don't either." said Robert.
"Wait, no. you cant just-"
"Roy. If they say that it is a condition then it is. It doesn't contradict any previously stated terms." said Ross, cutting off Roy before he could argue.
"Fffine." said Roy. I can't believe that just worked. 
Roy stuck out his hand towards me to shake.
"The game starts tomorrow." He said. "I'd suggest you come up with a plan."

Maybe, Probably (Roy X reader)Where stories live. Discover now