Playing Heart Games

Pre-Game 1: Fufill Your Role

A Few Hours Earlier

VIOLET

My reflection looked terrified. And I was. Incredibly terrified.

I analysed Reynard Private Academy's school uniform again. It consisted of a crisp black shirt, a blue tartan skirt, a jumper with a Reynard badge embroidered on the left chest, and a dark blue blazer.

In my last school there was no uniform, so I could at least change my outfit if it wasn't working. I felt like this uniform was designed not to work for me.

I jolted at the sound of my ringtone. Then I scrambled around the room searching for my phone. I still wasn't used to the massive bedroom. To the walk-in closet. Or to the private bathroom. The apartment mom and I lived in just a few weeks ago had been tiny.

By the time I found the phone it had almost stopped ringing. I fumbled with it, before I finally swiped to accept the video call. I wasn't used to the fancy new phone either.

Mom appeared on the other side of the screen. Her face instantly lit up into a beam. "Violet!"

Mom looked ten years younger. Her brown skin glowed, her eyes so bright that they were almost luminescent. Behind her stretched a white sand beach and a turquoise sea, glimmering in the sunlight.

"How are you?!" she yelled.

"Honey, you don't have to shout into it," a male voice said.

She blinked, her eyes flickering to the person behind the phone. "Oh. Whoops." She giggled. She lowered her voice. "Hi honey. How are you?" Before I could respond, she jumped. "Oh! Ken, you say hi too!" She reached for someone off camera.

A moment later, the person responsible for the fancy phones and the new room was standing next to her.

Ken Dawson smiled. "Good morning Violet."

Mom's new husband looked like he'd de-aged too, in the space of just a few days. Mom told me that the first time she'd seen him she'd been instantly enamoured. Ken was handsome, with dark brown skin and dark eyes framed by thick lashes. Now-his grin was as wide as hers-he was wearing a t-shirt and unshaven stubble covered his jaw.

I smiled. "Good morning."

Mom peeled her eyes away from him, returning them to me. "I can't believe I won't be there for your first day!" She moaned. "Are you sure you're okay? Are you nervous? Scared?"

My first day at a new school. Dropping in on a random Friday in the middle of term.

I was terrified.

"I'm-"

Mom squealed as the wind caught her curls. "Sorry sweetie," she said, when she'd gotten them under control. "What did you say?"

"I'm fine," I said, swallowing the truth. I lifted my lips into a smile. "You should enjoy your honeymoon."

She pursed her lips, her eyes actually focusing on my face. "Violet-"

But then Ken must have done something, because she started to giggle. A moment later, the video call cut off.

I exhaled, lowering the phone.

Half of me wanted to dish out all my fears, but mom deserved to enjoy herself. She didn't need to stress about me. She'd sacrificed a lot for me over the last eighteen years, and now she was finally getting her happily ever after. I wouldn't ruin it.

My phone started to ring again. I perked up the instant I see the name on the screen. In less than a second, the phone's against my ear.

"Hey, babe." Mark's voice rumbled through the phone.