The Wallflower Game

Chapter Six

Keith groaned as he rolled over to hit snooze on his alarm clock. Sunlight shone through his curtains and he cracked an eye open to see the time.

Nine o’ clock. Kim’s breakfast.

He shot out of the bed and immediately felt his entire body ache. Moaning, he threw back his blanket and went downstairs to prepare food. Slapping together a sandwich and Kim’s favourite chocolate milk, he texted Emily and asked her to come over. 

Then he remembered that his match was cancelled. Looking down at his phone, he saw that the message was already sent, so he shrugged and let it be. Anyway he would be busy and spending more time with Emily was always pleasurable. 

But in all seriousness, he had to clear up his overdue assignments quickly using this extra day. The depressing thought made Keith grumble as he stomped upstairs to wake Kim up. 

Half an hour later, Keith was falling asleep while completing his History assignment. Kim was happily drinking her chocolate milk humming a song. Emily stood in front of Keith’s house, her hair all pulled back because she was lazy to comb it, and her eyes half closed. 

Emily rung the doorbell, telling herself that if there was no response within ten seconds, she would turn around and march right home to continue sleeping.

Keith was amused to open the door to such a messy looking Emily, considering how neat and tidy she always was. He did not comment at her mismatched socks and rebellious hair. 

“Good morning, Emily,” Keith greeted in a cheery tone, with his lips pulled into a slight smile. 

Emily responded with a grunt, heading directly to his couch. 

“Hi, Emily!” Kim’s high-pitched voice rung out. Emily glanced at the little girl with blonde curls framing her sunny face, smiling up at her...with her behind planted exactly where Emily had planned to throw her tired self at and have a nice nap. 

Life was funny, sometimes. 

She turned back and saw a grinning Keith. Not knowing why he was in such a good mood that morning, Emily resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him and chose to turn away from his smug look. 

Emily still felt him staring at her as she placed her bag down and sat on the floor. 

“Good luck for your game today,” Emily said without looking at him. Her drawl indicated that she would rather have the pleasure of him losing the entire match and maybe break his nose or arm. 

“There’s no game today,” Keith replied with a polite tone as he sat on the couch and tapped the spot next to him, suggesting her to sit there. “There is no such thing as luck, as well, so as much as I appreciate your well wishes, I do believe them invalid.”

Emily glared at him. “No game,” she repeated.

Keith shook his head and tapped the empty spot next to him again.

“And you asked me to come.” 

Keith frowned, giving her a confused look. “Are you asking questions or explaining reality to yourself?”

Emily cast a quick glance at Kim and seeing that she was watching them with utmost interest, she controlled her temper and smiled stiffly. “Let’s go to the kitchen, shall we?” 

Her acidic voice and constipated looking face triggered Keith’s gut to refuse. “The living room is perfectly comfortable.”

Emily dropped her smile and stood up abruptly. Looking at him right in the eyes, she pointed to the kitchen. “Now.” Then she stomped off. 

Keith was put off by her unreasonable (almost reminding him of his mother, actually) attitude but pressed his lips into a tight line and followed her anyway. He saw Emily pacing back and forth in his kitchen, mumbling to herself. 

He stood by the entrance, leaning against the door frame. “What?”

His impatient voice made her blood reach its boiling point. 

“You weren’t going to have a match today and you asked me to come babysit Kim? You were going to glue your ass to your bed and flip through Playboy and assume I would handle Kim and give you a domestic heaven? You think the world revolves around you, don’t you? You complete bastard.” 

Keith was stunned. 

That was the longest thing Emily had ever said to him. Seeing her black eyes flicker with rage, he knew he had to tread gently.

But he didn’t know what to say to an angry girl.

“I’m sorry.”

Pause. 

“Sorry,” Emily repeated slowly, raising a brow. “You’re sorry.”

Keith didn’t respond. 

Emily laughed, rendering Keith completely confused. Was she angry or playing a joke on him? What now? 

“All right,” Emily said, her eyes smiling now. “Why did you call me over?”

“I...” Keith started.

Truth or excuse?

“I need to complete my homework and I’m too tired to attend to Kim, too.”

Both. With the truth slightly disguised.

Emily saw right past him.

“Too tired, or too lazy?”

“Lazy.” Keith gave her a sheepish smile and Emily was distracted by his dimple. 

Embarrassed that she would allow her anger to be dissipated by a cute, boyish smile, she broke eye contact and shrugged. 

“Whatever. I’m paid anyway.” She brushed past him and went to have a friendly conversation with Kim. 

Keith was relieved that the issue was settled now that she gave in. After drinking a glass of water and checking that Emily and Kim were together, he went upstairs and closed his door. 

He took out his history notes and assignment, then proceeded to stare at them without reading. 

It was odd. 

No, Emily was odd. Why did she suddenly explode? 

When she first walked in, she was already grumpy and he had suspected it was because of her lacking a bit of her beauty sleep. 

However that did not account for much. Why would she think he would read Playboy? Or that she would grant him domestic bliss? What had he done to seem as though he felt the world revolved around him? 

What made her suddenly change her mood and drop the topic? 

After spending fifteen minutes chatting with Kim, Emily played ‘Cinderella’ for Kim to watch, then promptly fell asleep. She had spent too much time last night studying and the text from Keith had woken her up with a start. 

“Emily!” She refused to wake up. “Emily!” The voice grew louder. 

“Em!” Emily sprang up. Em? Who said that? 

Oh. Keith. Emily rubbed her tired eyes and went upstairs, leaving Kim to watch the rest of the movie. 

Keith met her at the top of the stairs, with a big smile on his face. “Hi.”

“What?” Emily asked, using the same impatient tone on him that he used on her earlier in the kitchen.

It did not seem to affect him in the least. “You’re smart, aren’t you? Studious, hardworking.”

Emily didn’t know how to respond. 

Keith leaned down slightly and now Emily couldn’t respond. Not properly, anyway. 

Too close. She frowned and took a small step back, hoping he wouldn’t notice. 

“Tutor me in History, will you?”