This Game We're Playing

Chapter One

"I know. I can't afford to miss out on our friend's talent. If she isn't as passionate about their music, I won't bother at all but yeah fine. Why is she so talented again?" He asks rhetorically.

But Flo answers him anyway, "Well, because pretty people like Saoirse and I are God's favorite. Talent and intellect? We got it." Then she laughs and waves at someone in front of their table. Timmy looks up from his drink. It is Saoirse coming over to their table.

"Hey, guys." Saoirse is still out of breath. Given she immediately gets off of the stage after their performance to fully join her friends.

"Got you a drink." Timmy offers the other drink on their table.

"Nice. Thanks, Pony." Saoirse opens her diet coke and takes a sip from it. Timmy knows Saoirse won't drink tonight because she has a court meeting tomorrow. His friend can't afford to have a hangover while defending her client.

"What do you guys think of our set tonight?" Saoirse asks the two after she settled on her own seat at their table. "Especially you Timmy. Do you like the place? Told you, you should have come here sooner. It's nice right?"

"It's better from other bars you guys played in. The atmosphere's better here, too. It's crazy but at the same time, it's intimate." He answers.

"That's what I'm telling you! I'm so glad you are here."

The three are enjoying their drinks while talking about Flo's plan after the release of her first book and other things about their lives. Timmy looks at his two best friends. They met in college in the most embarrassing way possible. Saoirse and Flo are already friends then being in the same dorm complex on their first semester in the university. Timmy went to a protest rally with some friends. He 'accidentally' threw a plastic wrapper of his gum and Saoirse and Flo saw him doing it. The girls confronted him about being inconsiderate and irresponsible in front of all other protesters in the rally. It is chaotic and so embarrassing but that was the story of how they met and became friends. He didn't plan on that but if that is what it takes to be friends with crazy liberal arts kids who are so into saving the environment like these two in front of him, he'd throw another plastic wrapper again. Just kidding.

"Timmy. Hey, Tim, you're spacing out. What are you thinking about?" Saoirse asks, flicking her fingers in front of his face.

"What? I'm not. It's nothing."

"Come on, spill. We know that face you're doing right now. It's the Timothée-the-spoiled-brat-kid-is-in-trouble kind of face." Flo jokes.

"I'm just thinking of something. It's nothing big."

"You know that we can see through your bullshit, right? Come on, Pony. What is it this time? Uncle Marc?" Saoirse looks at Timmy intently while she asks him.

"Yeah. It sucks right now. After Pauline gave birth, their attention diverted into me again. It's like I'm the epitome of a headache to them."

"Pony, that is because you are a headache to your parents," Saoirse says.

"Please don't side with them tonight."

"We aren't siding with them, you know that. So, tell us what happened today please." Flo's voice turns serious.

"You guys know how they are. They expect too much from their kids. All parents do that, yeah. But they keep on pressuring us. Pauline can live with the pressure. She likes the pressure from our parents but when she got married and had a baby, the focus went on me. They want me to either settle down like hers or take over the family business, what the fuck was that." He explains.