Open mind for a different View

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“In your face!” Theresa Marcetti yelled, holding her Wii controlled like a trophy. Eric didn’t mind the embarrassment, his mom was having fun and it made Mel smile. “You lose,” his mom continued.  “It’s Mel’s turn now and no offense honey but I’m whooping your butt too.”

“We’ll see about that Mrs. Marcetti.” Mel countered as she took the controller and joined the other woman in front of the TV.

“Call me Theresa.” She was being nice, too nice and that meant her game face was on. Eric sat back on the couch amused as he waited for his next turn. He’d play the winner and whoever lost would play the next winner and so on. They had been doing that for the last hour, but he and Mel kept playing against his mother who was the self proclaimed master at tennis.

There were tons of things he could be doing on a Saturday that didn’t involve his mother and the local geek/mean girl but this was by far the most fun. Mel needed the cheering up, she had looked sad at home and in his heart he couldn’t leave her there. He had meant what he said, he could be her friend and that took him by surprise. There was something about her he wanted to protect.

Friends were good, he thought, sure his eyes kept dropping to her backside as she stood in front of him but what teenage boy wouldn’t look?

“Ha!” Mel said and Eric jumped suspecting he had been caught looking at her except she was talking to his mother. “I told you once I warm up and learn the game there’s no winning.”

“Eric.” His mom tossed him the wireless controller. “Kick her ass for me.” it was her turn to sit on the sofa, she pouted and it was all in good fun or maybe not. She hadn’t lost in months against anyone. The phone rang and his mom went to the kitchen to answer it but not before telling Eric to avenge her honor.

Eric laughed. “You bruised my mom’s ego.”

“If it’s that important I’ll let her win the next one.”

“But that means I’d have to lose this game.”

“You are.” She said confidently with a little smirk, it turned into a full blown smile when Anthony walked through the door. “Hi.” She lit up when he was around, the sadness that always seemed to be along her eyes lightened.

Anthony stepped closer and kissed her cheek as his hand sat on her hip. “Hi, I thought you weren’t coming back until Monday?”

“Eric invited me to teach him how to lose at video games. I beat your mom and she’s not taking it well. You have paint on your cheek.” She reached out and touched her thumb to the area covered in green.

Eric stood back feeling invisible but he kept his promise to back off and didn’t say anything. He couldn’t stop himself from wishing Tony would’ve come home later and not ruin his moment with Mel.

Tony left to the kitchen to see their mother and Eric found Mel staring at him. “What?”

As always she diverted her eyes quickly. “Nothing, I’m just surprised.” She had been expecting him to warn her again about his brother being no good.

“Why? I’m a man of my word. Let’s play.” He kept his word but that didn’t mean he wanted to talk about her and Anthony and whatever was happening between them, he wasn’t that good of a friend.

With his mom out of the room the gloves were off which meant cheating, and Mel knew it.

“I said I would let your mom win, not you.” Mel challenged as she elbowed him back away from the controller he reached for.