Falling in the Dark | ✓

38 | Mistletoe

Axe picks the pizza box up off the desk, holding it open to the three of us. We each grab a warm slice. Rick puts part of the slice into his mouth to free his hands before climbing into the empty bed. It's only when he moves the fluffy white pillows that I notice two black game controllers. He busies himself with connecting them to his laptop as Axe grabs his own pizza slice and returns the box to the desk.

"We're good," Liam says as Rick silently gives us a big thumbs-up.

"One last thing . . ." Axe is saying to himself as he walks across the room to flick the light switch off. The room is now doused in complete darkness except for the glow of the laptop screens.

Soon, the four of us are sitting cross-legged on the bed, our backs against the cold, cream wall - Rick and I on one team, Liam and Axe on the other. A bright, impressively designed racing game illuminates the screen - accompanied by an explosion of upbeat music - as Rick grabs the controller and turns to me.

He explains the mechanisms of the game quickly and says, "Liam and I will go first, yeah?"

I nod and take a bite of my pizza, leaning forward eagerly. I'm not a total stranger to video games, but it has been a long time since I played one, and I am clearly an amateur in comparison to my opponent, Axe.

The brightness of the screen provides just enough illumination for me to see Rick manipulate the controls with deft movements as the sound of a gunshot kick-starts the race. Engines revving, music thumping, the boys yelling instructions and taunts to be heard over the others in the room - the energy in the air is palpable, infectious. Minutes later, Rick and I erupt into cheers as his car crosses the finish line an instant before Liam's.

A little later, when the controller is in my hands, my pizza slice reduced to nothing but a few crumbs on my lap, I feel a jolt of undue tension. Rick shouts encouragement as I rush to gain over Axe's sleek lime green car. My first attempt ends with me following him past the finish line three seconds too late. But after another slice of pizza and a few swigs of soda, I manage to finally beat Axe, much to Rick's delight.

"Eat dust, bitches!" He hoots and offers me a high-five as the game declares my car as the winner with a triumphant buzz.

"Probably beginner's luck," Axe teases, smirking.

"Sure, if that makes you feel better," I retort jokingly, and he laughs, raising his hands in surrender.

I glance over at Liam to find half of his sharp features cast in shadow, the color of his eyes indecipherable in the semi-darkness. He catches my gaze and breaks into a smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling, and suddenly, I'm hit with the feeling that nothing else exists outside of this moment. It's overwhelming and exhilarating at the same time.

"All right, Archer." Rick claps his hands, causing me to break eye contact with Liam. I'm suddenly grateful for the absence of light as heat floods my face.

I lose all track of time as we continue to play, no longer bothering to keep count of our wins and losses. It's only much later when Rick, Liam and I are done helping Axe clear away all the discarded boxes and cans that I pull out my phone to check the time. I raise my eyebrows in utter surprise at the screen when it lights up to indicate that it's past midnight.

Finally, after we exchange goodbyes with Axe, Rick gathers his laptop and heads out before us. As Liam and I are walking side-by-side down the hallway, he stops abruptly and says to me, "You go ahead, I'll be right down."

"Oh, okay," I say, puzzled, as Liam turns around and hurries back into Axe's room.

Climbing down the flight of stairs, I push the glass doors open and step out onto the deserted street. Jamming my hands into the pockets of my coat, I grit my teeth as my breath leaves my mouth in big white puffs.