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Play Too Much

Chapter 21: Play Too Much
Adeline

"Can I touch it?"

"No, what the heck?"

"I'm low key interested. Let me hold it."

I start skipping on the short journey to Easton's house, bouncing while he opens the door.

"Why are we going from house to house?" Easton laughs, stepping aside for me.

"We're surprisingly bonding." I smile, taking my shoes off. "You should be like this more."

"I wish I could." He mutters and I shrug, looking around the room.

"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Kim. I hope you don't mind that I'm here?" I bow slightly, acknowledging his parents.

"Of course not, Addy bear. It's been so long." Mrs. Kim smiles as Easton gently puts his hand on my shoulder.

"You fake." I whisper, only for him to hear.

"What, do you want me to choke you in front of them?" He responds and I keep my mouth shut, looking down at my feet. "Sorry."

"We aren't going to keep you two down here any longer." Easton's dad laughs and I look up at him, not missing the mischievous look in his eyes.

"Keep the door open!" Mrs. Kim yells as we walk past them, going upstairs to Easton's room.

"Your window is so boring." I mumble, sitting on the chair.

"Unlike you, I don't have a seat space. Can't really do much."

Scanning the room, I don't see the machine.

"But for real, though. Can I touch it?" I ask again, waiting for a response.

Easton rolls his eyes at me before walking to his closet, taking the gun out.

"Be careful."

He removes the bullets before placing the object in my hand, still holding onto it.

"Well, that was fun. Take it back now."

"Okay."

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"I remember when you'd come over to take naps in my bed. And when I'd do the same."

"You mean when we were five?"

"And six. And ten."

"Mainly before middle school." I yawn, throwing the comforter over my lower half.

Easton and I were back at my house, currently on my bed eating Panda Express.

"This is really good."

"I know." I laugh, picking up the chicken with my chopsticks.

"You aren't holding those right." Easton reaches over to take them out my hand, fixing my hand position. "Better."

"Thanks."

Easton pushes the noodles in his mouth and his phone starts ringing, alarming the both of us.

"Sorry, I'll turn it off." He starts to hold the power button and I shake my head, telling him to answer. "It'll just be a minute."

Easton answers the call while throwing the blanket off his body. Brianna's face appears in the screen and I turn my head, making sure that I'm not seen.

"Easton, babe? I'm doing things today, but can I come over later?"

I hear her slur, eating more to distract myself.

"I guess you can. What are you doing today?"

"Huh? Just shopping, you know. And-" Brianna explains before looking at something at the corner of her room, biting her lip. "Stop it."

"I didn't do anything, Brianna." Easton mumbles, standing up to sit further away from me.

"Not you, Easton. But I'm going to have to go."

"Yeah, okay."

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"One, two, three. Go."

"One, two, three. Go."

"One, two, three. Go." I count again, making a different face.

"Did you finish your homework? We've been making weird faces for over ten minutes now." Kaleb chuckles, cracking his knuckles.

"I did it during lunch. I didn't have anything else to do." I shrug, sitting on my chair.

"Oh. Why is that?"

"Just because. Marma didn't come to school today." I lie, picking at my nails.

I saw her today walking down the hall. She almost tripped over my foot." My brother laughs, sitting down on my bed. "Is something wrong?"

I start laughing nervously, leaning over to calm myself. "Why do you think that?"

"Because you're lying to me. You never do that."

"That's where you're wrong, Kaleb." I laugh, pushing my hair back.

"Come on, Adeline. Tell me." Kaleb leans back is exasperation, side glancing at me.

"We aren't friends anymore. Simple."

"Not simple. You adored her." He laughs before getting serious again. "Why?"

"She's friends with someone else now. And I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Kaleb sighs before laying down completely, throwing a pillow in the air and catching it. "I heard you're coming to the party next week?"

"Yeah. Just to see what it's like."

"You should come to more then. They're really fun."

I nod before standing up, walking over to my window.

"I will, maybe. Now get out." I kick him out, watching as he gets up to leave. "We should do this again. Just not tonight."