It All Started With A Deal

Chapter 10.3

Chapter 10.3
I was currently sitting on the floor playing headbands with Mia, Henry, Liam, and Clover. The score was 12-0: Henry, Mia and Clover against Me and Liam. Yep.

If you've never played headbands, I'll give you the basic rundown. It's like charades except you have a card attached to your forehead. Person A places said card on their headband and person B acts it out while person A tries to guess.

It's kinda hard to win points when your partner won't even look at you.

At least Mia, Henry, and Clover were having a blast.

"Worm!" Henry yelled out as Mia proceeded to squirm around the floor.

Mia jumped up, applauding her twin, "Yes! That's another point for us,"

I stretched on an elastic smile, genuinely happy for them just not happy in general.

I picked up a card that read 'noun' attaching it to my forehead.

I turned to face Liam, who kept his gaze on the wall behind me. His eyes flickered for a brief second to the card on my head before returning to the wall.

I watched as sluggish mimed the word on my head, his movements indolent and leisurely.

"Paper?"

Liam shook his head.

"Shirt?"

Another no.

"Wind?"

And would you look at that, wrong again. Shocker.

The baby hourglass that sat upon the fireplace ledge slowly trickled out, not nearly fast enough.

I focused back on Liam, taking one past guess. I let out a deep sigh, my voice monotone and flat, "A flag?"

He quickly stopped mining, giving me a firm nod. My fake smile quickly became real as I realized I had gotten something right. "Really?" I questioned, flabbergasted.

Another curt nod.

I didn't care how formal and polite his answers were, we had won a point.

"We did it!" I cheered, visibly excited.

And I swear, the corner of his lips turned up ever so slightly before returning back to normal.

Mia changed the score for us: 7-1

Maybe there was hope for us yet.

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Inevitable by the end of the game Henry, Mia, and Clover won and Liam and I didn't score another point. It was cute seeing how excited Clover got hearing that she won.

I joined in the celebrations, cheering for their team.

I have no care in the world that we had lost, because we earned one point. Maybe earning a point meant we weren't going to end just yet. Hope, you vile vile creature.

A loud clanking noise sounded through the room as the front door lock jiggled. Clover perked up immediately. She bounced to her feet, sprinting to the other room. Just in time to meet the swinging front door and jump into her father's arms. "Daddy!" She cheered.

He picked her up in his arms, spinning her around in his arms with a big hug, "Angel!" He coed back.

Mia and Henry's smile enlarged as they realized their father was home. They rushed over to greet him. Liam remained in his spot. Not bothering to move. His eyes remain distant and cold as the gazed upon the wall on the opposite side.