Wait… when did I ever do that? (Alex)

Alex couldn’t stop fidgeting. It had been a long time since she stayed at someone’s else house. She had almost non-existent human contact besides her family, and the only friend she had was Megan, and they never had a problem chatting. Although it was unfair to compare, since Megan and Alex have known each other for almost a decade, in fact, they even lived together on their last year of school. Besides, Alex was someone that never put much effort into talking to other people. It was too bothersome to try starting a conversation with people only for the sake of their discomfort. They didn’t share any interests, that was enough reason for her.

But now, she was completely lost. She had almost sent Megan a quick text asking about it, but Megan would probably share that to Adrian on the next family reunion and she was probably on a show at that hour. What did she say the last time? A concert? A live show? Maybe a tour. Since Megan was a big rock singer, they barely had time to speak, especially because Alex wasn’t good at receiving messages or calls. It was too stressful to think about what to say, maybe she should have tried doing these things in the past, at least once, so she could know what to do in a situation like this. But she didn’t, and now they were coming back to bite her.

 She could hear the water pouring on the other side of the room, where Hayley was taking her bath and Alex started thumping her finger on her knees again. She finally decided to take her phone out of the jacket. The screen lagged with a ton of notifications: e-mails, messages, calls that she didn’t bother to read; she cleared everything. She remembered an old game she used to play during her teens, before starting to play on other consoles.

Shadow Fighter 2 was mainly an action-based game. Your character was a shadow fighting other villains to gain his honour back. Being a fan of fighting-style games, Shadow Fighter had been the apex of her school life. The game had brought a comfort and small happiness she had thought it wouldn’t be possible to reach again. The cool movements that seemed like a dance, and the old medieval Japan style story. It brought her good memories of playing it, although, it became very repetitive after a time and the lack of substance in the story made it a bit boring.  But was still a fun game to play.

Alex was too concentrated in the game, so she didn’t notice when the water stopped pouring on the other room and that a wet Hayley was behind her on the couch. That small realization made her jolt and miss an attack, the other shadow finalized her character with a critical and she lost the match.

– Oh, sorry. – said Hayley. – Did I spook you? You seemed so concentrated.

– It’s alright – she replied. – I was just passing the time.

– Which game is that? – Hayley asked.

– This? – she looked back at the cellphone. – It’s just an old game I used to play.

– Really? Do you mind if I keep watching you? – Hayley’s voice brushed her ears, making the skin around her neck shiver.

– Yeah, sure.

But that obviously was the wrong answer, for the girl walked around and sat by her side on the couch, making it impossible for Alex to not stare at her. Hayley’s hair was still moisty and the droplets of water speckled on her white shirt, making it transparent and visible the skin underneath. Without noticing, Alex had started the game and her character was dying again. She had to use all her skill to win that match.

They stayed like that – with Hayley watching her play – for several minutes. Normally when Alex was playing something she could distract herself from everything else, the noise, the chatter, but now it seemed as if the small things kept pushing back her attention: the sweet scent of Hayley’s shampoo or how she would jump and hold Alex’s jacket every time the enemy did a critical attack, it got to a point she could already predict the enemy’s movement just by Hayley’s reaction. A small smile spread on Alex’s face.

– Do you wanna try? – she asked after finishing another match.

– Playing the game? – Hayley retorted, uncertain.

Alex nodded.

– I don’t think I’m good, though – said the girl.  – But sure. Just, don’t laugh at me!

– I won’t – she promised.

They started playing again, only this time she was watching Hayley. Alex wasn’t much of a fan of streamers, and she had difficulty to understand what amused other people into watching random strangers react in a video. But as she watched the other girl, as she jumped or got startled in a fight made Alex comprehend that feeling a bit more. Hayley was a panic player, anything that flashed in the screen made her grab the cellphone as if it was about to fall off.

– Don’t laugh at me! – she pouted.

– I’m not – Alex unsuccessfully tried to mask a laugh

– See? You are – she insisted, but her eyes were still on the cellphone.

– I am now – replied Alex.

Hayley kept quiet, concentrating on the match. She was biting her lips hard while her eyebrows frowned at the screen.

– I don’t understand this! – Hayley complained after losing another match. – How does he finish me off?!

– You’re attacking too fast – she explained. – You should try getting more distance after an attack, then hit him only when he gets near you.

Hayley nodded eagerly and started the match again. It took her a few more times until she finally managed to do it.

– Yes! – she exclaimed happily. – Did you see it?

– Yeah, I was watching it too – Alex nodded.

– This is so cool. I thought I was gonna lose there – she said with a smile dancing on her lips and a playful gleam on her green eyes. – Thanks, coach!

Before Alex could make a retort, the doorbell ringed with the food.

– Wow, that was faster than I expected – said Hayley.

Alex looked at her cellphone screen. – No… It’s right on time. Forty minutes or so.

– It’s been that long? – Hayley asked, surprised.

– Yup – she replied and the doorbell ringed again. – We better go.

The deliveryman was a young guy around nineteen. He was wearing a red cap with the Gaijin Sushi’s logo and a bit of his copper-coloured hair was visible. He gave the food package after taking it out of his thermal backpack on the ground. Then, handed her the credit card machine and she paid for the food.

– Thank you for the purchase. – he said taking the huge backpack on the ground. – Have a good meal.

– Thanks – she replied, closing the door.

– How much was it? – asked Hayley after they settled the food on the coffee table in front of the couch.

– Don’t worry about it – she said, knowing that if the other girl knew the price, she wouldn’t accept the food. Not that the price was a matter for Alex, she was well enough to spend money, in fact, she had enough to not know what to do with it. But even if she said that, Hayley wouldn’t accept. The best option was to change the subject: – Let’s eat.

They sat on the dark wood ground. It wasn’t much of a problem for Alex, she was used to sitting like that to play. Hayley sat by her side, but this time their arms weren’t touching like before.

– Do you know how to use chopsticks? – she asked.

Hayley shook her hand. – More or less.

Alex divided the chopsticks and made a demonstration. – You just need to grab like this. – she said. – Use the lower one as a support, pressing it with your thumb and the middle finger.

– Like this? – Hayley tried to hold the chopsticks, but fumbled and dropped one. – This is harder than I expected.

– It gets easier after a time – Alex added. – Let me help.

Hayley looked at her with puzzled face as Alex put down her own chopsticks and reached for the girl’s hand. She clumsily tried to move Hayley’s fingers, but it was a difficult task to teach what came to her naturally.

– Uhm, that’s odd – she said. – Wait a minute. Let me do it again.

– Ok…

Alex grabbed her own chopsticks and showed it to Hayley. – Here. See if you can copy the position of my fingers.

Hayley gave a melodious laugh. – You don’t even know how to teach me!

Alex smiled in response. – I don’t know what to tell you. I just know by doing it.

– Okay – said Hayley. – Let me do it again.

After a few more tries, Hayley was finally able to hold the chopsticks properly and they celebrated as she ate a sushi.

– Dis ish so guud. – she said after tasting the deep-fried roll.

Her eyes becoming moisty and pinkish as a tear rolled down her cheeks, chewing slowly the food. She seemed like a chipmunk carrying nuts in its mouth. Alex laughed at that image.

– Liked it that much? – she asked, and offered the girl a napkin.

– Yeah. I think I never tasted something so good. The crispy outside just fits perfectly with the soft cream inside.

– Right? – Alex nodded, giving another one to the girl. She felt as if she was feeding a cute animal.

They ate quietly after that, with Hayley moaning and humming softly after each bite. Alex never paid much attention to food; she always ate more out of obligation than actually enjoying it. But watching as Hayley seemed to be enjoying it so much, she felt happier for some reason.

Hayley sighed after sipping the cinnamon tea. – Thank you for the food. It was really good.

– No. Thank you for the company. – she said. – It’s nice having someone to eat with.

Hayley stared at her, her eyes becoming a bit dark in the yellowish light of the room. Her hair was also almost dry and fell smoothly on her shoulders – it smelled so sweet, like vanilla and coconut.

– I should go now, actually – Alex added.

– Already? – asked Hayley. – Well, I guess it is late.

Alex felt an odd feeling weighting her down, as a kid who was being told that the breaktime was over and she had to come back to class.

– Yeah, we could… – hang out again? See each other? She didn’t finish the phrase. When you are a kid, making friends was so much easier than now. It felt awkward to ask someone or to want see someone again and she had to consider, would this girl be her friend if not for the event of that night? Hayley seemed at first glance the type of person who Alex definitely wouldn’t be friends with, but she did have fun today.

Before Alex could decide what to say. Hayley interrupted: – Give me your contact. Next time I’ll be the one paying.

– Okay – she said handing her cellphone to the girl. – Wait, next time?

– Obviously – Hayley retorted, quickly adding. – I mean, I need to pay you back.

Alex almost brushed the subject off, but she realized that if she wanted to see the girl again, that would probably be her only excuse.

– Sure.

Hayley went back to her room, getting the cellphone that was charging and they exchanged numbers. As Alex walked down the stairs of the building, a soft smile formed in her lips.