10

"What did you bring me here for?" December looked around the empty bar and wondered what this man was up to again.

"We are here to bring you back to the beginning of your story." He said with a witty look and walked towards the small arcade.

"My story?" December asked

"Uhm…everybody has one, and yours began when you got adopted…ain't I right," He said as he held onto the gaming machine and wiggled it as if trying to make it work.

December stopped as the words struck her ears.

"Who are you? I really mean it—who are you? And how do you know everything?" December asked him the question many times, before but he never answered her completely but now when he so accurately placed the finger on the event that leads her into this state she couldn't stop herself from asking him this question once again.

He didn't look at her nor he seemed very interested in her question so he kept on playing around with the machine of his and spoke leisurely,

"Oscar but you can call me Honey," he said as he grinned

"Can you be serious for once?"

"I mean how can you act so carefree every time" December was a little jealous of him.

"What good does being serious do to me?" Oscar asked her as he walked towards her with a serious expression, December's eyes were stuck on the figure approaching her and she forcefully swallowed her saliva so she could speak with ease but his aura was so overpowering that December got lost in her words.

"No need to get scared of my Love, I won't hurt you," He said as he grabbed onto her chin and lifted it, He was a handsome man with deep blue eyes and black hair, his serious face was scary as he had a dominating aura. The frown on his face turned back into a smile, and he let go of her chin and held onto her hand

"Come on, it's ready!"

December was still unsure of what he meant so she followed him obediently, Oscar took her to an arcade machine that was under the blinking light.

"This one doesn't work" December exclaimed "I have tried it," December remembered because she tried to play this one along with the other but it didn't work at that time.

"It only works when you complete its requirements." Oscar placed his hand into his pocket and pulled out the small bottle.

"This is all you need to start the game," He pushed the bottle into the small hole just like a coin and waited for a few seconds. And the machine turned on, the screen showed color and an option of play popped up.

"How did you do that, I thought you were joking." December was surprised at the sight of it and bent forward to look at the screen.

"Stitch In Time—?" December read the name of the game and turned towards Oscar.

"Now what?" December asked.

"Play it.." he replied.

"You called me here to play a game? Are you serious?" When December looked at his playboy face she thought to herself why did she come here in the first place?

"Just play it, you will soon find out,"

"Okay…" December shifted her gaze away from Oscar and held onto the controller of the game.

"Try winning the first level it's very crucial," He said as he stood behind her relaxing his back on the wall.

December ignored him and started the game, she had to choose a character first and name it, So she selected a female character that required a name, and she went on typing Aurora into it.

"Type your name, the one that your parents gave you, not the one you chose for yourself." December stooped when she heard Oscar speak, she could feel him quite far away from her and he couldn't see what she was typing but he still caught her.

"It's Aurora…my name is Aurora and I am entering my name there." December ignored him as she was no more surprised for how he knew her real name or how he could do many unimaginable things, she went on with it, but her hands were caught when she was just a single letter left.

He took the controller and wrote the name "December Ivy"

"That's your name, Don't forget it again." Oscar went back to his previous position after entering the name

"Why did you do that?" December looked at him with sad eyes.

"You want to change your past yet you don't want to accept your reality, Things don't work that way, Miss December. "

December looked at him one last time and proceed with the game, it was a rather easy game but a small mistake could lead you to death,

"Now what?" December said as she played the first level

"Be sure not to die…Under any circumstances don't lose. Though I won't let you die but be careful." December heard Oscar's voice but it felt like it was fading into the background but she didn't bother much as she knew he would be around somewhere and she kept on playing it.

Level after level December played and finally, her back started to hurt.

"My poor back…" December left the controlled and stretched for a while

"Oscar, can I stop playing..." She turned around as she was stretching her hand.

"Huh?"

"Where is this place?" December looked around to find herself in a game arcade with many youngsters playing games.

"Oscar?..."She called out for him hoping he would appear with his chill expression and explain this to her but he didn't appear.

"Where is this place?" December was shocked to see the gaming area as it was filled with people unlike when she started playing the game. Her gaze slowly read the movement around her and her brain tried to process the events occurring around her when suddenly somebody tapped on her shoulder. December breathed a sigh of relief as she thought it was Oscar but turned out it was some young lad.

"What?" December asked in her usual serious tone, it was a kid about 16 years old who had tapped her shoulder.

"Oho... I like the attitude, Want to go on a date..." He said while winking at her

'Does this kid have a mental illness trying to flirt with an older lady'

"Hey, kid, stop fooling around here or I will call your mother." Just like any grown-up December scolded the kid who was acting like an older guy.

"Pfft…boss she called you a kid," the few kids along with him tried to control their laugh.

"Shut up…and you, are you trying hard to get because I like it." on his face appeared a childish smile of which he thought was very charming.

December who was a tired soul spanked him on the head and held onto his ear,

"Listen to me, If I see you fooling around like this again I will spank you again, and it will hurt more the next time"