Chapter 38: Everything About You Bothers Me.

How about our game? " Tommy asked the moment I stood up 

' Damn it, I forgot that '

I looked at the old man to find him staring at me and immediately my heart raced.

' Do I make up an excuse to go? What do I say? Church!!! '

" Hmmm... Sorry I won't be able to, I just remembered I have to attend church tomorrow." I said

" Come on Lisa, It's just 8 pm, Do you normally sleep this early? " He asked.

" Not really, other days I would be closing the coffee shop now. " I replied honestly, after all, he knew when I came back the previous day.

" Then play a game with us before going to bed, if you have another excuse know I won't take them so don't bother making any. " He said like it was final. I stared at him not knowing what to even say to him,

" The game won't take much time " The old man suddenly said, I opened my mouth to say something but was lost for words so I simply nodded. 

They stood up and we went to the living room, Tommy opened a box a brought out another game pad.

" Have you ever played PES? " Tommy asked turning in my direction. 

" Yeah, I have, " I said nodding my head.

" Really? That's to be expected from a tomboy " He said with a smile " Do you play well? I can't afford to be beaten by Xavier and still be beaten by you." He said but then a look crossed his face like be had said something she shouldn't have.

'It's not like you haven't met Xavier ' I made a face. I was about to explain I preferred Fifa when it downed on me

" Xavier plays PES also? "I asked with complete curiosity. 

" Of course, he a pro. There was this one time we played he scored 10 goals in the first half, he was mad that day." He laughed at the fond memory.

" He was angry and he scored 10 goals in the first half? Isn't one supposed to be losing when they are angry?" I asked trying to understand the logic but couldn't. 

" Yeah but not Xavier, he's better at everything when he's angry " One could see how proud he was of his friend in his eyes.

" Stop exaggerating Tom." Mr Kelvin finally said not even looking in his direction. 

" Oh please, you're an old man, how will you understand? " He said puffing. 

" An old man who plays PES better than you, isn't that a shame?." He raised an eyebrow but continued pressing his phone as he spoke.

" Oh come on. Isn't that why you're my mentor? " Tommy said making a face and I found myself smiling. The old man acted like a big brother while Tommy acted like the spoilt little brother who always got what he wanted. 

" How can they be like this regardless of the age gap between them? " I thought out loud.

" Pardon? " Tommy looked at me and I shook my head to tell him I wasn't talking to him.

We decided to play a tournament of a pair, Tommy and I played first and to his surprise it was a draw in the first half. 

" How are you this good Lisa? why didn't you tell me you were this good." Tommy said surprised, I turned to look at the old man and found him smiling. Of course, the smile disappeared the moment he noticed me looking at him. 

" It's been a while since I played. " I replied with a smile, Liam and I used to play everything when we were in high school. My dad wasn't always at home anyway and I hated having to go home to Rebecca and Abigail so Hads, Liam and I would go to Hads' place since she stayed with her grandmother and played games for several hours before going home. It wasn't long before we turned their basement into our hangout spot.

When Ken and I started dating in my senior year I brought him to our hangout spot.

" Who taught you how to play? " Tommy asked. I smiled remembering how Liam would beat me in every game when I first started playing.

" Liam did," I replied with a smile still on my face.

" Liam? " He asked. " Yeah, you met them today, Liam and Hadassah " I reminded him.

" Oh sorry, only female names stay in my head. Hadassah " He called the name like he was testing how it sounded on his lips.

" Well, at least there's one thing you both have in common." The words came out before I could stop them.

" What!?" He exclaimed " Did you hear me say something? " I tried to sound as calm as I could.

" Didn't I just hear comparing me with Tommy? " The old man asked, This time looking at both of us.

" No Mr Kelvin, you heard wrong. I only said you have something in common." I explained.

" And what would that be? " He asked like he had no idea.

' you both are womanisers ' I screamed mentally.

" Hmmm... You both like games. " I said trying to safely land the plane without a pilot I got into. A corner of his cheek rose slightly, and there was the mischievous smile I hadn't seen in a while.

I didn't know if he started avoiding me because of the way we stared at ourselves the last time but after that time he had stayed very far away from me. As much as I was happy my virginity wasn't forcefully taken from me, a part of me wanted him to be that mischievous old man who always made my heart race just a few feet away from me. He no longer insisted we had dinner or breakfast together.

" Are you sure that's what you meant then? " Tommy asked with a grin, just then I scored a goal. " Damn it, how the hell did you score that? " Tommy shouted

" That's one sweet goal," I said laughing.

I finished the game with Tommy being the winner and it was time to play with the old. We finished the first half without either of us scoring any goal.

" I see you're going easy on her. " Tommy teased the old man but he just smiled without saying a word. Tommy got up and said he wanted to grab a drink from the kitchen and left.

I was scared of looking in his direction, my heart raced every time I looked into his eyes and it scared me. I just tried harder to concentrate on the game but memories of how I almost touched him in the morning kept popping into my head.

" I think you're developing feelings for your husband Lis." Came Hads voice in my head.

' That's impossible, I could never fall in love with an old man who forced me into marrying him. Never ' I shook my head.

" I can't concentrate if you keep doing Lisa. " Came his rich voice and I jerked my head up immediately almost dropping my gamepad.

" Par...Pardon? " I stammered, 

" I said I can't concentrate if you keep doing that." He repeated.

" Am sorry, I had no idea it bothered you. " I apologised. 

" Everything about you bothers me." He said quietly. I was short of words for a minute.

" Then why did you force me into marrying you? " I dared.