My Strange System

"... Do you even know how to skate? You just sit down here---"

"Shut the hell up, Karl!" Jacq grunted back mindlessly. His whole being was concentrated on the wide screen television. If you didn't look well, you won't know he has a game pad in hand.

Tap, tap, tap... Jacq pressed the game pad furiously while he stared without blinking at the screen. He has a look of terror and anger on his face, yet he looked happy.

He's at the last stage of the game and he is not ready to let his concentration falter because of his friend, Karl.

"You see, your life sucks. You just hide in here, living and basking in your fantasies. These doesn't matter when---"

"Fuck!! Damn you, Karl!"

Jacq lost the game... He rose on his feet, cursing.

"... Damn you, I repeat. I invite you to my house and you know nothing than to fuck my shit up. Can't you just wait a minute? I was at the last level. I was about to kill the boss. I was..."

"I didn't realize that, I'm sorry." Karl threw a sunken face full of mocking regret. He hates to get on Jacq's nerve but he never controls himself not to do that.

"Here he goes, 'I'm sorry... Blah blah.'"

Jacq stormed into his kitchen and emerged with a pack of crackers to munch.

Karl stood up to meet him. He snatched it from Jacq and made away with it across the room.

"Hmm... You didn't tell me you still have one of these." Karl mumbled through a mouth full of crackers.

"Careful now, I didn't say you can eat those. Give it back." Jacq warned but he made no move to reclaim his snack.

"Vuu havv no ighea gow cweet gis icc..."

"Shut up, Karl." He sat down and searched for the remote. "Tell me what you were bothering me about. Tell me. I wasn't listening."

Karl who realized Jacq's anger has subsided walked to the center of the room, crackers and all.

"I knew you weren't listening. So, I'll start again.

A group of boys new to this part of the city formed a group of---"

"Ugh, Karl. A group of boys formed a group... What the hell are you talking about?" Jacq laughed for the first time that afternoon.

"Shhh... So, a group of boys formed a group of team called an organization that involved a gathering---"

Jacq rose at an odd breaking speed and lunged at his friend. He has seen that move in a WWE wrestling match. The move is called The Spear and it is mostly done by Roman Reigns, his favourite wrestler.

He caught Karl mid air and shouldered him across the room into the sofa opposite him. They landed with a soft thud. Karl under, Jacq on top.

"Don't mess with 'Jacq Reigns' again, or I will spear you to oblivion." He huffed as he said the already practiced punch line.

Karl laughed hard despite the unbearable weight sitting on him. He raised his free hand and tickled Jacq.

Jacq rolled off onto the ground and they both shared a good laugh.

They had been friends right from the first day at Middle school. Jacq had been lonely on the first day and has lost his way to the cafeteria. A shy kid who knows little about the outside world. Well, as the story always go, little Karl appeared and showed him around. They shared a table at lunch and there they started.

Jacq was seven when his dad relocated to America for business purpose. A year later, a reunion was arranged and he and his mom left France to join his father in the States.

His Dad, Albert is an American, while his mom, Diana is French. Hence the reason for his French name, Jacques.

They settled in Boston, the largest city in Massachusetts. The modern and technological feel of Boston went well with Jacq and in no time, he started feeling at ease with the city as he grows older.

He took great joy in staying indoors, though and he never jokes with his game time. So, he makes no friends apart from Karl and he shows no concern over the affairs of others.

He was 11 years of age when his Mom called from a hospital that Daddy won't be coming home... Again. Apparently, he had an accident at work that took his life.

After the company's insurance covered the Death benefits and other expenses, the burial rites were performed. Only then did Jacq realize how much he missed his father.

Jacq's life took downward route. The social life he was managing to build went out the window. He never steps out of his room. He seldom talk to his mother too.

Karl, the only one reaching out to Jacq managed to control extreme situations in Jacq's life and in a space of one to two years, things went back to normal and Jacq went back to his old self – playing games and cursing. His happy old self.

******************************************

Now, they are in high school, living far from their original homes, happy and still friends. Karl grew to be a funny one while Jacq is there all with his wits and wisdom. Though, Karl's funny nature have started rubbing off Jacq. He can now make little jokes unlike before.

"... All I'm saying is you are a nerd. A gamer nerd, if you wish." Karl proclaimed as if in charge of some judgement authority.

"I'm no nerd. I can do stuffs too, yunno." Jacq countered.

Karl rolled his eyes. "What stuffs? Read 10 novels in 10 minutes? Kill the hardest boss in 'God Hand'?"

"C'mon, shut up. Killing Azel, the God of destruction is not child's play, and that's not being nerd." Jacq protested.

"There he goes." Karl gave up.

"I win."

"You win nothing. I asked the other time, can you skate? You can't, you see? Half of the boys in Boston can skate, and the other half will know how to before next summer. See? He threw out his tongue mockingly.

"I can skate. Duh. Just kick on the damn floor and balance your body properly. It's no hard work."

"No, you can't. You can only skate in your games. That one you play... Tony..." Karl hung mid words trying to remember.

"Tony Hawk's pro skater." He sighed. "It was released 1999 and remade in 2012 when---"

"Shut up, Jacq" he rolled his eyes. "All I'm saying is you can't skate in person. A game is not the real world."

Jacq stood up. He straightened his shirt and smoothed his tangled hair.

"Let's wager. We will go to the park now and I will skate right in your ugly face!"

"Uh oh. Right, let's wager. If you impress me, I do the next two laundry, ugh. And if you fail, you have to talk to that new Cassie girl."

"Hahaha... Wait. Hell no."

"What? You scared? It's a win-win though. You win, I do the laundry. You lose, you still win a girl." Karl winked.

"Talking to Cassie isn't a win, dumbass," disagreed, Jacq.

"I care not. Let's go to the park. Someone's about to woo a girl for the first time." Karl danced a jiggy.

"I won't, you'll see. I will skate. Let's go." Jacq smoothed his hair one last time.

"A win-win..." Karl sang as they opened the door to step out.

"It's no win if I skate badly." Jacq protested again.

"It is..."

"It's not..."

"Jacq, the other time you said I was ugly. We're you joking?"

"I was not."

"Hell no."

"You are ugly, stupid." They are outside treading the walkway.

"Cassiieee..."

"Shut up!"