Page 32 of Players Love Hard
What could be so important that my dad’s afraid to tell me?
“C’mon.” Mike angles his body away from the table, gesturing for me to follow him. “We need to take our seats.”
Kevin steps on the stage, giving his usual spiel to welcome everyone to the conference. I sit in the front row next to Mike with Grace and my mom on his right. I glance at the open chair to my left that Cece plans to fill.
She sits next to me, flicking her long, black hair over her shoulder. “There’s my Spidey.”
Cece has always called me that, knowing Spider-Man is my favorite comic book character, even though I hate it. But it beats JJ, another name she uses sometimes, mostly when she wants to piss me off.
“I’m not your anything,” I growl, my voice low but deep.
“Oh, don’t be like that, JJ.” She runs her fingernails down the length of my arm causing me to freeze. “I’m your MJ. We’re supposed to be together. Everything’s finally falling into place.”
Her touch produces tiny bumps along my skin, my heart now pounding in my chest. My body reacts to her every time. I’ve never been able to shake Cece or my feelings for her.
“No, you are Gwen,” I counter, referring to Spider-Man’s first love.
She snickers. “Gwen dies.”
“Exactly,” I growl, ready to explode. “Now get off of me and fuck off.” I shake her hand off my arm and turn my body away from her.
“Ooh,” she whispers, leaning into my ear. “Be like that. I don’t care. Your anger only turns me on. Whether you like it, soon my dad will own yours, and you will be mine.”
What’s she talking about?
Her dad will never own mine.
I wish my heart could forget Cece. I’m with Shannon now. She treats me the way I’d always wished Cece would. And Shannon looks at me the way she should.
Sitting next to Cece, feeling so many emotions, I know I’m not worthy of Shannon. She’s too good for me. Shannon deserves better than half of my heart because that’s all I can give her until I get rid of Cece for good.
After Kevin Carmichael introduces my father, he appears from the right side of the stage dressed in his usual black slacks and button-down shirt. He looks casual, though I can see the worry on his face. Between Mike’s attitude and Cece’s comments, I’m dying with nervous anticipation. What’s my dad about to reveal to the world?
He gives his usual speech discussing why role-playing games are here to stay and how his new technology will take his company to the next level.
But then everything comes to a screeching halt at the end of his talk.
His words hit me like a sucker punch to the face. More like a jab to the kidney.
Kevin joins my father on the stage, embracing my father like an old friend as they announce the merger of Foxy Developers, my dad’s company, with 10X Games.
My mouth falls open in shock.
I try to speak, unable to form words when I tap my brother on the arm. Mike’s eyes meet mine, and I can see the fear in them. Mine must mirror his because his expression says it all.
My dad smiles as he makes this ridiculous announcement.
Why is he merging with 10X?
I have a choice to make—hockey or video games. The decision’s just become clear. Until I understand why our world is collapsing around us, why my dad would do this to our family, I can’t tether my future to his company.
Cameramen appear on my left snapping pictures of our family. Cece taps me on the arm, and I ignore her. She does it a second and third time before I turn to tell her to stop. Before I can push her away, she grabs the side of my face and kisses me. I don’t kiss her back. A camera flash blinds me, forcing my eyes closed. Then another flash, followed by a few more.
Why did she kiss me?
What did I just do?
I push her away, careful not to make a scene, and grumble, “What the fuck is wrong with you, Cece?”
