Page 10 of Just for Fun
Grabbing my cell phone, I open theHolidatesapp and go back to filtering and sorting. I’m not sure how much time I spend that way, but I do know that I am exhausted when I finally put the phone down for the night.
I snuggle into the decorative pillow on my couch, feeling like I have accomplished something. I have five individuals saved in myto keepfolder. Next step will be to contact them and gauge their interest, as well as decide whether we’d be compatible.
Too late I realize that compatibility shouldn’t play a part in any of this. We are getting together for one event, not for a long-term relationship. Who cares if we’re compatible?
FOUR
Kyle
Sometimes,when I work, I forget about everything, including that it’s time to eat or sleep. I am currently hovered over my drawing tablet, feeling the intensity of my characters as they come to life.
As an electronic game developer, I use deferent equipment, depending on what part in the process I am at. But drawing characters is my favorite, and I spend countless of hours doing this.
I am at a point in my life where, despite my young age, I don’t need to work as much. My friend, Alex, happens to own a software company that he started on his own a few years ago. At the time, he asked everyone he knew to invest in it to get it off the ground. He had just come up with some accounting software that was groundbreaking at the time. I didn’t have the money to invest, but I did offer my skills for free. He took me up onmy offer, and once the company blew up, he compensated me accordingly, making sure I’d never have to worry about money.
Since I can’t not do anything, I started focusing on my passion which has always been gaming. The creative side of it has always fascinated me, more so than playing the actual games. With Alex’s help, I have a distribution platform for whatever I come up with, and it’s been pretty successful.
“Ah, fuck!”
I drop the electronic pencil and shake my hand in frustration. I’ve been struggling with the face of the main female character in the story I am currently working on. Every time I think I’m getting somewhere, I end up hating the finished result. The face staring back at me from the drawing tablet is just too… common, I decide with a sigh. She looks like all the other ones I’ve ever drawn, sultry and sexy, which is the usual. That’s what attracts people to my games. But I want something different, and I have no idea what or why.
Getting up from the chair I’ve spent the last four hours in, I straighten my back, sighing in relief when I feel it popping. Then, I take my glasses off, throw them on the desk and drop to the ground to do ten pushups in quick succession. In fact, I should probably quit for the day and go to the gym.
With that thought in mind, I shuffle my feet to the kitchen where I open a can of energy drink and down half of it in one go. The acidy liquid going down my throat feels incredibly good. I follow that with a glass of water, then lean against the counter and look around the space, wondering what I should have for dinner tonight. I don’t really feel like eating alone, though.
I grab my phone and look up Alex’s name before hitting the call button.
“What’s up?” he answers in a most unwelcoming tone.
“Hey, there, sunshine,” I tease. “Whatcha up to?”
He sighs. “Plenty, but thanks for your concern. What do you want?”
“Uh oh, trouble in paradise? Again?” I can’t help the snicker at the end. He hates it when I comment on his love life.
“Fuck off,” he grumbles. “And if this is just a social call, I’m gonna hang up. Not in the mood.”
Sensing that he is about to do just that, I rush to stop him.
“Hold on, dude. You wanna grab a pizza for dinner?”
“No.”
His answer is short and to the point, leaving no room for discussion, but I’m no quitter.
“Aw, come on, dude. I’m hungry, and I don’t wanna eat by myself.”
“Find somebody else to babysit your ass,” he barks at me. “I can’t tonight.”
There’s actual frustration in his tone this time, and I can tell that it’s not caused by me. For a split second, I debate if I should push for him to tell me what it’s about. But he is in such a foul mood, he might bite my head off. So, I decide to retreat for a change.
“Okay, man, just thought I’d ask. Tomorrow?”
He lets out a heavy sigh, like he’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“Yeah, call me tomorrow.”
After we hang up, I remain staring at the tiles on my floor, finding myself counting the lines in each piece. I shake my head as if to clear it, wondering who I should call next. Browsing through my phone, I decide to go with a text this time to my usual hangout buddies. However, they all respond quickly that they’re busy and can’t do anything at such short notice.
