Once I join him upstairs, he’s standing idly by the display shelves that holds Ria and I’s shared collection of video games and kpop lightsticks.
I prepare the couch and the consoles, bending down to grab the controllers from the drawers. Realising what I’m doing, he hurries over, telling me to sit down and let him do everything.
“I just havePMS,” I tell him, in amusement, “It’s not like I’m crippled.”
The comment earns me a sceptic tilt of his head, “I know that, but still, it’s painful and I’m trying to make things easier for you,” he clutches his heart, “So please accept my good graces.”
I have no choice but to accept. I watch him tamper with my console and load up Mortal Kombat.
Truthfully, I never thought anyone would act this way toward me. To pamper me, cater to me.
Marlon, I’m beginning to realise, is far from the devil.
He’s an angel.
We play through a couple of rounds, with me beating him every single time without effort. Ria comes upstairs after an hour, leaning against the couch and observing our battles.
“Wow, you properly suck Marlon,” she comments.
Marlon turns, shooting her an affectionate glare, “Or maybe your sister is just too good.”
Ria snickers, “Not better than me.”
“You want to bet?”
Accepting the challenge, Ria jumps over the couch and settles herself beside Marlon and I, and I hand her the control. A competitive tension rises as the two of them lean forward, their shoulders locked in concentration.
Where I’m super competitive, Ria matches me in energy, and spares no reluctance to totally destroy Marlon in the couple of rounds that they play.
I burst into laughter at Marlon’s sulky expression as Ria performs a fatality on his character, for the second time in a row.
“You, Garcia’s, areruthless,” he declares, shaking his head.
“Maybe you’re just a loser,” I retort.
Ria nods. “You better up your game, Marlon, or else I’m not going to approve of this relationship.”
Marlon gasps, scandalously, as I pinch Ria’s elbow.
At that she checks her phone.
“Anyway, my friends want to call briefly to study for our English test. You kids keep it down,okay?”
I wiggle my brows at her, playfully.
“Does this friend includeXavier?” I coo, and Ria glares at me, before flicking my forehead.
With a huff, she gets up from the couch and heads over to her room, but not before announcing, “He and I are justfriends!”
I’m still giggling as she closes the door.
“Who’s Xavier?” Marlon questions.
“Just one of her best friends,” I explain, “I just said that to tease her. But secretly, it’d be so cute.”
We both chuckle quietly. Then, Marlon asks, “So, have you dropped Rafayel yet?”
My breath gets stuck in my throat. I hadn’t mentioned him as much to Marlon since the family gathering, where he’d voiced his disapproval of him. Strangely nervous, I put down the control, my eyes not meeting his.
