Alicekai'd 1.15: My New Reality

     I spend the next few days mostly in my room again. My emotional and mental state is all over the place as I try to face my new reality. Geoffrey avoids me. I think I hear the 'footsteps stopping on the landing' thing a few times, and I know all I'd have to do would be to call out and he'd be by my side in seconds. But I want to be left alone.

     I turn my thought-vomit document into a diary of sorts. Typing it out helps me to organize my swirling thoughts. Eventually, I decide to write a book that mirrors my life. Science Fiction. Haha.

 

     This wouldn't be the first time someone has been isekai'd then decided to take knowledge of the real world and use it to their benefit. Just like with Twilight Werewolves, it's not my idea in the real world, but I change it just enough to use in this one. If I can't take advantage of SOME things, what's the point?

     It's the middle of the night, and I decide to go make a pot of coffee.

     "I thought I heard someone down here milling about." It's Geoffrey.

     I'd jumped at first but then inwardly laughed at myself. That's right. His bedroom is right above the kitchen. 

     "Yeah. I'm starting another book and can't sleep." The coffee finishes, and I grab a filled mug.

 

     "So you decided to make a pot of coffee?" he asks, implying that's the worst idea.

     I smile. "I know, I know. It doesn't make sense, but the point is that I'm not really WANTING to sleep. The ideas are coming so fast that I have to get them down before they vanish into the ether."

     He returns my smile, even if a tad forced. "How are you, Alice? I feel like we haven't spoken in weeks."

     "I'm about as okay as to be expected." I take a breath. "Thank you for giving me my space."

     He lets out a sigh. "It wasn't easy, to be honest, but you're welcome." Pause. "So, you're writing another book?"

     "Yeah! It's, um, kind of mirroring my life." I giggle. "Science fiction." I briefly wonder if the author of The Matrix was writing from experience instead of imagination.

     "Again, I wish I could help you get back to your world, but I don't think it's possible. If there's anything I can do to make your life here easier, say it and I'll make it happen."

 

     "Thank you. Honestly, though, I have to figure out how to make it in this world. I mean, what are my options? I'll be okay."

      He nods and rubs the back of his head. He wants to say something else, I think, but I want to get back up to my computer.

      "Listen, we can talk later. Right now, I really have to get back to writing."

      He nods while looking down, then he looks up, past me. "Okay." His expression reads like it's NOT okay but that he won't push it. I decide not to question him about it.

     I write for a little while and come to a natural stopping point. I'm not finished, but I'm confident I know where I want the tale to go. Exhausted, I pass out asleep, and when I wake up, I see it's dark outside once more. It's around nine in the evening, so I go downstairs to get a bite to eat.

     That finished, I walk to go back upstairs, but I see Geoffrey in the living room playing chess. I feel bad I've been brushing him off lately, so I ask if I could join him. He replies 'yes' with a huge grin.

 

     "It's been a while," I muse. "Let me see if I can remember the rules, what each piece does."

     He looks at me above the rim of his glasses. How many pairs of glasses does he OWN? He asks, "Want me to give you the quick run-down?"

     I shake my head. "No. I think I remember. Um, I can move a pawn forward two for my first move, right?"

     He smiles, and I see a competitive streak shine though his eyes. "If you choose to, yes. But... which one is the question."

     I move my hand, intending for the one in front of the queen.

     "Are you sure you want to move THAT one?" he asks with a grin.

     I playfully glare at him. "Don't question me." I pause and want to make one thing perfectly clear. "And DON'T go easy on me."

     He chuckles. "As you wish." He watches me like he's sure I'm doomed.

     I defiantly move that pawn, and the game begins.

     Eventually, I arrange my pieces in what I consider a good strategy. I have so many options, and he knows it, too.

     As he ponders which piece to move, he questions, "Care to make a wager on this game?"

     "You still think you're going to win?"

     "It could happen." I'm seeing a side of him I'd not really seen before: calculating strategist.

     "Fine. What terms?"

     He selects a piece. "Hmmmm. Winner gets to..." He pauses as if he's wondering how to phrase something. "Winner gets to demand the loser complete a dare of their choosing." He puts the piece down in its old spot, his hand still on it.

     "That's rather open-ended, don't you think?"

     He watches me with a piercing smirk. "Are you afraid?"

     My stomach flutters around. Am I? "No." My back straightens. "Fine. Now my only problem is choosing what ridiculous thing I'm going to dare you to do."

     He grins with a devilish gleam. "Done." He takes one of my pieces with his move.

     It gets serious now. He starts brutally massacring my side. Turns out my 'divide and conquer, phalanx-style' strategy is backfiring.

     I'm losing. Come on, Alice! You're smarter than this! It's my turn, and we've been sitting here for several minutes while I stare at the board.

     He breaks the silence. "How is your new book coming?"

     "Fine," I answer quickly.

     He smiles. "I read Twilight Werewolves. It was pretty good."

     Stop trying to distract me. "Thanks."

     "Is there a romantic interest in this one, too?"

     "Sure there is. Now, stop trying to get me to talk about my book because I won't be able to shut up about it once you get me started."

     He chuckles. "We can take a break, if you want."

     "No. I want to kick your ass."

     He outright laughs now. "What's your main character like?"

     I glare at him. He probably thinks he has several moves already figured out and now has time to kill while I sit here with no strategy. "What do you think? He's me, just... cheekier." I knock out one of his pieces with a smile.

     "Oh, I don't know. I'd say you're pretty cheeky." His eyes keep drifting over the board and at me then back to the board. I get the feeling he didn't like the move I just did.

     "Flattery will get you nowhere."

     He smiles even though I can tell his mind is racing. "Nonsense. Flattery is an excellent strategy. For instance, I'm having a hard time focusing on the game when my opponent is so damn beautiful."

     "I highly doubt that. You have me scrambling." And he'd do anything to keep me distracted.

     "Perhaps, but that piece you just took was a major blow to my strategy. I failed to consider how much I'd left him exposed." He runs his hand over his mouth.

     "Is another strategy to fill me with false confidence?"

     "It IS a strategy, yes. But I wanted you running scared and panicking."

     "Well, that didn't work." It did, but I'm not saying that.

     He takes one of mine; I take one of his, advancing. It's his turn again, and he stares at the board.

     "You realize I've broken through your defensive strategy and pierced your line, leaving your king open and exposed." Why would he say that? Is he trying to psych me out?

     I smile to spite him. "I'm not worried. You don't have me running scared." Take that!

     This is more than chess. It's a battle of wits. He said he wanted me running scared and panicking. I refuse to panic. I'm getting braver, getting over the social media debacle.

     He's been so nice about that, too. I'm glad I was here when my information got leaked that day. I wonder who leaked it? It had to have been someone who had my number to begin with.

     Dammit. I got distracted. I lean forward and look at the board.

 

     "Finding things difficult?" I tease.

     He lets out a long exhale out of his nose. "Yes."

     "Running scared yet?"

     "Contemplating my final move, how I'm going to do you in, if you must know."

     I laugh. "You're not fooling me, buddy."

     He takes a piece. I advance a piece toward him. He retreats, seeing no alternative. I advance again, but I fail to see how his retreat also put him in line to take another of my pieces. I quickly destroy the piece he moved.

     He laughs. "Now who has whom backed into a corner?"

     I'm one move from check, and he knows it. He moves a piece I don't expect, and I'm forced to take it out. Again, I fail to see my mistake.

     After his next move, his eyebrows do a little bounce as he says, "Check."

     "I'm not finished."

     "I think I know what I want the dare to be, and I'll chase you all around the board to get it, too."

     I move out of his check. He checks me again. I grin and move again. He follows. Tilting my head, I move again. He moves his last defensive piece.

     I place my piece, completely trapping his king. "Check. Mate."

     "What?" His eyes widen, and he stares at the board, trying to make sense of what just happened.

     "How? But..." His finger retraces the past moves. Then it hits him. "One mistake. One tiny mistake, and you tricked me."

     I smile. "I had you so focused on chasing me that you failed to manage your own defense."

     He laughs. "Oh, the sting of defeat! And I really thought I had you this time."

     I giggle. Then I pause. "What do you mean 'this time'?"

     His head snaps back in my direction. "What?"

     "You said you thought you had me 'this time.' What did you mean by that?"

     He swallows, and his cheeks get a little pink. 'Oh, shit,' is clearly written on his face. "I... I mean that move. That time."

 

     He's lying, but I can't imagine why. Why would he lie? 'This time'... What were the other times? I decide to test a theory.

     "I think I'm ready to start looking for my own place."

     His head pops up to me. "Why? You don't like it here?"

     "It's fine. You've been very hospitable, but Geoffrey, I don't see why I should keep living here."

     Where his cheeks had gotten pink, now the color drains from his face. "Well, there's lots of space. You could stay and we could be... roommates."

     I shake my head no. "You should give Bruno that room." I get up then push my chair back under the chess table. He quickly rises and takes my hand.

     "I've loved having you here," he tells me quietly. "Why can't you just stay? At least a little while."

     I sigh. "It just strikes me as odd, Geoffrey. We're two single people living together. People will get the wrong idea."

      "A-and?" He leaves the statement in the air, the air which suddenly weighs a ton.

      It all hits me. Holy shit! Everything... and I mean EVERYTHING shows up in a new light. And the other night he tried to kiss me. TWICE! That wasn't him goofing around. I take a step back.

      "Alice-"

      I throw up my hand, and his mouth closes. He waits for me to say something, but I'm still trying to process.

      "Alice, please listen."

     "No."

     "I've been trying to tell you for ages now."

     "Stop it." No no NO. Geoffrey is my friend! He's the one I can rely on! He invited me into his house after my personal information got leaked somehow...

     ...Oh. My. God. After all, I started getting those texts when he was doing something mysterious on the computer upstairs. 

    "This is real, Alice."

    I open my eyes and shoot him with a glare. "Were you the one to leak my information?"

     "No."

     I shake my head. "No, it's just too convenient."

     "I would never do that."

     "You... You wanted me running scared and panicking! Of course I would be! And you even insisted that it was someone with malicious intent!" I jerk my hand out of his grasp.

     "You're jumping to false conclusions, Alice! Why in HELL would I want to do that!?"

     "So that you could 'convince' me to move in here." I try to get around him, but he stops me.

     He has one of my hands again. I put the other one behind my back. This had better be good. Part of me, well most of me, wants me to be wrong, but there's just too much circumstantial evidence.

     "I would never, ever do something like that, Alice. Not even for personal gain. I could never do something that purely evil." He pauses, and I'm starting to believe him. "Everything I've done and said has been sincere."

     "Just tell me what you were doing when my information got leaked."

     He swallows hard. "Well, first I went and took a very... cold... shower. Then I got on the computer and contacted my lawyer. I was starting to look for a private investigator when you came looking for me." He's noticed me relax. "I wanted the videos taken down, and I wanted to find out who posted them in the first place. I knew that wouldn't completely get rid of them, but someone would have to answer for it."

     "Well... Well did you find out who did it first?"

     He lets out a shaky breath. "Yes. And my lawyer said I had no case. I... I couldn't bear to tell you. I'm sorry. Besides, you were in enough stress already."

     He watches me digest everything he just told me. When he can wait no longer, he speaks. "Alice, from the moment I met you, I knew there was something about you that would latch onto me and not let go."

     That answers my question. The whole time. He's been pretending to be my friend as he hoped for more. "You should've told me sooner." I'm not smiling, but he does.

     "I know, and believe me, I tried."

     "It's not really that hard, you know. You just DO it."

     He shakes his head. "No. Not when it's this deep."

     "I'm moving out." I watch his happier expression crash into shock and horror.

     "But... But... WHY?"

     "Because I'm furious. I can't get the picture out of my head as you like a snake, coiling and waiting to strike."

     "No! Oh plum, Alice! Please for the love of all that's holy, don't think that. You were dating a bunch of assholes. What you needed was a friend, someone you could really talk to."

     "You got that part right."

     "And the best relationships start as friends, not just jumping into bed together."

     And now he insults me. I once again free my hand, run around the living room furniture, and escape, unable to hide the bawling.