Your Dangerous Game

Chapter 7. Leaving Home

(Mindy Esmond’s Perspective)

On the way to the dorm, Mindy and Brittany were walking side by side on the pavement road.

It was dark outside. And the air felt pretty cold. But they still got each other. Moreover, Mindy had a story to tell her.

But before she could tell a tale, Brittany already asked her right away, “Okay, so, what happened back there in the kitchen? Tell me, come on.”

Mindy took a deep breath before she answered her. And then she bit her lips awkwardly. “Well, Alain Elwood is what happened.”

Brittany pinched her eyes bafflingly. “What do you mean?”

“While I was waiting for you back there in the kitchen, Alain went there to get a bottle of water. And then this boy names Bryan and his drunkard friend came in as well,” Mindy said.

Brittany seemed excited and curious to hear more. She looked impatient.

“And then suddenly, Bryan just kept on teasing Alain about—” Mindy paused for a second as she glanced at Brittany. She was nervous to tell her more. However, she was there witnessing the boys’ tense conversation.

As they kept walking side by side, Mindy slightly glanced at her.

Then she said, “Do you remember the bad rumor that you told me about Alain? That boy names Bryan seems to be the one that is spreading the rumor in the frat house, I guess.”

“Wow, what a dramatic college life, huh?” Brittany chuckled. “And then what happened next? Were they fighting? You seem just okay though.”

Mindy rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, they were not fighting! Almost! But they were not! And yeah, I’m fine, thank you!”

“Good thing then,” Brittany smiled and giggled at her.

“I just heard Bryan said something about Alain that got involved with the cops last month. I heard it was because he sacrificed someone in his illegal motorcycle club, but I don’t know if the information is accurate or not,” Mindy continued telling her.

“Yeah, I also heard the rumor that Alain was almost thrown into jail for joining that illegal motorcycle club somewhere out there,” Brittany informed her.

Mindy shrugged her shoulders for a second. She seemed bewildered with this whole thing about Alain Elwood. Thereafter, she confronted her, “Tell me again, why this guy’s backstory matters for everyone? I don’t see it as an interesting story to know anyway.”

Brittany shrugged her shoulders as well. She grinned and said, “I don’t know honestly. But like I told you before. Maybe because, well, you know—”

Mindy glanced at her for a second, seeing her making an awkward face. “What?”

“He’s hot, Mindy. Can’t you see that? A bad boy always has an invisible charm that bewitch us, the girls,” Brittany reminded her again. “Maybe that’s why people feel like it matters to talk about his mysterious existence. Because he is just basically mysterious. We are human beings, are always attracted to a mystery.”

“Hah! There you go. The mystery of Alain Elwood’s backstory is what makes him interesting,” Mindy murmured and giggled. “But sorry, I don’t think I’m into his story, whatsoever.”

“Don’t tell me that you only deny it because you secretly have a crush on him,” Brittany tried to guess what was inside Mindy’s mysterious mind.

Mindy immediately pinched her eyes perplexingly. Then she shouted after, “What? Seriously, Britt! Not at all. Not in a million years that I will like that notorious biker!”

“Hmm, really?” Brittany didn’t believe her.

“Believe whatever you want,” Mindy annoyed as she crossed her arms on her chest.

“Okay, I’m sorry!” Britt immediately hugged her shoulders, trying to comfort her. “Mindy, come on! I’m just curious why you’re the only student that thinks differently about him.”

“Besides Alain got away with the rumor that he was almost thrown in jail, I’ve got better rumor about him. This time, I’m the one that invented it,” Mindy said naughtily.

Brittany giggled. “Oh, come on! You said you’re not interested about his life!”

Mindy muttered, “I am not. But when I saw him back there with that Malibu doll—”

“Oh, I remember her name. Rachel, right?” Brittany said.

Mindy nodded and said, “Yup, Rachel the Malibu doll seems like she has a big crush on Alain Elwood. But Alain doesn’t seem like he is reciprocating her feeling.”

“Gosh, that’s so sad. He doesn’t seem into her,” Brittany also noticed. “And I heard that Rachel also on the same semester as Alain Elwood.”

“Yeah, and she seems like the most popular clique girl on the campus,” Mindy added.

“Ugh, Gosh, that kind of girl is actually so sad. She gets a lot of college drama in her cup already. Too many damn problems in life,” Brittany pitied that girl instead of being jealous of her popularity.

And then Mindy giggled cheerfully. “Yeah, I agree.”

***

When Saturday finally came, Mindy visited her parents' house. It was still early in the morning when she arrived there. She wanted to help them prepare their suitcases before they would go to the airport this morning.

“Mindy! How are you, girl?” Her mom asked and kissed her forehead.

“I’m good. College life is fine, Mom,” Mindy told her with a big smile.

“Great then, we can leave you at ease to Washington DC soon,” her mom murmured.

“I will escort you two to the airport,” Mindy said.

“Of course, you should be in the airport, waving a goodbye to us until we fly out of Philadelphia,” her mom teased her.

Mindy giggled. “Okay, I will, sure.”

And then her dad just came out of the bathroom. He had prepared himself well.

While accompanying her mom in the dining room, Mindy approached her again. And before her dad came out of the bedroom as he changed his clothes, she asked her, “Mom, I thought it will only be dad that will have to work overseas, so why are you coming along with him?”

“Ugh, you know Charles is like a kid sometimes, huh? She needs me to take care of him,” her mom said.

“But he is an adult. Plus, he is your husband, not your kid,” Mindy reminded her.

“Honey, we know that he is not your real father, but please, understand him,” her mom begged her.

Mindy pinched her eyes bafflingly. “Yeah, you remarried, and I agree since he is a nice person. And he is nice to me. But I don’t think you two need to be clingy to each other.”

Her mom was only giggling while making a coffee.

And then Mindy said again, “And I was wondering, what he will do in Washington? I mean, what kind of job that he will have there? I thought he is happy running an errand for his boss at the publishing company here in the city.”

Her mom paused to look at her for a second. And then she told her, “Didn’t I tell you before?”

Mindy immediately shook her head. “Nope. You haven’t.”

Then Ms. Esmond rested her hand at her waist and said, “Your stepdad will be working overseas in Washington DC. He has to run a restaurant there.”

“Will you stay there with him until he finishes his job?” Mindy wondered.

Ms. Esmond shrugged her shoulders and said, “I don’t know yet. But if I suddenly get a call for a part-time job here, then I will come back.”

Mindy nodded. “That’s alright. You work too eventually. And I will see you again.”

Her mom smiled widely at her. “Of course, we will see each other again soon.”

“You know what?” Mindy suddenly sounded lifeless. “I miss dad at a time like this.”

“Oh, darling, you make me sad,” her mom muttered. “Me too. All the time. But life has to move on. I move on. And so are you, please.”

“I know, I’m sorry that I bring up about dad again,” Mindy murmured. “But I really do. He died when I was just a little kid. I didn’t get to spend my time with him for long.”

Her mom stared down at the dining table. Then she took a deep breath and said, “Mindy, please, today is not about him. Today is about your stepdad. We both respect both of them.”

Mindy nodded and slightly felt guilty to bring the topic up. “Okay, I’m sorry, Mom.”

And then her mom approached her to give her a warm hug. She hugged her back and smiled happily. “I will miss you guys so much. Come home soon, yeah?”

Her mom nodded. “Yes, darling. Just call me regularly, okay?”

“Okay, Mom. I love you,” Mindy murmured to her ear.

“I love you too,” her mom reciprocated her feeling.

And soon after, Charles came out of the bedroom while bringing two suitcases.

“Are you guys ready to go now?” He asked.

“We are so ready to go now,” Ms. Esmond shouted out excitedly. “Come on! Let’s go!”

Mindy smiled widely at the two of them.

And soon, they got into a taxi. And Mindy was ready to escort them to the airport.