Chapter 2: Game

A month passed. Mattian came by once or twice a week, each time bringing food his mom had prepared or talking with my brother. He never stayed long—no games, no conversations to me —just a quiet exchange before he left. It felt strange, like a wall had risen between us. So, if he wouldn't come to me, then I would go to him.

When I told my parents I wanted to visit Mattian's house, they refused. No explanation, just a firm no. But my brother—always the quiet observer—stepped in to help.

In the end, my parents agreed, but with one condition: my brother had to come with me.

I know my twin brother loves me, even if he doesn't show it often. Maybe that's why I want to befriend Mattian—because, in some ways, he reminds me of my brother. Silent, distant, but not unkind. He doesn't need to say much for me to know he's a good person. It's in his smile—soft, almost hesitant. Pretty, even.

Now, standing at their front gate, I shift on my feet, my brother beside me, waiting.

The front yard is lush and open, with stepping stones weaving through beds of native plants. To the right, a wall fountain cascades over smooth stone, its gentle trickle filling the air with calm.

The house stretches wide across the land, its wooden tones blending seamlessly with nature. A fusion of Japanese tradition and modern design, it sits low and grounded, wrapped in a shaded engawa-style veranda.

Then, the wooden-framed glass doors slide open, blurring the boundary between indoors and out, inviting light and serenity inside. Mrs. Cley greets us with a warm smile, and just like that, I step into Mattian's world.

"Oh, hi, sweethearts." she says brightly, welcoming us inside.

As we step in, she calls out to Mattian while heading upstairs. My brother and I settle in the living room, where an L-shaped couch sits against the wall. A glass center table holds a neat stack of magazines—mostly about architecture and engines.

A few minutes later, Mattian walks in, carrying a tennis bag. Dressed in all black, he looks like he's about to head out for practice.

"What's up?" he asks, his gaze landing on my brother beside me.

Mattian stepped into the living room, adjusting the strap of his tennis bag. His black outfit made him look like he was heading straight to a match. When he noticed my brother, his expression shifted—not surprised, but not exactly familiar either.

"Oh, you're here" he said, setting his bag down.

My brother gave a small nod. "Yeah. Your mom invited us in."

Mattian glanced at me before looking back at my brother. "You play tennis, right?"

"A little" my brother replied. He is actually a athlete.

Mattian tilted his head toward the door. "I was about to head to the court and meet the other guys, Wanna come?"

My brother raised an eyebrow. "Sure." 

I watched them, feeling slightly left out. "What about me?"

Mattian hesitated for a second, then smirked. "You can watch."

I crossed my arms while looking at him firmly and smirked back "I can learn."

That seemed to amuse him. He nodded, adjusting the strap of his bag. "Then come with us."

My brother chuckled, standing up. "Alright, let's see what you got guys." 

Mattian leading the way to the door. There was an ease to the way he moved—not exactly close with my brother, but comfortable enough to extend an invitation. And as I followed them out, I couldn't help but think—maybe this was how it started.

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As we walked, we ran into a group of Mattian's friends. They looked like the kind of people who were fun to be around—lively, easygoing. Introductions were made, greetings exchanged, and I quickly learned their names.

Luke Haven was the first to step forward. He was friendly, the kind of guy who could make anyone feel like an old friend. He greeted my brother like they'd known each other forever, his energy infectious. Dressed in black shorts and a plain white shirt, he carried the same kind of oversized black sports bag slung over his shoulder.

Then there was Clerk Shaun, a foreign guy with a calm presence—his demeanor almost identical to Mattian's. Except, with his neatly pressed white outfit and thin-framed glasses, he gave off the impression of someone impossibly smart. He acknowledged us with a small nod, quiet but not unfriendly.

And then there was Jacqueen Monte. She was about my height, effortlessly pretty in her white top, beige sports shorts, and matching hat. She looked every bit the part of a tennis player.

She met my gaze and offered a polite, "Hi."

I smiled and greeted her back, thinking this was my chance to strike up a conversation. But before I could say anything more, she had already turned toward Mattian and my brother, falling into step with them as they talked.

The court was empty when we arrived. It was part of a small open-air sports complex at the back of the village, complete with a gazebo used for gatherings, benches scattered around, and a fence enclosing the space. Lush greenery surrounded it, the gentle rustling of leaves adding to the calm atmosphere. The air was cool, fresh.

As the group set their bags down and prepared for the match, the first game was decided—Mattian versus my brother.

Jacqueen approached as I settled into an open seat, adjusting her hat against the afternoon sun.

"Hi" she greeted, her voice light but unreadable.

I returned the greeting with a small smile, unsure how to respond beyond that. Something about her made me hesitate. Maybe it was the way she carried herself—poised, confident—or maybe it was just my overthinking. She didn't seem unfriendly, but I couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't exactly eager to talk to me, either.

She sat beside me, crossing one leg over the other. "So… you know Mattian?"

I nodded. "Yeah. He's my neighbor. We met when we moved in."

Her brows lifted slightly, as if that piece of information surprised her. "Oh. I didn't know he had a neighbor around our age."

"Well, I guess now you do," I said, trying to keep my voice casual.

She hummed in response, then leaned back against the bench, watching the others set up on the court. "How long have you known him?"

I thought for a moment. "Not that long. He came by my house a couple of times, but we didn't really talk much. So we started visiting him instead."

That seemed to catch her attention. She turned to face me fully. "You go to his house?"

I nodded again, suddenly feeling like I was saying too much. "Yeah… I mean, his mom is really nice. She always welcomes us in."

Jacqueen was quiet for a second, then she smiled—not a wide one, but something small, almost amused. "That's new."

"What is?" I asked.

She tilted her head slightly, eyes flicking toward Mattian before settling back on me. "He's not exactly the type to introduce someone new."

I bit my lip. "Yeah, I kind of got that."

She chuckled softly. "So, how's that working out for you?"

I hesitated, thinking about Mattian's quiet nature, the way he never said much but somehow never felt cold either. "It's… interesting," I admitted. "He doesn't talk a lot, but he's not bad friend."

Jacqueen studied me for a moment, then nodded as if deciding something. "Well, that sounds about right."

I wasn't sure what she meant, but before I could ask, she turned her attention back to the game. "Your brother plays well," she remarked.

I followed her gaze to the court, where my brother and Mattian were locked in a rally. "Yeah, he's good at a lot of things," I said.

Jacqueen smirked. "Mattian hates losing. This should be fun to watch."

I let out a small laugh, finally feeling a little more at ease. Maybe she wasn't as distant as I first thought. Or maybe, just like Mattian, she just needed time to warm up.

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Jacqueen's POV

I've always been surrounded by boys. My friends, my teammates—every single person I play with is a guy. It's not that I mind, but sometimes, I wonder what it's like to have another girl around. Someone who doesn't just talk about sports, who doesn't shove me around like I'm one of them.

So when I saw her—Aireriss, Mattian's new neighbor—I was… curious.

She looked quiet, maybe even a little shy, sitting there by herself as the guys got ready for their match. I had no idea how to approach her. I mean, I've never really done the whole girl talk thing before. What do girls even talk about when it's just them?

Still, I wasn't going to let the opportunity slip by. Taking a breath, I adjusted my hat and walked over, pretending I wasn't overthinking this.

"Hi," I said, hoping my voice sounded normal.

She looked up, startled for just a second before offering a small smile. "Hi."

Okay, that was easy. Now what?

I hesitated, then sat down next to her, trying to act casual. "So… you know Mattian?"

Great start. Super original.

She nodded. "Yeah. He's my neighbor. We met when we moved in."

I blinked. Neighbor? That was unexpected. Mattian never mentioned living near someone our age. Then again, he wasn't exactly the type to share details about his life.

"Oh. I didn't know he had a neighbor around our age," I said, my curiosity growing.

"Well, I guess now you do," she replied lightly.

She seemed nice. A little reserved, maybe, but not standoffish. That made me relax a little.

"How long have you known him?" I asked.

"Not that long. He came by my house a couple of times, but we didn't really talk much. So we started visiting him instead."

That threw me off. She goes to his house?

I turned to face her fully, not even bothering to hide my surprise. "You go to his house?"

She nodded again, like it wasn't a big deal. "Yeah… I mean, his mom is really nice. She always welcomes us in."

I stared at her for a second before letting out a small, amused laugh. "That's new."

Her brows furrowed. "What is?"

I glanced toward Mattian, who was still focused on his game. "He's not exactly the type to let people in."

She bit her lip, as if she already knew that. "Yeah, I kind of got that."

I smirked. "So, how's that working out for you?"

She hesitated, like she was choosing her words carefully. "It's… interesting. He doesn't talk a lot, but he's not bad friend."

That made me smile. She really was different. Most people would have given up trying to befriend Mattian by now and specially to me. He wasn't exactly easy to get close to.

Her tone was neutral, but I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe… she didn't like me. I've seen that look before—the polite but distant expression girls at school gave me when I was with the boys. They never said it outright, but I knew what they thought. Why is she always with them? Why does Mattian even hang out with her?

Most girls kept their distance from me, probably jealous that I was close with the guys. Maybe Aireriss was the same—maybe she had already decided she didn't like me because of that.

But now… now I wonder if it's not jealousy at all. Maybe she sees the real me. I wasn't going to back down just yet.

"Well, that sounds about right," I said, deciding then and there that I liked her. 

We fell into a comfortable silence, watching the game. When I saw how easily her brother kept up with Mattian, I commented, "Your brother plays well."

She nodded. "Yeah, he's good at a lot of things."

I smirked, watching Mattian's determined expression. "Mattian hates losing. This should be fun to watch."

Aireriss let out a small laugh, and for some reason, that made me feel… relieved. Maybe talking to another girl wasn't so hard after all.

Maybe, for the first time in a long time, I'd finally have a friend who wasn't just one of the guys.