Chapter Text
“Coy, Coy.. Listen to me,” Hanbon’s gentle tone swirled around my head. I felt her palm rest against my shoulder. “I believe in you, we all believe in you.”
Despite the dark setting, I was able to make out Will nodding along with her. His dark maroon shirt allowed him to almost blend in with his current backdrop. “I don’t wanna put too much pressure on you,” he paused. “But if you fuck this up, we’re for sure dead.”
“That’s not helping, Will—”
“Guys. Quiet.” I interrupted.
My hands which were previously clasped together tightly began to release, something tumbling out from their hold. The item made a haunting rattling noise as it bounced across the table.
Finally, it situated itself. A nine.
Oh, fuck, a nine.
“You’re one short, Piso.” Anthony announced. He did an evil laugh for dramatic effect before bringing his figurine over to my own. “The vampire chomps down on your neck! That's negative 10 HP; you’re dead.”
“He still has his death saving throws!” Will chimed in, panicked.
“It’s basically over—”
“Shut up!” Both Hanbon and Will scolded him.
Anthony mumbled under his breath as he grabbed a twenty-sided die. “If it lands on anything less than ten…We’re not cheating this time.”
“Oh, boo.” I mocked him with a smirk. “Just roll already, dude,”
He shook the dice around in his large hands, but right before he tossed it—
“Coy! Dinner!”
My mother’s voice echoed down to our basement, earning a groan from all of us. Yes, we’d probably been playing for hours now, but…It was fun!
“Sorry, guys,” I stood up, the weakness in my legs reminded me of how long I’d just been sitting around and strategically moving around and throwing what both of my parents referred to as ‘toys’. “We’ll pick up here next time, okay?”
Hanbon reluctantly grabbed her tote bag and forced a smile. She had this look that told me she’d definitely be anticipating this all night. I admired how committed she was.
Everyone hurried up the stairs—everyone as in just Will and Hanbon. Anthony and I remained to clean up a bit.
“Thanks for helping me out, Anth.” I said with a sarcastic drawl, the name slipping out without a second thought. I saw a smile pull at the corners of his lips.
“Of course,” He replied before grabbing his jean jacket and heading up. One problem; he forgot something. Something pretty important, too. His lucky dice.
I have no idea why it's his lucky one. The design isn't too crazy or anything like that. We just had an interesting session once and he decided ‘yep, that’s the lucky one now’.
“Wait, Anthony!” I called out.
“Yes?” I heard him take a few steps downward.
I marched up to him, floorboards creaking beneath me. “You forgot Ol'Faithful.” I grabbed his hand and placed the yellow dice inside gingerly.
“Ah, thanks. You’re a lifesaver, Coy.” He gave me a smile, the kind of soft smile he only seemed to show me. “Well, I’ll see ya around, yeah?”
I walked with him up to the doorway. “Yeah, bye.”
We then headed to opposite sides of the house. His path would take him to my front door, while I treaded off to the dining room.
Mom had made my favorite; macaroni and cheese. Was my choice childish? Maybe. But the way she prepared it…yum.
Something about the energy tonight felt off though. Tense, somehow. Then again, most of our meals were. My mother would ask about my social life at school and I’d give the honest answer—Anthony, Will, and Hanbon were my only friends. She’d frown and my father would make a comment about how he wished I’d gotten into sports. I could understand that though, I was a bit of a loser.
Tonight, after we said our blessings, started with Mom saying; “You know, I saw that Hannah girl before she left. She waved at your father and I…she seems so sweet, I don’t get how she can hang with a bunch of guys.”
“What do you mean?” I questioned.
“Ah, nothing. I just think most ladies her age are doing more…girly things, you know?”
“Or at least something more active.” My father inserted himself into our conversation.
I ignored his comment. Somehow we always came back to this—making fun of Hanbon. I despised it.
“Or something outdoors,” My mother added, although the moment had already passed. She and my dad exchanged glances, before one gave a quiet nod.
I laughed nervously. “What do you mean? We do plenty other things than just our D&D campaigns.”
“Yes, but…” My mother paused, searching for the right words. Her tone was soft, but I could tell she was disappointed in me. I guess I understood that. When my parents heard the news of a baby boy, they were expecting an outgoing football team captain who brought home a girlfriend for dinner and was a devoted Christian. Not…me. “We think it would be nice for you to get some new hobbies. I mean, you’re seventeen now, Coy. Seventeen.”
I took a sip of water to calm the lump that was already forming in my throat.
“Your mother is right, son.” Dad agreed, voice cold and uncaring, but that was typical. “If you sit around playing your little magic games with those guys, people will think you’re…funny.”
I knew what he meant by ‘funny’. He was sugarcoating how he called me a queer.
My mother put her fork down. “What we’re trying to say is; we’re worried about you.”
“But why?” I asked, almost laughing. “Uh oh, did you get the whole ‘Dungeons & Dragons is demonic’ talk from someone at our church? Ma, it’s all fictional—”
“Let your mother speak, young man.”
I murmured an apology as she went on once more; “Me and your father have made a decision. And it’s already been finalized.”
My heart sunk so far down I probably could’ve shit it out right then.
“You’re going to summer camp,” She announced. My jaw dropped. I guess it wasn’t that huge but she had still planned it out without my knowledge; that’s what hurt. “Camp Southcreek—it’s only four weeks.”
“Four weeks?!”
“Quiet, Coy.” My father shushed me. That earned him another whispered apology from me. “Our choice is final and we’re leaving tomorrow afternoon.”
“Why are you telling me so late? I would’ve liked a heads up! I-I won’t even be able to say goodbye to my friends!”
“That’s another thing, if you’d let us speak you would know that we’ve talked with their parents as well, and all your little buddies are going along with you.” Mom explained. “It’s just some more physical activity and chances to meet new friends!”
Oh, that's not too bad… I thought.
“And after all this time,” My father smirked, “Hopefully a girlfriend, too.”
Aaaand there it was.