Help! I Have A Crush On My Rival?! - A CARTA Journaling Game

[Teviko604]

PROMPT 10 - THE FOUNTAIN

I choose the card beneath my last turn.

Card Draw: 6 of Hearts (Red) +2 Potential, 6 total potential

Prompt: You’ve impressed your Rival, this time. How? What lets you know that you’ve won some respect?

*  *  *

Wayne’s shouts of exultation jolted me back to the present. He had just won his second game of Gem Squares.  Since each match was short, typically only lasted fifteen to twenty minutes, Wayne, Erik, and I decided whoever won three games would be the Champion.

“I'll be right back,” I said, getting up.  “Water break.”

I headed to the water fountain in the back of the store. I had just started to drink when I heard my name.

“Hey, Lance.”

I turned, surprised but glad, to see Gwen.

“How much longer do you have in your game?”

“Huh?” I replied, momentarily confused until I realized she was asking about my game with Wayne and Erik. “Oh, we're playing to three. Wayne’s won twice. Erik and I just once. It could be another hour, or so.”

“Oh. I was hoping we could play our game of Wyvern's Retreat, but that doesn’t give us enough time.”

Gwen clearly looked disappointed.  I guess she was serious when she suggested us playing a game Wednesday night.

“I didn't know you were serious about that.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, my mistake. Never mind.”

She tried to hide her embarrassment with nonchalance, but her face flushed and gave her away.  She turned to escape, but I reached for her arm.

“Wait!”

She spun back and I hastened to pull my hand back, afraid I had offended her.

“I do want to play,” I quickly explained. “I'm the one who was mistaken. As soon as I'm done with my game . . .”

“That'll be too late,” Gwen lamented. “My parents don't get to spend much time together, so they planned a special date night tonight. Dinner. A movie. Who knows what else.” She smiled at that. “I promised to stay with Fisher, so I need to be home early.  Even if we started now, we would barely have time to finish.”

I thought for a moment.

“Wait here,” I told her, and took off, halfway between a walk and a run.

“Guys. Finish the game without me,” I said when I returned to Wayne and Erik. “Something came up.”

“What are you talking about?” Erik asked as I turned to leave. “Where are you going?”

I didn't have time to come up with a story. “I promised Gwen I'd play a game with her,” I called out as I walked-ran away. I'd have to deal with that fallout later, but right now, I couldn't care less.

“Let’s go,” I said to Gwen when I returned to the water fountains.

“What about your game?”

“I told them to finish without me.”

“You brushed them off?” Gwen said amazed.  I watched her deep brown eyes melt from surprise into appreciation.  “Thanks.  Really, I mean it.  Thank you!”

Again, my heart skipped a beat. 

“It’s fine. Let’s play.”

We went back to the table where Gwen had already set up Wyvern’s Retreat.  It was no contest.  Gwen handily wiped up the floor with me.

And I was okay with that.

========================
Image of Lance and Gwen generated at perchance.org

[Teviko604]

Prompt 11 - The Mother

I am going to back to the north, which means I skip over the card that is already revealed and turn over the next face down card.

Card Draw: Queen of Hearts (Red)  Red royals do not change the potential, but they give you a save.  At the end of the game (second joker), you can turn over as many cards as you have saves.  Resolve any that add potential. Ignore any others.

Prompt: You have a sincere talk with someone you trust regarding your complicated feelings about your Rival. They give you some good advice: What is it?

*  *  *

Tuesday nights are always busy at the “Dice & Deck.”  There may not be a lot of customers, but there is a lot of work for the employees.  The new comics release the next day on Wednesday, and there is a lot of prep that goes into preparing them to be put on the shelves the minute the store closes. I was busy arranging stacks of comics behind the front counter when Elaine, Game Board member and unofficial “mother” of our Saturday morning group, walked into the store.

“Good evening, Lance,” She greeted with a properness that comes from maturity and experience, not to mention two boys who were both now in high school. 

“Hey, Elaine,” I greeted. “I bet you’re here for the new Tu’Akka manual.”

“You know me too well, child,” she confirmed with a big smile.

In additions to the new comics, we often received special orders on Tuesday, as well, so it was no surprise that Elaine was there.  In addition to everything else she did,  Elaine ran a bi-weekly game of Tu’Akka, Eternal, a tabletop role-playing game based on the Gallant World’s Comics title of the same name.  The game is set in a fictional county of Tu’Akka that is clearly modeled after the central plains of Africa.  Each player assumes the role of a member of a warrior tribe, each with extraordinary strength, athletics, or supernatural powers. Each game session, they battle against any number of villains bent on endangering their land.  The game’s developers have been working on a big update of the rules and the resulting manual arrived today.  Technically, like the comics, they don’t go on the shelves till the next day, but I kept one aside for Elaine to pick up early. Nothing like good customer service.

Elaine paged through the hardcover volume, which was about a third thicker than its predecessor, decorated with a variety of dark skinned male and female Tu’Akkan warriors, dressed in a mix of traditional battle gear and superhero tights.

“Ooo Wee! There’s a lot here,” Elaine said.  “I hope I can figure all this out before the big game next month.”

“Big game?”

“My fortieth birthday bash!  We’re going to start early that Friday evening and go though the night into the wee hours a’ tha’ mornin’.  Don’t expect me to be here that Saturday!”

“I don’t expect so,” I agreed.  “Sound’s like a big deal.”

“I’ve been planning it all year, Lance.  Forty years is a milestone, and there’s no better way of celbratin’ than with Tu’Akka Eternal.”  Elaine beat her fist to her chest twice in the traditional Tu’Akkan salute. I returned the salute and we both broke into laughter.

“Sound’s like a lot of fun, Elaine.”

“Ya know, you can join us anytime you want,” Elaine invited.

“I know, but I’m not really a role-playing type of guy.”

“It sure ain’t a tradin’ card game!”

“You know me too well, Elaine.  Anything else before I ring you up?”

“You should have a box back there for me, if I’m not mistaken.” She stretched to peer behind me on the shelves behind the counter where we kept the special orders.

I turned and ran my eyes over the dozen or so boxes and bags that were sitting there until I spotted her name.  The tag was attached to a box that was only a few inches on each side.

“You sure do,” I said, picking up the box and laying it on the counter in front of her.

She opened it and spread the contents on the counter. Before me sat seven dark grey stone dice -- the box listed them as black lightning zircon, whatever that was.  Their numbers were etched in black and each die was one of the traditional polyhedral shapes used for many role playing games. I was admiring them with Elaine when I happened to see the price.  Over $150!

“Damn!  That’s a fine set of dice,” I exclaimed.

“I’ve been savin’ for these for quite a while.  An early birthday present, you can say.”

I rang up Elaine’s purchases and checked her out.  As I slipped her items in an official “Dice and Deck” bag, I glanced around the store.  Other than a couple of my co-workers, the place was empty.

“Elaine.  You and Luther have been married awhile, right?”

“Nearly twenty years,” she answered, caught a bit off guard.  “And it’s Uther.”

“Huh?” Now I was caught off guard.

“His name is Uther,” she explained. “But don’t worry. E’ry one makes that mistake.”

“How did you two meet?  I mean, how did you know he was the one for you?”

“Now why do you want to know that?”

“I’m just curious.  That’s all.”

<Time for BOLD:  I’ll roll two waylays and see what I can do with them.
1. Bitter physical-pursuit overcome by a close friend.
2. Corrupt factional-authority overcome by favored ability
I can use the first one almost as is, and I can borrow the idea of corrupt faction-authority to create an obstacle that leads to the ultimate outcome.>

Elaine’s face took on that look you see when someone takes a journey down memory lane. “When I was in college, I joined the debate team,” she began.

“I didn’t know you liked debate.”

“I didn’t!  But Lucius Hamilton was on the debate team, and I liked Lucius Hamilton. Now, Lucius was a couple of years ahead of me.  I’m sure he had no idea who I was, but I was certain that by joining the team, he and I would spend more time together and he would notice me.

“Well, that did’n quite happen.  Mr. Moore, the professor who oversaw the team, was primarily interested in spending his time with the veteran students, of which Lucius was the captain.  Mr. Moore pawned us newer students off onto his student assistant, Uther.  Yes, my Uther, but don’t get ahead of me.

“Uther was officially tasked to work with us in order to get all of us ready for debate. But for some reason, he took a special interest in working with me.  The first week, he told me I could be a great debater, but I needed a bit of fine-tunin’.  I tell ya, that got me ruffled up.  Who did this kid think he was, tellin’ me how I should speak. 

“But he was patient and took his time.  He helped me with speech exercises. He worked with me on selecting strong topics. We even had a few mock debates.  Through it all, I was frustrated. I was there to meet Lucius, not this assistant.  The more time Uther spent with me, the less time I had available to be around Lucius.  It was not working out the way I planned.

“Eventually, the team competed in its first debate and I did horribly.  I was ready to quit, but Uther urged me to stay.  He suggested that all I needed was a little more help, perhaps outside the classroom. He suggested we get some ice cream and, while we are at the shop, work on our debate.  I refused, but he kept asking until I gave in, thinking it would stop him pestering me.

“Well, he didn’t stop and Uther continued to tutor and practice with me until one day, my best friend Vivian literally hit me across the head.  ‘What are you doin’ girl?  How long are you going be on the Debate Team before you start giving Uther the time o’ day?’

“‘Whattya mean,’ I said.  ‘I’m taking debate for Lucius.’

“‘Lucius!?’ Vivian said. ‘How many times has Lucius told you could be a good debater? How many times has Lucius offered to help you with your speech?  How many times has Lucius worked after hours, at an ice cream shop, no less, to work on an upcoming Debate meet?  And what about walking you to your dorm when practice runs late and it’s dark, just to make sure you are safe?  Uther does that all the time.  That boy is sweet on you, Elaine, and you better notice it before you lose him.’

“Vivian was right, and it took her hitting me aside the head to realize it.  After that, I stopped thinking about Lucius and started listening to what Uther was trying to teach me. I came to look forward to our practice sessions and mock debates.  And, of course, went out to the ice cream shop more often. Sometimes we didn’t even talk about debate.” She gave me a wink.
So, I ask again, Lance.  Why did you want to know that?  Are you trying to impress somebody?”

“Kinda,” I admitted.

Elaine gave me that I knew it look. “There’s no trick to it, boy.  You show them kindness and you be patient.  If she’s the one God has for you, she’ll come around eventually.  Is it Gwen?”

I must have flinched.  I couldn’t help it.  Of course, it was Gwen, but I wasn’t ready for anyone to know.

“Gwen?  Heck no!” I protested.  “You know how we butt heads.”

“I know well enough,” Elaine agreed.  “I’ve been watching you too ever since that cute red-head walked through that door. I don’t know if you remember, but you welcomed her right away.  Even asked her to play a game with you. That was sweet. I don’t know what went south with you two after that, but it was a shame.  Both of you were competitive, but kind.  You both loved our gaming group.  If you and Gwen had spent more time together, I think you would have made a great partnership.

“But I’ll tell you what I do know, what I learned from my time on the Debate Team.  God puts the right person in our lives, but we fight it tooth and nail.  We’re stupid and don’t wanna listen. We think we know whose best for us, and no one will tell us different.  But when we finally shut up and listen to God, right after He hits us over the head, we find out God was right all along. He gave us who we needed and once we realize it, our lives are blessed. Now, I’m not sayin’ Gwen is the one, but she’s a good, good girl, and you would do well with her.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Elaine.”  I smiled.  And that’s the reason we think of Elaine as “mother.”  She has so much wisdom.

I wished Elaine a good night as she picked up her bag and headed for the door.  Just before pushing it open, she stopped and asked me one more time.

“It’s Gwen, isn’t it?”

I sighed.  “Yes.”

“Good!” she said, with a knowing smile.  “For a minute there, I was afraid you’d say, Morgan. Child, that girl is way too wild for you!”

I laughed as I again wished Elaine a good night.