Sure enough, my phone had been vibrating, and when I picked it up there was a notification from the game. I walked to the living room to catch my monster. The experience points caused me to jump up to another level. Pretty soon and I’d be able to pick a team to play on.
“You’re totally addicted, aren’t you?” Tommy asked, stepping up beside me.
“No way,” I said, though a part of me knew that I was lying.
“Whatever,” Tommy replied with a roll of his eyes. “You just want to be able to play with Caroline.”
“How did you find out that Caroline started playing?” I asked, surprised that he knew my friend had started playing the game as well.
“Because, I saw her running around the park like a crazy person this morning to try to catch a stupid Fireliz.” Tommy laughed. “It was pretty funny, actually.”
“Yeah, well, you’re right. She got addicted pretty quick, but that hasn’t happened to me.” I shrugged like I didn't care, but I wasn't actually entirely sure.
“At least this game introduced you to someone cool.” Tommy picked up his phone and made a couple of swipes.
“Do you really think he’s cool?” I asked, sounding more eager than I intended to.
“Anybody on Team Red is a friend of mine.” He put the phone back in his pocket.
“You just like him because he gave you ten dollars.” I gave him a gentle push as he laughed.
He smiled. “I can’t argue with the truth,” he said.
Chapter 5
When I woke up the next morning, the first thing that I did was snatch my phone off of the nightstand. Normally, I’d have checked my email or looked to see if I'd gotten any hits on my job search, but instead, I opened up the Monster GO app. I wondered if maybe I was becoming slightly addicted to it, but I still wasn’t to the point where I was going to admit it, even to myself.
An update was available on the game and I downloaded it. While it loaded, I realized that for the first time since graduation, I hadn't awoken to my first thought being about finding a job. It was far better to wake up excited to play a game rather than disappointed to not have a job. If nothing else, the game was making my world a little bit brighter and I was glad for it.
When the game restarted, I was surprised to find that the appearance of the game looked a bit different than before. Now, instead of being able to see monsters that were within a one or two block radius, I could zoom out on the map and see my entire town. In addition, if I clicked on a street, the name would appear. The Monster GO world had opened up significantly and there was suddenly so many more areas to play.
This is why I need to find a job where I can create apps or software, I thought. I was right on the money. This update was exactly what I thought the game needed. Maybe there’s a future in app creation for me.
If only that was enough to get a job. I needed to get up and get ready for the day. Jacob would be at the house soon to pick me up for our morning walk. So I got up, took a quick shower and then changed into my black yoga pants and red tank top. And even though I was getting ready for exercise, I still straightened my hair and put on makeup. It seemed silly, but I wanted to look my absolute best for Jacob.
Once I was ready, I walked downstairs and into the kitchen. My parents were seated at the bar, drinking coffee and eating scrambled eggs. They looked up when I walked in.
“Good morning,” Mom said, with her usual smile.
“Morning,” I replied. “How are you two doing?”
“Doing well,” Dad said. “You look like you’re ready for a run or something.”
I shrugged. “Not a run, but definitely a walk.”
“I’m glad you’re getting out,” he said. “You’ve seemed a lot happier the last couple of days. Maybe this morning exercise thing is exactly what you needed.”
“I think you’re right,” I agreed. I stood there for a moment, awkwardly shuffling my feet on the floor. I had put off telling them about my “friend” Jacob for a few days, but I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. He’d be there in a few minutes to pick me up and it would be easier to just introduce him now than try and explain him later.
“I have a friend coming over to go on a walk with me,” I finally managed to get out.
“Oh, really? Is Caroline is coming by?” Mom asked. She put a couple of dishes in the sink and waited for me to answer.
“No, a different friend.” I wanted to act casual, but it wasn’t easy. I wasn’t entirely sure where my nerves came from, especially with something as simple as introducing my parents to a new friend, but introducing a male friend was never simple.
“Who is she?” Dad asked, not looking up from his morning paper.
“It’s not a she.” I corrected him. “His name is Jacob. I met him in the park a few days ago.”
Dad stopped reading and looked over his paper. He didn't say anything, but I could tell he was trying to remember where he last put his shotgun. He liked to clean it whenever guys came over.
“When will he be here?” Mom asked. She looked excited. There was a gleam in her eye as she spoke. More than likely, she was already assuming Jacob to be a potential boyfriend for me even though she hadn’t met him yet.
“Any minute,” I said, glancing down at my watch. The sooner he got here, the sooner I could get out of here.
“Is he cute?” Mom asked, her lips curling up into an even wider smile.
“Moooooom.” I placed my hands onto my hips and cocked my head to the side, doing my best to impersonate an annoyed teenager. Mom just laughed.
“Well?” she pressed, not letting me off the hook. “Is he cute or not?”
“A little,” I replied. I tried not to smile, but I couldn't stop myself. “He’s a little bit cute.”
“Uh huh,” Mom replied with a knowing grin. She winked at me before pouring herself another cup of coffee. “When do we get to meet him?”
“Eventually,” I promised. “He's just a friend, Mom. I'm sure you'll meet him soon.”
“I hope so,” she replied. “I haven't seen you look this happy since you got here. If nothing else, I like this guy for that.”
“Me too,” Dad agreed. I turned to him, slightly surprised.
“Even though he's keeping me from my job hunting?” I asked, crossing my arms and preparing myself for my dad's disappointment.
“Honey, I just want you to be happy,” Dad replied, setting his paper down. “I want you to have a career that you're proud of and that lets you live your life. I don't care about the job search, just that you get where you need to go.”
My arms fell from their defensive posture. “Thanks, Daddy.”
Dad picked up his paper again. “Oh look, McMurray's Hardware is hiring...”
“Thanks, Dad,” I replied quickly and hurried out of the kitchen. I could hear Dad chuckling as I ran out the front door to meet Jacob.
Chapter 6
Jacob was poised to ring the doorbell as I opened the door. He jumped slightly, but smiled widely as I stepped out. He had on his glasses today, which I found out helped him with computer work.