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?
![[Image: AP1GczOcFv0Ibi9cHkyj33TXkgxM2vjjyNuYvbXc...WQOE=w2400]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczOcFv0Ibi9cHkyj33TXkgxM2vjjyNuYvbXczHKj7zVZt9VxVYhheLWPaBbv1YRlqAFUaKV1lAegKgdOWqXrkz6SPF17y1nkJrxsC1cTdng5rh8WQOE=w2400)
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.
![[Image: AP1GczMIzhWkAtVQ3hD1Z6vSXJuMyM4G2gwB6z08...g_ig=w2400]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczMIzhWkAtVQ3hD1Z6vSXJuMyM4G2gwB6z08xPfiLOTz1D_X5lUa77OvfNRASzQ183q44a9-SqbHQVlUpM3asbJYmkeJNiCd5shWAkroHpdEtNAg_ig=w2400)
“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
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