Making Circles by Vanessa Gilbert (summer beach reads .txt) 📕

ten or fifteen minutes to create my character. I tried to make my character look like what I pictured her looking like which was long red hair kind of curly, pale skin, blue eyes, and her personality was the rocker personality. She had on a multi colored t-shirt, faded blue jean skirt, fishnet stockings, and black boots. I remember creating her personal background and Kitty laughed at what I decided her hometown was. I clicked that her hometown was Boston and her name was of course Abby. Kitty wouldn’t stop teasing me about the hometown Boston thing and then she wouldn’t leave me alone with the name either.

Kitty took about the same time I did with my character and she did everything I knew she would do. Like she chose New York for her hometown and she picked short blonde hair for her character and the model face and then rock as her personality as well. Her character had the same clothes mine had on and her character had the same color of eyes as mine. Kitty and I love to joke around about how our characters look like twins except for the fact that Kitty chose Diva for her characters face and I chose Girl Next Door. I remember that after a few gigs from our band we had enough money to update our characters looks. She bought her character some gothic punk looking clothes and I ranged my characters looks from gothic punk to cowgirl punk. Kitty also used to tease me with my characters outfits. She used to say, “Wow Arien, you really do create your own style,” or, “Wow that’s interesting.”

I remember the first time I mixed and matched the different styles of clothing and what Kitty said about it. I gave my character a kind of plaid, cowgirl type shirt, black skinny punk pants, black and white high tops, and accessories that ranged from gothic style, punk style, and country style. Kitty laughed after I had her completely finished and said, “Now that is interesting.” She laughed even harder when I went back and gave her the crying eyes and joker lips makeup. After I was done updating my character Kitty updated her character which took about twenty minutes. After she was done we looked at both of our characters and shook our heads. We did not look like a band; we looked like a bunch of weirdoes trying to pass as a band.

A few minutes went by and Colt announced, “I’m done your turn Mark.”

Colt’s character looked almost exactly like him, brown kind of curly hair, dark blue eyes, and kind of pale skin. Mike nodded then began his character building. Kitty looked at me and I shrugged then looked at Rose and Kyle and said, “You guys better hurry up your character building.”

They both laughed and nodded and then returned their vision towards the TV screen and to Mark’s character building. Mike was selecting things faster than I’ve ever seen just going with what he saw first and what he liked first. We watched as he selected and changed and typed in what he wanted, it was kind of like watching art being made. “Well, I’m done,” Mike announced.

We all starred at his character then at him. His character looked exactly like him from head to toe form personality to his name. “What,” Mike asked looking between his character and us.

“It looks exactly like you,” I said in disbelief.

Mike nodded and said, “That’s what I wanted.”

We all laughed then watched as Mike and Colt started their song and began to play against each other. Mark’s hands glided up and down and pushed the buttons with perfect timing and so did Colt’s. We starred at them in disbelief as they preformed perfectly…they haven’t even played this game before. Mark’s fingers played up and down the guitar at a speed that was unbelievable even for Mark. The song played and the color of buttons to push played down the TV and disappeared as they hit the button. “That is unbelievable,” I said to them and the TV.

“What,” Mike said not even missing a note.

“You guys playing this fast on your first turn on the game,” I said.

Mike and Colt both shrugged and said, “It’s easy.”

I shook my head and watched them keep playing. This is unbelievable it took me weeks and weeks of playing that game whenever I go over to play on medium and their playing on hard and acting as if though it’s on easy. “What’s going on,” I heard a familiar voice ask.

I looked and walking into the building and making his way towards me was Carter. “Oh hey sweetie, nothing really we’re just doing a game competition,” I responded.

“Sounds…interesting,” Carter said almost as if though it was a question.

I looked at him and nodded then said, “You can join in if you want.”

Carter shook his head and said, “Nah I don’t really like playing video games.”

We all looked at Carter in surprise and whaled, “What?!”

Carter stared at each of us with a expression of fear of being tackled and beaten. “Yea I think video games are a waste of time,” he said.

“Arien, how the hell are you still dating him,” Colt said, his fingers still moving and hitting the right buttons.

I let a forced out laugh and said, “Ha you know…he has an amazing personality.”

Everyone laughed except for Carter and Carter looked less than amused. “Come on Carter lighten up,” Kyle said.

“Why should I,” Carter said to Kyle.

“Because you’re bringing down the house and party,” Kyle said.

I glared at Kyle and whispered between clenched teeth,” Be nice Kyle.”

Carter smirked at Kyle and said, “Yea Kyle be nice.”

Carter snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me close to his body and kept smirking as Kyle’s happy entertaining face disappeared and a pissed off expression moved on his face. “Oh Kyle, cheer up you’re bringing down the party,” Carter said sarcastically as he leaned down and began to kiss my cheeks then my lips.

I heard a growl from Kyle and a quiet laugh from Carter. “Carter stop it, “I whispered to him.

Carter sighed and then stood back up and looked over at the TV and the guys. “So how do you play this game,” Carter asked bitterly.

“Well see how on the guitar there are a few different buttons with different colors? Well when the color plays across the screen you push the button with the same color on it and that’s pretty much it,” I explained.

Cater nodded and then slowly asked, “So…this is what you guys consider fun?”

We all nodded and then glued our eyes back on the TV screen and watched as they finished up the song. The music slowed down to just a light murmur and ended with one final chord form the two guitarists. They pushed the button and hit what they needed and watched as it showed us who won. “It’s a tie,” they said.

We all clapped and then handed out high fives to the two of them. “Okay I’ll give you guys props, even though this was you’re first time playing the game you guys did excellent, you started off with hard and you played it as if though it were easy,” I said to them.

“Yea and Arien just recently started playing on medium and she’s played it way longer than you two,” Kitty said.

They both looked at me with an expression I knew very well, the expression that meant, “Really Arien, really.” I looked back at them and sighed. “Okay I’m not that talented with my hand eye coordination like you two,” I said throwing my hands up in anger.

They both laughed and then grabbed as seat and sat down. “Well who’s turn is it,” Colt asked.

I looked at Rose and Kyle and asked, “You two wanna play?”

Rose looked at Kyle and said, “Sorry Kyle, after seeing them play I’m kind of feeling a little untalented.”

Kyle looked at her then at the TV and said, “Well I can’t play against myself.”

“I’ll play against you,” Carter said.

Everyone looked at Carter in shock; he would never do that even if it was for me. “Carter, are you sure you want to do this? I mean, you don’t even play regular video games and you’re jumping straight to Rock Band,” I asked him.

Carter looked at me then the TV and said, “Sure, I mean who knows I might get into video games after this.”

I sighed and shrugged; if he wants to embarrass himself then he can go right ahead. Carter walked over towards the TV, picked up one of the guitars and began the same process as the others…creating his character. We sat all in quiet whispering silence and watched as he fixed up his character and created his back story. “Are you worried about him,” Rose asked.

I looked and her and said, “If he wants to embarrass himself then I’m not gonna stand in his ways, he can go right ahead.”

Rose raised her eyebrows in shock and said, “Wow, you’re harsh.”

I shrugged; he’s been harsh to me so I’m being harsh right back.

“Do you want me to go easy on him,” Kyle asked.

I looked at Carter then Kyle and asked, “Would you really do that?”

He shrugged and said, “Only if it makes you happy. Besides he has to impress your family.”

I nodded and said, “True.”

I nestled down in my seat beside Rose and Kitty and let the wheels of my brain turn as I thought about what just happened. Kyle gave up the chance to destroy Carter in a game competition just so Carter could impress someone of my family, Colt. Why would he even do that? I starred at Kyle my mind still trying to grasp why he did what he did. I watched as he sat in his seat and glared at the TV, at Carter. What could he possibly gain for letting Carter beat him at this? Kyle suddenly stood from his seat and walked over towards the TV. My gaze fallowed him and landed on the conversation between him and Carter. What are they talking about? Was Kyle telling Carter that he was letting him win? Is Carter agreeing to his plan?

Carter nodded his head and shrugged then mumbled something I couldn’t hear. They shook hands and then Carter walked over towards me. “I’m gonna cream him,” Carter said.

I looked at Carter and felt anger boil in me. He’s only going to win because Kyle is selflessly letting Carter win. I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest and watched as Kyle quickly made up his character. He’s selflessly letting Carter win and he knows that Carter is talking shit about him and yet he hasn’t said anything. Kyle is right, he needs to let Carter win the game because that’s the only way he’ll get any closer to respect from my family. “Uh, Carter no offense but I don’t think you should be talking big and bad,” I whispered to him.

“Why, “he asked.

“Because I know he’s just letting you win,” I said.

Carter’s eyes grew wide as he said, “He is not.”

I sighed and nodded, “He told me.”

He glared at Kyle and said, “He said he told no one.”

Carter moved away from me then walked over to Kyle and began to move his arms frantically and in anger pointing at me slightly then at the game system…he just fed me to the sharks. Kyle shook he head and then looked and me and shrugged. I could see their mouths move, Kyle’s lips moved slowly and didn’t open as much while Carter’s lips moved frantically and wide. Carter was yelling at Kyle, asking him why he didn’t just keep it between the two of them…hopefully Kyle has a good excuse.

Carter shook his head as Kyle’s lips began to move again. I watched as each of their lips moved one at a time and one in a while both of their lips moved at the same time. It seemed either Carter was running out of