The Game Has Changed

by D. L. Wu

Jaime observed her uncle, wondering why he’d become so somber all of a sudden. Was the subject of her driving making him remember how his brother's life had been taken?

  “What's wrong?” Mary asked, having also noticed his change in temperament.

  George didn't answer her. Instead, he turned toward Jaime. “Just – just be very careful, okay?”

  Jaime nodded, a sense of pity for him overcoming her momentarily.

  He reached out and touched her hand as it lay upon the tabletop. “I promised him that I would take care of you,” he whispered.

  Jaime’s eyes stung with unshed tears. She nodded and sniffed before she allowed any tears to escape. They betrayed her anyway as several trickled down her cheeks.

  ***

  Jaime stood beside the blue Acura, the car that had belonged to her father. It hadn't been the one he was driving when the accident had happened. His rental car had been totaled when a drunk driver plowed into his while in Maryland. The Acura had been their car for five years and he’d driven her to school in it every day. It was via this car that he’d taught her to drive and now it was hers. A sense of trepidation filled her as she climbed inside, realizing that it would be the first time she’d driven it since her father’s death.

  Pulling into the school's parking lot, she sat without moving for a long time, gazing at the large building looming before her as her grief consumed her. Would she be able to walk past the American History classroom that her father used to teach in? Would she be able to keep the tears from flowing? Would other kids be unsympathetic and ask her insensitive questions? How on earth would she be able to cope?

  Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and slid out of the car. Grabbing her backpack, she marched toward the building, intent on making the best of the situation that she now found herself in. While she didn’t like the fact that her pain was still visible, she had to find a way to move past it and now was as good a time as any.

  “Good morning, Miss Johnson,” the school's psychologist said in greeting as she entered the office to have her paperwork adjusted because of her long absence. “I'm Mrs. Kellogg and I want you to know that my door is always open for you. Anything you need.”

  Jaime shrugged shyly as she handed her paperwork to the secretary as she stood nearby. “Thanks, but I think I'll be okay.”

  “Still, why don't you come and see me this afternoon as soon as your classes are done? Just to see how you're doing?” Mrs. Kellogg insisted.

  Jaime shrugged again. “I don't think I need a shrink. Thanks anyway.” Mrs. Kellogg seemed a little offended by her insolence, but said nothing. “I just want to get back on track for Harvard or UPenn,” Jaime continued. “I might need tutoring, but not counseling.”

  The woman nodded, her mouth thinning to a tight line. “You're a very brave young lady,” she replied as she walked away without another backward glance in her direction.

  Unable to help herself, Jaime rolled her eyes. She quickly remembered where she was and hoped that no one had taken notice of what she’d done. Thanking the secretary for her help, she took a deep breath and hurried out of the office, intent on marching over to her first class.

  CHAPTER 3

  There was no doubt about it. Jaime was very much aware of every single student's eyes on her every time she walked into a classroom. No one openly talked to her. It was as if she was a leper or something, but plenty of whispers and pointed fingers were directed at her. Of that, she was quite sure.

  Even the people she had once considered close friends seemed to be avoiding her now. She understood, though. She realized that it was hard for people to know what to say when one experienced a loss as great as she had. It hurt a little, the inadvertent rejection, but she felt she could cope. At least, she tried her best to do so, anyway.

  Yet by the end of the school day, Jaime felt a miserable melancholy that she couldn't describe even to herself. She knew she had so much work ahead of her and laden with books, she jumped into her car with the intent of going home and beginning her studies. For some inexplicable reason, she couldn't go home yet. She wanted to go somewhere else first, a place that was quite special to her, so she drove there instead.

  She sat in a booth at the ice cream parlor that she and her dad had frequented since she was a small child. Before her sat a cherry float; her favorite treat to order. As she sat there sipping at it, she imagined her dad sitting across from her, talking excitedly about a trip he would be taking or the results of the last game between the Philadelphia Eagles and whatever team they had just played against. She gazed down at her backpack as it sat beside her in the booth, remembering the treasures she’d stowed inside and swore they would never leave her sight. She didn't realize she was the only one there besides the waitress inside the parlor for a very long time.

  Her daydreaming went undisturbed. Until the moment she saw a man enter through the front door. It wasn't so much an unusual thing for another patron to enter, yet there something very different about this man. There was something about him that drew her attention and she couldn't quite understand as to why she suddenly felt so very afraid.

  ***

  Evan had been wandering on foot since early that morning. He felt so weak and exhausted from his pain, blood loss, hunger, and lack of sleep. He had finally reached civilization after hours of walking, yet he was so utterly disoriented that he didn't know what time it was or where he was, for that matter. All he knew was that he needed something to eat.

  ***

  The man was filthy and bleeding from a gash across his forehead. Jaime noticed this as fear invaded every inch of her body. He looked ready to collapse. She debated in a split second's panic whether she should call an ambulance for him or to run out of the place. Looking around quickly, she noted that no one else was there now, not even the one waitress whom had served her not too long ago. The man was now between her and the door that would lead her to freedom.

  Jaime shrieked with surprise as the man collapsed into the booth across from her. She began to hyperventilate when she saw his piercing brown eyes gazing back at her. She saw something else flicker across that face, the beginnings of a smile.

  “Do you think you . . . might be able to help me?” he asked of her. She was the first person he’d come across so far since the accident.

  Jaime gulped. Her heart raced as she realized that he was British. His accent was quite strong and deep and so very lovely. Her first thought was that he was a homeless person wanting a handout. “I don't . . . I don't have much money,” she sputtered, hoping he would be discouraged and leave without incident.

  Evan shook his head, his exhaustion making him appear a tad inebriated, although he knew he hadn't touched a drop of alcohol for quite some time now. “No, I don't need money from you,” he replied as he noticed how she shivered at the mere sound of his accent.

  He decided to play it up even more. He had been born and raised in London, England, and had only lived in the States for about four of his twenty-six years, so his accent was still very strong. However, he was well aware of American girls' affinity for British boys and their accents, so it was a common pick up trick he employed when he met a woman that he fancied, to lay it on even thicker in hopes of scoring.

  “I'm rather well off, you see, but I did have a bit of an accident. The sort of assistance I need from you is some form of transportation.”

  Jaime was totally thunderstruck. She sat there enveloped in silence as she tried to formulate what she wanted to say to him.

  He smiled broadly as he witnessed her reaction. “All right, then, Luv. Do you happen to have a car?”

  She seemed to have no control over her motor skills, then and there. Normally, she wouldn’t have told a complete stranger, “Yes, I have a car,” but this totally charming and compelling British stranger had caught her by surprise and she found herself nodding in the affirmative.

  Despite the fact that he looked a mess with a bloody gash across his forehead, torn clothes, and very dir
ty and messy long brown hair, she said, “Yes!”

  “Oh, that's lovely!” He smiled and nodded. “Do you suppose you could drive me somewhere?”

  Drive him somewhere? she thought as she grabbed a hold of her senses. What are you nuts? Don't say yes. Don't say yes! “Um . . . I don't . . .” she replied at last.

  “Well, of course,” he said, understanding. “I'm a complete stranger to you. Sorry. That sounded horrid, didn't it? How about if I offer to buy your car from you, then?”

  The first thing that crossed her mind was, It's Daddy's car! She couldn't let it go, not for all the money in the world. “I'm sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “I can't help you. Sorry.”

  “What sort of car is it?” he asked, feeling hungrier and weaker as the minutes passed by.

  “Acura,” she answered, immediately wishing she hadn't. Her heart leapt into her throat when she saw him gaze out the window as if he were looking for the car. It wasn’t hard to miss as it was sitting right there, plain as day.

  “That blue one there?” he asked and pointed to it.

  Jaime gasped again. “Please, don't steal it!” she cried out.

  Evan's eyes widened. “No, I didn't plan on stealing it. I’m paying you, remember?” He became a tad contemplative and then replied, “They're worth about thirty thousand dollars, I think.”

  He reached into the inside pocket of the fine black leather jacket he was wearing. Jaime's heart raced. She was unsure as to what to expect of him as he pulled a black wallet out of his jacket pocket. When he opened it, she could see that he really didn't need money from her. There was a huge wad of cash stowed within it.

  “I can pay you about twenty thousand now,” he said. “When I get home, I can give you fifty thousand more in cash. How's that sound?”

  Seventy thousand dollars for a five-year-old car? Jaime's eyes were wide with surprise. Yet, the more he talked, the harder it became for her to believe him.

  “How on earth would you get the rest of the money to me, then?” Jaime asked boldly, yet still very softly. “I would never in a million years give you my address.”

  “Well, yeah. That is a problem.”

  Evan shrugged. He didn't really want to waste any more time. He suddenly realized he could go round and round with her fruitlessly, but at the same time, he didn't want to try again with someone else. He felt a sudden desperation and knew that she would have to do, whether she liked it or not. He had no other choice but to take the only course of action that was now allotted to him.

  “I guess if you won't take the money now . . .” Before finishing his sentence, he slowly drew his jacket back to expose the gun tucked under his arm. “You'll have to come with me to get it.”

  Jaime gasped with horror. He was kidnapping her! All her fears about him were now very, very real!

  “Come on, Luv. Let's go now,” he whispered, looking around to make sure that no one else was watching them.

  To Jaime's dismay, there was absolutely no one taking note of her abduction. She had no choice but to do as he asked of her. He was standing now, reaching out for her. When she didn't move because of her fear, he grasped her arm tightly, making sure that she could see his other hand pressing on the spot where the gun was hidden. She let him pull her out of the booth.

  Outside, they stood beside the car, both of them looking about. Evan hoped that no one would notice anything unusual, while Jaime was praying that someone would. Unfortunately, the street seemed to be deserted.

  “Open the door,” he said in a forceful whisper. “Then give me the key and climb into the passenger seat.”

  She did as he’d asked. He grabbed her backpack before she climbed in. She yelped with surprise, thinking that he was taking her treasures from her as well, but he threw it into the backseat instead as he hopped into the driver's side.

  “Don't try to jump out or do anything foolish, okay?” he told her as he revved the engine.

  Jaime didn't answer. She couldn't find it within herself to do so and could only tremble with uncontrollable fear.

  ***

  As Evan drove down the slightly busy city street, he gazed at her once in a while. He really hated the fact that he was terrorizing her as he knew he really wasn't a bad person. He hadn't wanted to get to this point of desperation, but he really needed the car. She was just the first innocent victim he’d come across. He would make it up to her. For now, he knew he would have to be coercive in order to keep her in line.

  He soon began to get hints as to what city he was in as he drove along. The city of Philadelphia spread out before him. It made him sigh with annoyance as it was such a long way from Malibu, California. He gazed over at the girl again. She was quiet, leaning her head morosely upon the window as she stared out of it. She was obviously trying very hard not to make eye contact with him. He felt sorry for her once again and decided to try and ease her fears just a little bit.

  “By the way,” he began gently. “My name's Evan. What's yours, Luv?”

  She didn't answer. A deep sigh escaped her instead.

  “Am I gonna have to just call you Luv all the time, then?” he teased affectionately. “I wouldn't mind at all, but since I told you my name, you have me at a disadvantage.”

  When no response came, he laughed a little. “Are you gonna make me guess, is that it?”

  “Why do you need to know?” she spouted testily and looked at him at that given moment.

  Evan stared back at her. “Cuz it's usually what people do when they first meet. They exchange names. Wouldn't you agree?”

  “Most people don't meet under these circumstances,” she mumbled.

  “True, but if you tell me your name, I'll tell you a secret.”

  “Please, don't. I don't want to know anything about you.”

  “It's about why I chose you.”

  She looked at him with immediate affront. He managed a very sexy grin.

  Jaime's heart leapt. “Oh my God! You're going to rape me, aren't you?” she gasped.

  “Well, I actually wasn't thinking about that at all,” Evan laughed. “But if you'd like . . .”

  “Please don't hurt me!” she interrupted with a squeal.

  “I wasn't planning on hurting you.”

  “But you threatened me with your gun!”

  “So that you'd come with me.”

  “I don't understand. Why can't you just take my car and let me go?” Jaime had finally found her voice, almost to Evan's chagrin.

  “I will let you go,” Evan continued, his voice gentle. “Soon.”

  “Why not now?”

  “I can't. Not yet. Not until I'm far enough away from here.”

  “Then what will happen to me?”

  “I'll take care of you,” he answered sincerely, not realizing that his words were perceived much more ominously than he had intended them to be.

  “Take care of me?” she squealed.

  “Jesus!” Evan finally lost his temper with her. “Just shut the fuck up now, okay?”

  Jaime let out a horrified gasp at his profanity laced outburst. She clamped up then, the wheels spinning inside her head. He was easily annoyed. Maybe she could use that as a weapon against him. It might backfire on her, but then again, she was desperate.

  “I need to get some food,” Evan said after several minutes of tense silence between them. “I'm gonna use a drive-thru so you won't find a way to escape, but don't you dare alert them about anything.”

  “My name is Elizabeth,” she said in a sudden lie.

  He looked at her with confusion. “No, it's not.”

  “Of course, it is! How dare you say that to me?”

  “And I'm the king of England,” he laughed. He wondered if reverse psychology would work on her. It wouldn’t hurt to try, he surmised, and promptly found that it did. “Listen, you don't have to tell me your real name. I don't give a shit anymore.”

  Jaime sighed deeply. “If you must know, it's Jaime.”

  He pulled into the parking l
ot of a Burger King and smiled at her. The sweetness of that smile momentarily took her breath away. “Would you like anything then, Jaime?”

  “Why do you believe me now?” she whispered with confusion.

  “I'm good,” he replied as a matter-of-factly. “Don't ever lie to me again. I'll know.”

  CHAPTER 4

  As the afternoon sun began to sink low on the horizon, Evan began to have a troublesome time staying awake long enough to drive. He felt himself nod off every so often, only to jerk awake again. Shaking his head to rid himself of the fatigue, he continued on, gazing at Jaime, every now and then.

  To make matters worse, he saw that she had fallen into a light sleep, pressed against the window as she sat beside him. He knew he had to get some rest very soon, but how could he do it and secure her at the same time? He had a sudden epiphany, but knew that he would need to stop at a store in order to achieve an end to his own means.

  The setting sun crept across the back country roads as he headed west through Pennsylvania. It wasn’t long until Evan pulled into a convenience store for the purpose of filling the Acura’s tank and buying a few supplies. He pumped the gas first. Luckily, Jaime was still dozing as he did so, but he didn't trust her to still be there if he went into the store. Once he was done with the gas, he hurried toward her side of the car and yanked the door open, jolting her awake.

  She looked dazed and disoriented, at first; temporarily forgetting about the situation she was in while she napped. It all came back to her as she saw Evan standing above her, his hand extended toward her. When she didn't move, he bent down and tightly grasped her upper arm.

  “Come into the store with me,” he demanded softly. “And don't say a word once we’re inside!”

  Once out of the car, Jaime noticed as he let go of her upper arm and clasped her hand very tightly. It actually felt good to her, feeling her hand in his. She had often daydreamed of such a thing, except in her mind it was with a boy at school that she had a crush on and the two of them were walking hand in hand. It was a favorite fantasy of hers, although she never fantasized about anything more than that.