Rose 2.51: Workin' it

      My sister and I may talk big, but neither of us are very athletic. We both work out and exercise, but that doesn't mean we play well at sports. This should be interesting if nothing else.

     I surprise myself! I don't know if it's that I got better since being a teenager or if Giselle is really that bad.

     "Donovan, don't gloat," she growls. I laugh.

    She can't get anything past me.

     "You must've gotten better by going to university." She tries not to pout. "You should let me win because I'm your baby sister."

     I block again. "Not a chance," I reply. "Link never went easy on me."
     "But you're both boys!"
     "You say I should go easy on you because you're a girl?" Oh, I can't wait to hear the answer to this one.
     The ball disappears, and I walk up to her, smiling as I watch her try to figure out a good response.

     "Because I'm your sister," she finally says.
     "You imply sisters are different than brothers? So, in essence, I should go easy on you because you're a girl. That is what you said!" I smile.
     "Shut up, Donny," she finally growls and rolls her eyes, giving up the discussion.
     "Maybe you should go to university. Maybe then you'll get better. I have no idea how I got better, honestly."

     "Clifton says--"
     I stop listening after I hear 'Clifton says.' He's holding her back. I catch her say 'plenty of money.' Yeah, but he's not asked you to marry him. Sure, you live there rent free...until he gets tired of you and replaces you, and you can't do a thing back at him because you were never married.
     "Giselle, either marry Clifton or go to university. The degree will help you if you ever have to support yourself."
     "I'll get the degree one day if I have to support myself," she counters. Then, she quickly tells me she has to go.

     I wish I could shake some sense into that sister of mine! She is more stubborn than Mama!
     Sighing, I reach up to rub my eye. Out of the corner of the other one, I spot a long blue dress being worn by a woman with a familiar face. You mean you actually leave the office? It's Karina Wiseman. She's one of the other game designers at work.
    I spin into my everyday wear.

     "Donovan?" she questions like she thinks it might not be me.
     "Karina! How nice to see you not at work. That is a very pretty dress." I very slowly look her up and down, being real obvious I'm doing it. She smiles a knowing smile at me.

     "Nice to see you too, Donovan," she replies with what I think is a smirk
     The Maker wonders if Karina started out as a tattoo artist since she's covered in them. They say that once you get one tattoo, you only want more. I'm finding that is true, at least for me. I got another one on my foot for no reason other than I wanted it. The design has no special meaning; I just liked it. I doubt I'll get another one on my foot because that one hurt much worse than the others.
     Karina is older than me, but that doesn't stop me from thinking she's beautiful. Still...a woman from work? Do I really want to try this? I don't need someone thinking she's going to get more than I'm willing to give.
     My mind recalls Shauna again. I'm finding it does that quite frequently. I guess it is like with the tattoos: once I start, I can't stop. Shauna wanted more than I was willing to give...at the time. It is funny, but right after she dumped me for not wanting to be serious, I wanted something serious.
     "Donovan?" Karina asks. Is she laughing at me?

     I quickly recover. "I'm sorry. I was lost in your beautiful eyes." Blue eyes. That works. She smiles like she knows something I don't.
     "I understand what you're saying when you act surprised to see me not at work. I've been spending way too much time behind my desk." Her eyes slowly travel from the ground and upwards, grazing my chest.
      I told Giselle the ladies like this shirt, and she acted like I didn't know what I was talking about. Ha!
      Her eyes look like they could eat me alive when she says, "Yes, I think I have. Perhaps I can steal you from your desk tomorrow and take you to lunch?"

      I decide having the woman ask me out is a nice change. Yes, I think I CAN do this.

     "That sounds like a delicious idea," I reply with a flirty smile. Perhaps we can get creative with what we eat.
      She smiles. "Good. I'll come and steal you away at lunch tomorrow."

      I'd ask her if she'd like to dance, but she suddenly has somewhere else she needs to be.
      What is it about the park that makes the ladies leave so quickly?!

     Skye comes along and drags me to the hot dog eating contest. I don't know what I'm doing here. I can't stand hot dogs.

     I'm going to win. "I don't know why you brought me over here to beat you. I didn't think you'd want to embarrass yourself in this way."
     "Keep dreaming, Donny," he replies, staring straight ahead.

     I win! Skye tells me that this is further proof that he's not the real him, that the real him is with a beautiful elf maiden in a place called Dragon Valley. I'm starting to worry about my brother.

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Very weird place to end it, I know, but it was getting more lengthy than I'd like.

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