Skin Hungry by Erin Mallon

Author:Erin Mallon [Mallon, Erin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B08M49VH3N
Published: 2020-11-30T00:00:00+00:00

Scene Eight

The Scrabble board is fuller now.

Rowan: M-E-T-A. Meta.

Ruth: …Meta.

Rowan: Yeah, meta. Like this is so “meta.”

Ruth: I don’t think that is a word.

Rowan: Oh it is.

Ruth: It’s an abbreviation.

Rowan: For…?

Ruth: Meta… I don’t know. Meta…

Rowan: I’ll look it up.

He whips out his phone. Ruth starts rearranging her tiles, frantically, excitedly.

Ruth: Wait, wait. I’m not officially challenging you. You only look something up when your opponent is officially challenging you. I’m not willing to lose a turn over this.

Rowan: No one is losing a turn over- Oh see? Look. Merriam says it’s a word.

Ruth: Well in that case….Ooooh! Ha ha ha! Oooooooh. Heeeeeeeee-yah!

Rowan: What are you-?

Ruth: Wait til you see what I’m going to do, sucka!

Rowan: (Reaching to move his tiles)

Oh man, should I not? Am I opening up space for your brilliance?

Ruth: DON’T YOU DARE MOVE THOSE TILES YOU SONOFABITCH!!! (quick beat) Sorry. I love board games.

Rowan: Never apologize for your passion.

Ruth: Never take credit for my brilliance.

Rowan: Wouldn’t dream of it.

Ruth starts laying down her tiles.

Ruth: (absolutely giddy)

Alright. Now watch me destroy you. I am adding “tarsals” to your “meta”… making “metatarsals”, thank you very much, which lands me on a triple word score, giving me (counting) 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 times 3 equals 39… and I’ve also now connected myself to “quip” to create “quips,” another triple word score, thank you very much, giving me (counting) 10, 11, 12, 15, 16 times three equals 48… aaaaaaaand you may have noticed that I used all seven of my tiles, which is a 50 point bonus, giving me a delicious grand total of… 137 points for this most magnificent turn.

Silence.

Rowan: You’re a force.

Ruth: (beaming)

Thank you.

Rowan: Ever played… dirty scrabble?

Ruth: No. Um. How do you play?

Rowan: No clue. I’m making it up right this second to celebrate the amazingness that is you.

He closes his eyes and places his fingers on his temples in concentration.

Ruth: Rowan, I don’t think-

Rowan: Here are the rules!! Any time a player spells a body part on the board, the other player gotsta touch it. So… you be getting a foot massage, woman. Slap those tarsals here.

He holds out his hand.

Ruth: You’re going to rub my-?

Rowan: You better believe I am. Put ‘em here.

Ruth: Should I take off my socks?

Rowan: You bet. I want those tootsies in the buff.

Ruth: Ok uh… ok.

She takes her socks off.

Rowan: There she goes.

Ruth: Just put it…?

Rowan: In my hand, yeah.

She places her foot in his palm.

Ruth: (startled)

Oh my god!

Rowan: Did you come? Did I make you come?!

Ruth: No, of course not! That was just… a lot. Can we dial it down a bit?

Rowan: Sure, yeah. I can do that. (quick beat) You would tell me if I did though, right? If I made you…

Ruth: Sure. Yes. I would tell you.

Rowan: Cool, yeah. A guy likes to know those things. That better now, what I’m doing?

Ruth: Yes, that’s… that’s really nice actually.

Rowan: Good. Good.

It’s silent for a bit as Rowan rubs and Ruth enjoys.

Have

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