How To Play the Player (COMPLETED)

Somewhere You Aren't

"You'll get used to the attention." Jay leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Plus, it won't last long. Once people get over the newness of it, they move on to the next thing."

His words weren't all that comforting. I'd been in the school for less than a half hour and every pair of eyes had fallen on me at least once, whispers following it. I hadn't cared when I was with Liam; I knew they talked, but it wasn't like we were dating, it was because I was trying to help make him a better person. With Jay, we were actually a couple, so I was letting their words affect me.

Every bit of anxiety drained from me the moment my eyes fell on Liam and Bryan in front of my locker. No fighting. No arguing. No threats. They looked to be having a genuine conversation that had both of them in a really cheery mood this morning.

I squirmed out from under Jay's arm and approached with a dramatic gasp and hand over my heart. "Did hell freeze over?"

Both boys chuckled at the comment, but Liam was who answered, "How quickly you forget what the next play is, Reese."

I frowned, "Yeah, I know what it is. But of all the people in this school, why Bryan?"

To my surprise, it was my best friend that responded this time. "Because we couldn't stand each other. What a better way for him to ace this play than to make amends and befriend the someone he so strongly dislikes?"

*

Everyone tried so hard to ignore the tension at the table, but it sat in the air so harshly that I could have taken a knife a sliced through it. I wasn't sure who it was coming from, it could have been me even, but it was making me anxious. Shay and Bri had sat chattering about makeup and TV and had continuously tried to draw me into the conversation but I zoned right out. I knew it was wrong, I should try and attempt to make myself interested in what they were, but the uncomfortable air had be stirring so much I couldn't even think straight. Though it usually did radiate off my best friend, Bryan was deep in a convo about a new Jordan drop in like six months with Andy, and Jay had started to sneak his way into it. Liam was sitting opposite of me, halfway off the bench as if he were ready to stand and leave. He hadn't said a word to me but the one sentence during our run in this morning.

He must have felt me watching him because he tore his eyes from the Courtyard and looked to me. For a second the entire room around us dissipated into the background, as if it were one of Bryan's photos. They were all a blur behind us and Liam and I were the focus. Then Jay's fingers found mine under the table and he laced his own through them, pulling me back so I was in the cafeteria beside him again.

"We're totally making the playoffs this year." Jay broke the tense silence, then trained his eyes on me. "Liam's throwing a party Friday after the game. You coming?"

The thought made me sick, but when I looked to Bryan he was already looking at me, nodding. A silent reassurance that he'd be going too and I wouldn't be left alone again.

When I turned my head and looked back to Liam, Nicola had snuck up on us at some point in the last couple minutes and sat on his lap. They were flirting quietly, a playful smirk on his face. But it didn't meet his eyes. As I watched the two of them, I couldn't help but question;

Had it ever?

*

Just when I thought the day couldn't get any weirder, Andy caught me outside the school after our last period. "Hey, Reese, hold up."

I immediately stopped and whirled around, worried, "Is Bri okay?"

I had seen her in the hall before fourth period but not since. Andy waved off my question and relief washed over me.