How To Play the Player (COMPLETED)

You Don't Know Me

The mental preparation it took to even get ready for Liam's party had me drained before I ever slid into my sweatshirt. My conversation with Liam the other night still sat heavy in the forefront of my thoughts, and it was kicking every other one that tried to occupy my mind to the curb.

There was a large part of me that knew I should break up with Jay. Not just because I had just been a pawn for him, but because since we'd met I hadn't felt any real connection. I believed I was in love with Jason McDermott for years, admiring from afar. But once I had him, the very thought of being in love with him seemed downright weird. He was a decent enough guy, but he was everything that I had thought Liam was. Arrogant, self-absorbed, very narcissistic, but unfortunately for Jay, that actually was who he was. There was no façade, no false assumptions; he wore his huge ego proudly. I was just terrified of what would come with breaking up with him. I had never liked being the center of attention, and something told me that Nicola would have a field day with me if I were to drop Jason.

"Where are you headed?" Mom peeked her head into my room with a small smile.

It had only been three days since Dad had moved out, but she had become a different person. She was home more; she'd only worked three eight-hour shifts since Tuesday. There were no more swing shifts, or overnights, she was here when I walked in every night and before I left for school every morning. She was smiling; even her hair was out of it's usual tight bun. She wasn't so uptight, my mother was finally happy.

"Liam Scott is throwing a party tonight." I decided it'd be best not to lie. "The twins are going and the boys won this evening, so I'm being forced to tag along since I'm one of the players girlfriend's and all."

"Mmm, which one are you dating again?" My mom questioned, tapping her fingers along my doorframe.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out what she was getting at. My mother had the memory of an elephant, she didn't forget things. "Jason McDermott. I'm going to be honest with you though, Mom, I don't know what position he plays."

"I wonder if Liam Scott has anything to do with that." She touched her index finger to her chin with a smirk.

Was my mother taunting me?

"Definitely not. Only two positions I know in football are Quarterback and Linebacker and that's Liam and Andy, everyone else are just the offense and defense."

She laughed. "I understand that, trust me. I dated my fair share of players in high school. All their boy talk went right over my head."

"Exactly!" I joined her in the doorway, squeezing her hand. "How are you doing, Mom? Are you okay?"

She smiled then, in a way that made her eyes and nose crinkle. It'd been a long time since I'd seen it. "I'm doing okay, sweetie. I know with the holidays coming up it's going to be rough on us, but we've been through worse. I don't want to keep you here, though. Just be careful tonight and be safe. I know what it's like being a teenager at a party."

"Your forget Bryan is going to be there." I responded with a grin. "He's like a forty year old man in a seventeen year old boy's body, Mom."

"That he is." She agreed. "But I'm glad you have him. He's a good kid and loves you so so much."

A chuckle sounded from the foot of the stairs. "That I do."

My mom flashed Bryan a smile and squeezed his cheek on her way passed him once she reached the bottom step. I shut my bedroom door and jogged down to meet him, but his eyes were scanning the room. "It feels different without him here. So much more. . . peaceful and serene I guess."