How To Play the Player (COMPLETED)

Raise Your Glass

The boys won the championship title just before Christmas. Winter beak flew and by the time we stepped through the front doors after the new year, Prom and the win were fresh in the air. With only a couple months until the big day, all the girls were crowded around the flyers of the theme that had been strung up sometime during our break. I'd been crashing at the Waters for a little over two weeks, so my late nights with Liam had become close to nonexistent, though we had still texted and hung out a couple times do to our friends being in a relationship. It seemed to be a common ship between us, Liam and I, to not talk about the fact that we were in love with each other. It was like after that night in the back of his truck, we went back to pretending it never happened.

Being back at school and having to face one another every day, I couldn't help but wonder how long we were going to keep the act up. I knew eventually we'd have to come to terms with our feelings and figure out where to go from here.

It wasn't until the first bell rang that I was forced to speak to anyone outside of Bryan. I had been trying to keep my head down and accidently ran into Jay as he was curving the corner from another hallway. He immediately helped me to my feet, and for a second held my hand in his own. "Shit, sorry, Reese. I should pay more attention."

"It's fine." I whispered, a little shook by the sincerity in his voice. Before break he was sending daggers through me, at least he had until I congratulated him on the win as he headed for the parking lot after the game. Maybe it had eased some of the tension.

Just as I made the move to continue on down the hall, Jay grasped my forearm and leaned in so his lips were inches from my ear. "Watch your back around Nic. I know you think I don't care about you, that it was all to piss off Liam, but I did really like you, Reese. I also know that she has something planned. Please watch your back."

Then he was gone before I could get a coherent answer out. I felt someone come up behind me, and could tell just by the strong scent of his cologne that it was Liam. "What the hell was that about? You good?"

I began to continue down the hall, throwing him a forced smile over my shoulder. "Yeah, Liam, I'm fine."

***

I nearly tripped over my own foot and face planted into the dirt at the sight of Nicola flipping through my Playbook on the bleachers. I diverted from the path and shot across the grass and snatched the book from her within seconds. She didn't seem phased, but instead, crossed one of her long legs over the other and stared down at her nails.

"Some many interesting things in that backpack of yours, Reese."

"What the hell do you want, Nic?" I snapped, shoving my Playbook back into my bag and zipping it. "Can't you go be a bitch somewhere else?"

She sneered at my comment. "I loved Liam when he was nothing and he pushed me aside like I was trash. In reality, it's you that's the trash, Reese. Just a sad, depressed little girl. He doesn't need that, you know. To be surrounded by negativity when he's already broken."

I bit my tongue, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of knowing her words were getting to me.

"You can throw your own pity party on your own, maybe invite Jay, but if you keep dragging Liam into your little world, you're going to suffocate him. He doesn't need your bullshit, Reese. He needs someone that's happy, that can bring him up instead of digging him deeper."

She stood, a sad smile playing on her lips. "If you don't want to end up like Mommy and Daddy, I suggest you stay in your own little lane and give Liam the chance to live a happy life."

*

As much as I promised they wouldn't, Nicola's words crept beneath my skin and continued to pick at me the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. Her words hurt because they were true. I knew she was trying to get to me so she could have Liam to herself, or at least try to shoot her shot with him. But the truthfulness in her words hung over my head like a dark storm cloud, not allowing any light in, even hours after I'd been rid of the little pest she was. Unfortunately her words worked me up enough that when Liam texted me a little after six I had him come over so I could end all of this in person.

"What?" Liam said the second he saw me outside of Bryan's house. "Don't give me that look, Reese."

"We can't keep doing this, Liam." I could hear the waver in my voice. "You deserve to be happy, to not have to worry about when I'm going to breakdown again when you have your own emotions to keep at bay, to worry about."

"Stop." He reached out to touch my hand but I dodged the touch. "You're not going to do this shit, Reese. That's not fair."

I squeezed my eyes shut. "Life isn't fair, Liam."

"You told me at my party a couple months ago that I didn't get to just walk into your life and leave because I can't face my own demons. But you can?"

"I'm trying to protect you!" I huffed, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "I'm a mess, Liam. I'm still grieving too. I dragged Bryan and Brianna through hell with me after my sister died, I can't do that to you, Liam."

He stared hard at me, then whispered, "Is this because of whatever is going on between us? We can go back to being friends, Reese. I don't care, but you aren't going to just walk out on this."

"You've only got a couple Plays left. Then your done. You're a changed man." I wiped at my wet cheeks. "It's best if you stay with your crowd and I stay with mine."

Liam closed the distance between us and took my face between his hands. "You don't get to make that decision, Reese."

"But don't I?" I choked. "The Playbook was my idea, I finished the English Project, and you only have two plays left regardless. Everything is done. Including whatever the hell is going on with us."

Liam's eyes roamed mine for a minute, as if he were expecting me to suddenly waver from my decision, then he slowly lowered his hands to his sides and backed away. Everything in me wanted to beg him to stay, to not listen to the nonsense that left my mouth, but I couldn't get a word out. Nicola had been right, this was for the best. Liam needed someone that would make him happy, not have him looking over his shoulder to ensure I didn't fall apart every five seconds. He'd be stuck in this continuous loop of depression until he broke free of me and I couldn't hold him back from his future, from his dreams, because I wasn't sure where I was going to go from this point.

"Reese." Liam's voice was so quiet that I almost didn't hear him say my name. I lifted my head and met his now guarded blue eyes. "Thank you for everything that you've done for me, all that you've showed me. If this is what you want, then I'm not going to fight you on it. But know that you are the only person in this shitty world that does make me happy, that makes me smile when I feel like my world is caving in. I love you, Reese Taylor, and not even you pushing me away is going to change that."

I reached up and brought my hand to my mouth as I watched him into his truck and drive off. An agonized sob escaped me as I clutched at my stomach, my entire body trembling as I fought the urge to chase after him. Silent tears escaped me as I forced myself back up the steps and into the house. I bowed my head passing Brianna and her parents in the kitchen, knowing without a doubt they'd all try and comfort me. The second I walked into Bryan's room, he shut his laptop and stood, looking as if he were trying to decide whether to be pissed or worried.

"Re, hey, what happened?" he didn't hesitate to hug me, but even his familiar embrace didn't comfort me. "What did he do? Do I need to kill him?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. Can we not talk about him, Bry? You were right. I let myself get too attached."

I could tell by the look in Bryan's eyes that he wanted to pry more out of me, to get a better explanation about what happened, but he just nodded and pulled me back against him, rubbing my back comfortingly.

"Yeah, Re, of course." He eventually answered. "Whatever you want."