Playing The Game

Playing The Game - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

By the time I’d finished, all three of the boys had their mouths hanging open.

The word ‘WINNER’ flashed on the screen, along with my score: 2 433 182.

“Oh my God,” murmured Mason.

I typed my name in, and then went straight to the high scores. There was my name, above Rhys’. Looking up at Rhys with a triumphant smile on my face, I was actually kind of thrilled that I’d beaten a celebrity—one of my favourite celebrities in fact—at pinball. “See?”

“Uh-huh,” Rhys replied, nodding weakly. Then he frowned. “No fair!”

I smirked. “Suck it up, Princess. Looks like you’ll just have to live with the fact that you got your ass kicked by a girl.”

I turned and noticed a clock on the wall. It was almost 11:00. My mum wouldn’t mind that I was out late, but she’d probably be wondering where I am; I hadn’t left a note or anything.

“Hey guys, I gotta go soon. My mum is probably gonna be worried about me.”

Joel frowned. “Damn. Well come dance some more, then we’ll leave.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

After we danced the guys led me through a different door to the one we’d come in.

“Back door,” Mason explained as we walked to my car. “So we don’t get mobbed by millions of crazed fans.”

“Well I guess it’s a good thing that I didn’t tell Allie where I was going then, huh? She is obsessed with you guys.”

“So you didn’t tell her about Joel?”

I shook my head. “I wanted to, but she would’ve told everyone where I was going, plus she would’ve wanted to come with me, and trust me, you guys do not want Allie Gordon screaming at you. She has the loudest, most high-pitched squeal I’ve ever heard.”

Mason laughed. “I’m glad you didn’t tell her then.”

“Yeah. But I hate lying to her; she’s my best friend. I will tell her soon though. I guess after this it won’t matter if I tell her.” I added sadly. I’d had so much fun tonight, these guys were so cool and easy to talk to, but it was pretty much over now.

“What do you mean?” Mason asked, looking confused.

“Well tonight’s almost over, and I doubt I’ll ever see you guys again.”

He looked surprised now. “Are you kidding? You’re the only girl I’ve ever met that doesn’t drool at the sight of me,” he laughed. “Well I guess that sounds kind of arrogant, but still. There’s no way we wouldn’t want to hang out with you again.”

I smiled. “Really?”

“Totally,” he grinned and his blue eyes gleamed. “You’re so different to other girls that I’ve met.”

He frowned suddenly, and for a second I saw hurt flash through his eyes. He looked at the ground.

“Mason, what’s wrong?” I’d only known him a few hours, but it hurt me to know that that something was bothering him.

He just shook his head. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

I put my hand on his arm. “Please tell me what’s wrong, Mason. I hate seeing you upset,” I pleaded. It felt kind of weird saying this, as I hadn’t known him for that long and I’d never actually seen him upset before this, but it was the truth.

Mason looked up at me, blue eyes sad, and I hated it. I hated that something had made my friend sad.

“I’m just so sick of people using me for my money and fame,” he explained. “I haven’t dated anyone for ages, I don’t even have any really close friends except for these guys,”—he gestured towards the other band members, who were walking a couple of metres in front of us, chatting happily—“and now you—I hope. I guess what I’m saying is that you seem different, and I hope you are different. It’d be nice to be able to talk to someone else about stuff without having to worry that they’re going to run off and tell the media.” He smiled shyly, and I was glad he no longer looked sad, though a bit guarded.