Playing The Game

Playing The Game - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

When Allie left it was dark, so I went up to my room, flopping down on my bed. I had a lot to think about right now.

            Do I really like Mason? I thought I liked Joel. I can’t like both... can I? I don’t know what I think of Joel anymore, though. But those beautiful green eyes...

            I shook my head. Stop it, Rubi! You’re supposed to be mad at him.

            But he was drunk. He probably didn’t realise what he was doing, and if that was the case, then he probably didn’t even remember until he had sobered up and someone had told him.

            Even so, I don’t think I’m ready to forgive him.

            I’m glad that Mason came over. It really helps, knowing that he cares about me. I wonder how he found out where I lived. He probably just looked it up in the phone book. But, then again, there’s probably loads of ‘Denton’s’ in the phone book. Maybe he asked someone. I mean, he knows people, he might know someone who knows where my mum lives. She is famous after all. I’m sure if they looked in the right places, anyone would be able to find out where she lived. That’s actually kind of creepy.

            Also, what the hell was I gonna tell her?! I probably wouldn’t have to tell her anything, but eventually she’d want to know why I wasn’t hanging out with Joel. I guess I’ll have to keep to myself until she says something.

            God, this is all so confusing! Everything was perfect. Why did Joel have to go and stuff everything up? Stupid drunk idiot!

            I groaned loudly and buried my face in my pillow. I’m not sure how long I laid there for, but eventually I fell asleep.

            My alarm woke me the next morning, and I suddenly remembered that I had school. I rushed to get ready, wanting to leave before my mum woke up.

            Stepping outside into the cool morning air, I turned and locked the door before starting my walk to school. Even though I have a car, I prefer to walk to school every morning. I love walking, and it’s so much healthier than driving.

            I arrived at school much earlier than I normally would, so Allie wasn’t at school. I didn’t feel like talking to any of my other friends, so I went and sat on a bench near the football oval and took a book out of my bag and started reading. After about 20 minutes a shadow fell over me. I looked up with a smile, ready to greet Allie, but it wasn’t her. It was Branden. My smile faltered a bit, but I tried not to completely frown.

            “Hi, Branden. What’s up?” I said. I widened my smile, trying to be friendly. I knew I had hurt him the last time I’d seen him. He hadn’t talked to me at all since then, so I wondered what he wanted now.

            “You don’t have to pretend to be nice to me. I know you still hate me,” he spat. “I just want to know to what the hell this is!”

            He threw something on the bench next to me. I looked down at it. It was the same magazine that had tipped Allie off about me meeting the guys; open to the same page with the same picture.

            “That’s um...” I didn’t particularly want to say his name right now—I’d kind of forgotten about everything that had happened with him while I was reading my book—but I forced the words out. “Joel E-Evans.” I looked away from Branden and stared at the ground.

            “I know who he is,” he said angrily. “I wanna know what the hell you were doing with him!”

            “I wasn’t doing anything with him. We were dancing, that’s all,” I replied meekly.