The Game of Love

The Game of Love Chapter 4

Sarah:

 

Just as I’m leaving the halls and walking to my car, I wasn’t surprised to find Leon following me. What. A. Stalker. I pull out my iPod and turn up the music, listening to Dear Agony by Breaking Benjamin. Oh yes…dear agony indeed, if you get what I’m saying. Closing the doors of my jeep, Leon stands there right outside. As much as I want to keep ignoring him, nothing would work, so I turned to him, pulled out one of my ear buds, and asked, “What is it now, Leon?”

Twisting his lips, he scratches the back of his head as he replied, “I need a ride home.”

You’ve got to be kidding me. Sighing, I start the engine. I nearly smiled when he started freaking out about being left behind. Looking back at him, I asked, “Don’t you have a car? You are a senior.”

“Hey,” he began, getting slightly annoyed. “For your information, my parents drove me here.”

I stifled a laugh as I asked, “Why?”

Leon glared at me, noticing the widening smile on my face as a restrained my laughter. I know it’s cruel and rude, but you know what, payback. Arms folded, he answered crossly, “I’m still grounded, so I can’t drive my car yet.”

“Then why don’t you just wait for you parents to pick you up?” I asked.

“They said I should just hitch a ride or something. Besides, they’re out at work,” he replied.

“Hmm…” I began, trying to come up with questions so that it’d make him think twice about me carpooling. “Why can’t you just ride with someone else? Like, oh I don’t know, Laurie?”

Leon laughed like what I said was a joke. “Funny, Sarah, very funny. Sorry, but those people…they get on my nerves.”

Wow, who knew I would agree with him on anything. “Tell me about it,” I huffed. “So why are you grounded?” Honestly, I couldn’t believe I was doing this. Actually talking and having a conversation with the number one person I hate just seemed so unheard of. But it doesn’t hurt to get some information out of him, now does it?

Head hung slightly low, and he smirked, “They still haven’t let me off the hook for what happened eight years ago.”

Seriously…that’s some harsh penalty. But he still kind of deserves it. Even so, grounded for eight years, I never knew. I asked “How much longer?”

“Until you find it in your heart to forgive me,” he replied, grey eyes meeting mine, smile forming on his lips. I rolled my eyes. I will never forgive him. That’s when I started backing out. “Wait!” he called out. My attention back on him, he pleads, “Please? Can I? I need a ride!”

Twisting my lips, I think it over for another moment, and then I unlocked the door, muttering gravely, “Get in.” A smile flashed as he eagerly situated himself in my car. Yeah…he’s different all right. Different as in creepy, I mean seriously.

On the road, halfway to his house, with Leon navigating me, he turns to me asking, “What are you listening to?” When he pulled one of my ear buds to his ear, he nodded his head in approval. “Three Days Grace, you have awesome taste in music, and what song is this again?”

“Home,” I replied.

“Who knew you liked rock.”

I sighed in slight annoyance as I turned to him. “What, did you expect me to be some Justin Beiber fan or something?” I gagged as I said his name.

He laughed. “Oh, not at all,” he responded, “I meant something like Katy Perry.”

I shrugged. “I don’t listen to her, but she’s…okay…I guess…”

The song shifting to Ignorance by Paramore, he asked, “You like Paramore, too?”

“Yeah,” I replied, “as well as Breaking Benjamin, RED, Panic! At the Disco, Evanescence, System of a Down, Flyleaf, Seether, Skillet, Disturbed”—

“I get it,” he interrupted, nearly laughing. Never have I ever seen him laugh at me without it meaning to be in a contemptuous way. “Awesome, I like those bands, too.” I nodded, smiling slightly. I never knew that we had the same taste in music…

After that conversation, it fell silent. Parking in front of his house, he didn’t budge out of his seat. “Well, aren’t you going to go?” asked I, insisting that he should leave. So what if we got along for that short moment, I know that eventually he’s going to return to that jerk the next day.

Suddenly, he leaned towards me, and I was falling back in my seat. “Dude, what the hell!” exclaimed I, startled. Again his face was close to mine again, and I swear, Leon just won’t stop, will he? That’s when I notice his hand snaking under my shirt. Immediately I kicked him off me. “Ugh, pervert! Get the hell off of me!”

Leon’s hand finally out from under my shirt, he asked, “Can’t you give me a chance?”

“Never,” I replied coldly and abruptly. “If you ask why, then I’ll tell you. I will never forgive you for what you did. I will always hate you! Why are you so persistent?!”

His face even closer, his lips nearly brushed mine, causing this huge panic inside me. Just when I thought he was going to kiss me, he pulled away, much to my relief. I noticed the flood of disappointment all over Leon’s face as he left my car, walking to the front door and into the house.

Leon:

 

We were so close. I was so close to losing myself. Right then I wanted to kiss her fully on the lips, not wanting to retreat, but I knew that she still hates me and still won’t forgive me. And unless you didn’t know, I want her; I love her.

When I turned back, she wasn’t there anymore. Our first conversation was like we connected for once. I thought she was finally seeing me differently. She probably is, but still hates me. Dropping my bag onto the floor of my bedroom, I flopped on my bed, not able to stop thinking about Sarah…Sarah Winrey…

I still vow that I will have her fall for me. But I know it’ll be complicated since I had slim my chances ever since I ruined her childhood. Well, I didn’t know how to approach or act towards her, so I ended up being reckless.

* * * *

By morning, I was surprised to see Sarah at my front porch. “Hey,” she said in a dull manner. “Don’t get any ideas, but I figured that since you’re still grounded, I might as well give you a lift to school and back.” Now that made me smile widely; which she found slightly creepy, judging by her expression. “Well come on.”

I smirked, wanting to admit it as I said, “I lied when I said I was grounded. But it’s true that I needed a lift yesterday.”

Stupid of me to say that right, I know. Still, I love her reactions, how she reacts to every little thing. “I. Can’t. Believe. You,” she said with a sigh. My grin only widened. “Forget it, drive yourself.”

“Hey,” I called out. “You’re already here. If you just leave, you’re wasting gas!”

She heaved a sigh. “Then that would mean I have to drive you back here,” she complained.

“Please?” I begged. “Last time, I promise.” She raised a brow, pursing her lips as she sighed in defeat. Trailing behind her with my bag slung over my shoulder, she muttered under her breath:

“Don’t pull anything weird again, you got that?” I nodded.

“Promise,” I replied with a smile, which she responds to with an eye roll.