The Game of Love

The Game of Love Chapter 10

Sarah:

 

Later that day, Seth dropped by my house, schoolwork in hand. “I heard you were taken home early,” he said. I nodded, but when he added, “With Leon,” I bit my lip. Seth raised a brow. “He caused it, and he just took you home because he felt guilty, is that it?” Slowly, I nodded my head. “Well it looks like I’m going to have to kick his ass today.”

“Don’t,” I interrupted. He looked at me with a surprised expression.

“What do you mean ‘don’t’?” Seth asked.

I scratched the back of my head, stalling for an answer. “Leon took care of me…” I mumbled.

“He did, did he? And do you forgive him?” I shook my head. “So what, you thanked him for taking care of you?” I nodded. “And what do you expect me to do?”

I shrug. “Just…don’t try to kill him today.”

Seth folded his arms then avoided the Leon subject, saying, “You know tomorrow I’m going to drop you off to school, right?” I nodded. Settling on the couch in the living room, he asks, “Can I stay here for a bit?”

“Sure, I don’t see why not,” I said in reply, taking him to the kitchen to make us some s’mores.

Burning the marshmallows on the fire of the gas stove, we waited until the outside was blackened. Right after, we put it on the graham cracker and chocolate; covered it in another graham cracker so it’s like a sandwich and voila, we’ve got s’mores. Munching on them, we ended up talking about everyone’s day. It turns out that Leanne is now going out with Jack Lindon, her high school crush since sophomore year—it’s about freaking time they took the next step. As for Sophia, she was a little worried over me and Leon, but jealous when it has been theorized that Leon was taking care of me.

Lastly for Seth, the girl who’s been obsessing over him since seventh grade, Ali Winston, asked him out. Of course, he rejected her in the nicest possible way, telling her that he prefers someone else. Though I asked who, he wouldn’t say. Some of the details made us laugh and when I was finished with my s’more, Seth said to me, “You know you’ve got some chocolate.”

“Huh? Where?” asked I with hands reaching for, my face. However, he outstretched his hand, wiping the chocolate off the corner of my lips. Amused with my stunned expression, he smiled. “You know, I could’ve wiped it off myself if you told me.”

“It’s more entertaining this way,” he said. “You’re reactions are…really cute.”

Somehow his statement made me flush, causing him to laugh. “I have never heard you say things like that before,” I muttered, still a little flustered. That was when he kissed me softly on the forehead. I looked up at him, still muddled up. “That’s the second time you’ve ever done that to me.”

Seth ruffled my hair, a usual sensation I’m used to, calming my nerves. “Sorry,” he said apologetically. “Tell me,” he began, “who’s better at this, Leon or me?”

A bewildered expression, I asked, “What does that mean?”

However, he shook his head, pulling me into a hug as he said in a hushed tone, “Someday, Sarah…for now I’ll take it slow… But when you realize it, at least consider me.” I was still confused even after he quickly left the house.

* * * *

With a week passing by, tomorrow being Thanksgiving, I have to wonder why Leon hasn’t done anything yet. Seriously, I had expected him to push me against the lockers or something since it’s been a week. Honestly, what is going on in that head of his?

Since Seth’s absent for the day, I had to brace myself for Physics and PE without him. But as I’ve stated before, he hasn’t done anything, thank God! Even during PE when we were assigned partners for our volleyball lesson—and I was paired with Leon—he didn’t do anything. He was just quiet and trying not to do anything.

As we’re practicing volleys, he finally asks, “So where’s Seth?”

“He’s sick with a cold,” I replied simply.

His grey-eyed gaze practically piercing through me, he asked, “Are you going to visit him?”

I nodded. “Of course I’m going to visit Seth! Why wouldn’t I?”

As he caught the ball, he held it under his arm and asked, “So what do you think of Seth?”

I sighed. “Why are you asking this kind of thing?” I wanted to leave this conversation, but that stern gaze wouldn’t waver. “He’s a real close friend of mine and I love him.”

Leon tensed up as he asked, “You love him?”

“Yeah, of course I love him. Seth’s like a brother to me—someone I can always confide with.” He nodded, still not bothering to pass the ball.

“What about Damien?” I froze, now remembering him with his features still engraved in my memory. Noticing my reaction he asks, “Do you love my brother?”

“No,” I said too abruptly. Damn, I cursed.

“I can’t believe you,” he muttered, disgusted. Just when Ms. Harris blows her whistle, Leon takes me by the hand. “Can I ask you something?”

Judging by the way this was going, I knew this wasn’t going to turn out very well. “Uh…” I began hesitantly. When I notice everyone in the gym dispersing, I release my hand from his grip, not bothering to listen to what he has to say.

By Physics, he sat next to me, which was somewhat a nightmare even though he isn’t doing anything. Whenever we took notes, read our textbooks, and did our worksheets, he’d never stop glancing my way. Normally I’d get irritated, but I wasn’t going to let him have that satisfaction. It was when he placed his hand over mine that really set me off track. “Are you trying to get in my head?” I whispered, trying not to sound annoyed. However, I could tell that he knew; his smirked said it all. “Please let go of my hand.” As expected, his grip only tightened.

This lead to most people in my class to stare at us, and I knew exactly what Leon was trying to do. “Leon,” I began, fury rising inside me, “you’re making people misunderstand!”

However, he only shook his head, saying in response, “Oh…it’s no misunderstanding…”

“And just what is that supposed to mean?” I asked.

Like some crummy romantic guy, he brought my hand up to his lips and kissed it—Mr. Daven not paying any heed to this—and said the creepiest and most shocking thing I’ve ever heard:

“From now on, you’re my girlfriend…”