Two Can Play That Game

Chapter 19

Michael

"Michael sweetheart... are you alright?" My mother's soft voice echoes out into my lit up room. I just came straight home, trudged my ass up here and collapsed on my bed.

I figure she's in here because I forgot to turn out the light and haven't gotten up to turn it off since I came from Aaliyah's house.

"I don't think so..." I trail off softly, while staring at the ceiling. It soon gets quiet, but I can hear her footsteps gently ascending further into my room. Her face finally appears above mine and she frowns.

"What's wrong? It's past midnight and you're awake. Did your date not go well? Rebbie and Janet made it seem like it went great, so great that I shouldn't have been expecting you back here tonight." She says with a grimace and I closed my eyes briefly, wishing that tonight didn't have to happen, the way it did. I opened my eyes again and I frown.

"Yeah, no. I messed that up. Like, I really fucked that up. Mother, that girl- Aaliyah, she wasn't my real girlfriend." I mutter sulkily and I feel shock surge through me as she sighs heavily, then disappears from above me.

"I know." She says and I sit up quickly, then scoot over as she sits down next to my legs. Her mouth lifts up into a soft smile.

"Latoya told me everything." She answers my unasked question, then continues.

"But fake girlfriend, you have feelings for? Don't you?" She asked and I blow out the deepest breath of the night as if I've been holding it in.

"Yeah, but tonight I told her that I lost our bet. I cheated on her twice while playing this dumbass game. I knew I should've never done it, but I was catching feelings and it made me nervous, so I felt the need to drown my feelings out with another girl. I swear to god I never actually meant to hurt her. Now I know that 'truth will set you free' shit is a bunch of pointless ass words." I grumble angrily, but mother just giggles.

"Not necessarily. The truth set you free of the guilt probably, but you hurt her and yourself. Didn't you?" She asked. I nod numbly.

Fuck, did I hurt her. I had no idea she liked me like that. Hell, I don't even like me like that.

"Yeah, I did. I haven't felt this bad in a long time. I don't think I can fix it either, she said she wanted me out of her life. She really hates cheaters and I knew that when getting to know her and she told me the story of her and and her ex-boyfriend. Hell, I'm no better than him." I groan, coming into realization. This starts to really anger me as I think about me and him fighting earlier tonight, well technically, yesterday night since it's after midnight already.

What the fuck was the point of me fighting him if we're the exact fucking same? Two idiots cheating on one amazing girl.

"I'm probably worse than him, I willingly cheated on her. I don't think Xavier meant to cheat on her anyways, it doesn't really sound like he did when Aaliyah talked about it recently." I snap back into reality as my mother replies to my self beat down.

"Dear, I'm not gonna say you're better or worse than him, but you know how you can be better than him? You can really fight for her. Obviously, if she hasn't been with him, then he didn't fight. You-"

"I don't fucking know if I want to fight! I don't know what I want! That's why I cheated because I cheated in the game, I was afraid of my feelings for her and didn't want to be the loser left out of love when she blast me at the summer fair." I interrupt her and she frowns.

"Well, what are you afraid of now? You said you didn't know she had feelings like that for you, so you should know now that she is serious about you. Michael, you're better than this and if you really like this girl, then you'll prove it to her." She says softer and I press my lips in hard line before grudgingly answer.