Can The Player PLAY The Player?

Point 19.

A.M

"I'll walk you home."

I fought a shy smile as I dribbled the ball on the concrete, walking side by side with Zaid. "Oh yeah?" I hummed as we left the park after eating cones of ice cream and having a little fun. It was nice to be able to sit back and relax, not think about anything else.

"You know me, I'm a gentleman," Zaid shrugged and I snorted to hide my laughter, pushing him by his shoulder. "Shut the hell up. I can take care of myself, you know? Just because you got lucky and you were blessed with a little more height than me," I pointed to myself, smirking. "I can handle it. Who do you think was the one kicking ass left and right when we were kids?" I raised a brow and he rolled his eyes.

"That's nice and all, but I'm still walking you home, angel eyes," I just sighed with defeat. "Fine, bastard," I growled lowly and I felt him staring at me, so I stopped in my tracks to look at him too. 

I stared into his forest green eyes, seemingly getting lost in them as my mind decided to play a trick and remind me of that mind-blowing kiss that we shared the night of the party. I couldn't forget it, not when it came to my dreams every night. 

I could feel my skin prickling as he gazed back at me, not saying a word as time stood still all around us. I couldn't swallow, for I was afraid to. I did nothing as his hand reached out to touch my wrist, a fleeting caress, warmth floating up to my arm, and radiating through my whole body as the corners of my lips starting to tug upward. 

I let my gaze just slowly traveled down to his lips unconsciously, shivering when his tongue came out to wet his bottom lip, carefully and meticulously. It felt like it was heating up around us, and it was so weird because it was 50 something degrees right now.

"Aaron..." His voice trickled out, the deep baritone washing over my body and settling into my ears and I couldn't stop imagining how his breath would feel against my neck, against my ears. My eyes went back up to his, blinking as I watched him swallow, his Adam's apple gliding against the skin of his throat, and I found myself studying the veins there.

We were pretty much breathing at the same exact rate. In and out, a mantra I had to force myself to follow because I was too lost on him to think for myself. I couldn't stop thinking about how good it felt to have his hands gripping my waist like that. 

I was knocked out of my thoughts and our connected stare crumbled up as soon as we heard a cane tapping against the ground. I turned to see my neighbor, an old woman named Rebecca Jaeger, walking with some flowers in her hand. "Hey, precious babies!" She smiled at us, her eyes crinkling as she walked around us.

"You two stay out of trouble, you hear?" I nodded to the old lady as she smiled at us. "Yes, Mrs. Jaeger, will do," I replied as she started to walk away, muttering to herself. Well, she probably meant it for herself, but both Zaid and I heard. "Your generation isn't as doomed if it formed a beautiful relationship like yours," She put a hand up to her mouth to giggle and my cheeks flushed madly. "Such a love reminds me of my George..."

I wanted to correct her and let her know that we were just friends, but I didn't have the heart to sully her mood like that. Also, something told me that she wouldn't have believed me, so there was no point. 

We were both standing there in silence and I was absolutely positive both of our cheeks were red. I hid a chuckle as I turned to Zaid, watching him rub the back of his neck in that nervous manner of his. "Hey," I poked him in the arm and he cut his eyes at me, giving me a grin. I couldn't deny the fluttering in my tummy as he reached out to wrap his arm around my neck.

We turned the corner on the street that my house was on, the blue shutters in sight. "Oh yeah, thank you for the gifts you got me for my birthday," I mumbled and he blushed, looking at the ground. "No need to thank me. Anything for you."