Play No More (Player Next Door sequel) ✓

48 | Fallen

Thank you to the marvelous @akiimarvelous for the poster! See what I did there? Marvelous because her username is... ok, you get it. Thank you!

Now this chapter has a little fun with the different POVs...

Chapter 48: Fallen

~Austin's POV~

What do I do?

This conversation's going to suck and there's no way round it. I've avoided Luke and Chad all day, but now's the end of the rope.

I walked into the parking lot and saw them standing near their cars. That front row parking made it an easy hangout to wait after school. Music was playing out of Chad's car and I wondered if his chef stocked up the mini fridge in his car-

Damn I'm hungry.

People were hanging out in the parking lot, enjoying the last day before winter break. You know what, maybe this isn't the end of the rope. Maybe the rope is a lot longer. Yeah. We can do this another time.

I turned around and started to walk in the opposite direction of my car.

"Austin!" Luke's voice called out across the parking lot, "Where you going?"

He pointed towards my car next to his with a questioning look on his face.

"Oh!" I pretended like I just noticed them, "I didn't see my car there."

He's got to know that's a lie. How can I forget where I park my car every day? My initials are painted on the concrete.

But if he knew, he didn't question it. Luke doesn't interrogate. He's the kind of friend who lets secrets lay.

They were with some guys from the basketball team and a few girls as well. I didn't want this conversation with spectators.

"Free to talk?" I told Luke as I approached them, "You, me and Chad."

"Now?"

I nodded.

Luke shrugged, turning to Chad who was in the middle of a conversation, "Chad."

Chad looked over in mid hand gesture and Luke moved his head in a subtle 'let's go' gesture. Without questioning, Chad peeled himself away from the others and joined us.

We walked out of earshot and past Luke's car, where a candy cane and envelope stuck out from under the windshield wiper.

"I'm guessing that's not from Millie," Chad said, picking up the love letter.

I picked up the candy cane. Festive.

"It's the holidays," Luke answered, shrugging off the attention, "Austin gets more chocolate."

"I ask for it," I deflected.

We get distracted too easily.

Chad leaned against Luke's car, ready to open a love letter that wasn't addressed to him, "What did you want to talk about? We're heading to mine in a little-"

"Have we thought through Dubai?" I asked them.

Chad and Luke looked at each other and said:

"No."

"What about?"

I didn't want to say this, but I had to. I kept the talking to a minimum:

"Bianca isn't bringing peace to the house."

"This trip isn't a spiritual retreat," Chad said, "It's New Years. We want to get fu-"

"OK," I said, "But the F we don't want is a fight."