Playing the players

Chapter 3

I decided to miss out on my last lecture and go to train in the gym ,because that sh*tface made me angry and I needed to take it out on something. I don't know why I am even surprised when he is the cousin of Nick.

I make my way to my dorm room, which is in the building right next to the school, so I don’t need to walk too far. I change my clothes, grab my headphones and walk down to the basement where there is a small gym for the students.

After my break up with Collin, I decided to start training just to take my mind off of him and it was quite helpful. It gave me strength physically and mentally too.

I started to do fighting sports too and it helped me to be a bit more confident, since I can at least defend myself if I find myself in a situation where I will need it. It also helps to drain the tension and it’s a good distraction too, not to mention my great body and fitness.

The gym is empty, just how I like it, since everyone is still at their lecture, so I choose to run on the treadmill for a while.

I put my headphones on and started running. Music and training have helped me a lot in the last two years. They brought me out of my depression. Who needs a therapist if you have music and a gym nearby, right?

When I finish running, I head to the corner to hit and kick the hell out of the boxing bag and take my frustration out on it while I imagine Jace's face on it.

On one hand, I understand his behaviour towards me because I broke his cousin’s heart, but he deserved it after what he did to many girls in this school.

“What a pity that bag doesn’t hit back.” I let out an annoyed sigh as I heard his voice. I turned around to glare at Jace and send him away not so nicely, but the words stuck in my throat as my eyes turned on him. He wears a vest and shorts and I can see his well built body clearly. Too bad he is a first class a*sh*le, the s*xy body doesn’t help that.

I snapped out of my thoughts before he could catch me checking him out and narrowed my eyes at him.

“Why are you everywhere I go? Are you stalking me by any chance?” I ask him coldly while I continue hitting the bag and he lets out a mocking laugh.

“Stalking you? Please… I just came to check out the gym and you happened to be here, sadly.” He says with a grimace.

“Oh.. don’t worry, the feeling is mutual and I am already done anyway.” I told him and walked away without a second glance at him. Who does he thinks he is , but seriously? I came here to calm down and he just made me furious again. What an a*s with a capital A.

Usually I am not like this, people can’t make me angry easily, but this dude… he can start to dig his own grave if he continues like this. This place was the shelter from my problems and now he ruined it for me.

I walk up the stairs to go to my room when my phone starts ringing.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Where are you? I was looking for you.” Amy says.

“I wasn’t in the mood to stay so I left for the gym.” I explained to her.

“Oh.. okay. Guess what…” she says excitedly.

“What?”

“Logan is so sweet. We talked a lot after you left. He scolded Jace and he left too, so we were only the two of us. Aww.. Kyra.. I like him so much.” She says and I smile.

“I am happy for you, Amy. I think he likes you too.” I told her.

“Oh my god. Do you think so?” She asks.

“Yeah, I saw the way he looked at you, I am sure.” I tell her and she starts squealing loudly.

“Geez woman, I still need my hearing, thank you.” I tell her sarcastically with a grimace, even though she can’t see me.

“Sorry but I am so happy, I had no idea he might like me too.” She said as I stepped into my room.

“I need to go now, I desperately need a shower.” I told her with a chuckle.

“Oh.. okay. Let’s go to the cafe later.” She says.

“See you there in… an hour.” I told her as I checked the time on my phone and we hung up. We usually go to this cafe nearby. It’s a cozy place and we like to hang out there from time to time.

Luckily, Christine isn’t back yet, so the bathroom is free. I waste no time and stand in the shower after I take off my sweaty clothes. The water feels amazing in my body and I relax right away. After half an hour of soaking, I get out and wrap myself in a towel. I walk to my closet and dress up casually. I am about to wear my shoes when my phone rings again.

“Hi little bro.” I said into the phone when I saw my brother, Justin's name on the screen.

“Little....? Whatever… what’s up sis?” He asks and I let out a chuckle. He hates it when I call him ‘little bro’ because he is a head taller than me. He is two years younger, which makes him 21, and he is living with my parents in Los Angeles.

“Nothing much… I was in the gym and now I am preparing to go to the cafe with Amy. There?” I asked him.

“Actually, we are going to New York with a few friends for a week, so expect me to visit you soon.” He says and I know he is smiling.

“Really? That’s awesome, I can’t wait. I miss you.” I told him. We have a close relationship with my brother, we are always there for each other. When he heard about my break up with Denis, he damaged his car with his friends and when he heard about Collin cheating on me, he actually traveled all the way here just to kick his a*s. He is the best brother I could ask for.

“Aww.. I miss you too. I will call you when I arrive. I managed to get a room close to your Uni so we can spend more time together while I am there.” He says, and I have a broad smile on my face as I close the door behind me and start walking towards the cafe.

“I can’t wait. Tell mom and dad that I love them.” I told him.

“Will do. I need to go now, but talk to you later. Love you.” He says.

“Love you too, bye.” I told him and hung up. I really can’t wait to see him. It’s hard sometimes to be this far from my family, but there are only a few months left and I can go home to them as soon as I finish school.

The cafe is about ten minutes' walk from the school so I got there soon. I walk in with a smile on my face while I greet the waiters and Shelly behind the counter, but the smile freezes on my face as I see three guys are sitting with Amy in a booth, none others than Logan, Jace and Nick. How Jace is even here when I saw him in the gym just an hour ago.

Amy notices me standing here first and calls out to me as soon as I turn to leave.

“Kyra.” I turned to glare at her and she had an apologetic look on her face and the guys were just waiting for me to join them. I let out a sigh and walked towards them slowly. I don’t want to be here at all, not with them.

“Hi guys, what’s up? I can’t stay long Amy.” I tell her with another glare and she nods her head in understanding.

“That’s fine, I am glad you could make it.” She says happily and I roll my eyes.

“I guess you didn’t know we would be here as well.” Jace asked, and I looked at him for the first time.

“No, I didn’t. Why? Was this planned?” I asked, but I looked at Amy, who didn’t even look at me.

“Well.. ask these two. We didn’t know you would be here either. Otherwise I wouldn’t have come.” He says with a bored expression and I narrow my eyes at him, but before I can reply...

“I am glad you are here,” Nick said, and I looked at him. He is smiling at me sadly. “Can we talk now?” He asks and I mentally groan.

“Sure.” I told him and threw a last m*rderous glance at Amy before I stood up and followed him to another table.

“So?” I asked him impatiently as we sat down.

“Look, I know I wasn’t a good guy before and I know I hurt a lot of girls and made fun of them. I learned from my mistakes in the last few weeks because I missed you like hell. Don’t you think I suffered enough? I seriously love you, Kyra, and I don’t want anyone else but you.” He says, and I look towards the table where everyone is sitting to glare at Amy once again, but my eyes lock with Jace’s. He turned his head towards Logan as soon as I caught him looking and I shook my head at his actions before turning back to Nick.

“Listen Nick. I just started to date you because I didn’t like the way you treated girls and I wanted to teach you a lesson ,what was actually working, so I am glad you realised what you did wrong. I think you are a good guy deep inside when you aren’t c*cky, just a normal guy. I think you should stay ‘that guy’ and you will soon find yourself a sweet girl who you can cherish, but I am not that girl. I am already ruined by a relationship. I am not capable of loving someone right now and I don’t know if I will ever be. I hope you understand that.” I explained to him and he lowered his head sadly.

“Yeah, I understand and I am sorry. We could have been good together if things happened differently.” He says with a sad half smile and I smile back at him.

“Maybe,” I told him with a nod.

“Can we still be friends at least?” He asks hopefully.

“Are you sure it will be okay? Won’t it be harder to move on?” I asked him sympathetically and he shook his head.

“No, I want us to be friends,” he says determinedly.

“Okay then, friends.” I told him with a genuine smile and reached out my hand for him to shake it. He smiles back at me as he takes my hand.

“Oh.. one more thing. Keep your cousin away from me please, he annoys me till no end.” I tell him with an eye roll and he lets out a laugh.

“Will do.” He says, and we walk back to the rest and they look up at us as we sit down.