Playing the players

Chapter 4

“So.. are you guys good now?” Jace asks when we sit down and I roll my eyes at him. 'He is so nosy.'

“Not like it’s any of your business, but yes, we are good.” I tell him with a fake smile and he glares at me.

“Geez Nick, I still don’t see what you like about her.” He tells Nick and I glare at him.

“Stop it, Jace.” Nick warned him.

“You don’t need to see sh*t.” I add and he wants to answer but the waiter shows up.

“What would you like to order?” The waiter asks as he looks at everyone at the table.

“Yes Dan. I will have the usual.” I tell him with a smile.

“Coming right up, princess.” He says with a wink and turns to the rest. They all order and Dan leaves when he finishes writing down everything.

“Now we know who will be your next victim.” Jace says sarcastically, and I look at him in disbelief.

Dan is around 25 and always flirts with us when we are here, but that’s just the way he is. He told us he has a wife and she is pregnant and even she knows how flirty he is, but he is not the cheating type at all.

“Shut up, Jace. Leave her alone already.” Nick says furiously, which surprised everyone at the table and we all look at him.

“What’s wrong with you, Nick? Don’t act like a lovesick puppy when she is just a b**ch, desperate for attention.” Jace says and my blood starts boiling in anger. This is the second time he calls me a b**ch.

“I said stop it.” Nick says again firmly.

“What the hell is your problem, dude?” Logan asks Jace before I can say something.

“What is YOUR problem?” Jace asks back furiously. “Don’t you see she is a manipulating b**ch?” He asks back and I lean back on my seat while I fold my arms in the front of my chest.

“You don’t even know her.” That was Amy with a hard expression on her face.

“I don’t even want to.” He says with a shrug.

“Likewise.” I tell him just when Dan arrived with our orders. Nick throws me an apologetic look and I just wave my hand like ‘whatever’.

We are talking with each other while we are eating, but I don’t even look at Jace, let alone talk to him. He doesn’t talk much either and I am fine with that. When we are done, we say goodbye and I walk back towards our school.

“Hey you.” I roll my eyes as soon as I hear his voice and I don’t bother to stop or even turn around, so I just keep walking like I didn’t hear him.

“Hey, are you deaf?” Jace asks breathlessly as he catches up to me.

“What do you want?” I ask him without slowing down or looking at him.

“If you think I will apologise for the things I said, you are wrong.” He says and I look at him with a raised eyebrow as I stop walking.

“No, I didn’t expect you to. Actually, I don’t expect anything good from you with a brain so small as yours.” I tell him with a fake smile, mocking him.

“Oh.. you think you are smarter than everyone else, don’t you?” He asks and I roll my eyes. I don’t want to have this conversation with him. Why is he even talking to me?

“Listen a*sh*le. You don’t know me and I don’t know you and honestly, I don’t want to get to know you either, so just pretend I don’t exist, okay?” I tell him.

“I would do that with pleasure if Nick and Logan didn’t make me come up to you to apologise while they are watching us. They are walking not too far behind us so just let’s pretend I apologised and you forgave me.” He says in a bored tone and I roll my eyes… this guy… arghhh…

“Fine, but then you will leave me alone. Don’t talk to me, unless it’s necessary.” I tell him and he nods his head with a shrug.

“Deal, let’s shake it off… just for them to see it.” He says and I roll my eyes again. I don’t know why I feel the urge to roll them every time this guy is around… ughh…

“For god sake…. Fine.” I turn to him and shake his hand, which he holds out to me. His hand is so warm, soft and big. Actually… it feels good to hold it but I take my hand back as soon as I start to feel some tingles as he looks at me. Like he doesn’t just look at me, but looks into me, like he wants to figure me out and it sends some silly feelings to my stomach because he is disturbingly handsome. He then clears his throat and scratches the back of his neck.

“Then … see you around.” He says and turns to walk back to Nick and Logan.

“Whatever.” I say and continue walking. What a stupid day… I can’t wait to lay down on my bed and watch Netflix. Amy will hear it from me tomorrow, because she forgot to mention that they will be there too. If I knew it, I wouldn’t have gone.

I walk into my room without greeting Christine, but she was already used to it. We never tell each other ’hi’ or ‘see you later’, we are just coming and going without talking and I am not complaining.

I head to my bed and sit down on it as I prepare my laptop to watch Netflix. I put my headphones on and make myself comfortable. A movie is the best distraction to make me forget the outside world for two hours and that’s what I need now.

*

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*

The next day is going very slowly , but luckily the new guy… I mean Jace didn’t talk to me the whole day as he promised and I am thankful for that. Now it’s lunchtime and we are waiting in the line to get our food while Amy…

“Oh God… I can’t wait to go to the party, we were texting yesterday evening and he is so easy to talk to.” She talks about Logan the whole day and I start to get a headache already. I am happy for them, don’t get me wrong, but her swooning about him starts to get annoying, especially when I don’t have anyone to swoon about. That was fine actually, till now, but now that I am listening to her, I want nothing more than to have someone like that in my life, who is honest and really loves me. I know it’s too much to ask for, that’s why her non-stop talking about Logan makes me frustrated, but I don’t tell her that, of course.

“I am glad for you Amy, Logan is a good guy.” I tell her again because I didn’t know what else to say.

“Yeah, you already said that. Why are you so distracted? Are you okay?” She asks worriedly.

“I am fine Amy, I just feel a bit down, but Justin will visit me soon and that will charge my energy, I am sure.” I tell her.

“Oh.. that’s good, but I am here if you need me.” She says and I nod my head with a smile. I don’t exactly know when Justin will come, but I can’t wait. I know I have Amy here with me, but I need my brother now. I miss him a lot and he knows me the best.

“I know, thank you.” I tell her.

Finally, we get our food and sit by our regular table by the window. A few minutes later, Logan, Nick and Jace walk into the cafeteria. After getting their food, they make their way towards us.

“So we are stuck with them from now on I guess.” I tell Amy sarcastically.

“Please be nice. I really want them to sit here.” She says and I let out a sigh.

“Can we join you girls?” Logan asks with a smile when they reach the table, I guess he saw my expression so he thought better if he asks first.

“Of course.” Amy says and they sit down. Logan sits across from Amy, Jace sits across from me and Nick sits next to Jace. I am facing the window because I like to look at the view while we are eating, but now my view is totally ruined, so I don’t bother to look up from my food.

Everybody is talking amongst themselves, but I just eat quietly, they try to involve me in their conversation, but I am not in the mood to talk about anything.

Suddenly, someone covers my eyes with a pair of cold hands from behind and I have no idea who it is till I turn around and gasp with my hand on my mouth.