The Love Deal with Mr. Player

3. The Deal With the Devil

I know life's all about fighting your own battles, alone; but I still want you to catch me when I fall.

3. The Deal with the Devil

(Liana)

Make him fall in love with me?

What the heck was this smug jerk talking about?

You see, I was the crazy one here. But suddenly I didn't feel so crazy. This guy is crazier.

I opened my mouth and closed it, unable to come up with a response. I was much too shocked to for a response.

I probably looked like a goldfish with severe asthma. I really was going to asphyxiate if I stood there any longer. This was not good for my health or my mental stability.

Usually my brain would have come up with a response by now, but even it was quiet right now. It was stunned to silence.

"Hello? Earth to Liana." It was Asher. Oh, of course it was.

He looked hot as hell, but his heart was like those of the devil's, rotting in the hell.

I wished he would just disappear into the outer space. But wishes didn't always come true. Instead you would be stuck with the devil wearing jeans.

I was startled back to Earth by that loud voice. My words came in a disgruntled moan, "WH-what the hell are you-"

"And you've got five months. We'll end it on the last day of school. If you can't do that, I'll continue this. How does that sound to you?" He sported a satisfied grin. He looked like a cat, who had just finished his delicious dinner of milk and fish. Maybe he did.

I was his prey and he, the predator with sharp claws. He could pull out my heart and shred it to pieces if I gave him a green light. That was a bit extreme, OK, but you get the drift.

"No. This is stupid," I waved my hand and growled, "You're stupid. Where did you get these ideas? Even I don't have ideas like this. And after five months, I am not even going to be effing here. We will all be gone, morons. High school and your stupid life will be over by then" I said, feeling the rage pressing against me. " And you, you need to check your brain, stat."

The guys at the table, Zach, Evan, Hank... everyone looked on as if this was an interesting reality show. They were all just dummies, anyways.

Asher's best friend, Brock, the only one who could actually talk back to Asher, was absent. He was the only one who could keep Asher in check and Asher only ever listened to him. Other morons were just dumb morons who laughed at Asher's stupid jokes.

"Are you afraid, Liana?" His voice was smug, but I didn't let that tone affect me. Usually I wouldn't think twice, but this was not the time to let my mouth run wild. Not at all.

The girls at the table had a confused look in their faces. Emilia, feeling suddenly jealous that her current boyfriend-is that who he is? -was making a deal with a stupid person like me, stood up from her chair with a stomp.

Shit. This is not going to end well. Not for anyone.

I watched as Emilia wrapped her arms around Asher and kissed him sloppily while Asher kept staring at me. It kinda looked pathetic and creepy, to be honest.

Too much PDA, ugh!

"I'm not afraid, and for your information there are people who don't want to watch your gross exchange of saliva, so go get a room." I hissed through my teeth, feeling irritated.

Emilia threw me a vicious glare, her snakelike eyes twisting at the corner. Her red lips formed a beautiful sneer. Oh, the girl was beautiful, alright. Personality, not much. But beauty trumped personality as far as high school was concerned.

"What is it, freak?" She screamed and I winced. Her voice was always beyond human hearing range.

I shrugged. I had no freaking problem with her. I didn't have to fight with her. See, even I can be sensible at times.

"Then why are you backing out of the deal? And thanks for your great advice, we'll try to follow it when we want to." Asher said in a calm tone as he pulled Emilia off of him like she was a doll or something. He gave me a cool look, cool as an effing cucumber.

Ass. Hole.

"This is ridiculous." I planted my hands on my hips and glared at him. "Didn't you just hear what I said? You are not worth it, not worth my time. I am so damn sorry you have lost it, but I can't play your stupid game."

I am the insane one. I am the weird one. And this- this stupid plan, this is beyond insane, even for me.

I could see everyone in the cafeteria watching the ongoing drama with clear interest. The whole school knew about our raging conflict, the ongoing cold War of childhood friends turned enemies.

"So what? Just accept that you are afraid you will lose." His eyes glinted in pure joy. I knew he was goading me into it. I would usually have just said something by this point just to make him shut up, but not today. Oh, no way in hell.

Someone had to be the grown up. Usually not me. But today I was going to be the sensible one.

"She'll do it." I looked up at Harry and glared at him. Nope. Not. Shut up, Harry.

"What, like you said, you won't even be here and what if you fail! But think of all that we can do to him if you win." Harry, who was rarely a voice of reason, sounded so sure of himself. If I was the insane one, he was only just below me in that column.

"Me? Win?" I snorted. "Like hell. I don't even want to play this thing. This is childish, that is what it is and Asher needs to see a neurologist or a psychiatrist. I can give you my psychiatrist's number." I said looking at Asher. She already knows so much about you, I thought, thinking about how half my rants were about Asher and his betrayal.

"Come on. Say yes. Yes." Harry urged. "You are Liana. You are the Queen of Impulsive behaviours and suddenly you are this absolute voice of-"

"She knows she will lose and so-" Asher said with a stupid grin on his stupid face.

"This is beyond ridiculous, Harry. Even for me." I retorted.

"No, it is not." Asher gloated. "You are just scared."

I am not scared. Really.

"Ok. Deal." I shouted as I clapped my hands together. "Damn it. Deal." s**t. I had gone and done it.

But actually, for the first time ever in the history of my life, I am not the one to blame for this.

Asher's eyes widened for a moment before he got his bearing back. I realized he hadn't expected me to do this. He was just being his usual jerk self. Oh, I should have stayed my ground.

"Deal." Asher's said as he pushed his hand forward. I looked at it and contemplated for a minute before I slapped his hand away.

"I don't want to touch your hand and get infected." I looked at him with a frown.

"What is your problem, loser?" Ugh, that screechy voice! My poor ears.

"Nothing cupcake, you enjoy." I smiled at Emilia and she glared back at me.

"Vete a quemar en El infierno, Bastardo," I smiled, grabbed a glass of water, dumped it on Asher's head, and walked away from him.

Mrs. Haider would be proud of me if she heard it. What did I say, really? I was not a pro in Spanish, but what was there to lose; he knew nothing about Spanish. In the end it would still be me who drove him crazy with that sentence.

I marched past everyone and slammed the tray on the table. What had I gotten myself into?

Nothing new. The pesky little thing that lived in my head said with a sneer.

I stared at my food and even the delicious looking chicken couldn't soothe me today.

"Loser, you lose." The whole school yelled at me when Asher announced, 'I am not sorry. Not at all.' and then he smashed an egg over my head. Everyone was throwing tomatoes at me and I reeked of eggs and tomatoes.

'You will always be ugly, you can never win my heart or for that matter any boy's heart,'

When someone poked my shoulder I came back to reality. s**t, that was a scary ass day dream. Daymare?

"You know you're pretty. Don't let anyone say otherwise." Who was this girl?

"Thanks?" I looked at her like, are you kidding me?

"You're questioning it, aren't you?" She smiled at me.

"Because, I know it's not true and I don't mind that, but who are you? I've never seen you around."

"I'm the new transfer student and you know, I liked you over there with that boy. You gave it back to him and that was amazing. See you around?" She sounded hopeful.

"Of course, yeah, by the way I'm Liana and you've not told me your name."

"Oh hey, my name is Anta." She sang out, looking happy as heck.

"That is a nice name." I smiled at her.

"Thanks. I will see you around." She said and left.

I saw Riya and Sidney walking towards our table. Their eyes kept staring at the deadly quiet cafeteria. Why didn't they come before to save me from this horrible fate of mine? Was it a payback for all my sins?

"What the fudging ice cream is wrong with all these guys? And why is Asher sitting there like a wet kitten with women problems?" Riya asked as soon as she sat in her chair.

I told her the whole story and at the end she was speechless. Sidney looked horrified, as well.

Now this was what I'd call a perfect way to ruin one's life. My life.

"You need to find your boyfriend, Sid, because I am going to kill him." I looked at Sid and she shook her head.

"Gladly." She said as she smiled at me comfortingly.

Why did Asher hate me so much? We were friends once.

I still missed it, sometimes. My friends were great; but there was something about childhood memories - beautiful and untainted - that'd always remain in the heart.

When you first started to walk and there was this boy who had walked with you, holding your fingers through every step, wouldn't you miss that person? When you first learnt to utter a word and there's this boy who heard you pronounce it with a sheepish smile, wouldn't you miss him? When you first got sick and there was this boy who sat there in the hospital holding your hands and promising that you'd get better soon, wouldn't you miss him?

I missed that boy. I really did.

But I knew that boy from my childhood memories was nowhere close to this one who was the star of my nightmares.

I've to get an appointment with my psychiatrist - and quick. I thought inside. Maybe Doctor Keller would help me with this.

"Holy tomato, what is with Harry?" Sid muttered. "He is always getting himself or someone else in trouble."

Harry was not here. He knew he had to face my wrath and so the coward sneaked out of the cafeteria when I was talking to Anta.

"That's so good, I so want him to lose at his own game." Riya announced with a smile and I choked on my food.

She was wrong. It was me who was going to lose. Not the other way around. Couldn't my friends stop their little fantasies and be realistic for once in their lives?

Finally when Harry and Trent arrived, it was two against three. But after a lot of convincing from Trent, Harry and Riya, Sidney had also started agreeing with them.

They were discussing about how to make Asher fall in love with me. In between their argument and agreement about everything - including how to give me a complete makeover - they never turned to me to ask about my opinion.

"It won't take all day, thankfully tomorrow is Saturday, and we can go shopping. Boy, Asher is so going to faint when he sees her on Monday." Riya clapped her hands, looking like a cheerful Barbie doll.

She always wanted to dress me up, but I had never given into her cajoling or threats and I wasn't going to give it now.

"You guys understand that you're talking about me, right?" I gave them a glare.

"Oh come on, don't be a party pooper." Harry waved me away with a chuckle.

***

I had Anta in my Spanish class. She waved to me as soon as I entered and I sat next to her.

She was from Spain. Her mother was a famous fashion designer. Their shop 'concozca las tendencias,' is pretty famous.

I asked her, "What does that means?"

She looked at me and rolled her eyes asking "Really and you're taking Spanish?" I shrugged. She said it meant, Meet the Trends.

Anta was a hair designer and beautician herself. Her brother was a year older than her and he's transferring to our school, next week. We exchanged mobile numbers, as well.

When the class was over, my brain had had enough. I couldn't believe that this day wasn't over yet.

I drove home with Riya and Trent.

"Be ready tomorrow." Riya yelled before Trent drove away.

***

It had been a long day yesterday and I already wanted to sleep in, but no, my so called friends would kill me if I didn't go shopping with them and they were really excited for that.

My eyes were still burning. I walked down and mom handed me a cup of coffee. She looked shocked to see me come down so early. "Baby, it is only ten. Why are you up now?"

"Because I have friends who are not humans." I replied as I grabbed the plate of pancake and walked back to my room.

I finsihed my pancakes and then took a long bath and started waiting for my friends.

I looked through my window and my eyes were drawn to the flowers in our backyard. Sun shone brilliantly over the colors. Everything looked glorious, bathed in golden sunshine. Breathtaking.

My mom and Carrie loved gardening and I loved admiring the result of their hardwork.

No hardwork for me. Nuh-uh!

I smiled a little as I closed the windows. Thise flowers always made me feel happy and light.

I opened my closet full of shoes and picked a boot from it. I had an obsession with shoes. I had everything from flats to wedges to heels to shoes to boots. In every color. Every design.

17 was too early to die and I would die if I wear and walk in heels.

I walked out of my room, and reached the small balcony on the side of my room and I almost walked back in when I realised Asher was there too.

When we were young, we used to jump balconies, so that we could talk easily and sit together. But when we grew up and became enemies, we tried or at least I tried to avoid seeing him accidentally on the balcony.

He kept staring at the sky, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He looked like a golden statue in the morning rays of sun.

His silky brown hair dance in breeze and his deep green eyes were still on the sky. His defined jaw was set in a tight frown and his hands were on his sides, tightly holding on to the rails. He was handsome, but in the grand scheme, looks were nothing.

At one point his eyes met mine.

"Hey you, what are you doing? Planning?" His eyebrows quirked with amusement.

"No Jerk, enjoying nature." I said. I pulled the hood over my head when the wind turned cold.

"So are you preparing yourself for this?" He smirked. "For the humiliation?"

"I'm ready to shove your face in a big pile of elephant shit." With that I walked back to my room.

I groaned when I heard Trent's car.

When I went down the stairs, I saw them sitting on the swings, fighting. They didn't notice me, so I snuck back into my home, planning to hide in Shay's room.

"Here she is." Sidney yelled and Harey ran towards me with goofy grin.

"Liana, are you sneaking away? I see you." Harry said. The red headed goof.

"You are the reason I am in this mess." I grabbed him by his jacket with a frown.

"Let go. Lia, let go."

"He'll never know what hit him!" This was Riya.

Yesterday was so the worst day in my life and why did I have this nagging sensation in my heart that it was just the first one of a very long, long string of bad days.

I looked up and saw a ball. May be Asher wouldn't know what hit him, but surely I knew what was going to hit me.

Asher's basketball.

Uh oh.

___