One of the Guys

by Dawn Doyle

  “Chase.” I whispered, lifting my hand, running the back of my fingers down her cheek.

  “Why are you doing that?” She asked without flinching.

  “Isn’t this what you want? To be noticed? To be touched?” I asked, seeing that Chase was getting angry with me instead.

  “Trying to intimidate me isn’t going to work, Logan. I dealt with your asshole brother for almost three years. You’re no different.”

  I heard her words, and she was right, but watching her full lips as she spoke… I craved to taste them. Licking my own, I felt my pulse race as I moved closer to her.

  “Leave me alone. You don’t get to touch me anymore.” Chased pushed against me again, walking away from me.

  But I do, Chase. I really do.

  “What the fuck was that?” Stu asked when I sat back at the table.

  “Just letting her know I’m not giving up.” I smiled.

  “By getting in her face?” Asked Pike, like I was insane.

  “I have my reasons, Pike. It’s the only way Chase will listen to me.”

  “That didn’t look like she was listening, dude.” Lex chuckled. “More like pushing you away.”

  “Just trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

  I hope.

  *****

  Chase

  I didn’t know what Logan was playing at, getting up close like that, and I felt confused. The truth was, I’d wanted Logan to do that in the past. Not caring who was around and treat me like he wanted to touch me. Now he had, I wasn’t sure how I felt.

  I felt as though I were back in that place where he would be touchy with me, but this was more. Getting so close to me, not innocent like before, this was deliberate and predetermined.

  I couldn’t help the heat that rushed through me as I attempted to remain calm as his fingers ran down my face, scorching my skin as they went.

  Pushing him away, by his hard chest, I walked to our table and sat.

  “Jesus, Chase! What was all that about?” Poppy asked.

  “I told that idiot to leave you alone.” Carly said, sending daggers towards Logan.

  “Excuse me, what?” I asked. “You told him to leave me alone?”

  Carly’s face flamed and she admitted what she’d said to Logan after I’d told Poppy and Charlotte what he’d done in math class. I’d assumed the others would know about it too.

  “Sorry! I was concerned.” Carly apologized. “He had no right doing that.”

  “It’s ok. From what I’d said after the game, I may as well have just told him myself.”

  I glanced over to Logan, and he was smiling at me. The look on his face sending familiar shivers down my spine.

  No problem, all I had to think about was her.

  Done. No more tingles, shivers, or naughty thoughts. Not when I knew where he’d been.

  For most of the week, Logan had gotten up close to me more often. So much that I’d asked Mr. Garrett if I could switch seats. Logan didn’t look happy when he walked in, and Sam was in my place.

  Tough shit, asshole.

  Turning to look at me, I smiled, letting him know he couldn’t touch me during this class anymore. Stroking my arm before he sat; running his hand through my hair. Even if I wore it in a ponytail, he would touch it.

  During biology, he’d even managed to walk behind me, letting his fingertips run up my arm and over the back of my shoulders. I’d had to change my station so that Charlotte and I sat near the far corner, so he couldn’t walk past us to get to his desk. Again, he wasn’t happy.

  Neither was I.

  The constant touching and brushing past were driving me crazy.

  I hadn’t seen Cassie outside his house anymore, so I assumed he’d gotten bored and was just trying it on with me.

  Not happening.

  As much as I’d desperately wanted him to before, I couldn’t stand the thought of him doing that to Cassie too.

  “Should we wait until he leaves?” Charlotte whispered next to me.

  “No. I think he may wait it out with us.” I replied.

  “What’s he playing at? I mean, you told us you liked him before, but he never liked you that way. From the way he’s been acting, I’m guessing he really does.”

  “Yeah, it may look that way, Charlie, but I think he’s just messing with me. I told him he doesn’t get to touch me again, so I think he’s trying to prove that he can. I swear I think Matt has been giving him pointers.”

  “His brother?” She asked, confused.

  “He’s an ass. Always called me names, trying to stop me hanging out with him. He said I was stopping Logan from getting girls.” I shook my head remembering the way Matt would try to bully me. “Logan doesn’t have any problem, does he?” My voice squeaked near the end, showing that I was still hurting over him.

  Charlotte looked over to Logan, as he was in her line of sight. If I had turned, he would’ve known we were talking about him.

  “Shit.” She whispered.

  “What?”

  “He’s looking right at us. I think he’s planning something.”

  “What am I going to do Charlie? I can’t keep doing this. Seriously, I may have to resort to violence, and I don’t want to get suspended.”

  “I have an idea. He won’t get near you if he tries.”

  I nodded, trusting Charlotte to do whatever she had planned.

  The bell sounded for the end of the lesson. Picking up our bags, we began to head out. Logan hung back, making a beeline for me, when Charlotte made a quick detour.

  “Oh, sorry!” She said, purposely bumping into Logan so hard, it sent him back a few steps, allowing me to hurry out of the class.

  I walked down the hall, trying to exit the building as quickly as I could, when I felt a hand round my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

  I turned, ready to strike the person who had gripped me, thinking it was Logan.

  “Whoa!” Said Charlotte. “I just wanted to catch up with you!” She laughed.

  “You could have called my name.”

  “I did.” She said, releasing my arm. “Logan wasn’t happy I stopped him. I’m telling you Chase, all this… whatever he’s doing… he’s got something else planned. I could see it in his eyes. He wasn’t angry that I stopped him, he looked… sad.”

  “Sad? Why would he be sad? The dick wad has been messing with me all week. What would possibly make him sad?”

  “Hey Chase.” I heard from a guy coming towards us.

  “Hey Stu.” I replied.

  “So, um, how are you?” He asked, nervously.

  I wondered what he was doing, starting a conversation with me, it wasn’t like him.

  “I’m good. How are you?” I replied.

  “Uh… yeah, I’m good.”

  I saw Stu glance to the side of me, his eyes moving down as if watching something. Curious, I turned.

  Seriously?

  I turned back, and Stu’s face was beet red. I’m not kidding; he looked as though he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Kind of the same when I saw the exchange between Sian and Kate.

  So, Stu had a thing for Liam Walters? My, my, my. Now, it all made sense.

  I gave a knowing smile to Stu.

  “I gotta go.” He said, rushing past me.

  “What was that about?” Charlotte asked.

  “I have no idea. Stu’s ok though. He’s harmless.” I said, meaning a lot more than I was going to explain to Charlotte. It wasn’t my place to share my theory, and I wasn’t about to out Stu like that.

  “Well, ok. Let’s go.”

  Walking outside, I got into my car and waited for Poppy to appear. She understood my need to get out and had told me to get away when I could. Drumming my thumbs against the steering wheel, I saw Logan standing next to his car, talking to Stu who was shaking his head.

  I should have known.

  Logan had gotten him to approach me to see whether I’d talk to Stu or say anything about him. I figured Stu wasn’t about to t
ell Logan that he’d cut the conversation short when I’d caught him checking out Liam’s ass.

  That’s when everything became a hell of a lot clearer. For Stu anyway. I saw Liam coming out of the building, and looking at Stu like he was a chocolate cake and he was diabetic. Yeah, I’d seen Bren eyeing up chocolate cake in the same way.

  Everything was so different now, and I realized exactly how much my world had revolved around Logan.

  My eyes had been truly opened to the other things going on around me, and it seemed that our falling out had been a good thing after all.

  *****

  Logan

  I woke up in a cold sweat.

  I’d been dreaming about Chase, yet again, trying to reach for her but she kept walking away. It was different from the usual dreams I had about her. The kind that leaves you aching with the need for a release that caused you pain.

  Something I had to take care of frequently.

  I felt like I was going to lose Chase forever, but I couldn’t stop what I was doing to her. It was the only way to get close and for her to talk to me, even if it was just to tell me where to go.

  I didn’t mean to mess with her. I needed her so much, and I thought that if I just…

  Oh who am I kidding? Touching her, getting up close and in her face wasn’t going to make her listen to me any more than before.

  I was angry that she’d changed her seats in class. She wanted to get away from me so bad that she’d asked to switch.

  I couldn’t blame her. I’d do that too.

  I hadn’t tried to explain myself yet. I wanted to make her scream at me, shout at me for being a jerk; then I’d let it all out.

  I wasn’t going to tell her that she was wrong about Cassie.

  Chase could assume all she wanted; I knew the truth. Besides, she could’ve just asked me. But then again, she’d have to be talking to me first.

  I needed to her to want me again.

  God I was a mess!

  This weekend. I thought to myself. I’m going to tell her this weekend, if it’s the last thing I do.

  Giving myself an ultimate deadline, I smiled. I still had today, and the baseball game to go, before I would probably receive a huge rejection from Chase.

  Now, that I had given myself an end point, I didn’t plan on stopping my current tactics. My fingers ached to touch Chase again. I needed to as much as I needed my next breath.

  Getting into school, I saw Chase’s car. It was parked further away from the entrance, but that only made it easier for me to get to her. I could catch up to her before she got there after school.

  Smiling to myself, I walked into homeroom, and thought how the day ahead was going to play out. The big game was after school, and we still had a practice to go to after lunch. I knew Chase wouldn’t be there, but that only made me more determined to play well. I’d hit that ball like it was the face of every guy who dared try it on with my girl.

  I clenched my fist as the fury rose within me thinking about the comments they made about her, and the things they hoped to do with her.

  No way in hell.

  Getting to class, Chase was at the back, Sam in her old seat next to me. I hated not being near her. She was quietly talking on her phone; not paying any attention to me. I hated that. She used to pay attention to me all the time.

  Without thinking, I walked over to her desk and placed both my hands down, looming over her.

  She looked up at me, her face void of emotion, like she expected me to do something.

  “I need to talk to you.” I said, my voice low.

  “Liam, I’ll call you back.” She said, ending the call.

  Who the fuck is Liam?! I thought to myself.

  “What do you want, Logan?” Chase asked, as if she were bored.

  “You never let me explain to you. You never let me tell you what happened.”

  “I’m fully aware what happened, Logan.” She said, narrowing her eyes, in anger. Glancing down, she saw the bracelet I still wore that she’d bought for me. I never took it off.

  “Mr. Blackwood. To your seat.” Mr. Garrett said as he arrived.

  “This isn’t over, Chase.” I said, promising her that I wasn’t done.

  “It never even started, Logan.”

  She was right. Nothing had started because I’d been a prick.

  Due to the game, I’d had to leave Chase alone. The last thing I wanted was to go onto the field frustrated as hell, bursting my pants at the seams, and being on display for the whole school and visitors.

  It was bad enough that my body reacted every time Chase was near, if I saw her, even if I thought of her.

  I couldn’t fuck this up for the guys.

  “Logan, get your head out of your ass!” Lex yelled, running past me as we were warming up.

  “Kiss my ass!” I yelled back.

  “I will when I lap you again, dude!” He laughed. “But it’ll be with my foot not my lips!”

  I picked up my pace as I ran. Once I got round the field, we began to stretch out.

  “Ready for the game?” Stu asked, a big grin on his face.

  I didn’t know why he was so fucking happy. The rest of us were dreading going up against East Comp high. They were awesome and we’d never played them before.

  “Not really.” I groaned. “It’s going to be tough.” I said, meaning more than just the game.

  “She’ll be here.”

  My eyes snapped to Stu.

  “She will? How do you know?” I asked, my heart suddenly thumping inside me.

  “Apparently her Mom and Bren are coming too.” He said, his face turning pink.

  “Stu, how do you know? Have you spoken to Chase?” I didn’t attempt to hide the jealousy in my tone.

  “No. I just heard, that’s all.” He shrugged, before walking over to join Carl.

  So, Chase was coming to the game. Now, I was looking forward to it.

  We welcomed the other team to our playing field, and took our places on our benches. Circling our shoulders to keep them loose.

  Eyeing the crowd, I watched for any sign of Chase arriving. I saw the other girls sitting down, near the front where Chase sat with Bren the last time, but no sign of her. I even saw my parents, and Matt not far from where they sat.

  My Mom waved to me, a great big proud grin on her face.

  I waved back. Letting her know I’d seen her.

  It was another few minutes before I saw Chase.

  I smiled as I saw her wearing her Flaming Tigers cap, a sexy-as-hell fitted T-shirt, and dark blue skinnies. Her long hair was loose underneath the cap, and the sun bounced of the silky strands, making her look like an angelic vision.

  My heart sank when I saw who else had come along, and I knew instantly who she’d been talking to.

  Liam Walters.

  She’d been speaking to that Liam.

  I watched as they smiled and laughed together. Just like we used to.

  That was it. It was really over for us.

  I wanted to hit something. I wanted to go over there, pull him off the bleachers and smash his face in.

  “Logan, the game’s about to start.” Stu said, glancing up to where I was staring. “Come on. Deal with this later. We have to win this.”

  My pulse was racing, the pounding in my ears drowning out every noise around me. The sorrow I felt was tearing me up inside, and I wanted to curl up and just scream out for the pain that I felt shooting through my heart.

  “Logan. I know what you think you’re seeing up there, but come on… We need to do this.” Stu said, pulling me from the bench.

  On autopilot, I walked out of our enclosure to the cheering crowd, chanting our team name.

  When I took a breath, I knew what was going to happen. Every ball thrown to me would have that smug bastard’s face on it, and I was going to hit it every time, breaking every fucking bone in his face.

  The game started and after a few innings, we were up by two. My anger hadn’t subsided, the wounds in m
y chest open and raw every time I risked a glance at Chase and Liam.

  I knew I had no right to feel that way. It was my own fault; my actions had caused everything to happen that way.

  Matt was right. I would be watching Chase with another guy, and it was already killing me.

  Chapter 16

  We won the game 10-8. A close game, but a win nonetheless.

  The guys were ecstatic as they hugged and slapped each other. Adam was so happy he ran around the field with his shirt over his face, the crowd laughing and cheering for him.

  Looking up, Chase and Liam were clapping, talking to their group. The girls were now talking to her Mom and Bren, and they looked pretty happy about the fact Chase had other friends.

  “Party tonight!” Yelled Lex. “It’s already set up so once we’re wrapped up here, it’s go time!” He said, raising his arms up in the air.

  The guys cheered, excited for yet another celebratory win, but I wasn’t in the mood. I was glad we won, of course, but partying wasn’t high on my agenda. The only thing I was interested in was going home and having a pity party for one.

  “Everybody is coming. I want the whole team there. No excuses guys!” Lex added, looking pointedly towards me.

  He’d seen my reaction and called it. I had to go, or I wouldn’t live it down.

  Whatever, I didn’t care.

  I watched as Chase and the others got up and left the bleachers, with Chase pushing Bren; just like the last time. But this picture was different. Chase was no longer smiling for me. She was smiling for the guy standing next to her.