Destroying the Game

by L. Grubb

  I spot Jasmine as she walks towards me and then stops, shakes her head and turns back around.

  Frowning, I jog to catch up to her. “Jasmine? Wait up!”

  She stops and turns to me with a raised brow, clearly I’ll be doing the talking.

  “You good?” I ask, not knowing where to even begin. We haven’t talked since the whole date thing.

  “What are you playing at, Dante?”

  “What do you mean?” I smirk, knowing exactly what she means but wanting her to spell it for me.

  “With Callie?” She rolls her eyes. “I know she puts on this front but she really isn’t as hard as she makes out to be.” She raises a brow at me and has her own smirk going on.

  She knows Callie better than anyone so this is a rare opportunity that I’ll take.

  I wave my hand, signaling for us to start walking and fall into step beside her. “I really don’t know what the fu-“ Her head spins around to me and the look on her face is furious. I hold my hands up in the air, telling her silently that I won’t curse. Man, I haven’t got a clue how her and Jay even had a thing going on, he curses like a sailor. “I don’t know what’s going on. I’m just sick and tired of the games but I just don’t know when to stop, when to call it quits.”

  I surprise myself with how honest I’m being but at the same time I cringe, knowing what a pussy I sound like.

  She turns at the door to the building that her class must be in and smiles gently at me. “I think…” She bites her lip, looking unsure of what she’s about to say.

  “Go on,” I urge her. It may be good to have a chick’s opinion.

  “Maybe just ignore each other?” she whispers.

  I stare at her with wide eyes, will that even work? For all the games that we play, I do still like her. Won’t it just push her further away?

  Then I smirk. It’ll drive Callie crazy if I ignore her completely.

  Maybe that’s the way to go so I decide to forget about what I’ve just learned for the time being instead of using the information.

  “Good idea, Jas.” I wink as she rolls her eyes as I shorten her name and pull the door open for her, watching as she walks away.

  So, my non-plan, plan, is to ignore Callie. Should be easy, right?

  For once, I showed up to my early classes, mainly because I was already up and showered thanks to the noise that Jas invoked. Sleep still clings to my brain, fogging my vision with every yawn, or that could be the lame and boring class I’ve just emerged from. Deciding a spot of window shopping is in order, I head off down the street, away from campus and effectively, away from Dante.

  Thankfully, downtown LA is only a twenty-minute walk and the glorious sunshine is beaming down on me. I slide my sunglasses down to shield my eyes and sway my hips as I walk down the road.

  The walk there is uneventful, everyone is in class and the only people wondering around are old people or tourists. I weave my way through the crowds, window shopping. Being banned from the Frat House means there’s no need to buy new dresses and that’s a shame because the one I’m looking at through the window is perfect for rubbing Dante up the wrong way. I stand there, chewing my bottom lip as I decide whether to buy it or not.

  Fuck it. I stroll into the shop and ask the lady at the counter where to find the dress and she leads me to the rail where they are. Thanking her, I look for my size and pluck it out. Holding it against me, I turn here and there in the mirror. Yep, I’m not going to just walk out without this dress.

  After paying, I look around as I stand on the sidewalk. Now that I’ve brought this, I couldn’t give a fuck what the other shops were selling and take a nice slow stroll back to campus.

  I have to walk passed the Frat House to get back to the dorms and a few guys are dotted around the lawn chatting or whatever. I don’t pay them any attention, keeping my stare focused to the floor and in front. I don’t miss the catcalls that follow me and I shake my head but choose not to acknowledge them. I look up when I see feet approaching and Dante is walking toward me. He doesn’t even spare me a glance, just lifts a hand to his buddies behind me. My face flames with anger at his way of disposing of me. And after last night too? What the actual fuck?

  I pick up my pace as fury runs through my blood stream. Who the hell does he think he is? I’ll show him. There’s a house party down the road tomorrow night and I’m going dressed to the nines. Then that fucker will know what he’s missing. Asshole.

  Testing out what Jas had told me; I can’t help but smirk at her reaction. I knew that she wasn’t going to be happy but I didn’t expect her face to be so open about it. There’s nothing I love more than to be able to see how much I affect her.

  Grinning, I walk up to the guys that are scattered around the front of the Frat house. I can’t help but feel pleased with myself, if I could reach around my back and give myself a pat, I would. In fact… I lift my hand up and over my shoulder, patting a couple of times and chuckling at how crazy I look.

  Maybe Jasmine’s way of dealing with it would work. It certainly looked like it would anyway.

  “What’s up, dude?” One of the guys says to me. I nod my head and sit down in one of the deck chairs, managing to watch Callie’s ass just as she walks around the corner. It’s one fine ass and although I did what I did last night to get information, that didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. Because, fuck, it was out of this world. I can still feel the way her pussy clenched down on my dick and I swear I can still taste her on my tongue.

  Shaking my head, I look over at Dylan, he’s looking in the same direction as Callie went and my blood boils at watching the way his eyes bore into her ass. I can’t stop my hands clenching into fists.

  He may think that we’re friends again because we walked to campus together this morning, but that didn’t mean shit.

  If I hadn’t been so wrapped up in my own head, I would have told him to fuck off. Leaning forward and bracing my arms on my knees, I watch him, waiting for him to turn towards me. His tongue comes out and wets his bottom lip and my rage goes up another notch.

  “Wanna put your eyes back into your head?” I growl and he finally looks away.

  I can feel the vein in my neck start to pulse as I get angrier.

  “Err… what?” He chuckles, thinking that I’m messing around. I’m not. I’m so fucking not.

  “You know, I’m getting sick and tired of your shit.” I stand to my full height and widen my stance, knowing that I look intimidating. “Every fucking time she’s around, you’re looking at her.”

  “Every time who’s around?” he asks, looking unsure but guilty at the same time. He fucking knows who I mean.

  “Callie,” I say, taking another step closer to him. “She’s fucking off limits, you know that.”

  “Whoa, dude!” He lifts up out of his chair and holds his hands out in front of him in surrender. This fucker ain’t getting no peace, I’m gonna rein a fucking shit storm down on him. “You didn’t even acknowledge her. To me? That means you ain’t interested anymore and she’s fair game.” He shrugs, looking around at all the other guys with a smirk on his face.

  If he’s looking for back up then he won’t find any, not with these guys. They’re my guys and the only reason he’s even in this frat is because of me.

  “Don’t matter whether I’m ignoring her or eating her fucking pussy in the middle of the quad, you stay the fuck away from her!” I close the gap between us, coming nose to nose with him.

  “And if I don’t?” he says in that cocky voice of his.

  I see red and throw my fist at his face, connecting with his jaw.

  I smirk as he falls straight to the grass and press my foot down onto his chest. “That’s just a warning.” I raise a brow and crouch down, making sure to twist my boot in for added effect. “You want more of that, then keep doing what you’re doing.”

  He stares at me with wide eyes, his hand clutching at his jaw in shock.

  I wait for him to say something and when he doesn’t,
I lift up and start to walk away. I can’t be in that house today, not with him in there. I’d lose my fucking mind and end up doing some real damage to him.

  “We’ll see!” I hear him call after me.

  Turning my head slowly, I squint my eyes at him. He thinks he’s safe because I’ve walked away. He should know better than that. I take four giant leaps for steps and throw my fist straight at his temple, knocking him the fuck out.

  That should teach him not to touch what’s mine.

  I’ve always been possessive of my toys and Callie is definitely one of them. I didn’t share my toy cars with other kids when I was younger so I wouldn’t be sharing my pussy either.

  I pull my keys out of my pocket and jump straight into my car, having no idea where the fuck I’m going.

  Once I’m back in my dorm room, I contemplate the cold shoulder that Dante gave me. Did he just fuck me last night in an attempt to control me? To placate me? To only think about him and not go near others? I’m so fucking confused that it irritates me. Why do I even care? He’s a douche, everyone knows that. I’ve just become another notch on his bed post. Again.

  I fall heavily onto my bed, growling into the silence of the empty room. I’m so annoyed with myself for bumping uglies with him before my brain could catch up and tell me to stop. I should have known better than to think he actually wanted me. What was it that he was after? To gloat? I have so many fucking questions.

  Needing to pull my big girl panties up, I throw an arm over my face and try to control my angry breathing. Not many people have it in them to rile me up but when it comes to him, it’s fucking easy. I can imagine him sitting with the guys and boasting about rolling in the sheets with me. That thought makes me blush, embarrassed by the fact it’s something he would actually do.

  Sighing, I say to myself out loud, “You’re a fucking idiot, Callie.”

  “I could have told you that.” Jasmine’s voice startles me and my heart beats faster, threatening to break through my chest. “I could have told you sleeping with him would be a bad move.”

  “Says the one that can’t control the only man she’s ever had in her life.” Ouch. Saying it out loud was bitchy. “Shit. Sorry, Jas. I didn’t mean that.”

  “It’s okay, you’re right but then again you don’t know the full story.” I peek at her from under my arm and she’s glaring at me through narrowed eyes.

  “That’s because you don’t tell me jack shit.” I wrinkle my nose and close my eyes. I always thought best friends told each other everything but she’s been holding out on me. I guess I’m being a hypocrite because I never told her how deep my feelings really ran for Dante Frazier.

  “You don’t either, Cal, so don’t give me that garbage.” I hear her sitting on her bed and placing her bag on the floor. I hear her sigh and the sadness in that one sound has me sitting up on my bed.

  “Let’s rectify this then, shall we?” I say. “I have deeper feelings for Dante than anyone knows. Happy?”

  “I suspected. And I think that feeling is mutual, though you’re both too stubborn to act on it.” She shakes her head at me before looking at the ceiling and groaning. “Okay, I met Jay when I was sixteen. He’s only three years older and he had a job in the town I grew up in. We became close and dated for a bit but I wouldn’t put out for him if you know what I mean. We made out under the stars, went on romantic picnics, hikes and day trips. We had a great time. He moved away and I came to college. He changed his number so I couldn’t contact him and my heart broke. Since then, I haven’t heard from him until he rolled into town and I spotted him. I also had no idea he was Dante’s brother until recently either. Now you know.”

  “Damn, that really sucks. Has he said why he broke off the contact between the two of you?” My suspicion is that he was a hot-blooded male who wanted to get laid and couldn’t be bothered to wait for the girl whose heart he had stolen. That’s low, but considering who his brother is, I can’t say I’m too surprised.

  “He said he wanted to start a new life and didn’t have time to keep driving to see me. I was too young to drive myself, too young to understand heart break. I just know that it felt like someone had ripped my heart out and stomped on it.” A tear slips down her cheek and lands on her jeans, creating a dark spot.

  My heart bleeds a little for Jasmine, no girl should have to go through that sort of emotional heartache at sixteen. “Why all of a sudden does he want to know then?” That’s what’s confusing me. He was the one that broke it off, leaving her behind so he can fuck anything with a pulse, to start a life without her. Why is he chasing her now?

  “He says that he’s missed me every single day since he left, that his heart aches for me and that a life without me isn’t worth living. I don’t know whether to believe him because I don’t want to go through that pain again.” More tears escape and I move off my bed to pull her in for a tight hug.

  “I don’t like what he’s done to you, babe. But I think now that you’re older, smarter, you’ll know when he’s stringing you along and know what the truth is. It’s worth pursuing even if you don’t think it is. I wish I had a guy that chased me like that. I’d feel more wanted.” Her brows furrow at me. Yeah, I guess my words are a bit unbelievable considering I’m a well-known nympho. “Hard to believe right? But that’s how I feel inside. I hide that because I’m scared of heartbreak just as much as you are. Plus, I’ve been holding out for Dante for so long that I don’t even think my heart works no more.”

  “Stop sleeping with everyone, let him win this stupid game you’ve been playing all year. Grow up a little and make him chase you. That’s the only way to play it. Who cares about winning these days? You don’t get a prize from it, Callie.” She gives me a little smile when she pulls away from me and her advice hits me in the chest. My cogs are turning in my head and I think she has a fucking good point. It’s time to grow the hell up, go to classes, change my style back to how I was before I met Dante and let him win the game. It’s time to get my shit together.

  I thought Callie would react more to me ignoring her but after a whole week of us passing each other on campus, she hadn’t once said a thing to me either. She’s been on campus all week attending all of her classes, at least, the ones we’re in together.

  It was strange because she never did that, she didn’t take school seriously at all in all of the time that I’ve known her. It’s like she’s turned into a whole other person.

  I can’t work out if she’s playing me at my own game or if she’s given up completely. I know that she hasn’t been going out to parties so maybe she is changing? We haven’t so much as looked at each other, well, at least not when the other one has been looking at the same time anyway.

  Whenever she’s in a room, I can’t stop my eyes from wandering over to her, it’s just natural for them drift over to her. I’ve been lost this past week. It wasn’t just about playing a game with her, it was a way to keep her close to me. If I couldn’t have her again then that was the only way to make sure I was still on her radar.

  Thinking about it now though, I realize how stupid it sounds. Why didn’t I just try and be a nice guy? I could have easily asked her out on a date and done things the right way. Instead, I wanted to be the big guy on campus and sleep around.

  Now I’m afraid that I’ve lost her for good and I know I won’t be able to get her back. I don’t like the way it makes me feel, knowing that I’ve lost her and I haven’t got a clue where to go from here. Did I just come out with it and tell her that I have feelings for her? Or do I just forget all about it and move on?

  I spot her as she walks across the quad with Jasmine, her bag slung over her shoulder. I watch in amazement as she tips her head back and laughs at something Jas says, I can’t help coming to a standstill on the path and watching her.

  She looks beautiful when she’s like that, her hair flowing down her back and her face so open. I feel someone walk into my back and I mutter an apology, too distracted with watching Callie.
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br />   She turns towards me and squints her eyes then pulls her sunglasses from the top of her head down onto her face. I don’t move from where I’m stood, instead, I wait to see if she’ll acknowledge me as she walks past.

  Here I am, ignoring her but not being able to stand her ignoring me. I’m driving myself insane.

  My heart rate picks up as she gets closer and I have to control my eyes not to wander over her body. When she comes within touching distance, I clench my hands into fist to stop from reaching out to her.

  “Jas.” I nod as they walk past me. She smiles in reply, Callie not saying a word to me. I take a step after them but stop myself. Stick to the plan, Dante, I tell myself over and over again as I turn and walk the opposite way.

  My head is a jumble of thoughts and all I really want is to be able to talk to someone. I haven’t spoken to Dylan since I knocked him out, and Jay was still ignoring me. It wasn’t like I didn’t try to get him to talk to me. I called him every day and each time he sent it straight to voicemail.

  I walk into the gym ready to do some training and head straight for the treadmill. I love the burn that I get from pushing myself to go faster and faster. I don’t time myself, I just keep going with the sounds of Jay-z in my ears. Zoning out and not paying attention to any of the other people around me.

  If I can’t talk to anybody about what’s going on, then the gym is the next best thing. I get lost in the rhythm of my strides and match each one to the beat of the music. When I’m soaked with sweat, I pull my earbuds out and step off the treadmill with legs that feel like jello.

  Heading straight for the showers, I ignore the ringing of my cell and strip my clothes, dipping my head under the spray of water. I stay like that for several minutes, relishing in the way it beats down on my skin.