A Different Game: A Wrong Game Novel

by Matthews, Charlie M.

  “You could say that. Brie was in love with him. Well, as in love as a seventeen-year-old can be.”

  “Wow, I had no idea.”

  “Yeah. It's not something that's ever really spoken about.”

  “I knew you guys had a history, but I had no idea why. I guess we all just figured you'd fallen out or something. You know, teenage stuff.”

  “That would have been easier,” I admitted.

  “What happened?”

  “Honestly? On her part? I have no idea. We were friends for years. Best friends. We did everything together. Joint birthday parties, sleepovers. We even shared a boyfriend once.” A bubble of laughter formed in my throat at the memory.

  “It sounds like you two were close.”

  I nodded. “We were.”

  “What changed?”

  “That's the thing.” I shrugged. “I have no idea. When we found out Shawn died, Aubrie sort of closed off. She didn't ask me how or what happened. She didn't even cry, which, looking back, was weird. I mean, she was so into him and I knew he liked her, too. Maybe not as much, but still, he had to feel something for her, right?”

  Jake lifted his shoulder into a shrug. “I guess.”

  “She never cried. She never hugged me or stayed with me while my parents sorted out the funeral arrangements. I tried calling her three days later and… nothing. Her phone went to voicemail and so did the house phone. I stopped by her place after dinner one day and her dad answered the door. He said Aubrie was staying with her auntie for a while and that he didn't know when she was coming back. Back then I thought he meant like a holiday. Maybe two or three weeks at most. She never came back.”

  “That's it? She just didn't come back again?” Jake frowned.

  I shook my head. “Not until second year of college, first day back, and then suddenly she's right there, standing at the gates. She wouldn't even look at me or acknowledge my existence.”

  “That sucks.”

  “I hated her so much for leaving me. I needed her, Jake. I needed my friend and she wasn't there.”

  “I’m sorry she did that. At least you had your parents.”

  “Technically, yes. Emotionally, no. They took it bad. I think they blamed themselves for Shawn's death. We all knew how bad things were, but it was easier to ignore than to face the truth. They eventually stopped talking to each other, then me. If it wasn't for Bessy…” I closed my eyes and shook my head. “She took me under her wing and treated me as though I was her own. In a way she saved me.”

  “Fucking hell, Mel. No kid should have to go through that. My dad's an arse but I know if I needed him he'd be there. I don't know what I’d do if I didn't have my parents in my life.”

  I smiled flatly. “Let's hope you never have to find out.”

  Jake nodded. “Do you know what happened with Brie? Why she went away?”

  “Nope. Like I said, when she came back she was a different person. It was like I never even knew her. She was a stranger. So, I did what she did and acted as though she didn't exist. It hurt like hell, but I’m over it now.”

  “Are you?”

  “What?”

  “Over it?”

  My lips pulled into a grin. I hated that he seemed to see right through me. Not even my parents knew what I was thinking or feeling.

  “Sometimes. Other times I’ll remember what it felt like to be abandoned and I’ll hate her all over again. When I see her now, she's just another girl in a long line of girls. She's just a girl I used to know.”

  “What happened today? Did she say something to you?”

  “She said that she wanted to explain—that when I was ready, she'd be waiting.”

  “Are you going to let her?”

  “I don't know. I think too much has happened to even consider going back there. Too much time has passed. I don't know that it'll even make a difference or if I’ll just be disappointed again.”

  “And you don't want to risk the disappointment?” Jake breathed out.

  We sat in silence for a few minutes, just staring into empty space. The silence was suffocating and I willed Jake to say something, anything that didn't involve returning to my memories. Thinking about Aubrie and the friendship we once had made me sad. I wanted to forget that we were ever friends, but it was hard. We lived in the same town and frequented the same places so often, it was impossible to avoid bumping into each other.

  I looked to Jake and I was thankful I had. He looked ridiculous in that fuchsia dress.

  “What?” he frowned.

  “Nothing,” I lied, trying desperately to hold back the giggles.

  “Come on. What is it?”

  “You look ridiculous,” I told him.

  Jake poked his finger into my ribs and grinned. “Made you smile, though, didn't it?”

  I slipped out my phone, tapped on the camera and held it up. “Say cheese,” I sang, quickly snapping a couple of pictures.

  “Don't even think about it,” he said in warning. When I continued snapping away happily, he darted for my phone. The muscles in his thick arms rippled under his skin as he tried to reach out for it. I was quicker, though. I had the phone stuffed inside my pocket and my body across the other side of the room within seconds.

  Jake seemed to buckle as if he had hurt himself, and limped forward. I frowned. “You okay?” I asked, immediately feeling guilty.

  “Yeah, just a cramp,” he said, hobbling his way back over to the table. His brows pinched at the corners as if he was in pain. A lot of pain, by the looks of it. He must’ve noticed the concern in my eyes and he smiled. “If you even think of putting that on Facebook, I’m revoking our friendship.”

  “Wouldn't dream of it,” I lied again. That shit was going on my social media as soon as I got home.

  I could tell Jake was still in pain, even if he tried to hide it. All the colour had drained from his face as he flexed his knee out and brought it back in.

  I sat beside him and pulled up the edge of the dress. In a normal situation that action alone would have been hilarious, but it was clear that the injury was more serious than he was willing to let on. “Can I?” I asked, lifting the material a little higher.

  Jake’s eyes lifted to mine and he nodded, wincing as I pulled his leg onto my lap. I smiled up at him as I pushed the dress up to his thigh and brushed my thumb across his knee. It was red and swollen. This definitely was not a cramp.

  My fingers shook as they soothed the raised knee. I remembered reading something about him being injured a while ago, but he’d been back on the field a few weeks later so this couldn't be the same injury. I wanted to ask him what happened but before I could speak, Jake tipped my chin with his finger and smiled. When his soft eyes met mine, anything I was about to say was long forgotten. Was I crossing the line of friendship? Was I hurting him?

  “Do you feel up all your friends?” Jake's mouth tipped into a grin, and I smacked his arm playfully.

  “You’re an arse.”

  “I’m just messing with ya, Mel. And you should know something…”

  “What's that?” I asked, my voice croaky and uneven.

  “If you keep touching me like that I’m gonna bend you over this table and fuck you so hard that you’ll be the one struggling to walk”

  I leaned in close, my voice dropping an octave. “Really?”

  “Really,” he repeated.

  “Jake?” I whispered.

  “Hmm?”

  “You should know something, too…”

  “What's that?” he asked, swallowing down the question.

  I leaned in closer, noticing how his breathing became heavier. My lips parted as they gravitated towards Jake's mouth. When his eyes dropped to mine, reality kicked in, snapping me out of the trance I seemed to have found myself in. “That dress really brings out the colour in your eyes.”

  “Bitch,” he said, feigning hurt. “This is the last time I’m ever going to do you a favour. Next time you enter some fashion show or whatever the hell it is
, you're on your own.”

  I frowned. “What fashion show?”

  “That fashion thing or whatever you call it.”

  I continued to frown. “Okay, I have no idea what you're talking about.” I shook my head.

  “This dress. The deadline!” he yelled louder, gripping the fabric in his hand.

  “Nope. Still no idea.” I deadpanned.

  “Mel…” Jake said, his voice full of warning. “There is no show? No deadline?”

  “Nope,” I confirmed. Inside I was doing my very own victory dance. I’d gotten him good.

  “You lied. You made me wear this damn thing, for what? So you could have a laugh at my expense?” His mouth hung open in shock before he quickly snapped it shut. I jumped back as a fresh bout of laughter took hold of me. Tears formed in my eyes as I tried to force myself not to laugh. It was hard not to. He looked like a raging bull in a prom dress. My chest began to vibrate as the laugher gathered inside of me, a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, desperate to force its way out. I couldn't breathe.

  Before I could even catch a much-needed breath, Jake was already ripping away at the bright pink fabric as though it were on fire. His eyes were wide as he limped the small distance to where I had stopped. “You call yourself a friend?” he snarled.

  “What? I needed you to take my mind off of today and you did. What's the problem?” I asked innocently. He was mad as hell.

  His brows arched high on his forehead as he pushed his face closer to mine. “What's the problem?” he said, repeating my words.

  I bit my lip and nodded.

  “What's the damn problem?”

  I stayed silent.

  “I only put that damn thing on because I felt sorry for you. Because I really thought you needed my help.”

  “I did. Kind of.” I cringed. Okay, maybe laughing wasn't such a good idea. Nor was making him put the dress on in the first place. I wouldn't apologise, though. I’d had way too much fun watching him squirm while I made fake adjustments.

  Jake pressed his body against mine, leaving me no room to breathe. The dress was still clutched tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white with the force of the grip he had on it. When he met me nose for nose, he sighed. His mouth hovered over mine, his lips edging their way closer to my own. I could feel his angry breaths dancing across my face. Was he going to kiss me? Friends didn't kiss. Did they? Just as I felt the slight brush of his skin on mine, absolutely certain he was, in fact, going to kiss me, he pulled back.

  I blinked up at him, wondering what the hell had just happened.

  “Payback’s a bitch, babe.” He laughed menacingly, his brown eyes twinkling as I squirmed on the spot. Would he actually try and get me back for that? Surely not.

  “Jake?” I questioned. “It was just a joke. You're not really going to do anything, are you?”

  “No. Right now, I’m hungry,” he said, pulling his jeans over his legs.

  “Wha… where are you…?” I stuttered, frowning as he pulled the shirt over his head.

  Jake paused and turned to face me, his brows raised high. “You want pizza or what?”

  “Pizza?” I frowned. “So, you're not going to get me back for lying to you about the dress?”

  “No, Mel. We’re going for pizza.

  I sighed with relief.

  “Then I’ll decide how I’m going to get you back for that little stunt you just pulled.”

  My mouth hung wide open as I stared at his back. I could hear his maniacal laugh as he pushed open the door and stepped outside.

  “You coming or what?” he asked over his shoulder.

  I grunted in response.

  Ah, hell. That would be me well and truly fucked.

  25

  Mel’s footsteps echoed behind me as she followed me out of the warehouse and into the car park where I’d left my car. I didn’t have to look back to know she was watching my every movement. I could feel her eyes glaring at the back of my head. She was suspicious of me. She had every damn right to be. I’d fucking believed her when she’d said she needed my help. I’d put on that damn dress because I couldn’t stand to sit back and watch those big brown eyes gaze up into mine while she pleaded with me to do as she’d asked. I’d fucking done it, like the absolute pussy I was. She knew it was only a matter of time before I got her back for it.

  Right now, I was starving.

  I climbed in the driver’s side and turned on the ignition, the headlights quickly illuminating a path towards the exit. Melanie climbed in the passenger seat and tossed her purse into the foot well before fastening her seatbelt. I pulled away in silence and followed the route out of the industrial estate that lead into town. I hadn’t even told her where we were headed and she made no attempt to ask me. I could feel her eyes on me the whole time. She was constantly on guard, waiting for me to do something. Not that there was much I could do while driving a damn car.

  When I pulled up outside the restaurant and got out, Mel seemed unsure. I watched her shake her head before she eventually climbed out and followed me into the building. It felt like years had passed since I’d last stepped inside the place. The décor was still the same rustic red as it always had been, if not a little more worn out. Everything appeared to look just the same, even down to the table layout and blue napkins that were folded into triangles on the small plates.

  Mel followed me towards the row of booths that lined the outer side of the room. “This one okay?” I asked. Mel nodded, slid into the booth, and laid her purse and phone on the table. I did the same with my keys, wallet and phone before I slid in opposite her. Her eyes met mine briefly as she tucked her brown, silky hair behind her ear. She hadn’t always been a brunette. I’d only ever known Mel with blonde hair. Her hair was one of things I loved about her. Long blonde locks—and not from a packet—and big doe eyes that I could easily get lost in. She had dyed her hair brown not long after I’d come back. Don’t get me wrong, she still looked hot as fuck, but I preferred her the way she’d always been. She didn’t need to change anything about herself. Except the way she treated her friends. Yeah, she definitely needed to work on her friendship skills. I mean, really? What the fuck kind of Hell was she trying to put me through, convincing me to wear that fucking dress? Did she really hate me that much?

  She’d hardly said a word since we’d left the warehouse. She was convinced I was out to get her and her senses were on high alert. Would I really set out to get her back? Fuck, yeah, I would. But even though it was a dick move on her part, it wasn’t so bad knowing that I’d at least made her smile when she wasn’t so sure she could. I guess I should let her have that one. Not only did it make her laugh when she was so down from visiting her brother and bumping into Aubrie, it brought me comfort knowing I’d been the one to do that—make her laugh when her life was turning to shit.

  A few moments later, a hand clapped my shoulder. I peered up and grinned before pushing up from the table. “Rocco, my man. How are ya?” I pulled the little Italian in for a bear hug.

  Rocco patted my back and pulled back, his smile wide and genuine. “Good, Star. Good.”

  I smiled at the nickname he’d given me the first day I came to the restaurant. That was ten years ago now and he’d called me it ever since. “It’s been too long, Star. You no like my pizza no more? Not fancy enough for Star?”

  I grinned and clasped his shoulder. “Don’t talk shit. You know no one does pizza like you.”

  “Good. Good.” Rocco turned his attention to Mel, pulling her hand in his. “Ah, and who is this beautiful lady you have with you?”

  Mel’s eyes shot to mine as if she didn’t know what to do. I smiled and nodded in reassurance. Rocco was one of the good ones. He was a ladies’ man through and through, but he was happily in love with his wife, Gina, who was ten years his junior.

  “Rocco, this is Melanie. Mel, this is Rocco.”

  “Beautiful name for a beautiful lady,” he gushed.

  Mel’s face turned a bright shade of
pink as she tried not to appear affected by the compliment. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you.” Her brown eyes met mine and I offered a grin. Rocco was right. She was beautiful.

  I slid back into the padded leather booth. Rocco was still staring down at Melanie as though she were some exotic creature that he would miss when gone. He’d done well not to stare down at her cleavage through the thin, black vest top she wore. I, however, found it torturous not to look. What was worse was that I already knew what her breasts looked and felt like underneath that damn top. It was like taking a kid to a sweet shop and telling him he couldn’t have anything. Pure. Fucking. Torture.

  I shook my head, cleared my throat and said, “I’ll get a Corona, please, Roc. Mel?” I asked, raising both brows.

  Mel pulled her hand away from Rocco and placed it on her lap while she scanned the bar menu. “Glass of Zinfandel if you have it.” She smiled. Damn, why did she have to look so goddamn beautiful tonight?

  “Ah, you like it sweet. Just like our Star.”

  Mel smiled flatly. She was fidgeting with her hands under the table. It was clear Rocco made her uncomfortable. I slipped my hand under the table and squeezed her knee reassuringly. Her eyes shot to mine and she smiled shyly. Rocco pulled a pen and pad from his white apron and jotted our drinks order down.

  “Can we get two of the usual as well, please?”

  “Extra dough balls?” he asked, not looking up from his notebook.

  “You know it.” I grinned.

  “Perfect,” he said, slipping the pad and pen in his apron pocket. “Your drinks will be with you shortly. Enjoy your evening, Star. Melanie.”

  We both said our thanks, and once he was out of earshot, I blew out a breath. “Sorry about him. I’ve known Rocco most of my life. He’s harmless, really, if not a little forward.”

  Mel shook her head and grinned. “You can say that again. I didn’t know where to look.” She laughed, a hint of nervousness beneath the noise.

  “Don’t worry,” I said, nudging my head to the side. “Looks like you’ve been replaced.” I grinned, watching the new interaction that was happening to the left of me.