A Different Game: A Wrong Game Novel

by Matthews, Charlie M.

  “Okay, yours it is. Around eight?”

  “I get off at six, so yeah, eight is fine.” I smiled.

  “Ah, shit,” Jake cursed. I frowned and looked to see what had caught his attention. Fucking Leanne.

  I didn’t even have time to compose myself before she came through the door and flicked her eyes between Jake and me. A sickly-sweet smile lit up her face as she strutted towards Jake with hunger in her eyes. “Jake,” she said in a chipper tone. “What are you doing here?”

  She had barely even acknowledged me before she squeezed her way into the gap Jake had created and turned her back on me. Again. Really? Did she really have to do that all the damn time? It was like I didn’t even exist. Not even a, Hi, Mel. Hope you haven’t been too busy. I scoffed at the idea of that ever happening.

  Jake tensed up as she wedged herself into him farther, tucking her long blonde locks behind her ear.

  “I was just passing and thought I’d stop by to say hello.”

  Leanne lifted a hand to his chest and giggled. Then she gazed back at me with one of those evil grins she seemed to save just for me. “Oh, you stopped by to see me. How sweet are you?”

  When Leanne focused her attention back on Jake, I tried not to let them know how bothered I was that she was touching him. We were friends. He had put me in the friend zone. And Leanne? Well, she was fair game. It still hurt like a bitch, though.

  Leanne made an ah sound and slipped her arms around his waist. He was a good foot taller than her and his chin came to rest against the top of her head. “Yeah, I’m sweet like that,” Jake said, his eyes firmly on mine. Was he trying to tell me something?

  No. I was reading too much into it.

  And why the hell was he still letting her hug him?

  I frowned and looked back up just in time to catch the cheeky wink he tossed my way. When he pulled back, I sighed with relief.... maybe a little too loudly.

  “Well, it was nice to see you again, but I’ve gotta shoot. Promised Rye I’d help him with something.”

  Leanne placed her hand on her side and jutted her hip, twisting a loose strand of hair between her fingers. “Maybe we can catch that drink sometime?”

  Jake’s eyes flickered to mine, then back to Leanne. “Maybe. I’ll let you know.” Then he left the store.

  Why was being friends with Jake such a chore? As much as I enjoyed his company, I missed being with him. I hadn’t had sex since Jake, and I was starting to feel like some sex starved virgin. It didn’t help that he seemed to show up wherever I went, reminding me that I couldn’t have him. Had he gotten laid since the last time we’d had sex? Was he going to take Leanne up on her offer? Would he have sex with her? If he hadn’t gotten any since me then he surely must be gagging for it. If Leanne handed it to him on a plate, he was sure to take it.

  I closed my eyes and sighed for the billionth time by my count, hoping he thought more of me than that, and then I opened my eyes and gazed out of the shop window. It was only then that I noticed Jake was still outside, watching me. Oh, God. I hoped my face didn’t give anything away. The last thing I needed was for Jake to realise how much he affected me.

  I shook my head to clear my thoughts and smiled out of the window. When Jake mouthed a ‘See you later’ and walked away, I almost died. He hadn’t wanted to leave until he’d reassured me that he’d be seeing me tonight. My heart felt as though it were bursting from my chest, and suddenly I didn’t care what would or wouldn’t happen between him and Leanne. Suddenly, all I cared was that for now, Jake was in my life, and I wanted to hold onto that for as long as my heart would allow me to.

  27

  It was seven thirty by the time I arrived home from work. Leanne had insisted that the order Pete brought by that afternoon needed to be checked and put out on display before we closed up. I told her I already had plans, but then she’d said she'd have to call Lillie if it didn't get done. I had bitten my tongue and done as instructed. I couldn't argue. I needed the job. I was so close to reaching my end target, and knowing my move was now within reaching distance made me all the more determined to stick it out for a little while longer. The thought of handing Leanne my resignation at the end of it was something I looked forward to.

  Knowing Jake would be arriving any minute, I didn't have time to shower or re-do my makeup. I had to settle for a quick flannel wash before spraying some deodorant under my arms. It wasn't great, but it would have to do.

  I slipped into some comfy shorts and threw Jake's hoodie over the top. The doorbell rang just as I finished throwing my hair up in a loose bun on the top of my head. With a quick glance at my reflection in the mirror, I made my way downstairs to answer the door.

  Jake's tall frame filled the doorway. I smiled, pulled the door farther open and said, “Hey.”

  Jake’s eyes travelled the entire length of my body. He grinned, shook his head and slipped past me. He looked sexy as hell in his dark grey lounge pants and matching hoodie. I tried not to let my eyes linger on his perfect arse for too long.

  Jake turned his head just as I snapped my eyes away from his firm butt. He held the DVD up and said, “Horror okay?”

  I sighed with relief and nodded my head. “Perfect, actually.” I half expected him to show up with one of those Marvel films, so I was pleasantly surprised he’d gone for a horror over an action movie.

  “You like horrors?” he asked, quirking a brow.

  I snatched the DVD from his hand. “Love them.” I looked down at the cover and decided I hadn't seen this movie before. I held it back out to him and paused. “Shit!” I said, causing Jake to frown. “Forgot to pick up some snacks on my way home. Sorry. Leanne had me working late. I’ve not long been home.”

  “Ah, don't worry about it. Bad day?” he asked, his face filled with concern.

  I shrugged. “It was fine. Just long.”

  Jake nodded in understanding and pushed away from the banister. “Which room?”

  “Huh?”

  “The movie?”

  “Oh. My room. I busted the DVD player downstairs and haven't gotten around to replacing it. Go on up. My rooms at the end of the hallway, last door on the left. I’ll grab us some drinks and meet you up there.” Then I made my way to the kitchen to fix the drinks.

  What the hell kind of movie were we watching? I swore, the people that thought up this shit must be seriously nutty. It was actually a little disturbing knowing someone conjured up that sort of stuff. It was by far the worst horror I’d ever seen. It wasn't even scary. Gory, yes. Scary, no. Jumpy as fuck? Hell, yeah. Twisted? Yep. Which was why Jake was sitting beside me in complete hysterics. He was convinced I was petrified by the guy with the axe. He was wrong. It only had to have the jump factor for me to be royally screwed. Normally, I could sense when the jump was coming. That creepy music that gradually grew louder came on before the big build up. Not with this one. Which was why I’d opted to spend the last forty minutes hiding behind my hands, peering through the gaps in my fingers. I was relieved when the end credits came on.

  I wondered how the hell I would make it through the night without freaking out. I usually watched these kinds of films at Frankie's, and I would spend the rest of the night convinced that someone would come to get me. My imagination tended to go a little wild after the film ended. Frankie would always stay awake until I was satisfied I could fall asleep knowing I was safe and that the boogie man wasn't near. With my parents away, and Frankie likely at home, cursing me for blowing her off, I would be left in our big house alone. I would have to make sure that I double-checked the locks on my door before I went to bed.

  Shawn loved a good horror movie. Growing up, I’d idolised him, so when he’d have his friends over to watch a movie, I would always tag along. I never let on that I was scared. I knew he would never let me stay and watch it if he knew how freaked out I was. When the movie would end, I would go straight to my room and play my Care Bears DVD. The fluffy clouds and coloured bears always lulled me to sleep, removing any ba
d thoughts I might have had about the scary film I’d just watched. Even to this day, I still kept it, although it no longer worked.

  When Jake finished laughing at my expense, he stretched out his long limbs, pulled his arms behind his head and eyed me from the side. “What happened to the love them comment?” he asked in amusement.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “I do. Normally. That shit was twisted as hell.”

  “It wasn't even scary.” He laughed again.

  “Then I guess that makes you just as twisted as the damn film.”

  “You have no idea,” he said, his voice deep and even.

  I swallowed hard and Jake chuckled, sensing my nervousness. I tried to shift the subject to something less… twisted.

  “So, Leanne, ay?” I smirked, raising both brows.

  Jake furrowed his. “What?”

  “She's in to you.”

  “Does that bother you?”

  I shrugged. “Why would it?”

  “You can't stand her.”

  “So? It's not about me, is it? If you like her, you should go for it.”

  “Who said anything about liking her?”

  “Do you?”

  “No, Mel. I don’t like her.”

  “Oh. I guess it’s a good job you don’t.”

  “Why’s that?” he asked, his brown eyes dancing in amusement.

  “Because I’m not sure we could be friends if you did.”

  Jake tipped his head back and laughed.

  He didn’t like her. I should be relieved by that confession. Instead, my mind began to wonder if there was anyone else in his life.

  “What about Tony?” he asked a few moments later.

  “Tony?” I frowned. Why did he mention him? I hadn’t seen him in six months and I didn’t plan on seeing him ever again. Then it suddenly dawned on me. “You read my message?”

  Jake tensed up, realising he’d been caught. “I didn’t read it, if that’s what you think. I just saw his name and figured…”

  “Figured what?”

  “That you were seeing him or something.” He shrugged. If he was bothered, it didn’t show. He looked as though he didn’t care at all.

  I bit my lip and shook my head. “I’ve not see him in a long time. We were never together.”

  “So, you didn’t see him that night?”

  “You did read my message?” I gasped.

  Jake sighed and said, “Fine. Maybe I did for a split second. It’s hard not to when it’s sat right in front of you.”

  “It’s fine.” I shrugged. “And no, I didn’t see him. I never even replied. I went straight to bed.”

  Jake nodded.

  “Would you care if I did?”

  His eyes flickered to mine. “Why would I?”

  “No reason, I guess,” I said indifferently. Damn, why was he so hard to read? Did I want him to care? Hell yeah, I did.

  Jake stretched his arms above his head and yawned. His jumper rose, revealing a small sliver of skin above the waistband of his trousers. I tried not to look, but it was almost impossible not to. When he cleared his throat beside me my eyes snapped up to his.

  “It’s getting late. I should probably go,” he said. His eyes fell to my mouth and his lips parted. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths and I told myself to look away. I closed my eyes and nodded in agreement. It was better if he left.

  Jake pushed up from the bed and slipped his feet into his trainers before he turned to face me, reached out a hand and said, “Come here.”

  Butterflies swarmed inside of me at the thought of what he might do. Was he going to kiss me? Would I let him? Before I could wonder what I might do if he did, Jake took my hand in his and pulled me from the bed, causing me to collide with his firm chest. His arms circled my waist as he pulled me into a hug. My right cheek pressed against his chest and I could hear his rapid heartbeat thudding against my ears. The hug was warm and gentle, and his breaths tickling the top of my head as he rested his chin there. I realised I still hadn’t moved a muscle. My arms hung awkwardly at my sides. They felt stiff as I finally brought them to rest against him, and my fingers shook as I flexed my hands before resting them flat against his back.

  We stayed in that same position for a good minute or so before he pulled back slightly and kissed the top of my head. I gazed down, not knowing where to look. I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks, hot and clammy. When Jake tugged on the drawstring of the hoodie I’d claimed as my own, I blinked up at him. He grinned, tugged once more and said, “I’ll see ya later?”

  I could only nod weakly in response. I wasn’t sure my mouth would work anyway.

  It was just a hug, Mel, my inner voice taunted me. But even as the voice in my head told me I was stupid, I knew it was more than just a friendly hug. I could feel it everywhere. The warmth of his chest pressed against mine, his rapid heartbeat matching my own, his tender touch as his thumb stroked my back in lazy circles. It wasn’t just a hug. It was so much more than that. More than anyone had ever given me before.

  It was just… more.

  28

  I only worked every other Saturday at the store. Today was my day off. So why the hell I was awake and dressed before 9:00 a.m.? Oh, yeah, I knew: because I hadn’t slept a wink thinking about Jake all night. Who knew a simple hug could turn me into a flustered mess?

  I paced the house looking for something to do to take my mind off of the dilemma I’d found myself in. I even helped Alice wash and dry the laundry before folding it and putting it all away. Alice was shocked I’d offered my services. She acted as though it wasn’t something I usually did. It wasn’t that I never offered to help before. I did… sometimes. Granted, it usually only happened when I had a lot on my mind and needed an escape, but still… Alice would usually tell me no, anyway, saying that it was her job to make sure the chores were done. That morning she let me help her. I guess I hadn’t realised myself how much I needed the distraction. Alice did, though. Instead of shooing me away like she normally would, she dumped the overfilled laundry basket in my hands and left me to it.

  By 11:00 a.m. I was crazy bored. Having tackled three loads of laundry and ironed a few shirts and skirts, I settled onto the sofa and fired up a new TV series. Thirty minutes later and I had no idea what the hell I was watching. I couldn’t focus on a single thing. My thoughts constantly went back to Jake and how amazing it felt being in his arms. I needed to let out my frustrations, so I made my way over to Frankie’s, praying she’d have some gossip to share from her night out.

  I turned the handle on the front door of her apartment. It opened straight away. I cursed at Frankie under my breath for leaving it unlocked, yet again, and made my way into the kitchen where I dumped my bag on the marble island. The apartment was quiet as I trudged through to the living room. An empty bottle of wine sat on the small table in the middle of the room and a wine glass, half full, sat beside it. I instantly felt bad knowing she was home alone last night when I should have been with her.

  Frankie was asleep in her bed when I made my way through to the bedroom. A pink sequined eye mask covered her eyes. Her lips parted slightly then closed as she drew in a heavy breath. I kicked my feet out of my pumps and flopped onto the bed with a heavy sigh. She didn’t even stir as my weight fell to the mattress with a thud.

  Tucking my hands under my head, I glanced across at her. There was a bright green ear plug sat lodged in her left ear and another sat on the pillow to her right. I reached a hand out, gripped the green squidgy plug between my fingers and pulled. She stirred a little, rolled over and let out an unattractive snore. I rolled my eyes, pulled out my phone from the back pocket of my jeans and flicked through my playlists. I settled on a Katy Perry song and hit play. Still, Frankie made no attempt to move. I narrowed my eyes, increased the volume and pressed the speaker to her ear.

  Frankie screamed and pushed the mask up to her forehead. Her eyes flew wide open, just as Katy sang about streaking in a park and getting kicked out of some bar.r />
  “What the hell?” she yelled, scrambling to a seated position as she blinked back at me.

  I snorted a laugh and switched the music off.

  “Morning.” I grinned.

  “Is it?” Frankie asked, removing the mask from her head and chucking it on the bedside table.

  “Has been for twelve hours now,” I stated proudly.

  Frankie groaned and dropped her head back on the headboard. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  I shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep.”

  “So, you thought you would wake me up from a perfectly good dream, all because you couldn’t sleep in?”

  “Yep.”

  Frankie scrubbed her face with her hands and frowned at me. “What happened to you last night?”

  “I told you. Jake stopped by the store and asked if I would watch a movie with him.”

  She continued to frown. I guess she was already drunk by the time I’d called her to say I couldn’t make it.

  “Did you at least get laid?”

  “Why would you ask that?”

  “It’s the only excuse worthy of letting your best friend down.”

  “In that case, no, I didn’t get laid.”

  “Why the hell not? Are you on the blob or something?”

  “Firstly… eww. Secondly, we’re friends. That’s it.”

  Frankie snorted. “And whose stupid idea was that?”

  “His. Mine. Both.” Frankie raised her brows. “Okay, fine. It was his, okay?”

  “And you’re okay with that?”

  “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “You guys have a history. It’s hard to believe that anyone can be friends after all that.”

  “Well, believe it because we are.”

  “It’s a shame I don’t believe you.”

  “Believe me or not. I don’t care. You know I can’t get involved with anyone. Not when I plan on leaving soon.”

  “You can’t still be serious about that…”

  “Why not? Nothing has changed.” I shrugged.