Four Can Play That Game: Part One

by Ostle, J. L.

  “Are you going to stay here still?” Benjamin asks me.

  “Why wouldn’t I? My parents have paid up for the rest of the year and we do have a contract, so unless you can find a place for me to stay and give me my money back, I’m stuck here. You’ll have to get used to it, I’m afraid.” I stomp over to my room and I’m about to close the door when I call out to them. “And please, for my sanity, fuck in your rooms.” With that, I close my door, locking it again.

  I can hear them talking loudly but I don’t listen in. I don’t think they’re happy to be living with a girl, but it’s not like I’m thrilled I’m living with three guys who are obviously nymphos.

  I change into my short shorts and tank top. I put on Netflix, in the mood to watch something funny to get my mind off things.

  My parents are going to freak when I tell them that I’m living with the three guys in the photo. Especially Dad. Smoke is going to be coming out of his ears when he finds out. There is no way I can tell them that they’re into kinky shit. They are quite the alpha males, so you would think that they would be possessive of their women. I guess since Fifty Shades, people have broadened their horizons. Maybe if I was more sexually experienced, I would be into more things. In books, it sounds hot, but in real life, getting your hair pulled and spanked during sex would hurt, I’d think. It doesn’t help that I’m not really into pain. If I get a papercut, you would think I was stabbed with a knife with how I act.

  Watching Fuller House has been a great distraction. When I hear a knock on my door, I’m tempted to just ignore it, but if we’re all going to be living together then we have to start acting like grown-ups and learn to get along.

  I open it up and it’s Benjamin again. He’s smiling, but it fades when his eyes trail over my body. The way he’s looking at me, his eyes going dark, it feels like a caress over my skin.

  “Are you okay?” I hug myself.

  He lifts his hand, his fingers gliding through his hair. “Yeah. We’ve been talking and we wanted to speak to you.”

  “Okay.” We walk over to the dining table, and when I get there, Devon stands up glaring at me, his jaw ticking.

  “Really? Couldn’t you wear a sweater? You see what I mean? How are we meant to live like this? She is walking around naked,” he moans.

  “I am covered.”

  “Barely.”

  “Can we all just sit down?” Zeal interrupts.

  I sit opposite him, and when I tuck my chair in, all the guys are staring at my cleavage. I place my arms in front of me, blocking their view. “Seriously, guys. I’m sure you see breasts every day.”

  “Sorry. I guess all this has caught us off guard,” Benjamin says.

  “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting this either. But I have to ask. Why did you think I was called Amy?”

  He chuckles. “Zeal is the one who told us you were called Amy.”

  “I asked a friend of mine what you were called after our run and he said you were Amy, and today when I called out Amy, you turned, so of course we were going to think that was your name.”

  “You need to get new informants. This morning, I was listening to my music, and I thought I heard Jamie, but they do sound similar, so it’s an easy mistake to make.”

  “And you’re definitely not a guy?” Devon asks.

  I stand up and do a little twirl before sitting again. “Do I look like a guy?”

  “Definitely not,” Zeal says quietly.

  “Right, well, we’ve been talking.” Devon stands and starts pacing. “When we were advertising the room, we were expecting a guy to be moving in. As you see, we’re into stuff that you are obviously not in to, right?” He stops and looks at me.

  All of them look at me, and I start to feel uncomfortable.

  “Why should it matter if I’m in to what you’re in to? All I ask is for you to have sex in your rooms and not for everyone to see when they’ve had a busy day. I bet you wouldn’t like to walk in on me having sex with someone on the couch.”

  I was talking rhetorically but I notice the atmosphere changing.

  “You’re right, we don’t want to see that,” Zeal says.

  “Don’t you think it would be best if you found somewhere else? A place where it’s just girls?” Devon pleads a little.

  I extend my hand and he looks at it, bemused. “Where’s my money then? I’ve only been here five days, so hand it over.” He drops his head, sighing. I retract my hand.

  “You aren’t going to like living here. We throw parties, and we love sex. You’re going to see girls coming and going.”

  “As I said, if you can’t give me back the money, then I’m staying put. Do you think I’m just going to let you keep it? I like a good party, and it will be a good way to meet people. When it comes to girls, I’m a friendly person, so I will say hi and bye. You never know though, as you entertain your girls, I may be entertaining my own company.” I smile sweetly.

  “We don’t want to hear you having sex.” Devon slams his palms on the table, staring me down.

  I stand up, copying his stance. “If I have to put up with your fake-ass girls fake orgasming, then you will have to deal with my screams and moans.” That is not what I meant to say, but the words just left my lips with no thought.

  “Are you really going to play this game?”

  “Trust me when I say I don’t give up easily, and there is nothing you can do that will make me leave this place. You are stuck with me until I graduate, babe.” I wink at him and he sneers at me, but the look in his eyes, it’s like he’s warning and promising me something at the same time.

  “I think we’re taking this too far.” Benjamin stands, moving to my side. “Let’s go for a walk.” His hand covers mine, lifting it until he’s holding it.

  “I can’t walk like this.” I glide my hand down my body and his eyes follow my movement.

  “Go put something on.” I look to Zeal who is watching us. Devon is still glaring at me. I nod to Benjamin before heading to my room to put on my yoga pants and a jacket.

  Once I’m ready, I lock my bedroom door. Benjamin takes my hand, heading towards the door and we start to take a slow walk. When we get outside, neither of us says a word. The sun is starting to set, the sky covered in different colors.

  “Who would have thought the girl who almost fell on her ass would turn out to be my new roommate.” He laughs.

  “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting to be living with the hottest guys on campus.” My face heats up. Why did I have to say that? I must be tired. Words are just falling from my lips tonight.

  “You think we’re hot?” He nudges his shoulder with mine.

  “I think you all know you are. Girls literally swoon around you. I don’t know how you put up with that. Just walking in with you guys today, people were pointing and staring, looking at me like I wasn’t good enough to be in your presence.

  He stops walking and stands in front of me. “You really are blind, aren’t you?” He shakes his head a little. “You are gorgeous. You look so flawless. Guys at school are constantly looking at you. Girls look at you in jealousy, and today, people were looking because they know the rumors.”

  We start walking again. “Rumors?”

  “About us sharing our girls.” I nod in understanding. “We have foursomes, but that’s because we haven’t found the right girl to have a relationship with. Someone we would want to give our attention and spare time to. We love sex, don’t get me wrong, so we fulfill our needs by having flings, but we’re looking for that one girl. One we will cherish and adore.”

  I can feel his eyes on me, but I don’t look at him. I’m scared that he’s hinting for me to be that girl.

  “I’m sure you’ll find her.”

  “I’m sure we will.” We continue walking, falling into a weird silence. I can feel that he wants to say something, just like I have questions to ask. I’m curious about what he and the guys mean by sharing. I assumed it mainly was just foursomes, but there seems to be a lot more to it than that.
Maybe, in time, we will all get so comfortable around each other that they can tell me about what they’re into.

  It’s just curiosity for me, of course.

  We have walked our way around the block in silence, and when I see our home coming up, I feel a little relieved. I just want to go in and go to bed. When we get to the pathway, Benjamin stands in front of me. I look up and he looks torn about something.

  “Just spit it out, Benny Boy,” I tease.

  He doesn’t smile. He looks to the front door then back to me. “We were talking before and we do feel that maybe it would be best if you do find somewhere else to stay. Surely you don’t want to be living with three guys? We can be messy slobs and we can’t help our sexual preferences. We will get you your money. It will just take us a little time to get it all.”

  So that’s why he wanted to take me for a walk. To play the good cop, the nice guy, to try and get me to move out. Where would I go anyway? I’m not making myself homeless and I’m not getting my parents involved with this chaos.

  “So, you want me to find more money for a new place, which I don’t have, as I wait for you three to give me back a half year’s worth of rent? In the meantime, though, should I just live in a cardboard box in an alleyway?” My voice gets louder. “Like I told your sex partner, I’m not going anywhere. This is where I’m living. Get used to it.” I walk around him, sure smoke is coming out of my ears.

  I get to the door, opening it and slamming it hard right behind me. I wouldn’t care if it slammed in Benjamin’s face.

  Devon and Zeal are still in the same spots as when we left and their eyes connect with mine. I just glare at them. I hear the door open behind me and close again.

  “I take it it didn’t go well,” Devon says sarcastically.

  “What do you think, pretty boy?” I head to my room. I open the door wide, but before I close it, I look out and all three stand there watching me. I stare them down before I slam the door and then lock it.

  I’m not an angry person, but they can’t expect me to gather up my things and move when I have no money. I might not ever see a penny of it again. I’m not that stupid.

  I go over to my bed, falling face down, and let out a scream into my sheets.

  Feeling calmer, I turn over, lying on my back, staring at the ceiling, when I hear my phone ringing. I drag my ass over to my bag and fetch it out to see four missed calls from Clarissa. I answer it to her relieved voice.

  “Finally. I thought you were dead. You haven’t replied to any of my messages or calls since this morning.”

  “I’m so sorry, but I’ve had a messed up day.” I walk back over to my bed, falling backward.

  “You mean apart from hanging out with the sharing trio?” She laughs.

  I sit up straighter. “You knew they were the three guys that shared their women?” Of course she did. She is the one that mentioned it on my first day here.

  “Yeah, that’s why I asked you this morning in class if you’re going to be one of their girls. I even messaged you asking if you know what you’re getting yourself into for hanging out with them. People do talk.”

  I palm my forehead over and over. “I didn’t think Benjamin and Zeal were part of it. Why didn’t you name them when you mentioned about Devon?”

  “I didn’t think. Devon was there and it’s only rumors, but then you said you saw him all tangled up, so I knew it was true but didn’t think about mentioning the others. So, are you going to stop hanging out with them?”

  Yeah, I wish that was my only worry. “Well, that will be hard as they are my roommates.”

  The phone goes silent. I pull my phone back to check that she’s still on the line. “What do you mean they’re your roommates? I thought you lived with girls?”

  “Yeah, it so happens that there was a mix up of identities. They thought I was a guy and I thought they were girls. It turns out we were all wrong. And the way I found out was because I caught them all fucking a girl in the living room once again. When I tried to get to my room, it all went in insane.” I blow out a little of my frustration, thinking about it all over again.

  “I can’t believe this. You live with the three hottest guys in school. I guess that’s the positive thing about it.”

  “Yeah, even though they’re trying to kick me out.”

  “What?”

  “Yup. I have paid rent up ‘til I graduate, and they want me to find somewhere else to stay as I wait for them to find the money to pay me back. Well, it’s tough. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I don’t blame you. Stand your ground. What can they do really?”

  “Exactly. They just have to put up with living with a girl.” I look at my nails.

  “I take it you don’t want me to come over for that movie night?”

  I sit up, crossing my legs. “No, come over. We aren’t going to stop our plans because of them. Just message me when you’re at the front door. Don’t knock or anything, okay?”

  “You got it. I’m on my way. See you in ten minutes.” We say our goodbyes and hang up.

  I was tired before, but for some reason, I feel wired now. I change back into my short shorts and sit on my bed, looking through Facebook. I jump up when Clarissa says she’s outside, but that she isn’t the only one.

  I look at the message, confused. I open my bedroom door and see Zeal at the front door, letting people in. People I don’t know, guys and girls; a few are carrying snacks while others have bottles of alcohol.

  They are throwing a fucking party.

  Clarissa squeezes through and walks quickly over to me. “What is going on?”

  “They’re trying to annoy me.”

  I look around the room and spot Benjamin talking to a couple of girls. I search for Devon and he’s at the far wall with a red cup in his hand. He’s staring right at me with the hugest smirk. He nods, raising his cup at me before taking a sip.

  They’ve planned this. They really think throwing a party is going to make me move out? I don’t break that easily.

  I take Clarissa’s hand and guide her to my room, and when I open my door, my mouth hangs open when I see a girl and a guy making out on my bed. How did they even get in here without me noticing?

  I walk over to them with my hands on my hips. “Get the fuck out of my room before I cut out those tongues of yours. I’m pretty sure you’re very partial to them.” They both look up at me and I think they’re going to say something, but with the way I’m looking at them, they change their minds and stand up, walking around the bed to the door, their eyes never leaving mine.

  I slam the door, locking it, and I lift my hands, pulling my hair. I can’t believe people were making out on my bed. Thank God they never got further than that or I would have had to burn my sheets and mattress.

  “Are you okay?” Clarissa walks over, laying her hand on my shoulder.

  “How long do you think I would go down for for murder if I said I lost my sanity due to my roommates?” I plunk down on my bed.

  “I am sure a very long time.” She chuckles. “At least the walls are thick. You can’t really hear the…” She stops when the music starts blasting through the walls.

  “You were saying?” I fall back.

  “Let's just try and watch the movie. We’ll put it on loud so it will drown out the noise and we can just have a good night. It will annoy them if they know this isn’t getting to you.”

  I stand up going over to my desk, grabbing my TV remote and turning the TV on. We decide on The Kissing Booth. We put it on as loud as it can be, but it seems that the music is just getting louder too.

  Where are the neighbors? Surely people aren’t happy with the noise.

  We’re halfway through the movie when we hear a bang on my door, making us both jump. I try and not let the party annoy me, but it’s hard. My favorite part is coming up, the part where the characters have their first kiss. I’m leaning forward, waiting for the moment, when there is another bang on the door, and the handle jiggles.
/>   Thank God I locked my door, but this is getting ridiculous.

  “That’s it. I am going to kick someone’s ass.” I press pause and stand up, Clarissa stands with me, blocking my path.

  “Slow down, wonder woman.” I roll my eyes, eyeing up my door. “If you go out there screaming at them like a crazy person, you will never live it down at school. The rest of the year could be hell for you. You have to be smart about this.”

  I slouch down a little. “What do you mean?”

  “Think about all the movies you’ve seen over the years when guys pull these stunts in the movies. What do the girls do?”

  We both pause before smiling. “We get even,” we say at the same time.

  “They would act like it didn’t bother them and let their idea backfire,” I say out loud. I pace the room until an idea comes to me. “Right, we are going to join the party, but we need to go all out.” I walk over to Clarissa and take off her pale blue cardigan. She’s wearing a light blue tank that hugs her nicely. I pull it down a little, exposing the top of the cleavage, making her yelp.

  “How come I have to dress like this? How is this going to annoy the guys?”

  “Take off your pants.” I go to my drawers, taking out my denim shorts and throwing them at her. “Guys go where the hot girls go, and they love girls that are in pairs, especially if they look flirty with each other. Men are pigs, and if they think two girls might get it on, they will be on you like bees on honey like a moth to a flame.”

  Clarissa puts on the shorts and I brush out her hair and do her makeup. “You want me to flirt with you?” she asks while I do her eyes.

  “You saying you’re too good for me?” I tease. “Remember, you’re on my team, and we need to show those guys that they are being childish asses.” I step back, smiling at my handy work. Clarissa looks smoking.

  She looks into the mirror and gasps. “Holy shit! Are you a witch? It doesn’t even look like me.” She leans in, touching her hair and face.

  “I’m just that good.” I brush my hair, giving me that just-had-sex look. I do my make-up like Clarissa’s, but I use red lipstick as hers is dark brown, giving her a gothic look. I guess I’m going for the sultry vibe. “Besides, it’s three guys against one girl. That’s not really fair. At least with you helping me, it's evening out the field.” I smile sweetly at her.