Play The Game Page 17

  “It’s convenient,” Beckett replied vacantly as we stepped into the crowded arena. Gymnasium or not, the atmosphere was euphoric and the ambiance was incredibly beautiful. The decorations were elegant in addition to the little lecterns lining the perimeter of the court that delicately displayed enticing and pompous finger foods. Meanwhile, the gymnasium’s center court was rather respiring, and most couples maintained some socially respectable distance between one another.

  “There’s a certain way for ladies and gentlemen to behave,” Beckett explained. “This is the honor of wealthy socialites.”

  “Are we in the eighteenth century?”

  “It’s a good analogy,” Beckett agreed, pausing next to one of the food tables. “Now stay still while I look for someone.”

  I frowned, but refrained from offering another snarky comment as my eyes scanned the field of couples gliding across the floor, almost in perfect synchronization. This was obviously a rehearsed affair, and I wasn’t fortunate enough to have received an invitation to the etiquette classes. Smirking at my own joke, I turned my attention to Beckett and waited for him to react.

  “Where is she?” he hummed, eyes flickering back and forth.

  “She?” I repeated, trying not to appear affected at the mention of another girl.

  Beckett didn’t warrant my inquiry with a response, keeping his attention elsewhere as I started to grow antsy just standing next to the table. My fingers itched to send a message to Rose and ask how things were going with Ryder. Honestly, I was more excited for their night than I was for my own. I knew that I was being used by Beckett, so a better alternative was to live vicariously through my older sister who had scored a date with one of the hottest boys in school.

  “Maybe she’ll turn up,” Beckett announced, and he finally looked at me. “I hope you’re a good dancer, Nicole. We’re going to get a closer look.” Without waiting for my response, Beckett grabbed my arm and started pulling me towards the intimidating masses.

  Thankfully, for his sake, I knew how to dance, and I was fairly good with my movements. However, I had no experience with this seemingly scripted method of gliding. “Hey!” I protested half-heartedly when his hand settled on the curve of my waist. “I’ve never danced like this before.”

  “You’re here to pretend, Nicole,” Beckett said, guiding my right hand to his shoulder. “Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine.”

  I swallowed down any other complaints. After all, Beckett was right because I was basically here to do a job and it required that I acted just like any other student at this ridiculous school. So, ignoring the pleasant warmth of his closeness, I took a deep breath and aimed my gaze downwards at our feet, and I focused on keeping up with his movements while trying not to step on his toes, even if he deserved the pain.

  The two of us danced together for several minutes, and it allowed me to get the hang of the rather scrupulous dance everyone seemed to have already mastered. I felt more confident in my footwork, so I was able to admire my surroundings, taking in the nicely ornamented gymnasium around me. I also made a small game of calling out the names of the different designer brands that I recognized on the couples surrounding us, and Beckett found it amusing, his lips curling into a smile whenever I yelled out “Gucci” or “Armani.”

  However, eventually Beckett paused our performance and we sat down together at a table where I shamelessly indulged in the delicious little chocolate cakes. “Stop it,” Beckett hissed at me. “People are starting to stare. You’ve eaten too much.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m hungry, and I don’t actually care about the opinions of anyone here.”

  “Well, I do,” Beckett insisted with more hostility than I expected. He seemed awfully stressed out about something, but he also seemed intent on keeping it to himself.

  “They’re probably gossiping about what a horrible date you are.”

  Beckett turned to me, brown eyes narrowed. “What was that?”

  “They’re probably thinking, ‘wow, Beckett is really boring, and that poor girl can’t even eat a chocolate cake without him ruining the fun.”

  “You’re not here to have fun!” Beckett once again reminded me as if he really did want to spoil the illusion. “Plus, you should be thanking me. Don’t girls care about how many calories they consume?”

  “Hey!” I countered. “What did I say on the way inside?”

  “Please, forgive me.” Beckett sighed. “I forgot that you’re superior to other girls.”

  I shrugged my shoulders, ignoring his attitude. “Well, you’re the one making a big deal about nothing.”

  “A big deal? Look, if you only understood what this meant to me-”

  Beckett abruptly paused his brief reprimand while I finished wiping the crumbs from my dress. I started to question what had happened, but stopped when I saw the wide-eyed look of shock on his face. Turning around, I spotted a couple heading in our direction. The girl seemed friendly, wearing a genuine smile and sending a wave in our direction. I lifted my hand in acknowledgement before glancing back at Beckett who seemed pegged to the spot. “Beckett!” The girl’s cheerful voice greeted us. “How are you?”

  I quickly assessed the stranger, and I noticed that she appeared older with long, curly blonde hair streaked with vibrant purple highlights. They accentuated the eyeshadow that she wore around her pleasant green eyes. Accordingly, the guy standing next to her was also devastatingly handsome, richly dressed in a luxury suit with his hair gelled back to perfection. Beckett remained quiet, not even allowing a response to the girl he obviously knew well enough. “Hi,” I offered instead, giving her a friendly smile. “I love your hair.”

  “R-really?” She stuttered while self-consciously fiddling with the elegant ringlets. “My parents were furious when I showed them. They said no proper lady should color their hair.”

  “I think it’s nice,” I told her, and it was true. For some reason, the color suited the warm aura that she was exuding. She also seemed very different compared to everyone else in the room, including her date.

  “Well, thank you,” she said politely, tugging on the man’s arm with a pout. “Charles doesn’t like it very much.”

  “Men wouldn’t understand these things,” I joked, earning a melodic laugh for my efforts.

  “I like your date, Beckett,” the girl said, looking back at the stone-faced man in question. “She seems lovely.”

  I gave Beckett a look, one that I hoped conveyed my smug satisfaction at gaining the approval of an elitist. However, instead, I was surprised because Beckett appeared completely out of his element. Despite the unusual grim look on his face, his eyes betrayed what seemed like listlessness. “Where have you been?” Beckett asked shortly, taking both me and the girl off-guard.

  “We were late getting here,” she said, briefly acknowledging Charles. “There was a problem with our reservation.”

  “I didn’t know you were coming with anyone,” Beckett said stiffly.

  “It was a last minute arrangement,” the girl replied. “Charles is from a neighboring Academy specializing in math and science.”

  “Oh?” Beckett’s hostility was rather off-putting, and I was struggling to figure out what was going on.

  Thankfully, the girl was all too willing to fill in the gaps. “I’m Candice by the way,” she said, and I offered my name in return. “Beckett and I have known each other for a very long time. You probably know my cousin, Venir. He goes to your school.”

  “I know Venir,” I concurred. “He’s pretty popular.”

  “I bet Beckett is too,” Candice said fondly, “He was always an attention-seeker even when we were little kids.”

  I giggled because I found the description all too appropriate. “Were you guys all friends when you were younger?”

  “We’re still friends!” Candice exclaimed, throwing Beckett an easy smile. “We went to elementary and middle school together. Beckett was always trailing after me and Venir. I think he wanted to be older th
an he really was.”

  I turned back to Beckett, but I felt my stomach suddenly drop at how pale he looked, appearing entirely out of place even in his own skin. “I didn’t know that you were planning on dating anyone, Candice.”

  Candice’s face blushed and Charles cleared his throat. “Well, Charles is a really great man. We make a good match and we’re both going to the same University together.”

  Beckett blanched at that, abruptly rising from our table. “I need to go.”

  Beckett’s behavior was bordering on concerning, and I could tell that Candice felt the same way. “Beckett, I only just got here. You and Nicole should stick around for a while.”

  “We’ve been here since the beginning,” Beckett fussed, “and I just remembered something that I have to do at home. Excuse us.” Beckett grabbed my arm and started dragging me behind him, making a beeline for the exit. I struggled to keep up with his purposeful strides in my regrettable heels.

  “Slow down,” I urged him, sighing in relief when we arrived in the parking lot, ignoring the frigid cold.

  However, I wasn’t prepared when Beckett released a noise somewhere between a harsh exhale and a guttural choking sound before sinking down onto his knees against the sidewalk, enclosing his hands over his face. His back thudded against the wall and his cries suddenly interrupted the quiet of the nighttime. There was no way that he could shock me anymore as I knelt down next to him, reaching out for his shoulder. “Are you alright, Beckett?”

  Unfortunately, his even louder cries were my answer and I fumbled for my phone, completely forgetting our circumstances when I dialed Alex’s number. It rang for a while, and I mentally groaned when I remembered that all of Beckett’s friends were probably still at their own formal. I pulled the phone away from my ear to end the call, but Alex’s gruff voice finally sounded from the other end. “Nicole?”

  “Alex?” I let out a sigh of relief. “I need your help.”

  I explained the situation to him, mentioning both Candice and Charles, before waiting for his response. Finally, he let out a sigh. “I’m pretty wasted, but I’ll call someone to meet you guys.”

  “Tha-” I was cut off by three successive beeps, and I knew that Alex had hung up. “Rude,” I grumbled before making myself more comfortable next to Beckett. I had no idea what was bothering him, which meant that I was unable to offer Beckett any consolation. “Hey,” I started awkwardly, “I’m sorry about what happened. I mean, I don’t really know what happened, but I don’t want you to be upset. Is there anything that I can do?”

  For a moment, Beckett just continued his heart-wrenching sobbing, and I was worried that he wouldn’t acknowledge anything that I said. Fortunately, a vigorous head shake offered something resembling a response. “Okay,” I whispered, hesitantly reaching out to run my fingers through Beckett’s thick brown hair in a comforting gesture. “Hold tight, okay? Alex sent someone to help. Just remember to breathe and think happy thoughts.” The advice was even cringey to me and I winced as I continued carding my fingers softly through his hair.

  Thereafter, there was nothing except for the cold winter breeze and Beckett’s emotive lamentations to keep us company. I was getting impatient for Alex’s assistance because I knew that only Beckett’s friends would help him in ways that I couldn’t. Thankfully, Beckett’s quivering body eventually settled into sniffles and occasional deep breaths. “You know,” I said, “crying is very cathartic and all that bullshit about men never crying is really garbage. I cry all the time, and it usually makes me feel better...I mean, after I cry for a long time, I start to feel bad because I get a headache and my eyes start burning. But I guess there’s probably a normal amount to cry.”

  Suddenly, Beckett’s hand reached out to hold my wrist, pausing my strokes through his hair. He squeezed hard, and I held back a gasp of pain. “Thank you, Nicole.”

  His words were muted, but I heard him clearly enough.

  Afterward, if it wasn’t for the arrival of a sleek black Sedan, I had no idea how long we might’ve sat together in silence. I blinked in confusion at the unfamiliar student approaching us with a tired sigh. “Come on, man,” he said, kneeling down in front of Beckett with a sympathetic gaze. He turned to look at me briefly. “I’m just a friend of V’s, you can call me Kyle.”

  Beckett sighed before Kyle helped him into a standing position, tossing one arm around Kyle’s shoulder for support. I watched cautiously as Kyle helped Beckett into the backseat of his Sedan. Once the door was closed, Kyle finally spoke to me again. “Get up front, Nicole. I can take you home.”

  I nodded before wordlessly following his direction.

  After

  Brynn

  Chrystian: Let’s meet after school.

  “Will you be okay, Brynn?”

  Instead of answering right away, I offered my brother what I hoped resembled a reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine.”

  Jerome nodded. “Did you get enough to eat?”

  “Yeah, thanks for signing me out.”

  “I didn’t mind,” he said, folding his hands on top of the table. “I know you’ve been having problems with some of your classmates.”

  I frowned. “Don’t say it like that.”

  “Why? Makes it seem immature, doesn’t it?”

  “What are you trying to say?”

  My tone had quickly grown hostile, but I was annoyed by everyone’s attempts to try and intervene with my personal life. “I just want you to be safe,” Jerome said. “I know what happened at your winter formal.”

  “I’m done with those guys.”

  “Really?” Jerome asked.“Because I don’t think that they’re done with you.”

  “Since when did you know so much?”

  “Nicole told me,” Jerome retorted. “What the hell is going on, Brynn? It isn’t like you to ignore someone.”

  “I’m not ignoring anything,” I insisted firmly. “I’m just protecting myself.”

  “From what exactly?” Jerome persisted. “I don’t know the whole story, but the parts I do know implicate you just as much as anyone else.”

  “I’m done talking about this,” I insisted, rolling my eyes even though I knew that it was childish.

  Jerome sighed. “That’s not like you either.”

  “Fine, I’ve suddenly become this horrible person. I don’t need you to remind me.”

  “That isn’t fair, Brynn,” Jerome protested. “I’m not trying to be mean.”

  “It doesn't matter,” I said. “I don't think you’ve said anything worse than Rose or Nicole.”

  “Well, it sounds like there’s a pattern,” Jerome said. “Maybe you need to actually listen to me and your sisters.”

  “Do you think I should talk to the assholes who hurt me?”

  “I’m not trying to paint you as the bad guy, Brynn. I just know that the situation will only get worse the longer you try to pretend that it doesn’t exist.”

  I glanced down at my phone because Chrystian was still waiting for my response. “I don’t even know what I would say.”

  “If they’re reaching out to you, then let them talk and explain themselves,” Jerome suggested. “You don’t have to do anything, but I think it might make things less awkward. Plus, despite what your stubborn ass might believe, I don’t think either of those boys want to hurt you.”

  “You’re not supposed to be wise,” I grumbled.

  Jerome smirked. “I don’t like to involve myself in your business, Brynn, but I’m getting tired of seeing you mope around the house. It’s really bringing down the mood.”

  “So, you’re only nosy when it inconveniences you?” I remarked after I picked up my phone. “I’ll meet with Chrystian after school...will that make you happy?”

  Jerome immediately deflated. “I just want you to be happy.”

  I grimaced, hating the familiar look of pity in his eyes. However, instead of arguing, I unlocked my phone to pull up my recent messages, scanning over Chrystian’s text at least a dozen tim
es before I sucked up my pride and sent back a response:

  Brynn: Where?

  Chrystian: In the lounge.

  I tossed my phone onto the table in front of me. “I’m meeting him after school.”

  “Let me know what he says?”

  “You’re going to follow this through until the end?”

  Jerome let out an exaggerated exhale. “It's hard to ignore the situation.”

  “I guess it is bad then,” I said because Jerome was usually carefree. He was a perfect median between Nicole, who always liked to be involved, and Rose, who wanted to pacify everyone by trying to stay as uninvolved as possible. Actually, Jerome was very similar to me, and that was a startling realization, especially as he studied me with the kind of concern that always managed to endear my older brother to his less than sympathetic sister.

  “I’m always here,” he offered, and I was struck by the power behind those words and how much they affected me. My palms were suddenly perspiring, and I wiped them against the front of my jeans before I rose from the table.

  “Can you drive me back to school?”

  “Of course,” Jerome agreed, and I started thinking about how I could repay my brother for his intervention.

  ***

  In a staggering turn of events, Chrystian was serious about our meeting. He waited patiently on one of the barstools with an indifferent expression, completely alone in the impressive Student Council lounge. Of course, it was always just Chrystian when he made the effort.

  He watched me as I joined him at the empty bar, and we were both silent for a long time, engaged in an interesting staring contest that felt less like a competition and more like the way one would read a rather confusing book, searching for the answers to the really difficult questions. “How are you?”

  I looked away from Chrystian, finding the marble countertop suddenly more interesting. “I’ve been okay.”

  “I missed you,” he murmured in a sweet, understanding voice that was at once both soothing and disarming.