Playing the Players Game

Flings and fun

"Hey neighbor" Tyler chuckled lightly flashing his usual smirk as he kicked his feet up onto the desk and took his phone out texting away. Probably talking with the idiots he called his best friends or the bitch he called his girl friend. I sighed trying to ignore him as I brought out my notebook and colorful pens. I always color coded my notes because it helped with studying.
"I see you're the same old nerd prepared for class" Tyler mocked peering over his phone and as much as I tried to ignore him his satisfied smirk earned the response from me that he was aiming for. "Last I checked "nerds" weren't late for class." I raised my eyebrow and this time it was me smirking, not because the response was a good one, infact it was a pretty lame come back. I smirked at the way that his mouth dropped a bit and I was satisfied with catching him off guard but then his smile tightened and his eyes lit up.
"Yeah I guess you're right. Especially not late for class because they're hooking up with someone...." Tyler's voice was a bit harsher then normal and his joking tone was gone "maybe you really have changed. But then again I guess you'd open your legs for anyone regardless of where you are huh?" He continued his tone laced with something I didn't recognize and I blinked away the tears that stung my eyes. Sure we hated each other but was always still had mocking tones to our conversation after all we did have a past. This however seemed anything but our normal joking and hatred. Just as I went to open my mouth to talk and deny that I was hooking up and that I was just catching up with friends our teacher started talking again and began our first day of "get to know the class" the rest of the class went by in a blur and I was glad Tyler didn't open his mouth to talk to me again.
Thankfully the first half of my day wasn't actually that horrible. Other than being a little bored in classes and my stomach now growling because I had not brought anything to snack on nothing too serious had happened after the little incident in English with Tyler. Once the bell rang I ran to my locker and grabbed my lunch and before I could leave my locker and turn to walk away I heard some hushed voices. I didn't really mean to ease drop but I'm a curious person and I couldn't help it. I snuck a little closer to the voices to get a better listen.
"Dude why are you even dating Amanda? She's a clingy bitch and you know she's been in love with you forever" a voice I couldn't quite place spoke followed by Tyler's very clear voice.
          "I don't know man... she was there and easy. I mean come on you saw..." once I realized where this conversation was going I decided I didn't want to stay and hear any more of the conversation which would no doubt go into disgusting details quickly. I rolled my eyes of course Tyler was dating her because she was convenient and easy. That was just like him. Man whore of the school hooking up or dating girls just because they were easy. Then once he got what he wanted or became bored he left them heart broken and miserable.
I tried to shake the disgusted thoughts out of my head as I sat to join my friends at the lunch table they had occupied. Stacy and Bella were talking about the start of their day but quieted the second I sat down. I felt a little uneasy at first with both of them starring my way but it didn't take long to realize what their awkward silence was about. After only a minute or two of sitting I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around my eyes landing on Tyler's best friend Bryce. He wasn't as annoying as Tyler was and honestly if there was anyone in the group I missed being friends with it was Bryce. He was funny and caring and sorta like the brother I had always wanted. However we hadn't talked in over a year besides the occasional hi's or the awkward convos when we were stuck in class together. 
              He ran a hand through his slicked back shaggy brown hair and then he awkwardly smiled at me.  Since the drama that had gone down with our group wasn't exactly a secret at school, and infact had been talk of the school for several weeks, it was no surprise that Bryce who was one of the schools "hottest" coming to talk to one of his former best friends attracted the attention of everyone in the cafeteria halting almost every conversation that was going on.
"Yes Bryce?" I awkwardly tried to smile a friendly smile ignoring all of the looks that came my way.
"Can I uh. Sit for a second" he nodded towards the empty seat next to me blushing a little and I could tell he probably felt as awkward as I did. When I nodded yes and he sat I heard several gasps from girls near by and I internally groaned but Bryce seemed un phased by the reaction. "So I was thinking... you're the cheerleading captain and I'm the football captain." I sighed for a second interrupting him.
"Please don't tell me you're gonna finish that with. We should date because that's what expected" I laughed an awkward and he let out a loud chuckle himself catching me off guard.
" well if you're down for it." He winked and when I playfully slapped him he continued "but nope. I was just going to suggest we should meet up sometime and go over the schedule and ideas for fundraising etc. ya know both teams need New Jersey's and such"  he was right both teams needed New Jersey's badly.  I ripped a piece of paper from my notebook and jotted down my number quickly handing him the paper.
"You know what that's actually a really smart idea. Here's my new number text me sometime and we'll figure out some schedules for stuff" he nodded stuffing the paper into his pocket smiling at me as he stood up.
"Word cool. Well uh see ya!" He walked away waving awkwardly leaving my friends and half the cafeteria starring at me in shock. When I glanced over to where he had sat back down I regretted it instantly sitting next to him was a pissed off looking Tyler and a glaring Amanda. Bryce however was sitting on his phone and I assumed he was texting his friends. The fact that he was texting was confirmed when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.
"Hey Jenks it's Bryce. Just wanted you to have my number too" I rolled my eyes but smirked at the old nick name they used to call me.
Stacy and Bella thankfully realized quickly that I actually had no idea what any of that was about and moved on to talking about other things. That was until Chris waltzed up to our table with a smile on his face.
        "Hey Bella, hey Stace, Hey Clara" he wiggled his eyebrows at us causing us to burst into a fit of laughter. Bella blushed a little and twirled her hair around her finger.
"Hey Chris! How was your summer?"  She asked and I swear I saw him blush a little and made a mental note of it .
  "Oh you know it was nothing too special. spent time working out and working on myself." His eyes met mine again and he smirked "I guess I can say the same thing about Clara huh?" He attempted to get the topic off of him we all burst out laughing. It was no secret my friends all hated the way I dressed last year and had begged me once or twice to just TRY a different style.
"Yeah that was thanks to us" Bella beamed "would you believe it even made her hot enough to have a couple flings this year" she teased and I rolled my eyes.
    "WHAT" Chris yelled a little to loudly catching a few eyes "our little Clara Jenkins has moved on from I only date long term to I'm okay with flings and fun?!"  This time it was my turn to blush. It's not like I was a prude before. I just didn't like the idea of hook ups, the thought of a one and done was never my favorite. Thankfully instead of having to answer I was saved by the bell ringing.
I rushed to my locker to grab my notebooks for the second half of the day but was caught off guard by Tyler leaning against the locker next to mine. His muscles were taught pulling his black tshirt tightly against them and as much as  I hated to admit it he looked good.
I didn't even bother to acknowledge him instead I unlocked my locker and started gather my stuff, Unfortunately he had other plans. "Aw so little innocent Clara has decided to join the hook up world" he mocked.
"Of course I have." He stepped a little closer to me his blue eyes piercing mine challenging me. "You didn't think I'd wait around for disappointing guys forever did you?" I raised my brow. I wanted to look away or step back or anything but for whatever reason they were captivating and I couldn't move. "But it's a little pathetic that you came here and stalked me at my locker just to ask me that though" I tried to gain control of my quickened heart rate as Tyler chuckled.
"Oh Clara don't flatter yourself. Although if I had believed for even a second that you were actually into flings now maybe I would have." He smirked leaning a little closer to me. "However princess, this right here" he tapped the locker next to mine and I was praying he wasn't saying what I thought he was about to. "Is my locker. So looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other" he smirked.
"Great" I rolled my eyes but again my heart rate quickened a bit. This meant that I would be seeing Tyler a lot this year which meant that I needed to distance myself from whatever little reaction I had just had. "And Tyler....if you don't believe in into the whole fling hook up life because you think I'm too goody goody you could always just ask Bryce" I smirked seeing his jaw tick a little bit. He muttered something I couldn't understand but then his eyes came back to mine and he leaned in a little bit the amazing smell of cedar taking over my nostrils. There was no doubt he knew exactly what he was doing to me.
"Eh, I could....." he paused as if he was thinking. "Or you could just come to our welcome back to school party tonight and prove it."  The last time I had gone to a party with Tyler and then It ended my friendships with them and my heart raced at the thought. "You could even bring your friend group. Including the guy you were all over this morning."
"You mean CHRIS" I stifled a laugh as I watched the realization and shock crash over him. "If we go... will you leave me the fuck alone?"  I questioned and he nodded his head. "Fine I'll be there"
He pulled away and started to leave before turning around "great 7:30 my house. See ya there" he waved his hand over his shoulder and disappeared around the corner.