Hating the Player - Loving the Game

Chapter 6: Let the Game Begin

I startled at the sound of the phone ringing, sucking in a quick breath of surprise. It had taken longer than expected to reach his car. If he had've parked closer then Millie's call would have interrupted Jay and I, as we had initially planned.

Honestly, we were lucky to have reached his car at all before I got the call. We had planned for him to take me to his car, thinking it was going to be closer. Based on Millie's experience, we assumed he would spend some more time talking once we arrived. I figured that the time frame would allow me to get him hot and bothered. And that my sudden departure would cause him to become just that much more enthralled with the chase. It would feel as if he had started something; An unfulfilled desire. When you make people feel like they can't have something, It makes them want it that much more.

It was a little bittersweet. On one hand, I wasn't sure if I had done enough to have hooked him yet. On the other hand, I should be greatful that he wasn't parked nearby. With how quickly he made his move once we got there, there's no telling how far I would have had to have gone with him on order to maintain my cover. On second thought, I'm tremendously relieved.

Despite my relief, I try my best seem annoyed at the interruption, as I reach for my phone. I give him an apologetic smile before answering. He coolly leans back against the car watching me as he waits for me to get rid of the caller. He puts on an air of nonchalance; however, I note a slight hint of disappointment in his features.

The contact on the phone displayed the name 'Monica, the pseudonym I's assigned to Millie in my contacts. She wanted to name herself Persephone - which I promptly vetoed. 

"Hey Mo, is it important? I'm kind of in the middle of som-" I purposefully cut myself off to make it seem as if whoever is on the other end is talking over me. When in reality Millie is giggling on the other end. I hear her shush Jaime - even though she was the one making the noise. I have to struggle a little bit to keep my face with blank, through the urge to smile.

"Does he look annoyed that you didn't ignore the call?" She asks giddily, like a child.

I automatically glanced over at him, and see the same cavalier expression on his face and a relaxed posture. 

Instead I make a show of furrowing my brow In fake confusion, and holding out my phone so that I can see the screen, pretending to check the time. 

"Sorry, I must've lost track of the time" I say once the phone is back at my ear. "Would you mind waiting a little bit longer? I've-" Once again pretending to be cut off.

"You're good at this" Millie Inputs, sounding impressed.

I sigh for Jay's benefit "Fine. See you soon". Then I promptly end the call.

I look over at Jay, who now has one eyebrow raised at me. Asking me a question with his eyes.

I shrug and let out another small irritated sigh. "Sorry, my ride is bitching me out for being late"

The questioning gaze does not leave his face. "Mo? Is that the boyfriend mentioned earlier?" For the first time he seems uncertain - And that fills me with a secret satisfaction. Tonight is the first night I've ever met him, but I can already tell that he's the kind of person who always has an air of arrogance and is annoyingly self confident. I suppose he is now backtracking through our earlier limited conversation to see if he could have misjudged the situation.

Jay didn't strike me as someone would be put-off by the prospect of pursuing girls who are already in relationships. Perhaps he would even think it would add to the thrill. A challenge. But I didn't think I had baited him enough to want to pursue me if I was 'spoken for'. Maybe if we weren't interrupted earlier he would have enough proof to believe that he could 'get me'. But maybe his self-confidence had limitations. I didn't want him to view me as a lost cause before the game had even began. But I also didn't want to seem too hasty to assure him - if I came across as too easy, he might just as well loose interest too quickly. We needed him invested in order to enact the second part of our plan.