Work In Progress

Chapter Three (EDITED)

I don't remember much about my mom. Well, my mom before the drugs. She'd been on them my whole life, but there was a time when she was tolerable.

I remember the first time I saw Tate. He was older than me. I was four, so he was seven. His hair was spiked up because that was the "cool" haircut. He was always following right behind his dad. It was mesmerizing because one could tell how much he looked up to his dad. His dad, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with him.

Seeing Tate glare at me like that reminded me of the first time I saw him. I can't believe he doesn't remember me from back home, but I'm glad he doesn't. I was a mess back home, and I hated being know as a drug addict's daughter. In some ways, we were just alike. He got out of St. Louis, and now here I am doing the same thing.

I look up to see Tate walking my way. Seth notices too. I wonder if Seth likes Tate or not. I guess I'm about to figure out.

"Why the fuck are you talking to him?" Tate stares at me.

"Um," I stare back, "Last time I checked, it's a free country."

"What the fuck is your problem, man?" Seth asks.

There's the answer to my question. They don't like each other.

"I don't want her talking to you," Tate scoffs.

"Look, Tate, she can do whatever she wants. Last time I checked, she doesn't belong to you."

"No, but I know her," Tate glances at me, "She shouldn't be dealing with jerks like you."

"Jerks like me?" Seth laughs. "You're the one fucking a different girl every night and then throwing them away the next day."

"Those girls know what they signed up for. They all just can't resist being with the quarterback."

I scoff. He is so full of himself. That's what I hate about football players. They think the world revolves around them.

"God, Tate," I speak up, "That is so disgusting."

"You know that you can't resist this," he smirks at me.

"Okay, I'm going to head out and let you guys deal with your issues," Seth says and I watch him leave.

"Aw, we hate to see him go," Tate pretends to wipe tears from his eyes.

"Thanks a lot for ruining that for me, asshole."

"Ruining? No, baby, I saved you just then. You don't deserve some piece of trash like that. You deserve me."

Ha. As if I would ever get with Tate.

"You are so funny Tate. I see why everybody is obsessed with you."

"Glad you figured it all out, baby."

"Will you stop calling me baby? I'm not your damn baby!" I'm so sick of him and his attitude. He is so full of himself.

"I know you're going to be begging me to be with you soon enough," he smiles at me.

"Why aren't you with your girlfriend?" I look over at Madison, who is staring at us like she could kill us.

"Madison wishes she was my girlfriend," Tate laughs, "She's only good for one thing and that's sex."

"God, you are such a pig," I say and walk off. I can't take another minute of that conversation. I look all over the apartment to try and find Hannah to tell her I'm heading home.

I don't see Hannah, but I do see her boyfriend Luke coming out of the bathroom. I decide to walk up to him to see if he knows where Hannah may have run off to. When I get closer, I see somebody else walking out of the same bathroom that Luke just came out of. It's not Hannah, but another girl.