Cheated (Mr. Control Freak)

XLI. BE THE PREY

"Just say the goddąmn word!" Dominic yelled at me.

We were playing that game where you stick the card to your head and guess who you are. We got extremely bored.

"No! Its a freaking weatherman, just give me fúcking point!" I riposted.

They were trying to get me to say meteorologist. I couldn't pronounce that word if my life depended on it, that's how bad I butcher that word.

"You have to say it before the timer runs out." Jasper said.

Looks like the timer is just going to have to run out.

"Does it count if I spell it?" I asked because Dominic had already killed me a thousand time in his head. He's one of those overly competitive people who take games way too seriously.

"Just say the fúçking word." Dominic seethed. I could almost see the steam shooting out of his ears.

"What's the word?" Max asked walking in.

He had been gone the entire day, and even though I didn't want him to come in the first place, I found myself missing him.

"Max! Please take me away from these horrible people." I pleaded and wrapped my legs around his torso so I was basically piggyback riding his front.

He complied and carried me to his room.

I just hope Tristan didn't pop up out of nowhere and get the wrong idea; things like that seem to happen to me constantly.

"So what happened?" He asked setting me down on the bed.

"Nothing, I just didn't wanna be in there anymore." I told him.

"Mmhm, well I'm about to change so I hope you don't mind."

"I don't, just do what you do." I was already texting Tyra.

She was going back home to her father tomorrow and sadly I wasn't going to be able to say goodbye in person.

The door swung open and I expected it to be Alma in lingerie. I've noticed she's taken a liking to Max, she won't listen to me when I tell her that she's not his type though. Instead it was probably one of the worst possible people that could've walked in: Tristan.

I definitely jinxed myself this time.

He was about to say something, but Max cut him off far before he got any words out. "Could you knock? I'm kinda busy."

"My bad but uhh--" it was all going well until he decided to look around and spot me, "Oh, that kind of busy." With that he disappeared as quickly as he came.

Why me? I'm starting to think Max secretly hates me and is trying to make my life hell.

"Don't go after him." Max told me as I got up to explain to Tristan that it wasn't anything close to 'that kind of busy.'

"Why not? I don't want him to think that we're doing stuff."

"Yes you do. Be the prey not the predator." He said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

That 'let the men come to you' shît never worked for me; they take too long to come around. Probably because my beauty is just so intimidating.

"Let him chase, get a little jealous, you'll thank me later." He winked, walking into his bathroom.

I rolled my eyes at him as he left. I never realized how obvious my slight crush on Tristan was.

I snuggled into Max's bed and fell fast asleep without the disturbing noise of Alma's snoring.

***