Midnight Message

Chapter 19 - Monday morning games

After her encounter with Trent, Gemma quickly retreats downstairs. She finds the table where Emily and Jake are sitting and convinces them that it is time to leave. Jake happily obliges. Clearly he is feeling awkward in the alcohol fuelled room at the Mt View Hotel. Emily looks quizzically at Gemma but says nothing. On the drive home Emily begs Gemma for details about her night with Trent, but Gemma only mumbles under her breath about Trent being ten times more arrogant in person. She argues that it is too late to talk about it now and promises to fill her best friend in on the details when they meet for lunch at their favourite café the next day.

'Come on Gemma' Emily whines. 'Give me the juicy details now! I want to hear about the hot steamy sex you two just had in some dark corner of the rooftop bar.'

Gemma rolls her eyes but remains silent. Emily will just have to wait.

The truth is, Gemma has been left shaken after her close encounter with Trent. She can't get the VFL bad boy out of her head. The feeling of his strong body pressed against her own. The sensation of his warm breath on her ear. The butterflies that took flight in her stomach the second his lips lightly brushed hers. It sickens her to think that maybe there is some truth to his arrogant parting comment. I didn't really want him. Did I? I could have resisted him. He just...took me by surprise, that's all.

When the girls arrive back at Emily's house they head straight to bed. Emily falls asleep almost immediately but it takes Gemma over an hour to finally dose off.

She is woken by the feeling of her phone vibrating against her stomach. Gemma is lying on a mattress on Emily's floor. Groggily she rolls over, dislodging the phone from her stomach and sending it falling onto the thin mattress.

The muffled sound of her phone continuing to vibrate against the soft mattress causes Gemma to groan in frustration. She opens one eye and squints at the digital clock shining brightly on Emily's bedside table. 0400.

4am. What kind of idiot calls someone at 4am?!

Gemma fumbles for her phone and drags her finger across the screen. It takes three attempts before the buzzing finally stops, Gemma's finger having successfully landed on the answer button.

'mmmm' Gemma mumbles into the phone as she brings it to her ear.

'Still thinking about me?' a husky voice answers.

Gemma groans. She isn't in the mood for dealing with Trent's cocky attitude. It's 4am for goodness sake!

Gemma's groan only encourages Trent.

'Trust me baby. Your groans would be louder than that if you were with me right now.'

Emily stirs in the bed beside Gemma. Gemma winces. She doesn't want to wake up her best friend.

'Shut up for once in your life, Ego Boy' Gemma hisses into her phone.

As quietly as she can she gets up from the mattress and tiptoes out of Emily's room. Not wanting to wake the rest of Emily's sleeping family, Gemma quietly moves through the house and out the front door. The cool night air immediately causes goose bumps to form on Gemma's arms. She decides to take a brisk walk down the street in an effort to warm up.

By the time Gemma reaches the park at the end of Emily's street she is breathing heavily.

'Someone sounds hot and bothered' Trent's deep voice says 'It's ok Gemma, just admit it. I'm freaking irresistible.'

Gemma rolls her eyes.

'What you are is freaking conceited' Gemma replies. She walks over to the small wooden playground in the centre of the park and leans against it.

Trent laughs. 'Come on Gemma. We both know you wanted me bad up there on the rooftop. You were practically drooling.'

Gemma can feel her cheeks flush red. She remembers the feeling in her stomach as Trent leaned in and kissed her teasingly on the lips. His chest was so strong against mine. His blue eyes were mesmerizing. And his lips....his lips were amazi.....SNAP OUT OF IT GIRL!

Gemma shakes her head, as if doing so could shake her thoughts of Trent away. His deep voice continues to emanate from her phone.

'Baby girl you want me. You freaking need me. Come over to my house. I'll give you the best night you've ever had Gemma.'

Gemma struggles to keep her breathing steady. So arrogant. Yet so hot! Why does he have to be so hot.

Gemma groans in frustration which triggers another laugh from Trent.

Get a grip girl! For goodness sake don't groan again. His perverted ego is big enough! In an effort to distract herself, Gemma reads the graffiti that has been written all over the wooden playground.

Some people are disgusting. Gemma thinks as she reads the graffiti. Sexy ass, big boobs. All your fantasies fulfilled. I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours. Call for blowjobs big boys. Gemma shudders. Each of the vulgar comments is followed by a different phone number. Some people are just sick! This is supposed to be a CHILDREN'S playground.

Trent's voice interrupts her from her thoughts. 'So what do you say baby? Want to come over to my house?'

'Trust me Trent' Gemma says. She uses her anger at the vulgar graffiti to fuel her reply 'I'm not your baby.'

'You sure about that little Gemma? The way you were checking me out on the rooftop suggests otherwise'. Trent replies cockily.

Gemma sighs. I wasn't checking him out. Ok maybe I was. Just a little. I mean his shirt was so tight I could see his abs and....

Gemma shakes her head for the second time that night. An image of Trent flirting with the busty girls after his VFL game on Friday flashes into her mind.

'This isn't a game. The way you treat women is disgusting.' Gemma retorts.

'They love it.' Trent replies.

Gemma has had enough. She hangs up. She shoves her phone roughly into the pocket of the hoodie she had been sleeping in and takes a deep breath of cool night air. She runs her hand along the wooden playground and looks up at the night sky. It is a cloudy night and Gemma can smell rain in the air. I better get back to Emily's house before it starts raining.

She is about to leave the small park when she feels her phone vibrate multiple times in her pocket. 3 new messages from Ego Boy.

YOU love it ;)

And if it were a game, I'd win.

I always win.

Gemma's eyes narrow. She stabs a reply into her phone.

You want to play a game Trent? Bring it on. You're going down Ego Boy.

You want to go down on me? Why didn't you say so before? Come on over princess. My bedroom door is always open for you ;)

Gemma rolls her eyes at Trent's reply but doesn't bother responding. Instead, she pulls a pen out of the pocket in her hoodie. I'm definitely a writer. Gemma thinks wryly. Even my pyjama pockets carry pens!

Gemma uses her pen to scrawl a message on the wooden playground. She cringes as she realises she is adding to the vulgar graffiti but she forces herself to continue. No more Miss Nice Girl. You want to play a game Trent Caldwell? Fine. Game on.