Game Changer

TWO

"I can't believe we're doing this." Cara whispered.

At eleven o'clock at night, we watched Cain and a couple of his friends come out of Cain's house and get into a beater of a car. I waited a beat after they pulled away from the curb, before I started my car and began to follow, at a safe distance. After a couple, seemingly useless, right turns I knew we'd been had. Cain knew we were following him. So when he suddenly straightened his course and ten minutes later pulled up in front of a raging party, I was surprised. He knew someone was taking him and yet he still came to the party? Why?

A moment later, Cain and his friends had my car surrounded. Cara asked nervously, "What now?"

I sighed, "We get out, but let me do the talking."

"No shit? It's you. I'll give you a point doe creativity, but you now totally owe me!" Cain stated upon seeing me get out of the car.

I smirked, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Cain stepped close enough, I could feel his breath on my face. He must have just brushed his teeth or used a mint or something, as he had fresh breath and didn't currently smell like an ashtray. I then noticed he had pulled his hair back into a small ponytail, he wore a blue polo shirt, and designer jeans. He looked so normal. Yet, from what Cara had told me, he was far from normal and the way his eyes kept eating me made me feel uncomfortable.

His eyes were currently looking at my lips as he said, "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Feeling nervous, I put my hands on his chest and pushed. Surprisingly, he let me push him away. I looked up at him and said, "Sorry, Cain, but you're not really my type." Then I walked around him and motioned for Cara to get a move on, but sudden laughter interrupted my exit.

"Damn Wilkes, got shot down, huh?"

"Fuck off, Garrett."

I turned to find Todd Garrett and Cain Wilkes squaring off with each other. They looked like they wanted to kill each other. So I was gathering this wasn't their first rodeo. From the hate bouncing off each of them, I was guessing they had a long history.

"Don't waste your time, Todd. You know what coach said." One of Todd's buddy's stating.

Wilkes laughed cruelly, "Coach giving you orders off the field now too, Superstar?"

I saw Todd clench his fists and sucked in a breath. Todd must have heard me because his eyes were suddenly on me. We had some kind of strange stare off, became Todd said, "Who is the girl, Wilkes, maybe I'll give her a go?"

For some reason, it felt like I'd been punched in the gut. Cara had told me that Todd Garrett had only one use for girls and I'd thought she had exaggerated, but now, I wasn't so sure. I clenched my own fists, grabbed Cara, and went inside the house. Music was blaring and I could feel the party atmosphere seeping into my bones. I glanced at Cara, "You drink?"

She shook her head, as she looked around with wide eyes. She looked pretty tonight. She'd let me do her hair and while I wasn't an expert, I feel like I'd done her justice. Her normally straight hair was curled and partially pulled up on top of her head. Cara's mom had gotten way into the party spirit too. I'd been shocked when Cara had told her mom about the party, full disclosure, but I'd been even more shocked at Candace Holloway's reaction. She had hugged me. Honestly. Cara's mother had hugged me and thanked me. I was planning on taking her seventeen year old daughter to a keg party and she was acting like I'd saved Cara's life. Cara had later explained that her mom had been trying to get her to socialize and spread her wings for years. So Candace had went and pulled a box out of the back of her closet, before declaring it makeover time. Apparently, Candace, who didn't even appear old enough to be Cara's mom, had been a bit of a partier. She dressed Cara in a halter top, skinny jeans, and knee high boots. Them ahed gotten ahold of me, which is why I felt so uncomfortable now. I was about six inches taller than both Cara and her mom, yet Candace had insisted on the little black dress. Instead of reaching my knees like it should, it was barley decent on me. The neckline was low, but it could be worse. The sleeves were long, with cut outs down my arms. My thick, pale blond hair had been curled and flowed over my shoulders and down my back.