Golden Boy's Game

│05│

Hi Loves,

I'd like to apologize profusely for the late update! I know it's been exactly a month since I updated and I hate to keep you guys waiting. Without further ado, here's the new chapter!

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 MY KNEE WAS bouncing rhythmically as I patiently listened to Riya drone on about event committee guidelines and rules. Biting my lip, I slouched slightly and looked out the window. I'd never been more eager for a Friday school day to be over.

36 Belmont Avenue. The Little Espresso. The address flashed in my mind like a neon sign, refusing to let my thoughts drift back to the real world.

My phone had remained uncharacteristically silent. With Amanda not talking to me and Emmett knowing that I wasn't exactly happy with him, my text conversations and group chats had died down. My social life was definitely becoming worrying.

"We're going to pair off into groups now." Riya's voice lulled back into my mind as I focused my attention back on her words. "Find another person in the room and pair up with them. The goal of this is to get to know the other person as best as you can."

There was a hasty scrambling of feet as people hurriedly pushed back their chairs to find a partner. Slightly confused, I stood up as a blonde-haired girl approached me.

"I'm Eloise," she said cordially as she approached me. Her fuzzy blue cardigan contrasted starkly with her light hair. "Would you like to be partners?"

Considering that I didn't really have any other options, there wasn't exactly a choice. "Sure. I haven't seen you around before. Are you new?"

She nodded as I took a seat and gestured for her to sit at the desk adjacent to me. "You're Emeraude, right?"

"Yeah." I frowned suddenly. "How'd you know?"

Eloise leaned back in her chair. "Well, you're practically the talk of town these days. You're dating Caleb Bates, right? It's all McKenna Shapiro, this girl at my lunch table will ever talk about."

I rose an eyebrow at this. "You're friends with her?"

"Oh, hell no." Eloise shuddered dramatically, producing an unfiltered grin from me. "She happens to be my cousin, unfortunately. Ever since I arrived here, she's been determined in dragging me along with her everywhere she goes. Like, I have to sit with her at lunch and I have to talk about boys with her. And the boy she always talks about is Caleb, of course."

"That's bullshit. You should be allowed to do whatever you want."

Eloise sighed. "I wish, but my parents want me to stay on good terms with her. My mom and her mom are sisters and they're practically best friends. McKenna and I know well enough that it would break their hearts if we weren't best friends too."

I nodded understandingly, though I really didn't understand. I didn't have any other cousins alive, other than Delia. Though, I'd much rather deal with Delia than a brat like McKenna, which was saying something. "My lips are sealed."

Eloise's lips tilted upwards and she gave me a thankful look. "So, you and Caleb, huh?"

"Yep."

Suddenly I felt very self-conscious. My current life predicament involved playing a very heated game with the most perfect boy in the world. Life had really come to this, hadn't it?

"You're so lucky," Eloise said as she let out a wistful sigh, her eyes softening at the very thought of him. "He seems like a gorgeous boy. I've heard he's absolutely perfect. How'd you two meet?"