The Stare Games (editing)

14

It was in Monday morning's tutor class did moments from the following weekend flood back into my restless mind. Things like the disgusting liquid I somehow craved at the moment and Seth's accurate punches and Nate's wobbly but strong ones, they crowded my thoughts. What bothered me the most, however, was the fight between the two. How could they fight over how I feel? It was my feelings of my heart.

More importantly though, how could I avoid them today?

I wasn't so sure.

I found it hard to concentrate when Sierra—

Sierra.

Nate?

Didn't Bethany say something about the two of them?

"How could I have missed that?" I suddenly said, aloud. The class of five turned to look at me, including the teacher.

"Maybe if you were listening, you wouldn't have." Mrs. Blunt said, referring to the text projected on the whiteboard. I shook my head, wildly.

Abruptly, I jumped up from my seat. "May I go to the bathroom?"

Before she could respond, I dashed out of the classroom, just in time to hear Sierra snarl after me. "What is she up to?"

The way her lips spewed every line she said couldn't stop me now because I, was on a mission.

G12.

G13.

I didn't exactly know where Bethany class was but thankfully, I bumped into Reign on the verge of finding it.

"Hey, Reign! Do you know where Bethany's class is?" I asked, a little too hurriedly.

"Oh, hi, Aeryn. Her class is right next to mine. Let me show you." Reign said, tossing a nervous laugh. I never knew I had that effect on people, it was usually the other way around.

I followed her steps, peering into each class like I was a cop looking for a suspect.

"Here it is." she announced. "And there she is."

Sitting in the back of the class was a very bored-looking Bethany who looked like she was ready to drill a hole in the back of the teacher's head. I started waving my hands, hoping to catch her attention. When she finally caught sight of my hysterics, she excused herself from class and came out to meet me.

"Hey, Aeryn." she greeted, leaning on the wall casually.

Suddenly shy, I replied in a small voice. "Hi."

"What's up?"

"Um, yesterday you mentioned something about Sierra and Nate. What was that about?" I asked while searching her face for signs.

"I thought you'd ask about that," she replied with a casual smirk. "They dated for about a month then he cheated on her. Too much crack of a girl for one guy to handle, if you know what I mean."

I tried laughing along but the horror of Nate doing anything as horrible as cheating kept my face frozen.

I've heard the stories, of course, of the high school player banging girls from left to right, up and down. But until now, I always thought he was a man of fiction.

Was Nate really like that?

His innocent smile flooded into my mind.

It was also until now did I realize that it wasn't innocent at all.

Sighing, I banged my shoulder on the wall. I may not have liked him as much as I liked Seth but the thought of being played still hurt. Bethany's smile changed into a pitiful one. She placed a hand on my shoulder and cocked her head forty-five degrees to the right. We remained like this for a few more seconds until her face wore an evil grin.

"I'm tired of seeing girls get heartbroken by Nate."

"I am not heartbroken." I mumbled.

In fact, I was only disappointed. It wasn't even at Nate and his obnoxious attitude. It was targeted at myself for being so stupid into thinking that someone could actually care about me.

"Sure, honey, sure." she said, sarcasm dripping from the gloss on her lips. "The point is we're going to do something to make him pay and I know one person who would love to help us."

***

Bio class.

My favourite subject.

And where most events seemed to take place.

On a round table of four, sat on lab stools were the bodies of Bethany, Seth, Nyler and me. On the one beside us were the rest of the class as they eyed us cautiously.

We were on the verge of playing a not-so-friendly game of Kahoot but for Nate and Seth, the two growling bulldogs, it seemed to be more than just a game. My eyes shifted to my two other partners. Nyler, who maintained the same terrified expression as the one I had on, and Bethany, who kept laughing hysterically every time she saw the looks of Seth and Nate. I guess she was one for drama.

After all, she made us sit like this.

"Ms. Rosanne said we are to play a game of Kahoot and to be split into groups of four and five. Since I am the head cheerleader, I'll pick my three. Seth, Nyler and Aeryn. You three are with me."

Reluctant at first, it took a bit more persistence to move my ass.

"Aeryn! Move your tiny little butt!"

That was how I found out that cheerleaders weren't so dumb after all.

My eyes fluttered to Seth. He had his face down, analyzing the table in front of him. With his eyebrows furrowed and jaws clenched, he looked like he was thinking hard about something. My heart ached seeing him like this. His eyes suddenly met my gaze. His frown disappeared almost immediately.

We didn't say anything. We didn't have to. The 'I'm sorry's, the 'Thank you's. It was all said with one longing look.

And I forgave him.

The anger of yesterday flooded away in an instance, before being replaced with lust.

Lust.

Once the game set go, the four of us were already discussing tactics and motives of a different game. However, the other team did not know that.

"What's your plan, Beth?" Seth asked.

"We catch him in the act. Aeryn will agree to meet him somewhere and then, as he makes his move, we ambush him and snap loads of pics and upload them on social media!" Bethany replied. Her voice rose with excitement. "We just have to wait for the right time."

"Yeah, no." Nyler disagreed. "First, there will be no pictures taken nor posted."

Seth cut in. "And second, he is going nowhere near Aeryn."

Before I could protest about matters that included me, Bethany argued back. "Too bad, she already agreed to it."

Leaning back, she smirked at the wide-eyed boys as I laughed nervously. Their heads snapped towards mine.

"Oops?" I shrugged.

***