The Player and the Played

33. The Storm After The Calm

Well, it was a perfect moment until he came. I blew the candles and was about to reach up to kiss him (people had begun to record it but I didn't care) when Zach came. I hadn't mentioned him for a few chapters, but he was far from gone. I thought we'd both moved on and everything was fine and I was happy with Tyler and he didn't care about me or us, but noooo that wasn't the case.

"I owe you forty bucks," he casually informed Tyler, but his eyes were red and although his voice had not wavered, his stance and expression made it clear he was pissed. I felt Tyler blanch next to me.

"Shut up," he hissed.

"Dude, it's over. You got her to Prom and you won," Zach replied. Wtf did he mean.

"What the fuck are you talking about." I asked him cautiously. I didn't really want an answer.

"The bet Tyler and I made. Loverboy here said he could snag you and get you to Prom. I said he couldn't. He won."

"And of course I believe you, the guy who cheated on me over a guy who's helped me and been there for me. Besides,who even says snag? Like, that's so weird," I stated. I trusted Ty. He wouldn't do that to me, especially not after he knew about Reese.

"If you don't believe me, why don't you ask him?"

"Fine, I will. Tyler, did you bet on me?"

"It wasn't like that," he replied in a defeated voice. And that's when everything went crashing down. I almost began to make a comment about how I was right and he'd never do anything and how Zach could fuck himself when the words hit me.

"You did," I stated, hoping that my voice would come out steady. His defeated look answered me.

"It wasn't...it wasn't like...it's not," he said, his voice breaking.

"Fuck you. I can't believe I thought you were a good guy or someone different or sweet. Even after Reese? I never thought it'd happen again especially not with you, who had been there for me. But you weren't really there, were you? Everything was a lie, a game, a fucking bet, wasn't it? I was a fucking  bet. Well, guess what, Tyler, game over. I'm done with this shit. I'm done with you," I said and rushed out ignoring Tyler's voice calling me. I waited outside, hoping that maybe he'd run after me and then immediately chastised myself because I shouldnt have cared about him. A part of me wanted to believe that it never happened because everything we'd done had felt so real, the adrenaline rushes I felt when we did something thrilling, the way my heart raced so easily around him, his slight shyness when he did something romantic.

The worst part? I had sworn that I'd never cry over a dumb guy after Reese had broken my heart but as I stepped out in the rain, I let my tears mix in with the rain, hoping it could just wash over me and wash away everything that had happened that day. My clothes were soaked and the water was cold and made me shiver but I welcomed the discormfort. It made me feel better and I let myself pretend that the shivering was just because of the rain and not also because of what had taken place.

And as I walked home all dramatic and with red eyes, I slipped and fell and my knee started bleeding. Fucking perfect.

Tyler's POV

I messed up. I messed up so fucking bad. I knew I'd been an asshole but after meeting Hailey, I'd told Zach that the bet was off. Obviously, his jealous ass couldn't stand her agreeing to go to Prom with me so he had to mention it even though it was off. I could never hurt Hailey, especially not like this.

So why didn't I tell her I had called it off long back?

Because I didn't deserve her. Maybe she was better off without me. Hell, we weren't even going to be in the same state next year, with me going to UCLA and her to NYU. She didn't deserve someone who'd made so many fucking mistakes. She deserved someone whole, someone who could complete her the way she had completed me. She deserved someone more than me.

Which was why when she left, I didn't even go after her.

A/N
Short but dramatic. Next chapter on its ways. Approximately three chapters left plus epilogue or bonus chapters.