The Bad Boys Game

Chapter 17- Moved On

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT TAYLOR?!?! YOU'RE BETTER THAN THAT!"

The drive with Madison and Janet back to my house was completely silent. Janet had no idea as to what was going on but understood it wasn't the time to speak.

When we came to my house we walked up the stairs to my room still wordless. Now we've been hanging out in my room in silence on our phones. Well until Madison just bursted out screaming at me.

"What are you talking about?" I ask in a semi-low voice hoping that it will make Madison lower hers.

"Don't play dumb with me, Taylor. I saw the way you were looking at Atlas. You looked at him like he was heaven on Earth."

"Okay....and? I don't see why you're so upset right now?" It really wasn't that big of a deal.

"Why I am upset? I'm upset because Atlas broke your heart and when he comes back you act like he didn't! He's a horrible person. I've always tried to make you see that. He doesn't deserve you!" Madison's face become red showing how worked up she is.

"I agree with Madi Atlas left you when you honestly needed him most. He left you for another school that we both know isn't better than us." Janet says speaking up.

"What does Atlas leaving for another team have to do with him being a bad person? He left because he thought it would be best for his scholarship."

"You and I both know he's not getting that scholarship, especially now at Westview. He left because he didn't want to be with you anymore, Taylor. He didn't have enough balls to say it. You were too strong of a person for him and your big dick energy was too much for him."

"Madison shut up!" I scream. She's insulting Atlas and making him seem like such a horrible person. "I know you've never liked him, and yeah he left me and that broke me. But I've moved past it. Is it so wrong to want to be friends with him?"

"It is when we all know that there's no way for you guys to be 'just friends' again!" Janet says.

"And why is that?"

"Because you are completely in love with him, that's why. It's because the way you two were looking at each other is not how friends do. Taylor, I will admit, being with Atlas made you become a better person. You became happier and your better self. But once he was out of your life, you flourished. He may have helped to succeed, but once you cut him out you truly flourished. Don't go back to him, you owe it to yourself."

"Thank you both for the concern, but I'm not going to get back with Atlas. Maybe we might be friends, but I don't know okay? I just saw him tonight and so many emotions came back all at once. I didn't want the first time I meet with him for me to show him how much he's hurt me. I would've liked that he saw how much better I am. So I was civil and put together. Sue me for trying to seem like it wasn't killing me inside thinking about how handsome he looked in his uniform."

Both Janet and Madison looked at me in shock. They stayed silent for 30 seconds just standing looking at me.

"Okay, I understand that. Just promise me that when he brings out the sexy smile you won't let your knees turn to jelly?" Madison asks.

"I will power through." I say and make a fist mocking a tough face. It made the girls smile.

***************

It's now Saturday night and I'm hanging around my house by myself. Alone Movie Marathons are always the best late at night.

I hear my phone ring on the couch and I begin searching for it in my couch. I find it under one of the pillows hiding. I look at the collar I.D and see that it's Ryder. A smile immediately makes its way onto my face.

"Hey." I say.

"Hey." I hear Ryder say on the other line sounding kind of nervous.

"What's up?"

"Uh, nothing, nothing. Just wanted to call you, hear your voice." I blush at the statement.

"Well here's my voice, loud and clear."

"Yeah, so... I never really got to say goodbye to you yesterday. Madison pulled you away pretty quickly."

"Yeah, she was pissed at me. But she's over it now."

"So was that guy really your boyfriend?"

"He used to. Past tense. No more. That's ship has sailed." I felt the need to reinforce that we are no longer together.

"Well that's good. He doesn't deserve you."

"Oh, and who does?" I say with a joking tone wanting to know his answer.

"I don't know, but not him. You deserve a guy who would move mountains to be with you. Seems like he transferred schools when he knew that would take him away from you. He's not worth your time." What he said made me feel uncomfortable.

"Let's not talk about him."

"Couldn't agree more." After that we spend the next three hours talking to each other.

*****

Hey guys!

I know this chapter was really short. Just wanted to update and address what happened after the game. Also, this also furthered Ryder and Taylor's relationship!