The Game ✔

Chapter seventeen

I feel like drowning in shame and horror. Why would I say yes? Why would I eat at my worst enemy's house with his family? Had I lost my mind? 

Or maybe was it because he could keep on breaking that shell I had.

His mother leaves and Dimitry follows behind. Cameron seems to realize something and runs to the door.

''Mom!'' Feels so weird to hear him say that, to acknowledge he's a human being as well.

''Yes, dear?''

''She's vegetarian!'' He yells back and I blush. Okay, so I impose as well my way of eating?

''No problem!'' She yells back and he walks back to me.

''Is this part of your plan?'' I ask a bit confused.

''What plan?'' He asks.

I drop my voice, ''For the Game.''

''You don't have to whisper, she knows I play as my brother did before. She's not too happy about it too.'' He looks away before returning his gaze to me, ''She's very happy that you're staying.''

''Why?''

He laughs awkwardly, ''Well you're the first girl to stay for diner?'' 

''Is it supposed to make me fall in love with you?'' I demand still not sure if it's the Game.

He seems taken aback and he passes a hand in his hair, ''You can decide to not believe me when I say that it's not in my plan for the Game but I understand if you decide to doubt me. I won't blame you.'' He reaches out and places a strand of my hair behind my ear. ''But it's true that you're the first to eat here so feel lucky.'' 

He puts a laugh at the end but I know he forces it. I nod slowly, trying to analyze everything. ''Okay, right.'' I frown slightly before trying a smile. I look around trying to change the mood.

''Are they your drawings?'' I point at the desk and get up from the bed to go check them out.

''Err, yes.'' He quickly jumps in front of me to keep my eyes from seeing his drawings.

''What's wrong? Are you shy?'' I ask teasingly.

''No, I just don't like people looking at my drawings.'' He says shrugging but I see the blush spreading.

''You shouldn't leave them on the desk then.'' I quickly jab my finger in his side to make him flinch and use the distraction but he groans and almost falls on the floor in pain.

''What-What's going on? Did I jab too hard?'' Felt impossible since I usually did it with Ayden and he had never fallen down like that.

''No.'' He groans in pain before straightening back.

''What's wrong then?'' At that moment, I take hold of his shirt and lift it up without thinking. 

A big black bruise stretches on his stomach but he pushes his shirt back down so I don't see for too long.

He looks away, a hard look on his features.

''Have you been in a fight again?'' I accuse.

''Maybe you shouldn't stay for diner.'' He replies coldly.

''Okay, what's up? Did you fight? You fight for money, is that it?'' He gives me a strange look.

''You really think I'm that bad?''

''I'm just trying to understand. The other day you came to school with a bruised lip and then with a black eye.'' I defend myself.

''Yeah right, so it could only be that.'' He shakes his head.

''Enlighten me then.'' I retort sarcastically.

''You're not that important to deserve this kind of explanation.'' I take a step back, hurt filling me.

''Of course not, I'm just the girl you're playing with.'' I try to search his eyes, for something but there isn't anything giving in that he's sorry.

I sigh, ''I'll get a taxi for myself.'' 

I'm about to get out of his room when he says, ''Alexa, wait.'' 

I turn around, not daring though to look at him. Why do I feel this hurt?

''Let me drive you home.'' He offers.

''Of course not.'' I snap and leave his room.

''Alexa!'' He follows me down the stairs where I hear Dimitry telling his mother how his day went.

''Let's not make a scene out of this.'' I hiss, looking toward the kitchen to be sure no one sees me. ''I'm not your girl or anything to you so I don't expect different treatments from you. Use your tricks, play the Game as you did with every other girl, I don't care. In the end, I'm not the one who's going to run back to you crying because I didn't mean anything that I said, begging for your forgiveness.''

''Alex-''

''Fool yourself as you want, but if you're playing this stupid Game like me, you're that bad, no matter what.'' 

''Alexa, are you leaving?'' I hear a small voice ask as Dimitry comes our way.

I drop to one knee in front of the small boy and force a smile, speaking softly to him, ''Yes I have to, I've got some family emergency to get to.'' 

''Oh that's too bad.'' He says looking down.

''Let's do this another time alright?'' I say and he nods eagerly.

''I'll show you my room next time.'' I want to tell him I already saw it but don't. I nod before getting back up and leaving, not a single glance in Cameron's direction.

I start walking in my house direction, not wanting to disturb anyone. 

Wait, who could I disturb?

Even my mother must still be working.

So I walk until my feet hurt. I walk until the cold has bitten every single part of my face. I walk until my memories are there to haunt me once again. 

''Where were you? The school called me earlier saying you weren't there.'' My mom says as soon as I open the door. I guess the walk was long enough for her to get home before me.

''Nowhere, I wanted a break from school.'' I make my way toward the stairs.

''That's not like you Alexa.'' She points out. ''Is something wrong?''

''You would know.'' I retort ironically.

''I wouldn't, I didn't when-''

''Stop.'' I whisper. ''Please stop talking about these problems we had, I don't need to be reminded.''

''You had a nightmare again last night, right?'' She asks.

''Yes.''

''When will you go see a therapist, it'll help you deal-''

''Don't you understand this will never change how I feel every single day of my life?'' I yell as I turn back to her, a tear streaming down my face, ''A therapist won't help me forget and that's what I want to do. Forget.'' I run upstairs, the tears coming down in waterfalls. I stop at the window and look in front of me to see nothing. Ayden's room is pitch black and I miss him and I wonder why I told him to let me go this morning. 

Am I that broken?

I can't even look my friends in the face. I can't stand being near Ayden because he used to make me forget but now? He makes me think about other things I don't want to think about.

I keep staring when I see him and I immediately look away.

Because he's kissing another girl.