The Game ✔

Chapter twenty nine

My breath hitches as I see my best friend fall on the floor, looking lifeless. His nose bleeds and I can already tell it's going to leave an awful mark.

''What have you done?'' I yell at Cameron, trying to keep my tears at bay. I fall to my knees next to Ayden's head.

''I thought-''

''No one talks to me like that, thanks bro,'' Owen says before walking slowly downstairs. ''Not that it wasn't... interesting, but midnight is going to ring in an hour so I better get to my own party.'' With that, he takes his coat, puts on his boots, and walks out.

''Party's over everyone, get out!'' Will yells and I hear people whine but one at a time they pile out. As the last person exits, a tear falls off.

''Lexa, I-'' I furiously wipe off the tear and glare at Cameron. How could I ever love someone like that?

''You don't get to call me like that,'' I say so softly and so dangerously that he gapes at me, stunned probably. But I don't care. Jake comes next to me.

''Let's go home.'' He tells me and we both try to lift him up but I feel too weak all of a sudden. Another pair of arms come to help and when I look up I see Darwin. I take a step back, letting both of them carry Ayden out. Looking up, I see Cameron glaring at the floor, not moving an inch.

Mixed feelings fill me. A part of me wants to erase this night, to ignore what he's done and said but the other wants him gone from my life. I want him to suffer.

I slowly walk up to him, hatred clear in my eyes. He lifts his head up slowly, like a little boy who has been scolded, a spark of hope in his eyes before he catches the look on my face.

I stop in front of him. Why is he acting like this? Why can't he only be the guy I have learned to like?

It doesn't stop the words from coming out, ''You disgust me. How could anyone ever love you? How could you think you'd win at this? You're despicable.'' I spit it out like venom. He only nods his head and looks away. I want to hit him, punch him right in the face, and knock him out. But what good would come out of this? He's not worth it, like his brother.

In the corner of my eyes, I see Will standing a bit further, a girl attached to his arm but I don't say anything else, I just walk away.

I get out of the house to see there's only Cameron's car and Darwin's left here.

''You didn't come with your car Jake?'' I ask.

''No, I was drinking and honestly, I wouldn't have driven him here. He paid the taxi driver while I had my back turned to them.'' He shakes his head at that.

''I drank as well,'' Darwin says in realization, and then his eyes settle on me. ''You drive good?''

''Yeah.'' I quietly say.

''Then be careful with my baby girl.'' He throws me the keys and I catch them easily. ''I'm staying here for the night so you can just bring it back tomorrow morning.'' With that, he walks off.

The ride is silent until I get to my house, parking the car there. I go help Jake in the backseat. As he starts to go towards Ayden's, I shake my head, ''He'll sleep at my house, his parents can't see him like this they'll stop breathing.'' After a moment of hesitation, he nods and we both get him up in my room. My mother seems to still be in my father's room, which is good. We settle Ayden in my bed.

''I'll head home.'' Jake tells me.

''I have a bed here if you want,'' I say but he's already shaking his head.

''I've already called a taxi and there's no way in Hell I'm here when he wakes up tomorrow morning.'' I nod slowly and he starts walking away. 

''Jake?'' He stops to look at me and I jump in his arms, hugging him tightly. ''Thank you for being there for him,'' I whisper against his shoulder.

''Anytime.'' He says, hugging me back. We then say our goodbyes and I look at the sleepy Ayden on my bed.

I get in my pajamas and bring a glass of water with a garbage can next to him. As I get in my bed, he rolls over, making me breathe in relief for seeing him move.

''I'm sorry.'' I hear him mumble before I come closer to him.

I wake up to the sound of someone puking next to me. Disgusted, I groan and roll away from the sound.

''Please brush your teeth before coming back in bed,'' I tell him as I rub my eyes.

''Sorry.'' He mumbles and gets up to walk into the bathroom. A few minutes later, he comes back into the room.

I see him for the first time now. A black eye is stretching across the left side of his face and his nose looks a little swollen but other than that he seems fine.

He walks up to the bed and sits on it, across from me. ''I didn't mean for that to happen last night, to say the truth, I forgot most of my night.''

''Do you remember who gave you that black eye though?'' I ask shyly.

''Definitely not you.'' He tries to laugh but it doesn't reach his eyes. ''Weirdly, I remember nothing about last night unless when I entered Cameron's house. And when I saw Owen.'' A dark look passes in his eyes.

I gulp down, thinking about last night, ''When Cameron punched you, you stopped moving, and  I-I...''

''I know.'' He whispers.

''I can't lose you too.'' Tears start piling out of my eyes, maybe from the lack of sleep. He takes my hand in his.

''I can't either but it kills me being with you and not really being with you.'' He says. ''It was stupid of me for starting to play, I regret it. I still need time though to understand that you don't feel the same way about me as you used to.'' 

''I can leave you space.'' I nod to myself but he takes back his hand. 

He shakes his head, ''It's not enough.'' He sighs, scratching the back of his neck, ''I want you out of my life for good. I don't want you on social media, I don't want to know who you're with from Lizzy, I want to forget you. Because you are slowly dragging me down.'' His voice becomes hoarse from emotion, ''Having you out of my life might kill me less.''

''So that's it? We just start being strangers now?''

''It's been a couple of months now that you've been a stranger.'' He laughs ironically, ''Forget me as well, it's better this way.''

I watch his back walk out the door, no goodbyes in my direction.