The Players Next Victim

Chapter Forty-One

“I know you've been speaking to Tyler more often these days,” Austin began looking me straight in the eye. “And I can't stop you from talking to him even if I think you shouldn't but I need to tell you how I feel...”

He left his sentence hanging. Was he waiting for my reaction? Was he waiting for me to finish the sentence? What was he waiting for?

I looked straight back at him, never taking my eyes off of his grey eyes and for some odd reason I felt unsure about him.

I never felt like this about him before.

But now I do.

I'm not sure if I trust him.

Which is why I finished his sentence for him, before he could say anything to change my mind. “Tyler told me the truth about you two.”

Austin looked sort of shocked from my sudden outburst. For a good minute he didn't say anything and leaned back on the lockers. I didn't know if I should have carried on with what I was planning to say but before I could, Austin spoke.

“You believe him?” He asked, no longer looking at me.

“I don't know. I think I do,” I muttered but it was loud enough for him to hear.

He titled his head upwards, his grey eyes shining with light. “He's lying to you.”

I sighed. I'm exhausted trying to pick which one is telling the truth. “How do I know who's telling the truth?”

He doesn't answer me, so I carry on.

“From the looks of it, Tyler seems to have a more valid story. His story adds up whilst yours... well, your story does make sense but Tyler's seems more real,” I explained. “He told me you were using me to get to him.”

I added the last bit as a statement that could've been proven wrong but from the way Austin didn't reply straight away I knew he was lying. I knew from the way he wasn't looking me in the eyes that he was lying. I just knew.

“He started this off. If he hadn't slept with the girl I liked then none of this would've happened,” Austin says defensively.

“You didn't even deny the last bit I said. So you really were using me?!” I felt my heart drop. I don't know why because I never had the same feelings for him like I did for Tyler, yet it still hurt me. I thought he was my friend. Someone I could turn to.

But I was wrong. He didn't care what I felt. He just wanted to hurt Tyler.

“No, it's not like that – It's true, I wanted to get back at Tyler so that's why I started talking to you but now... Now, it's different. It's not about getting back at Tyler. I actually like you,” Austin said, walking towards me.

I shake my head. “You're lying. How can you just lie like that? Just give up. I know the truth!” My voice sounded like I was shouting but I didn't intend to. I guess he really hurt me because I didn't even know what I was saying.

“I'm not lying anymore!” He defended himself.

“You don't like me. You never did! You just didn't like the attention Tyler got. You didn't like it when you saw him settle down with someone, when he finally became happy. You're jealous of him,” I said, trying to keep my distance from him.

I saw Austin jaw clench. He probably didn't like hearing the truth. “It's not like that! He slept with the girl I liked.”

I stared at him. “You sound pathetic. We both know you didn't care if he slept with her. You cared about your pride. Everyone found out he slept with her, right? And you didn't like that because it got people talking about you in the way that you don't like. You didn't like the fact that he was more popular than you. That's why you did what you did.”