The Badboy's Game

5 | Seatbelts

"Bye!" Billie called to Piper as they separated at the end of the day once more, cycling in opposite directions. 

It was Wednesday now and all everyone could talk about was Preston Parker asking Billie if she was going to the big football game on Friday. Apparently, it was a big deal because Preston was one of the most important players on the football team and Friday would be Northwoods first game of the season. 

Billie had also learned that Northwood was deeply connected to sports and if you were a player, you were practically high school royalty. In addition, it was soon revealed to her that after every game, win or lose, the whole school parties at the beach to celebrate and now Billie was expected to go with Preston because he had asked her to the game. 

She didn't know if she wanted to go to the party let alone go with a guy she hadn't even held a conversation with yet. Hannah and Mikey were in the middle of heavily persuading her whilst Piper claimed she couldn't go because she had to babysit her sibling that night. 

The thoughts consumed all of Billie's focus because before she knew it, she was moments away from colliding with a familiar sleek car and swerved herself into a nearby bush. Luckily, the only thing that hurt was the thorns scraping the exposed skin of her legs and hands but Billie yelped as she was soon wheeled out of the bush. 

"What was that?" An angry voice asked and Billie planted her feet on the ground as she saw Elijah was the driver who she had almost crashed into. "Are you blind or just love pain?" 

"Um," Was all Billie could get out and he rolled his eyes. 

"Well, at least you're not mute." He sighed and helped her to climb off the bike. "C'mon, before you hurt yourself anymore." 

"What are you doing?" She exclaimed as he pushed her bike into the thorned bush until it was concealed. "Elijah!"

"I'll buy you a new one, get in." He led her over to his expensive looking car and all thoughts of stranger danger escaped her as the leather seats looked so much more inviting to her scuffed up legs than the bike seat. 

Without much resistance, Billie allowed Elijah to close the door and head over to the driver's side before starting the car. 

"Wait!" Billie shouted urgently as he allowed the car to move and they both jolted forwards as he slammed on the breaks. 

"What?" He said gripping the steering wheel tightly looking over at her. 

"Seatbelts," She instructed quietly clipping hers on and looking at him expectantly. "Please,"

With a sigh and some mumbling, he irritably complied and sped off. Billie was suddenly glad she had made him stop so that they could put their seatbelts on. He drove like a maniac, weaving in between cars and flying over speed bumps. Her teeth were grinding as she tried to tell him her address. 

"You know," He spoke calmly, even going as far as taking his eyes off the road to check his phone. Something that had Billie's anxiety at its peak, the view outside her window a passing blue. "Next time you want to know something about me, talk to me and not Roberts." 

Billie blushed. He had heard her in History. "I'm really sorry. I-" The car came to a sudden halt and she saw they were outside her house already. Google maps said it was a fifteen-minute drive from the school to her house, Elijah had done it in five. 

Realizing he didn't care for what else she had to say, too focused on typing quickly on his phone, Billie opened her door and looked back at him once more. "Thank you for the ride."

He said nothing but his fingers paused in their quick movements and he nodded his head in acknowledgment before she shut her door and headed up the pathway to her house. It was the first time Billie didn't feel the burn of his glare on the back of her head but that didn't mean he wasn't looking.