His Game

Chapter Twenty Three

Sweet cover attached made by -Hakuna-Matata-

Chapters 23-24 have been updated

His Game: Chapter Twenty Three

After dropping Joey off at home rather late in the evening, to which her dad scolded me for and brought up the baseball bat once more, I drove home with a small grin stuck to my face. As much as I want to deny that it's there, I can't.

I noticed it when I glanced in the rear-view mirror when a cop rolled up behind me. Instead of worrying about him pulling me over, I instead focused all of my attention on the grin I didn't even know I had.

I like this girl. A lot.

I like her and I never planned on liking her.

And I don't know what to do about it.

I shake my head to try and rid the never ending thoughts as I pull into my driveway- thankfully the cop turned down another road right after pulling up behind me.

I wouldn't be too happy if I got a ticket. Especially after such a good night. I don't think I've shared so many innocent kisses with anyone.

As I walk through the front door of my house, being sure to lock it behind me, I try to be as quiet as possible so that I don't wake up Belle or my mom. They're both light sleepers, which never works in my favor.

Especially with a friend as loud as Dino. The amount of times he's woken Belle... No wonder my mom always greets him with a small cringe if he comes over at night; she knows he's going to be the one to wake her and Belle up.

But, as I tiptoe towards the steps, suddenly the living room light turns on and I nearly fall on the floor from surprise. I shoot my head in that direction and see my mom sitting on the couch with a mug in hand and pajamas on underneath her robe.

"Uh, hey?" I ask, scrunching up my face at her as I walk into the room. My eyes turn to the clock in the corner and my confusion doubles. "It's nearly midnight, mom. What are you doing up?"

She sets her mug down on her lap. "I wanted to talk."

"That sounds kind of creepy and suspicious, just so you know," I mutter as I sit next to her. "But, about what?"

She snorts at my comment, but then her eyes melt into something else. "About Joey."

Even if I wanted to get her out of my head, it seems everyone wants that to be impossible.

I straighten up, "What about her?"

"You like her."

I look away from her and shrug nonchalantly, "Game's over on Tuesday."

"That doesn't change the fact that you like her, Rhett."

I roll my head to the side to look at her, "I really wish people would stop telling me how I feel about her. I know I like her."

My mom tilts her head slightly as I let out a deep sigh, running a hand through my hair.

"How come admitting that is so...stressful for you?" She asks, pausing to find the right words.

"It's just a game. Real feelings aren't supposed to be attached."

"But they are."

I sigh again and look away, fiddling with the couch. "I know that."

"So, what happens on Tuesday?" She asks.

I glance at her and narrow my eyes suspiciously. "No offense mom, but why are you so interested?"

She's never taken an interest in my game before. Never interrogated me about a girl to play. Never really even insinuated that she cared about my love-life. Or rather, getting-laid life.

I guess I'm not the only one to know just how different Joey is.

My mom sets the mug down on the table next to her. "Because I can tell how much she means to you."

I chuckle, "From one dinner?" I ask with a small scoff, stretching my legs out in front of me. "Doesn't seem like long enough to derive anything."

"Five seconds is all it took for me to see that you feel something for her."

I glance at her and see how serious she is, not a hint of humor in her voice, and I stay quiet.

"Rhett, your father never looked at me the way you look at her. If he did, I think things would be different right now."

Her statement causes a chill to run through my body and I know my shock is evident on my face. I don't even attempt to respond to her, because I genuinely have no idea what I would say.

"I'm not trying to tell you how you feel about Joey," she says softly, "But when Tuesday rolls around, I hope she knows."

After she finishes talking, she reaches back for her mug that she placed on the side-table as she starts to stand up. With a small chuckle from how dumbstruck I probably look right now, she pats my leg.

"Good talk," she hums, walking into the kitchen to put her mug away and then head to bed.

Her words don't leave my head for the rest of the night.

That's why the next day, Saturday, I show up unannounced at Joey's house once again. Only this time I'm not holding flowers, instead I'm holding nothing but a smirk as I get off of my bike that now has a tiny trailer attached.

Joey comes outside before I reach her porch, probably noticing me from the living room windows that face her driveway. She leans against one of the columns on her porch with her arms crossed and a questioning look in her eye.

I walk to the front of the steps before stopping, sending her a sly grin.

"You up for a spontaneous weekend adventure?"

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Short chapter, but that's okay because there's multiple chapters in this update :) PLUS doing this added another chapter to the book!

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