The Game of Hearts

12 // Fall For Your Game

Chapter 12 - Fall For Your Game

"To think that I

Would be a victim not another

Say it, play it how you wanna

But no way I'm ever gonna fall for you, never you, baby"

We were in mid October now. The weather was windier, the days were longer, and school got harder. Exams were coming, and I had projects to deliver, homeworks to finish, etc, etc. Rowing was becoming harder and harder as the competition approached: we had only one month to train now.  

It was getting increasingly difficult to reconcile rowing practices with school. I needed to focus on my studies so I could get into a good college, but I loved rowing and I wouldn't give up now.

As if it wasn't enough, I still had Aiden and Matthew to worry about.  Ellie had finally given up on talking to them, but they were both still trying to win the bet and unfortunately, I was their prize.

It was incredible how much they were trying and how much time they were wasting. I found it so stupid to be so commited into something so idiot. They never stopped trying, no matter how many times I told them 'no', no matter how many times I replied with sarcastic comments or treated them bad, like they deserved to be treated.

I knew they thought I was rejecting them because, apparently, I had this 'hard-to-get-facade', and because I was 'stressed' due to all the school work and stuff. That might have been a reason if I didn't knew what they were up to, but now I wasn't just stressed and trying to be hard to get. First of all, it was not a facade. I really was hard to get. Second of all, yes, it was not in my plans to lose time with guys when I had such an important year at school and at rowing. But the most important reason was that I knew. I knew what they wanted, and no matter how hard I tried to pretend it didn't hurt me, it did, so it was incredibly hard to look them in the eye and pretend everything was okay.

But I still had made a promise to myself. I still wanted to complete my plan, I still wanted to make them fall for me and then break their hearts. It was just that some times it was hard to keep up with the plan, as I had so many other things to do and so much going on in my life. And my big mouth didn't help either. They talked to me and I sarcastically rejected them, even when in my mind I was preparing a sweet sentence to reply with, the ironic comment came out of my mouth first and screw everything up. I definitely needed to control my mouth if I wanted to have a chance in this 'game'.

As Halloween was coming, my school had been really busy in preparing the annual party that took place in the night of October 31. I used to go to the dance party only because Dylan insisted on going, and I was guessing this year would not be different.

There were posters everywhere in the school reminding the students of the party, the cheerleaders were talking all the time about make-up, dresses and costumes and I was getting sick of it all even before the dance had actually started.

But Ellie was really excited about it.

"And we can wear any costume we want?" Ellie asked for the third time in that day, 16th of October.

"Yes." I replied dryly. Me, Dylan and Ellie were sitting in our 'Anti-social' table at the school's canteen. Ellie didn't mind at all in joining us and being labeled an anti-social.

"Like, can I be a werewolf, or an unicorn?" She continued excitedly.

I mentally facepalmed myself and Dylan tried hard not to laugh.