Roses And Daggers

Beating the Player

Being a player is not that easy. You have a game, you make the rules, and you have to be the best at it. No one should be able to beat you. And if you lose, even once; if you fall, it's game over, and the only way to have a new winner is to destroy the previous one.

Victoria Stone was aware of all that. What she wasn't aware of was why she had accepted the challenge she knew she was bound to lose.

Victoria adjusted her earphones and turned to the left, looking at the almost empty parking lot and the field where some athletes were practicing on the tacks. Justin had offered her a ride, but she refused. He was the school quarterback, and they had dated for a year, before he cheated on her. They were still friends, but it wasn't the same.

She needed to be alone for some time. Her mind kept wandering back to lunch, when her own words had surprised herself. She was sitting at her usual table, talking to her friends, when that boy, Zeke, walked by. He didn't stop or talk to her, he just dropped a note on her tray which had only three words written- "Bleachers after class."

She had had no plan of actually going. She didn't know whether it was just the curiosity or the thought of amusement that made her change her mind. She stayed back after class, and walked over to the sports field. The school campus was pretty big, but she spent that time wondering what he had to say. Her blonde hair fell on her shoulders, occasionally pushed back due to the wind. She was eager to get this over with.

Victoria found Zeke sitting on the bleachers, just as he had promised, his dark hair falling into his eyes and listening to music. He pulled his earphones out when he saw her and stood up. Victoria crossed her arms. "What do you want?" She demanded.

Zeke took a deep breath but did not reply. He had practiced this way too many times, he could not make a mistake. His fists shook and his head swirled. "We need to talk," he said simply.

"Well, of course." Victoria rolled her eyes and kicked a small hill of soil near her feet. That was it. She was making him furious. He was just going to ask her to stop, but the plan had suddenly changed.

"You," he said, taking a step towards her. "You think you're too great right?"

Victoria took a step back. "Not think, I know," she fired back.

"You think you're a player, huh? The best?" Victoria, now really confused, did not say a word, and Zeke ignored the frantic signals from his brain and continued.

"How about we play a little game? I choose the game, you make the rules. Who ever loses, must admit they're wrong, and do anything the winner says." He chuckled. "However, who loses, won't have anything left to give up." His brain had officially short- circuited. He had no idea what he was saying. All he wanted from her was an apology... what was this?

There was a maniacal gleam in his eyes, confirming Victoria's doubt that he was half crazy.

"What game?" She asked, more confident than before. Whatever it was, she could do it.

He smirked. "Let's play a game. The rules are simple: let's sweet talk, let's play fight, let's talk twenty four- seven, let's go on dates, let's kiss and hug, let's take walks together. Do everything a couple does. And here's the best part, who ever falls in love first? Loses."

Victoria was pushed up against the bleachers. Zeke stared at her from under his lashes, his blue eyes squinted against the sun. Victoria had no idea why she did what she had done. She whispered, "You're paranoid." And sliding her arm around his neck, pressed her lips to his.
._.._.

It was so hard explaining to Amanda, Victoria's cousin, that she was going out with Zeke. "Zeke? Zeke Brand?" Amanda repeated. It was 7 a.m. and they were getting ready for class. Victoria paused while applying her lipgloss and through gritted teeth muttered, "Yes."

According to their rules, she was not allowed to tell anyone about the previous day. God knew how long she would have to keep up the pretence. But she swore she wouldn't lose, no matter what it took.

Her phone rang and Amanda put it on speaker for her. "You ready, babe?" Came the clear voice of Zeke. "I'm waiting outside."

Victoria bit her lip and sheepishly walked out with her purse, Amanda's eyes watching her.

Zeke's face lit up when he saw Victoria and held her door open for her. She pecked him on the cheek and sat down. He crossed over and opened the door to his own side. "Did you sleep well?"

Victoria was a bit taken aback by the sudden question. It was like they had known each other since forever. "Pretty much. You?"

"Mmhmm..." They drove for a while before Zeke pulled into the parking lot of the neighbourhood Starbucks. Victoria turned to him quizzically but he wasn't looking at her. He just took her hand and they walked to the entrance together.

"My friend works a shift here. What do you want?" He asked as they reached the counter.

"Um, a chocolate latte... please."

"One Caramel Cream Frappuccino and a Chocolate Latte for the lady."

The boy behind the counter, whose name tag said Peter, whistled. "Is that Victoria Stone? You hit big, man." Victoria remembered seeing him at school a couple of times, probably with Zeke, but she didn't know him very well.

Victoria felt her cheeks burn but Zeke casually put his arm around her shoulders and laughed. "I did, mate. And she's all mine." They took their coffees and Peter invited them over for a party at his house that weekend. "Bring anyone you want," he had said.

Zeke squeezed her shoulder. "Do you wanna go? You can call your friends if you want."

Victoria shrugged. "I guess. I'll ask Amanda."

Zeke turned to Peter. "You want a lift to school?"

Peter shook his head. "Nah, I got another half an hour. Thanks, but I'll manage."

Up close, Victoria decided, dating Zeke was not as bad as she had expected.