Hidden Play: The Return 《COMPLETE》

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Over the next week, Zion's eyes seem to burn holes into the back of my head wherever I go. Our little talk must have made some type of impact, because he keeps his distance. He even takes the weekend off of his normal 'team bonding' shenanigans. Gigi informs that she heard through the grapevine (aka Emma), that he's not doing well. Not eating, not sleeping, and moodier than ever. Though really, how much moodier can he get?

I know he's stubborn as hell, but he knows what to do to get me back. It's not difficult. Apparently for him, it is. Either that or he was never really invested in the first place. That's a harder pill to swallow, so I'm tabling the notion.

Outside of my personal hell, there seems to be social 'noise' everywhere else I turn. Callie and her girlfriend get caught fooling around over the weekend. According to Gigi, Callie was lapping up the lady juice when the girlfriend's mom walked in and their worlds came crumbling down.

Now comes damage control.

Callie, the girlfriend, and the girlfriend's overly conservative folks are doing all they can to keep it silent, but the rumors are spreading like wildfire. Her name is everywhere on social media, and there's no shortage of students chiming in with their (unwanted) opinions. Huh – come to think of it, maybe that's why Zion has taken the weekend off. Avoiding attention until things die down. He's the second half of the 'it' couple in school. Wherever we see Callie's name, Zion's is sure to follow.

Did that dumb b*tch seriously cheat on @ZionmMatthews? Tell her to fall back so the rest of us can have a chance.

LOL – Looks like skills on the court don't carry over to skills in bed. Either that or our basketball team captain has a small d8ck! His girl isn't satisfied! HMU when you ready for a real man, @CallieMulligen

Not trying to slut shame, but like how trashy are you that you get so drunk you mess around with a chick while you're in a COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP? AND THEN get caught?

Girls like @CallieMulligen love the drama and the attention. Zero. Surprise.

Their relationship is cliché anyway. I say, get it @CallieMulligen! #PRIDE

Don't really give a shit what happened. My main question – does this mean @ZionMatthews back on the market?

Gigi reads them aloud until I tell her to stop. My stomach twists and turns in an unsettling combination of empathy and rage. It's sickening, the way everyone is reacting, as if they have any business voicing an opinion in the first place. So many of them wish for the spotlight, but I guarantee no one stops to consider this aspect of it. The constant judgement and virtual opinions that border on cyberbullying.

In response to it all, whether it's her parents influence or of her own accord, Callie turns it up a billion notches in pretending to be in love with Zion. She's posting pictures of them kissing every few hours with captions ranging from 'I'm one lucky girl,' to 'can't keep my hands off this sexy man!' Normally when I read this kind of lovey-dovey crap it grates on my nerves. I'm more sympathetic this time, if only because I know what they're up against. Well, that and the fact that they're each dealing with this shit while licking their wounds over someone else.

And as bad as that is, the madness doesn't stop there (get your popcorn and drinks ready for this one)! Take a wild guess who comes over to our house for dinner on Saturday night.

Go on. Take a guess.

Fuckin' Mike.

Beer chugging, primitive, belching ass Mike.