The Good Girl Plays the PLAYER

Chapter 38

Monday was finally here and I couldn't wait to see him. I pushed all my previous worries aside in hopes of seeing him today and him helping me feel reassured. My eyes searched among the crowd of students entering school, but he was nowhere in sight. I carried on walking with Sydney trying to pay attention to what she was saying, but my attention was immediately stolen, when I heard a group of girls gossiping.

"Word has it that he's got a girlfriend now and he's dumping all he's hook-ups!" A girl in our same year said. I carried on walking casually while still listening to their conversation. "Yeah all right, as if!" Another girl said laughing in disbelief. "It's true! Everyone is talking about it and saying that his girlfriend goes to our school!"  Upon hearing those words, I instinctively covered my face with my hand and hooked my arm around Sydney's and started to walk away as fast as possible, away from the gossip, hopefully in the most inconspicuous way. She followed me with no questions but I knew by the way she was looking at me, that she had plenty in store.

"Are you going to tell me what that was all about?" She asked as we entered the girls toilets. I ignored her question to checked all the cubicles and make sure no one was in, then turned around to face her. "To be honest, I'm not a hundred per cent sure." I confessed and then continued. "I'm kind of going out with Liam" I blurt out in a whisper while still keeping a close eye on the door, from over her shoulder. "You what?!" She screams back at me in shock. I quickly cover her mouth with both my hands, not wanting anyone to hear our conversation, but she moves them away. "When did this happen?" She asks in a hushed tone, which still sounded like shouting. "Well... It kind of started Saturday night, but then things got complicated"I started to say, but she looked at me confused at first then continued with her interrogation. "Hang on a minute. Weren't you on a date with that guy from work?" She asked while placing her hands on her hips, in an attempt to seem authoritative and outraged.

"I was" I respond with an awkward smile. "Oh no! You don't get to be coy with me now! I want to know everything!" She demands with sudden enthusiasm. I gave her the brief version of events, leaving out a few bits that are private and she listened intently to every word, with the odd look of shock, disgust, smile and outrage again. " "He's not as bad as people make him out to be. Sure, he's hot tempered, aggressive at times, but deep down I think there is a really sweet guy in there."

"Oh wow! You're in deep aren't you?" I nod not denying it. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you, but be careful, he's... Never mind. Just please be careful around him, don't let your guard down to easily around him either!" She says looking at me while shaking her head in clear disapproval. I know she doesn't like him, I know she doesn't trust him and I also know what she said he did to her and Travis, but I want to have faith in him, I want to give him a chance to show everyone that he's not that bad. I know it won't be easy, but I want to try.

"I'll be fine, I promise" I reassure her even though I do have fears of my own, I just don't want her to notice. She still shakes her head but accepts and we both head out to class.

All day I noticed girls staring at one another, trying to find out who this mystery girlfriend was. Our school was becoming like a savage jungle, everyone on alert, glaring at each other, prowling the corridors trying to sniff out their prey, 'me'. I tried my best to act normal, disinterested, but this whole atmosphere was unnerving. Whenever I spotted Liam in the distance, I would walk in the opposite direction and hide, hoping that he wouldn't notice me and leave. I pretty much arrived late to all my classes, doing this and it was tiring me out.

Lunchtime came, and I was dreading it. I texted Syd, telling her that I wouldn't be out to meet her and the others and to have lunch without me. She texted back that I was being stupid and maybe she's right, but it's not her head on the line but mine. I went to the only class that I knew would give me solace and stayed there in silence, waiting for the break to end and finish this awful day.