Bad Boy's Game

[25] Behind Bars

B A D
B O Y ' S
G A M E

***Archer's pov***

Somehow in the past ten hours, I have found myself in trouble with the law, yesterday being a total blur.

All I can recall is drinking a little too much, Grey leaving me, seeing her at the party, and then seeing her once again leave but with her childhood friend who's in love with her.

The worst of what I happen to recall is that she was holding hands with the boy next door. Unbelievable.

It's almost as unbelievable as the hangover I have right now, my head is really throbbing and I'm stuck in a jail cell so medication isn't exactly accessible.

I guess this is a repercussion for me trying to drive drunk, a repercussion for me hurting Grey.

If only I could explain myself, explain why I needed the money so desperately.

Maybe if she knew I needed the money to pay for my mother's medical bills she would somewhat understand. Maybe she would at least understand that I'm not just a man who lives for money and that I had a reason to be desperate. It still wouldn't make me a better person if I told her, but at least I could give a reason for her to let me back into the walls she has built up.

The clanking of metal startles me and causes me to look up from the concrete ground, an officer stands opposite of me and he's not alone.

Grey stands opposite of me next to the officer, except, unlike the officer she isn't staring at me with disappointment. In fact, I couldn't even tell what she was staring at me with, it was just as if her blueish-grey eyes were gazing into oblivion.

"You're free, thanks to Miss Grey. Consider yourself lucky because you're getting off with only a fine and a bit of community service hours, but if you get caught again then I can guarantee not so great consequences," the officer tells me, however, I only comprehend half of what he says because my eyes are stuck on the Miss Grey that bailed me out.

She bailed me out even after knowing what I did.

I walk out of the cell and stand only about a foot away from her, we were close and yet we felt so far. So out of touch.

"Why did you bail me out?" I ask her, my voice raspy from the lack of water.

She gives me the blank stare, her eyebrows ruffle a bit. Her beautiful face is not showing her signature smile I've grown to be fond of.

"I don't know," she finally manages to respond, "but it wasn't just me, you have Zac to thank as well."

She looks away from me and heads out for the door, I grab her arm before she can leave.

"I'm sorry about Sunday morning," I tell her, apologizing to someone for once in my life.

She doesn't respond, her uncertain expression shows up in the reflection of the glass door.

"Am I too late?" I ask her weakly.

I let go of her arm slowly when I don't get a response, she has an indescribable blank face that doesn't have any sort of emotion. I can't read her and she isn't talking to me, it hurts to know that so much has changed in such a little amount of time.

She simply doesn't respond again and walks out, the station's door chime rings. The officer tells me that he will take me home, warning me once again that I'll be in serious trouble if I'm found intoxicated again.

I nod at his warning, taking a seat in the officer's vehicle. I stare at the bare-branched trees that pass by every second as the car moves, reflecting on everything that has transpired.

Once the sight of my house appears I get out and thank the cop for letting me go without any serious charges. He gives a nod before driving away.

I turn towards the poorly painted house I call mine, seeing Zac leaned against his grey SUV in the driveway with a less than amused expression on his face.

I walk up to him, expecting him to say some wisecrack statement. But, he doesn't. Instead, his knuckle reaches my left eye, hard.

I stumble back a bit from the impact, he has his knuckle still clenched.

"What the fuck?" I yell, placing a hand over my left eye.

"You're an asshole, Archer," he says, a look of disgust plastered on his face.

I give a confused look, still holding my left eye.

"She's the best fucking thing to happen to you and yet you treat her like shit. I don't know exactly what you did, but Arden told me how she's been hung up all over you because you probably fucked her over. She even bailed you out of jail after you said so much dumb shit," he says loudly, swearing more times than I can even manage to count.

I don't say anything, shocked by the fact that my best friend punched me and because I can't think of anything to say.

"Wake up, Archer. You like her, whether you're ready to admit it or not. And you're going to lose her if you don't put your ego aside for a second and tell her," he continues, unclenching his hand.

I move my hand from my eye, it's throbbing and probably fixing to bruise a beautiful blue.

"I'm too late," I whisper.

He rolls his eyes in response.

"If you were too late she would have already moved on with the boy next door. She wouldn't have bailed you out, you idiot," he replies as if I'm stupid.

Which I kind of am, honestly.

And whether I'm ready to admit it or not... I'm beginning to like Grey. It has become apparent because I miss her like hell. It's only been a short amount of time and yet it felt like months since I've last been with her. I miss her so much that last night she was the only person who clouded my drunken mind.

She just might be the girl for me and we still have a game to play, I just have to play my cards correctly now.

"You like her and I'm pretty damn sure she likes you too. You better now cover up the bruise forming around your eye with some of Arden's concealer I borrowed knowing that I would punch you and tell her how you feel," he says, his voice now much calmer.

I nod.

"I will," I reply.