Lost in the Game {Brollins}

| Chapter 8 |

After the initial quietness that filled the group of girls became unbearable, Rebecca insisted that everything was fine and things slowly went back to the way they were before.

Pamela and Ashley grabbed what they wanted from the vending machine and Mercedes went to go grab a salad pack, all while Rebecca sat at the table leaning back in her seat with her arms crossed over her freshly stained tank top.

She grew tired of sitting alone and let her eyes roam around the cafeteria. She watched the different groups of people as they talked and ate. Her eyes continued wandering around the large area and eventually, they once again fell upon Colby Lopez.

Colby Lopez was pretty much as close to "highschool heartthrob" as you could get in their school. As far as Rebecca knew she was the only person with some self-control in this place. She knew every other girl drooled at just the thought of talking to him and there wasn't one other person that didn't want to be in his friend group.

To others, he was the complete package, but to Rebecca, she couldn't help but think he perfectly fit the description of some cheesy ripoff teen romance movie wannabe.

A jock who spends more time flirting than practicing football, yet still manages to be the best player on the team? Check.

Your typical bad boy who neglects homework, barely attends his classes and doesn't care about school whatsoever, yet still manages to not fail anything? Check.

A classic douchebag with a new girl on his side every week, yet still manages to fool every other girl into thinking he would never break their heart and that he's the best thing since sliced bread? Check.

Rebecca watched as he stood with a large group of his friends directly across from where she sat. He was leaning against the wall with his one arm draped across the shoulders of the random girl that led him away when he and Rebecca had bumped into each other. He then ran his fingers through his hair with his free hand before returning it to his jean pocket.

Rebecca quickly pulled her eyes away as she heard her friends approaching the table. It was hard to miss the sound of the obnoxious heels that followed Mercedes, Ashley's bickering and complaining, and the crinkling sound of the plastic that contained Pamela's cookie.

Ashley was first to make it to her seat, she pulled out her chair and abandoned her water bottle on the table without a care. She slumped down in her seat with her arms crossed and looked straight ahead with anger plastered on her face.

Rebecca looked at her and raised an eyebrow, "What's your damage?"

Still looking straight ahead, Ashley didn't even acknowledge Rebecca. Pamela and Mercedes quickly settled into their seats after Ashley, so Rebecca turned her attention to them.

"What's with her?" Rebecca looked between the two.

Mercedes looked down at the table and seemed to be trying to hide laughter, and Pamela looked at Rebecca with a slight smile she tried to cover by pursing her lips.

Rebecca watched as Mercedes looked up at Pamela, lips pressed together so tightly the colour was beginning to change and a jaw so clenched it was seconds away from breaking. Her lips couldn't hide the smile that followed through to her cheeks or the laughter that could be seen bubbling in her eyes. Pamela had a similar expression and her face quickly began turning more and more red by the second.

A small and quick laugh escaped Pamela's lips and she quickly slapped her hands over her mouth, trying to go unnoticed.

Ashley looked up with a glare that could kill, "It's not funny."

Pamela quickly looked down at the table silently, still struggling to not burst out laughing.

Mercedes looked over at the two and didn't even try to hide her laugh anymore, she broke out into hysterics which quickly made Pamela follow suit and lose whatever composure she had.

"It really is." Mercedes struggled to form sentences but managed to in between her laughs.

Rebecca sat there waiting to get caught up and Pamela quickly explained the situation, "Ashley tried to get Colby's attention when we were at the vending machine"

Ashley slouched back to her original position with her arms crossed, "He didn't even look at me."

"Not even the smallest glance in your direction." Mercedes interrupted still laughing hysterically, wiping away tears from her eyes.

Rebecca tried to focus on the girl's bickering as it continued, but her eyes found themselves wandering back over to the group that stood across from her.

When she looked at the group she noticed Colby now had his back towards her and his girl was now against the wall where he originally stood. He had his hand against the wall resting above the girl's head with his other hand holding her waist.

Just as Rebecca was going to look away to avoid major intrusion, she saw Jonathan emerge from the sidelines and playfully shove Colby's head, causing him to stumble back away from the girl. Laughs were heard throughout his group and Colby shoved Jonathan's back with a laugh and a shake of the head, saying something that Rebecca couldn't quite hear.

Her attention drifted to Jonathan as she watched him move to stand on the outer edge of the group, quietly lurking around alone. Jonathan seemed to be the male version of her, from what she could tell.

Quiet a lot of the time, but forward and loud when he wanted to be.

Observant and constantly watching out for his friend's wellbeing.

Misunderstood and misjudged, but seemingly fine with the assumptions.

Seeing Jonathan hanging around Colby was as confusing as Rebecca's friendship with Ashley, it shouldn't work, but somehow and someway, it does.

Something about the dynamic of that group—as well as the people—drew Rebecca in, and her curiosity began to become more evident.