Page 8 of Foolish Games

“They’re also friends,” I say with as much dignity as I can muster. “Something I’m sure you would know nothing about, since you think girls are just there to, as you so succinctly put it, get on their knees and service you.”

“Hey, that’s not all they’re for,” he protests. “They also get on their backs.”

I force myself not to think about how many girls he’s done those things with.

“Well, Chaz isn’t like that, and he’s not a cheater,” I say, tossing my wavy hair back over my shoulder. “We happen to have a mature relationship built on trust and mutual respect, and I’m glad he has female friends.”

“Wow,” Sebastian says slowly, still smirking at me. “That sounds hella exciting. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go meet a girl who likes me to bend her over and disrespect the fuck out of her in her daddy’s car every Tuesday. Hey, you should try it sometime. Nerd boy Chad over there might be into it.”

He swipes his books off the table and walks away, leaving me fuming at both him and my boyfriend, who made it way too easy for Sebastian to prove his point. I march over to Chaz and pointedly slide into the space between him and Krissy, which makes it obvious just how close they were standing, since we’re now squeezed together like we’re sitting in the backseat of a car together.

After a moment of awkward silence, Chaz steps away from me and picks up his books. When he starts toward the door of the library, the rest of us fall into step with him as usual. Being the smartest makes him the head of the academic nerds by default.

“Sorry you got stuck with the biggest jerk in school,” Chaz says. “The guy probably can’t even read. Did he ask you to write his paper?”

“Actually, he’s not a total lost cause,” I say, an irrational need to defend Sebastian rising in me. “He just needs a little help with organization. How’s your guy? He’s an athlete too, right?”

“I saw y’all talking,” Krissy interrupts, turning to me. “You looked… Friendly.”

I crush my irritation, sure she’s trying to start shit between Chaz and me. “Just doing my job,” I say flatly.

“Yeah, I mean, you’re stuck with him for nine weeks minimum,” Jerome chimes in. “Might as well make the best of a bad situation. If he’s not being a jerk to you, why make things worse for yourself?”

I give him a grateful smile, then remember Sebastian’s claim that Jerome liked me. Damn him. Now I’m going to feel awkward around Jerome, even though he’s just a friend.

When we reach the parking lot, Krissy gives an enthusiastic wave and a big smile as she climbs into her car. “See you tonight,” she calls before closing the door and driving off.

I turn to Chaz. “What’s tonight? Am I forgetting a practice?”

“Nah,” he says, sliding an arm around my shoulders. “She’s just coming over to hang out and have dinner. She’s been having a hard time lately, so I thought I’d take her mind off things.”

“Yeah, she looked really depressed,” I mutter.

“Come on, Viv, don’t start this again,” Chaz says, leaning over to kiss my cheek. “You know she’s my best friend. Her dad just started dialysis. What am I supposed to do, tell her to suffer alone because my girlfriend has some crazy idea that she likes me?”

“You’re right,” I say, forcing a smile. I’m not going to be the heartless bitch for worrying about this when her dad is sick. “You’re a good friend. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As I slide into the Corvette my parents got me for my sixteenth birthday, I try not to be stung that Chaz didn’t invite me to join them.

four

#1 at the Box Office: The Game

Sebastian Swift

“You walking home?” Robert asks as we head out of the locker room after football practice into the pouring rain.

“The rain didn’t stop our new coach from running us into the ground,” I point out. We take off jogging to the parking lot under the umbrella Ms. Beech gave me on our way out of school earlier. Apparently she thinks I’m so sweet I’ll melt like sugar in the rain—and she didn’t realize Coach Carr would still hold practice in a monsoon.

“Yeah, I’m gonna have trouble calling that guy Coach,” Robert agrees. “It just doesn’t fit right.”

“Our old coach is the one you should have trouble addressing with respect,” Maddox says, joining us with a few of the guys.

“I got nothing but respect for him,” Tommy says. “Banging his daughter’s best friend on the sly? I’d buy his ass a beer if I ran into him in town.”

“Except you can’t buy a beer in this town,” I remind him.

“Dry counties can suck my balls,” he says, grabbing himself. “I’ll take him to Ridgedale for a beer.”

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