Page 36 of The Game

“No, but I know where the fun will be, and it’s on a Sunday, so we’re off.”

“Sweet,” I say, grinning before wincing at the pain. He chuckles.

“Go ice that some more. I don’t even want to try to cover it.”

Blushing, I don’t move right away, even when he starts in on his own eye shadow.

“Is…are people going to stare, though?”

He shrugs.

“Who gives a fuck if they do, Alice. You can be honest and say some nasty fucker came after you, or you can lie and say you got it moshing. My friends know it would never have come from me.”

His words warm me, and I smile as daintily as I can, sliding off the counter to go get the reusable ice pack.

Before long, he’s dressed in an entirely different ensemble than I am used to seeing him. Black studded vest, arms bare, tattoos jumping from his skin as though alive, chunky biker boots more deadly when coupled with his utterly demonic look. He tosses me a wink as he grabs his keys and wallet.

“Scared, bunny?”

“No,” I grumble, arms crossed. He helped me pick out my own outfit, and though it is something I would’ve scoffed at in high school and made fun of, the way the black adorns my skin and covers it like a shroud of darkness makes me feel warm, safe. I always wore pink and pastels to fool everyone into thinking I was this sweet, innocent version of myself, that I wasn’t depressed, feeling alone and anxious.

Teddy’s sort of taught me to love that very same darkness, for the way he embodies it emboldens him, makes him frightening to others but not to me anymore.

“We’re taking the bus so I can get shit-faced after.”

I snort and roll my eyes, grabbing the black zip-up he lent me, one with the band nameAvenged Sevenfoldemblazoned across the back. The skull and bat wings were a little unsettling at first, but now it feels as though it’s some sort of protection amulet, warning others to stay away because I will fight back.

I’ve never fought back, and I was getting better at finding my voice with my twins before everything had to crumble. It’s just another reason I’m begrudgingly thankful for Teddy; he’s helping me cultivate that strong inner voice again without even trying.

He ushers me out and locks up, and as we meander down the stairs to the bus stop, into the foggy, chilled streets, I catch myself walking a little closer to him, bumping against his arm as my eyes shift from side to side, always looking for phantoms in the decrepit places. All of the storefronts are covered in fake spiderwebs, skeletons, and plastic pumpkins, the tang of crisp fall in the air. I jump as his arm lifts and he casually throws it around my shoulders, tugging me into his warmth and his safety. All my tension oozes away at the gesture, and I breathe in his familiar scent like some calming elixir.

Leaning down, he presses his nose through my hair to my ear.

“If any fucker is too pushy with you tonight, tell ‘em you’re mine and they’ll leave you alone.”

My mouth runs dry at his words and the way they are delivered, like a deadly oath. It excites me just as much, that subtle promise of violence and chaos, because it is not directed at me but instead used to protect me. Turning my gaze up to him, his teal eyes glow through the night and through his sinister makeup, and I give him a watery grin, doing my best to hide exactly how his words make me feel.

Sad, for sure, because it is something Tristan or Jameson would say, but also alight with fire, because it’s been so long since I’ve heard them. It’s been so long since I’ve felt that unrelenting protective force, and to have it in the form of Teddy wreaks havoc on my body.

Maybe I should stay in my dorm for a few days, allow that temptation to peter out like a small flame, for the guilt will eat me away as soon as the euphoria wears off. But in the same breath, I cannot help my own curiosity, my desire to follow him into this darker side of the world and see what I’ve been missing out on.

The bus is nearly empty this time of night on a Sunday, but as we make our stops it gets progressively more full, and eventually, women dressed very similar to myself are whispering and pointing at Teddy, his arm slung nonchalantly across the back of my seat.

Sinking further and crossing my arms as my lips twist into a soft sneer, Teddy’s bouncing chuckle alerts me to my position. It makes my spine straighten and my glare shifts to him. Asshole is grinning down at me.

“You’re cute when you’re jealous. Did your twins bring that side out of you as well?”

The way he flippantly speaks of them should irk me, but I find I appreciate it; there’s no secrets with him, no skirting around subjects that are tough or depressing. But then, the first portion of his sentence registers, and it’s my turn to smirk.

“You think I’m cute?”

When he grins, his canine teeth become visible, slightly more elongated and pointed than a normal person’s, but on him, it looks quite normal and only accentuates his devilish appearance.

“Always thought so. Just needed a personality to match, but I think I’ve brought out the best in you.”

For some reason, that comment plummets to the pit of my stomach, for I know there is truth to it. He really has made me see the world in a different light, has made me see myself a little more clearly. His smirk grows as I hold his eyes, and he tilts his head to the fan-girls.

“They could kick your fucking ass, bunny. Careful when you decide to pick a fight over me tonight.”

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