Love's Not A Competition

After the game, we won, Eric drove home. He was bursting with energy from the game, getting a rush from the win. The others wanted to celebrate in the lounge but I declined, telling them I had to get up early, not a lie. I was amazed that I couldn’t hear them from my room. Zeke looked up from his book as I walked into the room.

“Oh, I guess I didn’t get to say it before but congratulations about your win on the hurdles,” I said.

He nodded and went back to his book. I sat on my bed, head in my hands as I thought about today. Coming in second to Susie hurt. She was fast but I was faster, I just had to find my rhythm again. Our school was very sports orientated. We had all sorts of sports to play from archery to skiing. All students must join at least one sports club. Eric and Aidan were in several and Brittney had her cheerleading. The main school we competed with is Breakwater Senior High, Susie’s school. Our school, Collingwood Senior High, was also very academically challenging. There was a wide array of subjects to choose from.

“Jasmine, coming second isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you.”
“Do you enjoy sticking your nose in my business or is it a bad habit?” I snapped.
“Sorry for trying to help,” Zeke muttered.
“I don’t need your help, that’s what friends are for not annoying roommates.”
He looked over the edge of the bed at me and grinned wickedly.
“I know you want me, you don’t have to keep denying it.”
“I think you’re the one who wants me since you keep bringing it up.”
“Oh yes, I want you so badly it hurts. Even though I could have any girl in this school I want you all to myself.”
“That’s probably why you want me, because I’m the only one with enough brains to realize that I’m too good for you.”
His head disappeared and I thought he had given up until he jumped off the bed and knelt down beside my bed.
“Are you telling me that you don’t think about me all day long? I see you looking at me after I get out of the shower, why else do you think I walk out with only a towel on?”
“I’m looking because I’m trying to wonder how so many girls can fall for an egomaniac like you.”
“You don’t feel anything for me? Not even after that kiss?” he asked.
“You call that a kiss? Now I feel really sorry for all those girls because they aren’t missing out on much.”

I was lying but I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how I really felt. I was one of those girls who did think about him all day, one that wished he would look at me and smile that slow, seductive smile. How I could be feeling this way for my roommate, the boy I couldn’t stand at all, was unbelievable.
“Do you honestly think that I can’t kiss?”
“Not if your life depended on it.”

He moved closer, sitting on the side of my bed. I swallowed hard, how did our conversation end up like this? I kept my face blank and tried to concentrate on anything but the fact that he was moving even closer.
“How about we try again?” he asked.

I could feel my lips puckering up instinctively but my brain was yelling at me to stop. He stopped about an inch away from my face. I could count the different shades of blue in his eyes. He was about to move again but I put my hands against his chest and pushed him away.
“I would rather stick pins in my eyes,” I said, regaining my composure.

His famous smirk disappeared for a split second, showing me a side of him I had never seen before. Could he really be that insecure under this hard shell of arrogance? The smirk returned before he climbed back up to his own bed.
I hate to say it but I dreamed about Zeke that night. It wasn’t an intimate dream, just a dream where his face kept appearing everywhere I looked. I couldn’t look him in the eye as we got ready for classes. He left without a word and I sighed. Maybe I should just tell him how I really felt; it couldn’t make it any worse. I would have to ask Brittney about it later.

It was during Japanese that I finally got a chance to talk to her privately. We were meant to be getting into pairs to practice our Japanese but I needed this time for something else.
“Britt, something weird happened last night,” I hissed.
We were sitting in the back of the class, out of earshot to everyone.
“What happened?” she asked.
“Zeke tried to kiss me.”
“What? Tell me what happened.”

I explained about the fight and how he had kissed me the time before, getting a scolding for not telling her about it earlier. I finished with how he tried to kiss me but I pushed him away.
“Why’d you push him away? You like him, don’t you?”
“Well, yeah I do but I don’t want him to know that. Do you think I should tell him?”
“Yes! Tell him, tell him,” she grinned.

Training after school was horrible. The days were becoming colder and I was sure I was coming down with something. Mr. Kingston made me do double what I would normally do because there was another meet this weekend at Breakwater Senior High. When I got back to the dorm I was completely exhausted, all my muscles aching. I flopped onto my bed, groaning in agony.

“Are you okay?” Zeke asked, looking at me from where he was doing his homework.
“Coach pushed me too far,” I sighed.
I tried to sit up but couldn’t. My muscles were cramping up, making me clench my teeth together.
“Do you want me to get the nurse or something?” he asked.
“No, I’m fine,” I said, trying not to cry out in pain.

He walked over and grabbed one of my legs. My eyebrows shot up as he started rubbing it. The pain slowly subsided and he did the same to the other leg.
“All athletes should know how to cure something as small as a cramp,” he said.
“I knew how to treat it,” I huffed.
“Jasmine, why do you seem to hate me?”

I sat up, frowning. “I don’t hate you.”
“Doesn’t seem that way,” he smiled slightly.
“You annoy me sometimes but most of the time you just get to me when I’m in a bad mood.”
“You seem to be in a constant bad mood these days.”
“Can I tell you something?”

He nodded and I closed my eyes briefly. This was it; this was the time to tell him. I opened my eyes and opened my mouth to say it when there was a knock on the door. He got up to answer it and I slammed my fist onto the mattress. I let the one opportunity go. I had finally plucked up the courage and we were interrupted. Brittney walked into the room and I glared at her.

“Don’t look at me like that, I have good news,” she said.
“Couldn’t it wait for later?” I asked through clenched teeth.
“Oh, were you doing that now?” she hissed, sitting down next to me.
I rolled my eyes. “What’s this good news?”