This Is Just A Game

I waited in my usual spot in the courtyard by the wall hoping Alice would show up. So far, she hadn't and I didn't blame her. There was always the slight hope that she'd been so drunk that she'd forgotten how much of an ass I'd been, but I didn't think that was likely. Lighting up another cigarette, I continued to wait nervously. Someone appeared next to me, but not the person I was hoping to see.

"Oh, jesus fuck. What do you want?"

Gerard lit the stick hanging in his mouth, took a long drag and blew the stream of grey into the air before answering me. His look of arrogance made my skin crawl.

"Well, hello to you too Frank. Good weekend?"

I rolled my eyes. Was he serious? "Fantastic," I replied sarcastically, "what do you want?"

"Don't happen to be waiting for someone, do you?" he asked, completely ignoring my question. "Maybe, oh, what's her name... Alice?" that smirk appeared again and I felt my cheeks flush.

"No." I said simply, even though it was a complete lie.

"Really? Well, I thought that's why you're here waiting around, looking like a complete ass," he took another long drag, deliberately trying to make the situation even more uncomfortable, "I take it you have it bad for her, or you wouldn't be putting yourself through this."

His tone was deliberately patronising, knowing that he knew I liked Alice made me want to introduce his face to my fist. "So?"

"So," he replied, flicking ash off the end of his cigarette before stepping in front of me and removing his black sunglasses completely, "I think we should make things interesting. Y'know, a little game of sorts." He looked deadly serious.

I rolled my eyes, "I have no interest in any 'game' whatsoever. Especially not with you and especially not if it'd hurt Alice."

Gerard snorted, "Yeah right. You expect me to believe that you wouldn't put up a fight for her? That you'd just let me take a shot and win just because you don't want to hurt her feelings? I think you've already done that so what else have you got to lose?"

I stared at him in disbelief. "Are you fucking kidding me? You want to deliberately mess with this girl? God... I always knew you were an asshole Gerard, but this is a whole new level."

Gerard said nothing. He smiled, taking a final drag, blowing the cloud in my face before dropping the butt to the ground. He leaned in to my ear and spoke in a low tone, "You're just afraid to lose."

He didn't move away. I could still feel him breathing in my ear, making my skin crawl in disgust from him being so close yet I couldn't bring myself to move either. His presence was almost intoxicating and he hadn't finished speaking just yet.

"You're afraid that she likes me more than you already. I can see it. But..." he finally took a step back and began to buff his glasses with the hem of his dark tshirt, "I'll give you a fair shot, just to begin with."

"Look, I really think you've got the wrong idea here. I don't want-"

"Oh shut the fuck up, yes you do. You want her more than anything," he put the glasses back over his face, pushing them up his nose with his middle finger. I couldn't tell if it was deliberate or not. "don't tell me you're not the least bit curious to see if you can get her in the sack? I'm sure she'd be a great lay..."

My mouth hung open in disgust, "You're a pig, y'know that?"

"Might have been told that before," he shrugged, readjusting his jacket. "but whatever. Here's the deal; I'll give you a week to 'woo' Alice, whether you try to fuck her in that time is up to you, after that it's my turn."

I rolled my eyes, I knew this was wrong on so many levels but I couldn't help myself. I reluctantly agreed, instantly feeling a pang of guilt in my stomach.

"Great!" Gerard smiled, about to finally walk away but he stopped. "Oh, one more thing..."

This could not be good.

"I didn't say anything about me not hanging around. Wouldn't want to make things too easy for you now, would I?" he smirked, that goddamn smirk. "A week starting now Frankie. And you might want to apologise to her sooner rather than later. The game would be no fun if I'm just playing by myself."

Suddenly I was standing in an empty courtyard with nothing but a feeling of dread hanging over me.