Game

Tobe's POV

'Tobe, you got a guest or some-'
I stood up quickly from where I was sat on the sofa next to Eli. He chuckled as I stared at Courtney who was stood in the doorway, her mouth agape and her eyes flickering from me to the boy on the couch.
'Yes,' I said running a hand through my hair embarrassed, 'I do. Court, Eli, Eli this is my sister-'
'Courtney.' He finished and leaning over, he held his hand out. His eyes were sparkling as she slowly held her hand out as if she were checking if hers had germs.
I'd never seen Courtney speechless before. I almost laughed.
Eli stood up now, 'right, ladies, I think I'll take off. I'll pick you up from work tomorrow, babe.' Pressing a kiss to my forehead, he patted my sister on her head before walking past her. My feet followed him through the hallway and I resisted pushing my starstruck sister over.
'Sorry about her.' I was embarrassed for myself earlier, now I'm ashamed of her behaviour.
Eli chuckled and I fought the urge to ask whether he got it a lot. That kind of attention. The effect he has on girls.
'She's cute. See you later.' This time, he pecked my lips before leaving and I watched in awe of my gorgeous boyfriend as he strode to his car in quick paces and getting it. He winked at me before taking off down the road, the short journey to his house just across the street.
As soon as the front door was shut, I was tackled. I landed hard on my backside as my sister stood over me. Her hands on her hips and a grin on her face. I rubbed my butt and cursed. 'Courtney!'
'We aren't dating,' she mocked in what I assumed was her impression of me in a squeaky voice.
'Well we weren't when you asked.' I stated getting up and taking our drinks to the kitchen.
'But you are now?'
I didn't say anything, I only nodded. That was what we were, he said it himself. Why was I still so awkward saying it out loud?
With a deafening shriek, she dug out her phone and dialled a number. 'OH MY GOD, DANA, GUESS WHO MY SISTER IS DATING!'
I rolled my eyes as she ran up the stairs, this would be the catalyst to what would inevitably be the talk of the town, Northing School, Devonton in general.
It was later on when I was in bed scrolling through Facebook that I saw numerous notifications. Friend requests from people who never would've added me before. Word had spread. I was Eli's girlfriend.
A text came through.
From: Eli
Message: You are so beyond the valley of loserville. But be my girlfriend on Facebook ;) x
I laughed at his movie quote and replied.
To: Eli
Message: Haven't you seen the phenomena? I'm practically famous? You want to make it worse? x
Awaiting a response, I scrolled further through my friend requests. There weren't many but there was enough to know there was certainly a motive behind them. They wanted to be in on my life. See my timeline, go through my photo's and bitch about how I wasn't good enough. Dating Eli was like dating a celebrity. His arrogance didn't help much as I read his text.
From: Eli
Message: I can't help it I'm loved, baby. I've sent a request anyway. x
There it was, in the annoying orange, the notification that told me Ellison Cadby wanted to be in a relationship with me.
My finger hovered for a second over the Decline button but my mind fought with me. What would that achieve? Denying it would only make people talk more. Eli said it himself, I had no choice but to trust him. I clicked Accept and pressed Not Now for all the friend requests.
It looked weird on my wall seeing his beautiful face as his DP on my wall, as Courtney had pointed out, his grey beanie covering his tousled hair except the fringe that poked out. He was smirking at the camera lens with one hand on his chest and the other holding the camera phone.
Giving in to curiosity, I strolled through his friends list. 1,213 friends! I was surprised to see they weren't all girls. I resented the pang in my stomach every time I saw a beautiful girl on his friend's list. How could I be jealous of a girl I didn't even know who for all I knew was his damn cousin?
Another notification - friend request from Harlot Price. I smiled and accepted. I decided to log out then and leave it at that.
It was the text from Eli that made me sleep soundly.
From: Eli
Message: Night, babe x

****

Eli's POV

I threw my phone on my bed not bothering to look where it went. I was still dressed in my clothes today except my top which was thrown over my desk chair.
I ran my hands through my hair and I remembered the girl still had my beanie. I smiled at the thought of her not giving it back. It was something I'd thought about - if a girl ever took something of mine, would she smell it and think of me? The 'souvenirs' that the girls before had begged for had been the condom wrappers.
Somehow, Tobe had a hold on me that was unhealthy. I was jealous of Craig fucking Thatcher just for talking to her. I felt weird around her - I felt good. When she'd told me she wasn't ready, when she looked away after I told her about my playboy ways, I felt ashamed. I felt disgusted with myself.
I hated her for making me feel this way. Not to mention this whole deal with Quinton. Me and Jay had to visit him tomorrow before I picked up Tobe - I could only imagine the things he'd do if I told him I wanted out of this damn bet.

****

'Are you fucking high, mate?'
'The junkie is you, mate. Not me.' I shot at Oli as he glared at me. He sat back down on Jamie's sofa. Harlot was resting his elbows on his knees, Jay was leaning on the wall. As he waited for me so we could leave, I had to tell the guys what I needed to.
'You want out of the bet?' Oli asked.
'He's joking.' Jay said from his spot, he glanced at me with a smile before looking at the others and then back at me, when he saw my serious expression, he sighed and rubbed his temples. 'Mate - this is bad. You understand Quinton has told everyone.'
'No, really?' I said sarcastically, I wanted to punch him. 'You don't fucking say.'
'No need to get rash.' Harlot, forever the peacemaker was pointing at me before he looked at Jay.
'Why this girl?' Oli asked from his seat. 'Why, Tubs?'
I glared, 'can you not call her that?'
Jay laughed humorlessly behind me, 'you're whipped.'
I stood up now, fists clenched and using my slightly taller height to my advantage, I squared off to him. Tempting him to hit me. Never before had I struck one of my friends but I hated the things coming out of Jamie's mouth.
Jamie wasn't letting up, his eyes kept on mine confidently. Just as I thought we were about to hit eachother, Harlot appeared at our sides a hand on each of our shoulders.
'I think the last thing we should be doing is brawling.'
'Her name,' I bit, 'aint Tubs.'
'Your girlfriend's name will be on a goddamn headstone along with yours if Quinton loses his money.' Jay equally spat.
I lunged for him managing to dodge Harlot's attempt of restraint. I felt skin on my knuckles and knew I'd punched him. I felt the adrenaline pulsing through my veins as I went for another but my arms were pulled back. I was being literally dragged away from Jay who was already up and ready to return the split lip.
Harlot held him back as I controlled my breathing. Jay didn't even struggle and was calm quicker than I expected. He wiped his lip and looked at me. 'She aint done nothing to me, I don't want her involved in this shit. I sure as hell don't want you involved.'
Shrugging off Oli's hold on me, I paced, I wanted to punch something but it was Jamie's living room, his mother would kill me.
'Quinton wouldn't have put loads down, would he?' I asked Harlot who shrugged with a frown.
'Nah,' Oli answered for me and patted my shoulder, 'I say he put a tenner down, max.'

'Half a mil worth in coke.'
I felt my stomach fall out of my ass and for the first time in a long time, I wanted to cry. Half a million pound in cocaine was on the line.
Keeping up my casual expression, I simply raised a brow. 'You put half a mil of coke on the wager I'd bed some girl?'
I felt Jay beside me put a hand through his hair and I mentally begged for him to keep his shit together.
Quinton wasn't old. Early fifties. He sat behind he mahogany desk with a cigar in the corner of his mouth. His semi-heritage in the Italian family tree was the cause behind his slight accent. He had a black mustache to match his greying black hair that was usually covered by a black hat. His white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, his tie on his desk, his jacket over his chair. Sleeves pushed to his elbows exposing the numerous battle scars. He looked the typical gang lord. And he was 100% legit meaning if he wanted you dead, you had better leave the country or invest in a lot of security.
His office was at the back of the pokerhouse, in the outskirts of town far enough for me not to worry about anyone finding out about how I pay back my father's debt.
'Well,' he puffed smoke out of the corner of his mouth, 'when Oliver came in here all happy about earning some money, I wanted to know. He told me, I told friends, we upped the stakes. Liittle Oli told me I had nothing to worry about.' His piercing blue eyes fell on me, an underlying threat, 'I don't, do I?'
Jay went to speak but I interuppted, 'not at all, Quinton.' I picked up the envelope of the cash I was to bring to Noel, the barista. 'This it?'
'That,' he nodded at the envelope, 'and your word I won't be disappointed with the outcome of your game.'
I swallowed my nerves, the temptation to come clean and tell him the truth but I saw his head reach below his desk, I knew he had a weapon there and although I knew he wouldn't shoot me, especially here, I choked and lied. 'Nothing to worry about.'
'Excellent.' He smiled, 'tell your father I say hello.'
He said the last part with the knowing tone of his I'd come to despise. As usual, I nodded and smiled with the thought that we both knew I wouldn't tell my dad a goddamn thing about today or what's been going on for two years since Mum left.
Jay and I didn't speak as we exited the pokerhouse, not even as I drove us back into town. It was the words in the air that made the atmosphere almost unbearable. As I pulled up outside Tobe's work, I heard Jamie open the door but he didn't move. He leaned in through the open window, resting his arms on the window pane. He sighed. 'Just bed the girl, Eli. Tell everyone about it, dump her, make her cry for a day or so - get it over with.'
He left then with a final tap to the car door as he disappeared round the corner. This was too fucking much. Who would've thought when I finally get the game of lifetime, the stakes so high they're untouchable that I don't want to go through with this game.
Because the more time I spent around Tobe, the more I was falling for her.