Game

'Well, why do you like Harlot?'
Gabe had been asking me questions all evening about why I liked Eli, what was special about him, what made me change my mind - why I trusted him. I sat cross legged on her bed as she cuddled a pillow to her chest. I was spending the night at hers, it was Friday and I was off work tomorrow.
She shrugged and bit the chewy candy she held in her hand. 'Harlot's different. He isn't known to be the biggest player in Devonton.'
I rolled my eyes. 'Harlot's just as bad as Eli. He just might be more secretive about it. Besides, Eli is... Eli.'
I couldn't answer her questions because I, myself didn't know the answers to most of them. I didn't know why he'd never noticed me before, what draws me to him, etc. I just knew he was different. He wasn't Ellison Cadby; playboy. To me, he was Eli. Just Eli.
I wanted to ask Gabe whether she knew about his homelife. The struggle with losing his mum two years ago. I could relate, you know? I didn't know where my dad was either and I knew what it was like to feel unwanted. It made me appreciate him so much more. Revealed a side of him to me that I didn't know existed and I had a feeling not many people knew that side of Eli existed either.
'Plus, he hasn't dumped me.'
It took a moment for me to comprehend what my best friend had said. The guilty expression on her face as she waited for my reaction to her revelation made me realize she meant what I thought.
'You've slept with him?!'
She threw her cushion at me, 'keep your voice down! My dad's home.'
'Gabe...already?'
'What do you mean 'already' it's been weeks.'
'Three, Gabe.'
She shot me a look, 'besides we knew him in school.'
I scoffed, 'we did not. That day at the park you couldn't even remember his name.'
She was laughing but she went silent and shrugged, the conversation turning serious, 'I've never had someone for myself, Toby.'
I knew what she was referring to. Keira had been the cause of a lot of Gabe's boyfriends/friends with benefits/one night stands - they were all Keira's first.
Leaning over, I brushed her hair back. Gabe was so pretty, she deserved happiness. 'Be careful.'
She grinned and got back into best friend mode. 'How big is Eli?'
'You've seen how tall he is.' I answered, the look on her face telling me that wasn't what she'd asked. A moment of confusion was quickly replaced with realization and a look of what I was sure was disgust. 'Gabe! I don't know.'
She giggled, 'you haven't had a feel down there?'
I shook my head my cheeks warming. Eli and I had spent a lot of time together this week. Most of it was make out sessions in his car or on my sofa. The furthest we'd gone was his hand brushing the side of my breast and that was it. I couldn't lie and say I didn't enjoy it - I was still a girl.
'Can you tell me when you do?' She looked so excited that although I was disgusted of the idea of sharing something like that, I just nodded.
'Have you seen Bonnie around?'
Gabe shook her head and flicked through the television channels on the TV, 'it's like her and Keira dropped off the face of the Earth after her party. Oh and after you saw her after all. So she's banging around town?'
I felt uncomfortable talking about it. At the time, it had been kinda relieving to see Bonnie embarrassed, her secret out that she wasn't so innocent after all and she'd been whoring herself to Jay and God knows who else but now, it was like Gabe said. She'd seriously disappeared. Nobody had seen her. Keira was still showing her face at the parties, the major places and Eli told me he'd seen her at Caro's a night or so ago with Jenna Howard but no Bonnie.
'What Eli did to Trevor was awesome.' Gabe gushed settling on a casino gambling programme. It was nearing midnight, there wasn't much on.
Was it? I thought. I didn't find it that awesome that Eli had bruised knuckles. Gabe sensed my pause 'he did it for you.'
'I didn't ask him to.' I said quietly. I felt weird about the idea Eli had hit someone for hurting me. Nobody had done something like that for me before. It felt nice to have that sort of protection but I didn't want anyone getting hurt even if the guy had pinned me down.
Gabe studied me for a moment silently before speaking, 'I don't get you. I've known you for almost five years and I still find you so hard to figure out.'
'What's hard?' It hadn't been the first time someone had said that to me. Most of the things anyone could say about me was how confusing I am, how indecisive, clueless I was. I wasn't unpredictable but I couldn't argue with the fact people considered me a little puzzling at times.
'You have little trust in people and yet... I don't know, you see good in them.'
I looked at her now, surprised at what she'd said. Gabe looked as if she was in a trance with herself before she smiled and looked back at the television.
My phone ringing made us both jump. 'Eli?'
'You're awake?'
If I could shoot him a sarcastic look over the phone I would've done, 'no, I'm sleeptalking to you right now.'
He didn't laugh over the phone and I turned serious. 'Is everything alright?'
Gabe was busy scrolling through her phone, she was humming quietly to herself. I wasn't sure if I should excuse myself from the phone but Eli finally spoke, 'there's... a rumour going round about you.'
I felt my chest ache with the worry and yet the disappointment I'd been right in expecting this would happen. I didn't have time to ask what it was before Gabe stopped humming suddenly seeing something on her phone that made her furrow her brows. I knew she'd come across whatever was being said about me.
'Babe, don't worry about it. This happens. It's Devonton for Christs' sake. There is never not a rumour around here. It blows over pretty quickly.' Eli was speaking in my ear but I was looking at Gabe who looked up at me, she didn't look overly worried so it couldn't be that bad but she held up her phone so I could read. Eli was still trying to get my attention over the phone, I pressed it into my shoulder as I leaned forward and read a Facebook post that had so many likes and comments.
SHE MAY BE OUR VIRGIN MARY BUT OCTOBER DONOVAN ISN'T STUPID. I WONDER HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE OUR PLAYBOY TO FIGURE OUT SHE'LL KNOW THE PIN TO HIS BANK ACCOUNT BEFORE HE KNOWS HER PHONE NUMBER.
With the tip of my index finger I scrolled up to see who had posted it. My eyes narrowed at the name. Bonnie Swing.
Speak of the devil and never underestimate.
'Shut up.' I said into the phone, tired of hearing my name over and over again. He stopped talking and let me take a breath, I rubbed my temples before speaking, 'so people think I'm after your money?'
My tone was even, I wasn't stressed. The rumour could've been a lot worse and considering it was from Bonnie, it was clear she had said it to be spiteful rather than see any truth in it.
'But Regan's a bitch, don't listen to her.'
Regan? 'Who's Regan?'
'The girl who posted it.'
'I didn't see it from Regan.' As I was talking, I was hinting Gabe with my eyes as she furiously typed away on her phone for this Regan girl.
When she found her profile, she held up her phone and I took it from her scrolling through her wall. Who knew Facebook could be an arena for such hate?
'Someone else has posted it?' Eli asked and I sighed into the phone.
'Does it matter?'
'It does if you're sad.'
I smiled at his tone, he was caring for me, he'd told me before that rumours didn't bother him but this time, they did if they bothered me.
'You care about this stuff.' He continued.
'I used to.' I answered honestly and saw Gabe shoot a comforting smile. It was true. Before I would've cared but I was happy. For the first time in a long time, I was content. I wasn't about to let some girls spoil that for me just because they believe I'm a gold digger.
'Does this make me Molly Ringwald?'
I laughed as I remembered how we'd found common ground in our impeccable taste in movies especially the classic Breakfast Club and how a quote or two always ended up in one of our conversations.
'It makes me John Bender.' I grinned as Gabe looked puzzled and excused herself to the bathroom. I took this opportunity to grill him about Harlot. 'Eli, I need to ask you something.'
'No, Tobe, it's too soon for marriage, I want a dog first.'
'You want a dog?' Momentarily distracted by his joke at this confession.
'Yeah - a German Shepherd.'
I hmmed into the phone before remembering what I was about to say. It was easy to lose face with Eli. 'Is Harlot a good boyfriend?'
'He was always gentle with me.'
I was beginning to laugh hysterically with him over the phone now, I had to recover before Gabe got back. 'Seriously. Gabe's gotten... well she likes him a lot.' I had no doubt that Harlot has probably told his friends about hooking up with Gabe which included Eli but as long as I didn't say anything, nobody could accuse me of spilling.
'Harlot is the best out of us.' He admitted seriously now. He sounded a little sad, 'including me.'
'I can disagree.'
'You're bias.'
So true. 'So, I don't have to be worried?'
'I wouldn't say so. Harlot isn't one to hump and dump as far as I know.'
But you are, I thought. Were. I had to remember the past tense. It didn't matter how much I believed Eli was different, I couldn't stop those thoughts from my mind. It was always there, the thought of him being with other girls, letting them walk out of his house at God knows what hour as he lay alone thinking: Mission Accomplished.
Gabe entering the room spurred me from my thoughts. 'I gotta sleep.'
'Me too - and you promise you wont let this shit bother you. The rumours.'
'Promise.' I said a little too quickly. Wishing eachother goodnight, I hung up and blew out a breath.
'Intense?' Gabe stuck her tongue out as I flipped her off. I lay on the bed.
'Let's sleep. I got rumours to ignore in the morning.'
As Gabe flicked off the light, she muttered a 'lets hope he's worth it,' under her breath before sleep overtook us.

****

It was my mum's tone that had me worried. I knew that tone. It was the simple but strict tone as she said my full name from downstairs.
'October Donovan - get down-'
'Here.' I said sweetly, standing in the doorway of the kitchen as she stood behind the island, a shopping bag in front of her and her reading glasses on her head.
'I may work a lot.' She began, 'I may not be around as much as I'd like to be. I may not have a raging circle of friends, October but mothers. Talk.' She emphasized the last bit with a glare.
'What are you talking about?'
'I bumped into Nicole at the store.'
Bonnie's mum.
'And?'
'Why didn't you tell me you and Bonnie weren't speaking?'
'Did I have to?'
She shot me a look. I was talking back. It never ended well when my mum didn't get to say what she wanted to. Which was why we argued so much.
'What about this player boyfriend of yours? Eli? Bonnie says he's a piece of work.'
'She would.' I mumbled. Crossing my arms over my chest, I looked at her squarely. I wasn't giving up this argument. I wouldn't have my mum telling me who I could and couldn't see or talk to.
'This isn't like you, Toby.'
'What's like me?' I questioned, 'sitting in all day reading books, doing nothing?'
'We discussed school.'
That was her answer to everything. How she'd discussed my education. How she had put so much time and energy sorting out money for sixth form. How disappointed she'd been when I'd dropped out.
'YOU did, mum.' I fisted my hair, 'believe me, it hurt me more than you when I got thrown out.'
'I doubt that,' she began unloading the shopping. I wanted to punch something with the anger right now. She blamed me for not being smart enough to continue my studies. Studying creative subjects in sixth form had been frowned upon. Not only did I have to take two academic subjects if I wanted to study English and Journalism, I had to pass a Math paper by the end of the term. Those who were rich enough could afford the private tuition. Those who were smart enough, didn't need it.
Those like me, like Gabe, couldn't afford things like that. We got by in Devonton with an underpaid job and the hope you get to move out of our small town sometime in the future.
She turned her head from putting things in the cupboard and scrunched her eyebrows, 'are you having sex?'
I widened my eyes and wanted to laugh at the audacity. 'Excuse me?'
'Sex, October. Are you having sex with this boyfriend of yours?'
I was too shocked to answer her straight away which of course only made her assume the worse. She put a hand to her mouth and muttered something. It sounded like a prayer.
'Mum, I'm not having sex.'
'Nicole says there are stories about you.' She whispered, I could see my image in her eyes crumbling as she believed all these things.
'Rumours.' I stated, her lack of belief in me only making me angrier.
'I want you to break things off with this boy. He isn't healthy.'
'She has to break up with Eli?'
Both of us turned to see Courtney behind me, she looked more upset than I did. She looked at our mum, 'but he's lovely.'
'He can be lovely with another mother's daughter.'
'I'm not dumping him.'
I could barely bring my thoughts together but I knew one thing was for certain. I was not breaking my promise. I promised I wouldn't let anything bother me. I was not breaking up with him just because my mum couldn't handle it.
Courtney looked between us cautiously, I was glaring at my mum as she returned the look. Her eyes were a dark brown, almost black, it was the spitting image of my own.
'October.' She warned.
'Mum, I'm telling you this only once. I am absolutely not breaking up with him.'
With that, I turned on my heel, grabbed my jacket and Eli's beanie and headed out the door. It was the first time in a while I thanked we all lived so close with Eli's house being my destination.

****

Eli's POV

'You smell like cats.'
It was the first thing I noticed about her when she hugged me. Her appearance on my doorstep a pleasant surprise.
I remember her telling me she had cats. I hadn't noticed them when I'd been at her house but as I breathed in her smell, I noticed she smelled of apples and cats.
Her head buried in my chest and I noticed she had my beanie on. For some reason, I didn't mind smelling of her apple shampoo next time I wore it.
She took a step back and smiled but it didn't reach her eyes, she was hiding something and I dread to think if she was having second thoughts about us.
She took a look around my hallway and whistled, 'nice house.'
I glanced around - I didn't want to come across as annoyingly modest or spoiled so I just nodded. Compliments about the house were usual and frequent. But whereas Vivienne's friends were being envious, Tobe sounded genuine. Honest as if she understood how lonely it might be too if you were alone.
'Anyone home?' She asked as she took off her jacket and handed it to my open arms. Hanging it up, I watched she took the beanie off and shook out her hair. Placing that on my arm too, she smiled and peered up the stairs.
'Just me.' As usual. With a beaming smile she took off up the stairs and I shook my head at her playfulness. Placing my beanie on the coat rack next to my jacket, I followed up the stairs to see her standing in the middle of the big landing looking curiously at all of the closed doors. They were all white oak. Nothing on them to determine which room belonged to who which was why it surprised me when she opened the door on the far left, the one furthest away from the stairs. My room.
'How'd you know that?' I asked, smiling as she walked in. She didn't go running to my bed like most girls. She didn't look disapprovingly at my music collection. Tobe tapped the posters on my wall. Queen, Nirvana, a Clockwork Orange poster hung neatly on my white walls.
For the first time, I was interested in what she thought about my room. The desk, my DVD's, the amount of clothes that sprawled around my floor I'd forgotten to pick up that morning.
'I smell like cats?'
She sat on the edge of my bed as if she were nervous and I nodded with a smirk, 'and apples.'
'You smell fruity.' She admitted with an adorable laugh.
I put a hand on my chest feigning hurt. 'I can't smell fruity, I'm a guy.'
Stalking towards her like a predator, I felt like it was the epitome of our relationship, I was the predator. She was my prey. In so many more ways than one. The greed a lion has for its meal was the same I felt for Tobe but I didn't want to ravish her - I respected her enough to... appreciate her entire existence. As I looked at her sat in my room, on my bed, I felt better around her as if I had met her high standards.
'Stop looking at me like that.' She whispered against my lips as I rested my hands on either side of her legs on the bed. I leaned down and smiled against her lips.
'Why are you in my room?' I asked as I brushed my nose against hers.
She was looking down at my lips but I requested an answer before I kissed her. She smirked, 'I feel it would be comfier than the bathroom.'
I laughed and rested my forehead on hers, 'why are in my house?'
'I can leave.' She teased but I put a hand on her wrist. I was leaning down slowly, pressing my body against hers as she lay on her back on the bed. My heart was battling my head, reminding me she was pure and wasn't someone I could just shag.
'Answer my question, Tobe.' I growled playfully and she looked into my eyes.
She brushed my hair away from my forehead and I closed my eyes at the feeling. My legs on either side of hers, I put either hand on the side of her face, I looked down at her. She was mine.
Tobe put her small hand on the back of my neck dragging my face down and I forgot I'd even asked her a question as our lips connected. Soft, gentle, taking our time before I needed more of her taste.
I slithered my tongue into her inexperienced mouth and it made me hard knowing I was the only one to explore her mouth, to brush my hands up her body, resting one of my hands on her ribcage as she gasped into my mouth.
Controlling myself was becoming difficult around her. I let her breathe as I pulled away but her smell was so intoxicating, like we were in our own world, it suffocated me but it only brought me closer to her. I traced my lips down her jaw, across her neck nipping at the tender skin. She was moaning softly and I could tell she was trying to resist them. I smirked and brought my hand further up until it brushed her breast. I could feel blood rush to my groin as I felt her cheeks burn under my lips.
'My mum wants us to break up.' She gasped, speaking all at once that I wasn't sure I'd heard her correctly.
I leaned up, peering down at her with furrowed brows. 'Excuse me?'
She looked embarrassed as she went to sit up. I allowed her and took the seat next to her, I immediately put my hands on my lap trying to hide the obvious problem down there. She didn't even seem to notice. Tobe bit her lip and my eyes grew dark.
'She told me to break up with you.'
'Is that why you're here?' I was becoming angry, my voice raised. The thought of her breaking up with me actually hurt. My throat seeming to close against my will. I stood up now and paced the length of my room.
'No,' she began but I didn't let her finish.
'You come here and get me all fucking worked up just to dump me?'
I saw Tobe's eyes flash and she looked annoyed. 'You always do that. Interuppt when you don't want to hear something, always press for answers you want to know. You never listen.'
To an extent she was right, I was just surprised she'd figured that out already.
'I listen.' I argued. She rolled her eyes and fixed her top. She crossed her legs and remained sat. She was waiting. Waiting for me to stop pacing, stop yelling, to stop being stubborn.
Sighing, I took the seat next to her again.
'Ready?' She asked calmly. I nodded and she continued, 'I'm here because I don't want to. I'm not going to.'
I remained quiet. I knew I should tell her to leave, to get out of my house, if she broke up with me there was no way I could continue this bet, the game would be over. With no bet, there's no money gone, no half a mil worth of cocaine of Quintons that would be gone.
But I couldn't bring it in me to say those words. I didn't have the strength to tell her that her mum was right. Instead, I put my arm around her neck and brought her into me pressing a kiss to her forehead.
What the fuck was I doing?