Game

'Aren't you a little suspicious?'
I looked at her over the CD rack where she had her headphones around her neck, she was checking out the latest Bring Me The Horizon album, she didn't even look up.
I sighed and went back to flicking through the CD's on my side. I was a music lover but my taste differed daily. I had Bullet for my Valentine in the same playlist as One Direction.
'Suspicious of what?' I knew exactly what she was getting at but I didn't want to let her know that this was playing on my mind as well.
The music shop was the only place me and Gabe went alone. I hadn't spoken to Bonnie since last week when the party was, Keira had dropped off the face of the Earth along with Eli who I hadn't seen since Starbucks.
It was partly my fault considering I was avoiding anyplace near Caro's like the plague.
'You realize we're talking about Ellison Cadby, right?' I heard her put the CD down and she rested her arms on the shelf, dismissing the evil look the cashier was shooting her from the front of the shop.
I knew exactly who he was. I didn't want this to happen. I didn't want Eli to be all sweet around me. I had a habit of seeing the good in people and ignoring all the bad they've done.
'He slept with Keira last year and couldn't remember her name until a month after.' Gabe's hair was stuffed under an oversized hat but she worked the quirky style well. I tugged at the sleeves of my jacket, I didn't want her to make me see sense in this fucked up situation. I didn't want her to question what I was doing. The overused saying of YOLO kept replaying in my head.
'Don't start, Gabe. It's not like we're even dating. We've seen eachother like three times.'
'But you went on a date. Two after Starbucks.'
I rolled my eyes and went to the other shelf behind me finding some old classics interesting.
'Have you heard from Bonnie?' Gabe asked appearing beside me and picking up a Simple Minds CD.
'No,' I sighed, I wasn't sure how I felt about it, 'have you?'
'There's a party this Saturday. She's throwing it at Keira's house.'
Bonnie would never throw one at her house. She couldn't have people knowing she lived in Brentwood instead of Milwood.
Gabe rested on the shelf then and looked at me clearly, I didn't meet her eyes. 'Look, what she did was wrong but we're friends.'
'Wrong. You're friends. I'm not.'
'You never minded her attitude before. What's changed? Is it because Eli knows your secret?' The smile on her face melted quickly as I shot her a glare.
'Fuck you, Gabe. Being a virgin doesn't bother me. What is it about this damn town and being a virgin?' I put the CD I was holding back and turned on my heel to leave.
It wasn't until I'd reached my car that Gabe caught up to me, breathing heavily from having to run and she held her chest. 'I was joking, Tobe. I'm the first one to say when Bonnie puts a foot wrong. But what happened at the party, was usual for her.'
I looked at her as if she had just recited the pie equation. 'Bonnie's been different since Rylan.'
Gabe was silent. She knew I was right. Since Rylan had banged Bonnie, she'd been different. She had began preying on those weaker than her and that just happened to be little virgin me.
I rested my hands on my car and looked at the floor, I hated arguing with anyone but arguing with Gabe just hurt.
'Oh Jesus.' I heard and I looked up about to ask what she was talking about before I saw her looking at something behind me.
I knew who it would be just by the look on her face.
I braced myself for this encounter. I was dressed in grey skinny jeans, black converse and a tank top under my jacket. I looked better than the last time he'd seen me.
'Eli, hey.' I said turning around. He stopped in his tracks a foot away from me kind of surprised. I wasn't sure if I'd thwarted his plans to scare me but he recovered quickly.
'Hey.' He looked behind me, 'hey Gabe. Harlot is in Hollister if you wanna see him.'
I heard Gabe make an appreciative sound under her breath before briefly saying goodbye and disappearing down the road.
Even though the air was cold the sun was shining hence the sunglasses hiding his pretty eyes from my view.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, he stood awkwardly, 'I haven't seen you in a while. You been okay?'
I nodded and silence came upon us again. I decided to make the effort this time, 'how've you been?'
'Awesome,' he grinned at impeccable smile at me. 'Listen, I wanted to get your number.'
Oh? Did he now? I leaned my back against my car door as he pulled out his phone.
'I meant to get it last week but forgot. Besides, you didn't give me a chance with all your talk about Molly Ringwash.'
'Molly Ringwald,' I corrected with a laugh. I recalled the debate we'd had over movies and I couldn't seem to stop talking about Molly's flawless performances in Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. It was just beyond me how anyone couldn't know her as one of the best actresses in the 80's.
He effortlessly flipped his phone in his big hand before giving it to me. I didn't hesitate in putting my number in and handed it back without the impressive hand work.
'Thanks,' he said and tapped out something. A second later my phone beeped alerting me of a message. 'Now you got me.'
Got him. I knew he meant communication wise but I felt something stir in my stomach as I thought about that sentence. Imagine owning Eli Cadby. Having him say you were his girl and you could proudly say he was yours. Only yours. Mine. Not in a million years, my conscience screamed.
'You need a lift somewhere?' I found myself asking not really understanding why. It was the first thing I thought of saying before he pointed out how I'd escaped into my daydream land once more.
He glanced behind me in the direction Gabe had gone, 'sure. Lift home would be great. Harlot's probably having a splendid time with Gabe.'
I smiled knowingly and gestured for him to get in. He paused at the passengers side door and I watched how he got in and looked around as if he were surrounded by snakes.
'Why do you look like you've shit your jeans?' I asked laughing at his surprised expression. He rubbed his neck and looked away from me.
'I have trouble when girls drive me places.'
'Oh because we look so sexy with all our hands spinning on this huge wheel,' I was being playful, shocking myself at my flirtatious comments.
Eli rested his head on the headrest, his brown hair resting on his forehead, single strands falling into his eyes as he took his glasses off and tucked them into his grey t-shirt. His denim jeans suited well with his now black converse and he had the leather jacket on again. The one I was wrapped up in.
His manly scent had lingered on me for ages, it was almost getting to the point I didn't want to shower.
'I feel like a little bitch.'
I let out a loud laugh and watched he groaned. 'Don't laugh.'
'Oh shut up. Now put your seatbelt on honey, I'll worry.'
'Fuck you.' He laughed.

****

Eli's house was as I expected it to be. Big, too big. Rather neat and tidy and the white brick was spotless. Wow, he must've died on my front garden grass when he saw my house.
'Was that so bad?' I chimed and saw him roll his eyes. He took the seatbelt off and I thought he was going to go straight inside but instead, he turned to face me properly.
'I take it asking you to the party on Saturday is pointless.' His tone wasn't unfriendly, it was curious.
I turned the engine off and looked straight ahead of me, from here I could see Keira's house. The tidy exterior doing nothing to the impeccable interior with her china mugs and silver cutlery.
I was exaggerating. The people from Milwood wasn't living like royals. And in Brentwood, we didn't live like Bilbo Baggins had dug a Hobbit hole in our living room. In fact, if you weren't from Devonton, you wouldn't have even known that Milwood was posh and Brentwood wasn't. But the blatant social segregation in school since birth just made everyone in Devonton aware that there was an obvious wealth and status issue.
'I just figured considering your friend is hosting it.'
'She isn't.' I answered quickly, 'I mean, it's at her house but Bonnie will be the hostess.'
He made an 'o' shape with his mouth and glanced out the front window.
'Did you sleep with her?' I wanted to smack myself in the mouth at my rude and rather intrusive question. I had no idea where it came from or what had even stirred me to ask something like that.
Eli chuckled and smiled at me, obviously he wasn't offended by my personal question regarding his sex life.
'I get asked that a lot.'
I refrained from asking who by.
'We didn't. She tells everyone we did and taking my rep and hers into account, nobody really bothered to question it.'
'It doesn't bother you that she spread that rumour about you?'
I caught his eyes flash with something different but he blinked and it was gone in an instant.
'Should it?'
I looked away awkwardly and breathed slowly. It would bother me... I thought but I was beginning to become constantly surprised by Eli's nonchalant behaviour. I hadn't seem him even the slightest bit irate except the time at the party but it was bothering me that nothing seemed to bother him.
'Does nothing bother you at all?' I voiced aloud.
He shrugged and put his hand on the door handle, 'things bother me. But show other people they do? Just gives them ammo. Why do you think people still call you Tubs?'
I closed my eyes tightly, every reminder of that nickname almost brought me to tears from anger.
'See.'
I opened my eyes to see him smirking. He got out the car and shut the door, resting his arms on the open window. 'Can I call you?'
'When?'
Again he shrugged and looked up the road for a moment before meeting my eyes once more, 'whenever. Since you're not gonna go to the party, we have to meet up.'
Meet up? I was going to meet up?
'Why?' I almost whispered.
'Why not?' He beamed and went around the car to make his way into his house. He didn't look back or say anything else. Eli wanted everyone to think he was open but he wasn't. In fact, the more he pretended to be transparent, he was only becoming more opaque.