Game

'No, Gabe, I cannot get you free stuff. At least not yet.' I held my mobile between my shoulder and ear as I sorted through numerous CD's. I was instructed to put them in alphabetical order but really, I was just looking through which ones I could afford at the end of the week with my paycheck.
I heard her sigh and I spared a glance to the front of the store where my workmate Craig was sitting boredly at the cash register. He had earphones in and was flicking through a car magazine. He was around my age and I remember seeing him around. Thankfully, he wasn't a guest at Bonnie's party.
It was only me and him in the shop and even though it was my first day I was beginning to see a habit in this arrangement.
'Well, what about discounts?'
Picking up an old Escape The Fate album, I wanted to stroke the face of Ronnie Radke. The band was always so much better with him. 'Doubt it, Montgomery. Now let me get back to work.'
'Have you seen Eli today?' She ignored my blatant dismissal.
'I saw him yesterday. We don't see eachother every day.' Which I was technically lying about because Eli promised to pick me up from work today considering I had caught the bus this morning to town.
My car sat in the driveway without an tax disc I was yet to afford to renew.
'Are you two dating?' I sensed the excitement in her voice and she didn't even give me time to respond to her question, 'who would have thought that Eli and you would date?'
I didn't say anything pondering that every day. But we weren't dating. I don't think. Neither of us had made it official. We kissed. Twice. And I knew I liked him. I think he liked me but it was still nagging in the back of my mind why. Why did he like me now?
The ding of the bell to signal a customer, 'Gabe I gotta go. I am at work, y'know.' I hung up and made my way to the front to see who needed help.
Craig hadn't even looked up from his magazine and I looked at him disapprovingly. It was my first day, I was technically in training and I was having to manage the shop.
'Can I help...' I trailed off as I saw the couple who had walked in. Jamie and Bonnie.
Bonnie looked surprised to see me there, the black and red compulsory shirt I had on with RECORD in bold letters across the back only making her raise her brows. I froze in my spot and watched her carefully. I wasn't expecting her to apologize but I also knew she would try and impress her obviously new boyfriend - Jamie. I hadn't even known her and Rylan had broken up.
'I didn't know you worked here.'
'Can I help you?' I asked firmly, gaining confidence at the fact she was practically in my territory. I could kick her out if I wanted to. Well, as far as she knew.
Jamie shrugged and Bonnie moved further into him when she saw I was here. 'We're just browsing, thanks.'
I turned away without another word and made my way back to where I was trying to look busy. I felt eyes on me everytime I made a move. I was boiling with anger. I usually didn't express harsh emotions like anger, I felt it got me nowhere but a bad name but with Bonnie being so close to me, making me feel so weak like she did, all I could feel was the pumping of my heart forcing adrenaline through my veins.
It was when she appeared on the same aisle I was working on that I snapped. 'You got something to say, Bonnie?'
She looked surprised I'd initiated the confrontation. Obviously she'd had something planned to say trying to catch me off guard.
Jamie was across the other side of the shop too busy on the RnB section to notice his new girlfriend had removed herself from his hip.
'Trevor misses you.' She smiled cruelly when she saw my eyes widen momentarily. I wasn't expecting that but I recovered and went back to sorting through the discs.
'You can tell him to try further into London, there are plenty of young girls wandering around alone.'
'He isn't a pervert.' She defended with an amused twinge in her tone. The weather was chillier than yesterday but that didn't stop Bonnie from wearing a denim skirt and a short sleeved shirt. She just looked silly.
She took a step forward and began picking up the CD's I'd put in order. I watched her mess some up and I turned to face her now. 'Could've fooled me. He got a fantasy of forcing himself on girls?'
'As if you didn't like it.' She narrowed her grey eyes.
I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. 'Because my screams were in pleasure.'
'You act so innocent,' she bit, 'I'm irresistible to almost everyone. You're just... a ghost.'
I didn't say anything right away. Did she really think that being seen with Jamie Smith was being irresistible? It reminded me of her old boyfriend.
'Where's Rylan?'
She looked away and I knew I had the upper hand in this argument now. I'd struck a nerve.
'Wasn't man enough,' she recovered with a snap.
I scoffed not even sorry for her, 'you dumped your school sweetheart for him?' I nodded at Jamie.
She held her gaze on me once more, she obviously wasn't happy with me bringing up her relationship business. She'd dumped her childhood sweetheart whom she lost her virginity with for someone more popular like Jamie Smith just to prove, what? That was she wanted by everyone in Devonton?
'You're nothing without me, Toby. You know that.'
'Oh please. You're going to stand there and I'm that I'M nothing just because I don't whore myself out just to prove a goddamn point.'
Jamie, having obviously heard us raise our voices, looked over at us. He raised his brows and put the CD he was holding down before walking over to us. 'Something I can assist with, ladies? I sense danger.'
'Just take your boyfriend and leave, Bonnie.'
She didn't have to say anything for me to know how angry she was. Jamie shifted his weight, he looked awkward and glanced down at Bonnie. 'Bonnie, remember what we agreed. We aren't...' He trailed off and I saw Bonnie look mortified at what was about to come out of his mouth, 'this isn't serious. Just fun remember.' He laughed but stopped when she shot a murderous glare in my direction. I obviously wasn't supposed to know that. I couldn't stop the smile on my face when I realized her game. Trying to look like she could get any boy she wanted. Jamie wasn't interested.
Without a word, my ex best friend turned on her heel and stormed out of the shop.
I saw Craig look up for a nanosecond before returning to his magazine. Jamie stood there nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. He glanced at me, 'am I going to get the third degree now?'
I looked confused before catching on. He thought I was going to turn all bitch fit best friend on him. I laughed a little, 'Bonnie and I aren't friends anymore.'
'I heard about the prank.' He said and put the CD's back in order that Bonnie had messed up. I hadn't spent a lot of time with Jamie but he didn't seem too bad.
'Word getting around that quickly?'
Jamie looked awkward before looking at me with a puzzled expression.
'What?' I asked facing him.
'Haven't you heard?... Course you've been in here. Eli.'
'What about him?' My heart beat fast. Was he in trouble? Was he hurt? 'Is he okay?'
Jamie smiled as if he was confused by my reaction, 'he's fine. That Trevor guy isn't.'
Oh God. I swallowed and stepped backward reaching for my phone. I dialled the number I'd come to memorize and held it to my ear, I put a finger up to Jamie who nodded and made his leave quietly as I went into the backroom.
He answered by the third ring. 'Hey,' he sounded really pleased to see me that I almost lost heart on what I'd called him to ask.
'What did you do?'
'What are you talking about?' But his voice wasn't confused, it was defensive.
'You know damn well.' I was angry at his attempt of omission. 'Trevor.'
I heard him sigh and I could imagine him in my head running his large hands through his hair only messing it up further and yet making it look even more gorgeous.
'Who told you?'
'Does it matter? What did you do?'
'Fuck sake, Tobe. A guy from the party told me what he did to you. I destroyed his fucking face.' His tone was harsh and he was angry. His throaty, deep voice that made my knees weak.
I glanced at the time, he'd be here in an hour or so to pick me up. I hoped. This was our first argument and we weren't even sure what we were.
I was silent and I heard him take a few breaths before he spoke again, more calmer, 'can I still pick you up?'
I closed my eyes. His voice was sad and it made my chest hurt. I wasn't even sure how violent Eli could be but from the muscles I'd seen from his arms, he was tall, if he knew how to punch someone I was pretty sure it would do some damage.
I should stay away from him. Eli and me didn't suit. He had bad intentions. I would turn into my mother, trusting the wrong people ending up hurt and angry. But Eli was different around me. I was positive of that. He was good. I couldn't give up on this now. Not yet.
'I want to be with you.' I whispered into the receiver.
'I'll come get you now then.' He offered.
'No,' I swallowed the nerves, my lack of confidence wouldn't ruin what I was about to say. 'I want to be with you.'
Again there was silence before he spoke, I could hear the grin in his voice, 'you think I go round kissing random people? I was with you yesterday, babe.'

****

Eli's POV

'I want to be with you.'
I glanced at the time, 'I'll come get you now then.' Truth was, I wanted to see her. I wanted to make sure she wouldn't run away from me. My knuckles were bruised from the impacts I'd delivered to that scums face. I had to be pulled away from him. I wouldn't have stopped. Just hearing what he'd done to Tobe, putting her in that situation, it made me feel sick and I was actually afraid of the ache in my chest when she was angry with me.
'No,' she said from the other line, 'I want to be with you.'
This was it. What my mission was. I was halfway. I could call up Jay, Oli and Harlot now and tell them I was in there. I was on my way to getting that eighty quid. I'd only increase it, making it a hundred. But I felt myself feel physically sick when I thought about Tobe in that way.
I had to hold my stomach as I rested my hand on the rail in the gym. But then another feeling was replacing the sickness of being disgusted with myself. It was... fluttery.
She wanted to be with me and I couldn't remove the stupid grin on my face. 'You think I go round kissing random people? I was with you yesterday, babe.'
I heard her adorable laugh on the other side and I felt my chest constrict. This wasn't part of the plan. This was against the fucking rule.
'I have to go.' She said sadly, 'see you in an hour.' She hung up and I pocketed my phone in my gym shorts.
'Mate, it was Jay that told her. He just called to apologize.' Harlot walked across the gym mat towards me, Oli was sat on one of the weight benches and rolled his eyes. I shook my head dismissively.
I gripped the rail above me holding the weight I'd been lifting.
'What's going on here, man?' Lot asked. He wasn't judging. He sounded concerned and I felt like a pussy having his concern on me.
'Nothing, man.' I laughed, 'I got myself a girlfriend.'
Oli cheered but Harlot studied me with his deep blue eyes. 'You bagged her?'
I only nodded and lay back down on the bench. As I went to take the weight again, Harlot stopped me and peered down at me. 'You're losing yourself.'
'Fuck off, Harlot.' I bit.
'Do you like her?'
I didn't answer and that was the confirmation he needed before he stepped away, the weight fell down and I struggled to catch it in time. My muscles straining as I saved my neck from the crushing impact. Placing it back I sat up and rubbed my eyes. 'It doesn't change anything.'
'It changes everything.' Harlot paced.
Oli looked on without much concern for anything, the cannabis in his system dulled his emotions.
'It's not like I'm in fucking love with the girl, alright? She isn't what I expected.' I snapped.
Harlot scrunched fists in his hair, 'this has never happened before, Eli. What's different?'
I didn't even know myself. She was different. October Donovan was just different.
There was a moment silence between us before Harlot sighed, 'you're telling me you can make this girl fall in love with you, take her virginity and not feel a damn thing when you destroy her the day after?'
Again I was feeling sick and he talked about Tobe in the same sentence as this damn bet.
I was lying to myself. I promised myself I wouldn't be the cause of that vulnerable look I'd saw the other night.
'Guys,' Oli caught out attention and looked guilty, 'I think I've made this worse.'
'How?' I asked.
He ran his tongue over his teeth, I was getting impatient. 'Well, when it came out that Tubs is a virgin and how quickly she seemed to be into you, Eli, I upped the stakes.'
Ignoring the anger that came when he called her that nickname, I narrowed my eyes at him, 'upped the stakes how?'
'What the fuck have you done?' Harlot asked.
Oli ran his palms over his shaven head, his tanned face burning, 'I told Quinton.'
I widened my eyes at my friend - my stomach swimming. Harlot cursed and hit the railing in anger.
Quinton. The drug lord we did errands for. He was in on this damn bet. Quinton who owned all of my fathers businesses. Quinton who paid hitmen to take care of the traitors amongst him.
'He bet that I'd lose, right?' I knew the answer already.
Oli shook his head, 'he's told all his gambling friends, Eli. There's so much money in this now that we're in over our heads.... you gotta appreciate the faith he has that you'll win.'
Holding up my hand to shut him up before I pummelled my best friend, I stepped back and glanced at Harlot who had his head in his hands.
Quinton had money in this now. Lots of money. He'd heard of my infamous reputation of bedding girls and thought this would be no different. If I didn't bed this girl, I was dead.