Never Look Back

“So, are you going to the game Friday?” Matt asked glancing over at me then back at the road. I turned from my stare out of the window to him.
“Yeah, I’ve never been to one yet. Obviously because of the show, can’t miss that,” I said smiling at him.
“Ha-ha, yes of course.”
“When is the next gig?” I asked.
“I haven’t been able to book one, no places are taking. But, I can be very persistent,” he eyed me quick and I couldn’t help but smile.
We pulled up onto my driveway and this time I let myself out before he could run over to my side and do it himself. We sized each other up; he was the first to speak.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said softly, since we were only about two feet apart. He looked down at my lips, his eyes desperately contemplating taking them for himself. I breathed him in, almost succumbing into his trance.
“See you later,” I said abruptly and quickly gave him a hug, he nodded off back to his car, his eyes on the ground the whole way. I felt a stab to the chest but let him go, questioning my loyalty for Alex. I didn’t want to admit that I had feelings for Matt, but they refused to be ignored.
~~
Days flew by until it was officially Friday, the day of the game and the day of my second first date with Alex. Since it was cool outside and we’d be going straight to the game after we ate, I wore Rian’s maroon and navy blue jersey, (I asked him if I could since he didn’t have anyone else to give it to) number 18. Alex picked me up at 5 and took me to a restaurant called Oasis, a Japanese restaurant that would cook your food right in front of you. I wasn’t too hot on the idea but Alex couldn’t stop talking about how much he loves it.
“Right this way,” the woman smiled as she led us to our table. Alex wore almost exactly what I did, I felt completely out of place since everyone else was wearing nice ordinary clothes.
We sat and ordered some sushi or pasta or…something that Alex highly recommended. He ordered for us and when he told our cook, it sounded like a bunch of shit talk. We laughed and watched in amazement as the he flipped, seared and tossed the food up in the air all while keeping a complete straight face.
“Does Matt know you’re here?” Alex asked as he shoveled in a forkful of sushi.
“Matt? What brought him up?” I asked, immediately confused and reddened by the question, why would I need to tell Matt where I was? Did Alex know about Matt and me? Who told him?
“Well, you and Matt seem to have a thing, or at least he has a thing with you. I didn’t think he’d be happy to know that you were going on a date with me…which would make me want to rub it in his face even more.”
“We don’t have a thing and I don’t need to tell him where I’m going or who I’m going with, it’s none of his business,” I shrugged and stared at my plate because I thought I’d panic if I looked in his eyes. As anyone can tell, I was a bad liar.
He smiled brightly, “How relieving.”
The only people who knew that Alex and I were dating were for sure Patrick, Rian, Jack and some kid that Alex knew in the halls. Who knew how many people actually know that we’re dating, rumors spread fast. People were already spreading rumors when we first started walking and hanging out together. They said that he only kept me because I was good in bed; another said I was paying him, and another said that I was stalking him everywhere he went. I didn’t know what I was worth for Alex to put up with all those rumors, especially with his reputation being so important to him.
~~
“This is it,” he said as I followed closely behind him. People were talking, yelling, laughing, taking pictures, cheering, running around and goofing around everywhere I looked. He said we’d sit on the stands in the ‘student section,’ he said it was where all the high school students went to watch the game. I followed Alex down the stairs of the bleachers toward the mass of students standing up on the bleachers and cheering loudly. The football setting was very overwhelming and very different from Octavian’s football games.
“Careful,” he said and he grabbed my hand as he squeezed through aisles of people to get to a spot saved by Jack. We stood up on the bleachers next to him with Alex in the middle and me next to some guy I didn’t know.
“Hey Alyssa! How you liking your first game experience so far?” Jack practically yelled to me from behind Alex.
“Pretty good, it’s crazy here!” I replied and he nodded and smiled mischievously.
There was an injured player on the field that held up the game, so everyone calmed down and began talking amongst themselves. Two guys and a girl in the row in front of us turned around to greet Alex and Jack.
They talked about the band and the odds of us winning the game until one of the guys noticed me, “hey…you’re the girl Gaskarth always walks with and hangs out with!”
“This is Alyssa Barakat, Jack’s sister,” Alex said turning to me. “She is also the girl I’m currently dating.” The girl practically gasped when he said the last sentence.
“Moving onto greener pastures after you banged Lisa for what…the hundredth time?” The other guy with the navy blue hat and the maroon jacket laughed, punching Alex’s arm.
“Shut up, it’s not like that,” Alex said quietly.
“Prove it!” The guy with the hat said excitedly. “Kiss her right here right now!” My heart dropped, my face turned a crimson red and I looked at the hat kid nervously.
I glanced over at Alex and he took my face in his hands and kissed me hard. I could hear the boys cheering excitedly as he continued to kiss me, our lips moving effortlessly together until he pulled away and quick placed a peck on my forehead. My cheeks enflamed and I stared at the floor, I didn’t want this kind of attention and I surely didn’t need every girl at school secretly hating me. As this thought came to mind I looked up.
The girl between the guys turned to me and her face was beat red with fury, she obviously didn’t like the fact that Alex just kissed me in front of everyone. Looking around, it seemed like every high school girl was throwing me a glare, looks like I was already down that path.
“Proud of you Gaskarth, she’s a hot one,” the one without the hat said and the girl turned her glare to him, I assumed they were dating or who knows what. He laughed and shrugged at her, when she didn’t give in he gave her a huge hug and she couldn’t help but expose a huge smile to match. I told Alex I’d be right back. I ran to the bathroom, eager to get away from everything and breathe.
I made my way up the stairs and swung open the heavy door to the bathroom, just after I had done my duty and washed my hands clean a girl came in, noticed me and gasped. I recognized her from school, the one that asked if Alex and I were dating, I just kept seeing this girl everywhere.
“Hey! I saw you and Alex kiss out there, too cute!” She squealed in delight. I smiled at her, not knowing what to say. “I can’t believe its official that you guys are dating!”
“Yeah I guess,” I said quietly.
“You are like the chosen one!” Her eyes got super wide as she said that.
“How?”
“You don’t know much about Alex’s past life do you?” She said softly, kind of scaring me really. This girl knew more about Alex than I thought anyone did.
I shook my head and she rolled up her sleeves and got down and dirty, “well see, Alex kinda has a way with women.”
“His ‘genius’ plan that he does with every girl is he talks to them nonstop, makes them feel good and makes them think that he likes them then he will invite them to a party or over to his house or come over to her house then has sex with her and then that’s it…he doesn’t really talk to her after that.” I frowned at this.
“Every girl wants to think that they’re different but they never are, they always want more from him. I mean you’re making history right now!” My brows furrowed but I let her continue.
“Every girl he has ever been involved with has never been allowed to sit at his lunch table, you broke that. He never walks in the halls with them, you broke that. He never takes them out on a date or anything, you broke that. He always has sex with them by at least the end of the week, you broke that. He is never seen in public with the girl unless it’s the party he’s taking her to, you broke that. Finally, he has NEVER EVER kissed a girl so…romantically in front of everyone like what he just did, you broke the living shit outta that one!” She practically cheered.
“Alex told me that he didn’t want to change who he was unless there was someone worth changing for, do you think he meant me?” I asked.
“Yes!” She squealed. “The way he acts around you and looks at you it’s obvious he really does like you.”
“One last thing before I go, what did he say to you that day that you asked if we were dating and Alex said no?” This one question had been on my mind for a while.
“He said ‘I’m working on it.’” With that I waltzed out of the bathroom, my thoughts finally answered, I found myself back on Alex’s side.
“Hey Alyce,” Alex smiled to me and I looked back at him and gave him a quick smile before I quickly turned my attention back to the game, the players were jogging off the field for halftime. I felt my phone vibrate and I pulled it out from my back pocket to see someone had text me.

Mattie: Hey, how’s the game?
Me: Winning so far, how are things back home?
Mattie: Agonizing...painful… the usual.
Me: Sorry to hear that.
Mattie: Do me a favor?
Me: Anything
Mattie: Can you come over after the game for a bit? Maybe just to hang out or something?
Me: Yeah, of course
Mattie: You’re the best Alyssa

I really didn’t want to go to Matt’s that badly since I was afraid for what would happen but I’ve blown him off too many times and he’s had to endure me being with Alex so I didn’t feel I had a choice.
I didn’t know how I’d explain to Alex once we got home that I wanted to go over to Matt’s house, now that we were ‘dating’ I don’t think he’d appreciate that too much…or the fact that I might be falling for one of his best friends.