The Love Game (5 page)

“Sometimes,” I answer, shoving everything into my bag. I stand, and he takes my bag from me. “I can carry my bag, you know.”

“I know.” He starts walking, and I follow him, shaking my head. He holds the library door open for me, and I pass through it, holding my hand out.

“Bag. Please.”

“Why won't you let me carry it?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Braden, I don't think I've ever seen you carry someone else's bag for them.”

He shrugs and puts a hand on my back, leading me towards our English room. “You're not anyone else.”

I purse my lips, and my eyes widen when I see Megan sitting in his normal seat next to Aston. I glare at her, and she smiles sweetly.

“Apparently I'm sitting with you.” Braden smiles.

“Apparently.” I sit down and he hands me my stuff. “Thank you. It was unnecessary, but thank you.”

“Any time.” He turns to me, blue eyes bright under his messy mop of blonde hair. “Have you decided if I get that second date yet?”

I turn my eyes to the front as Mr Jessop walks in. “I'm still thinking.”

Braden leans in to me, his mouth millimeters from my ear. “You'll give in, Maddie.”

“Will I now?”

“Yep,” he breathes. “I'll have that second date, and a third, and then more.”

“You're really confident for someone who messed up on the first date.”

“And that's why you'll give me more dates. They're chances to redeem myself.”

He's right. He'll get more dates, of course he will.

Just not for the reason he thinks.

I'm pretty sure dating isn't supposed to be this fucking hard. A simple yes or no answer would do. All this waiting is driving me up a damn wall. So why am I waiting outside her dorm block for her?

Because it's Wednesday, two days after our first “date” and two days before our second “date”. In which I will miss my own damn party for her.

The door opens, and Kay steps in front of me.

“Any reason you're stalkin' my dorm, Carter?” She puts a hand on her hip and looks me over.

“Maddie around?”

“You could call and ask that, you know. Lurking outside girls' dorms isn't a good look for you.”

I clench my teeth. “Just answer the fucking question, Kay.”

“Yes.” She rolls her eyes. “She has class in half an hour.”

“Any chance you could call her down, like now?”

She sighs and pulls her cell out. She holds a button and puts it to her ear. “You have a stalker down here.”

She hangs up and storms past me.

“Thanks, Kay!” I call after her and she flips me off. Bitch.

I run my fingers through my hair, and Maddie appears at the door. Two girls run past her into the building, giggling, and she shakes her head.

“Isn't stalking a little below you, Braden?” She smirks at me, her pink, glossy lips turning up at one side. Her green eyes are wide and lined with a soft brown liner, her auburn hair pulled to one side revealing her very lightly tanned neck.

“You tell me, Maddie,” I reply. She leans against the wall, and I mimic her movement. “Will you come on another date, or do I have to stalk you some more?”

She plays with a piece of her hair, sliding her fingers up and down it. It makes me wonder what else she could slide her fingers up and down.

Not the fucking time, Braden. Make her fall in love, don't take her on the damn sidewalk.

“Maybe,” she replies, bringing me back to the conversation. Except now my brain is focused on the way her lips move when she talks.

“Maybe you'll go, or maybe I have to stalk you some more? I gotta say, Angel, I'm down for either.” I rake my eyes down her body, the tight tank top and cut-off shorts, and back up. “Stalking could definitely have its perks.”

She gasps and slaps my arm. Ouch. That stings. “You're a pig.”

“So I keep being told.” I sigh. “At least I'm an honest one.”

“True.” She laughs. “I guess it depends what you have in mind for this second date.”

“I guess you'll just have to wait and see.”

“Because you have no idea?”

Shit. She's too smart. “I just have a few things to finalize.”

“Presumptuous,” she challenges.

“I prefer to think of it as hopeful,” I counter, laughing. “What do you say, Maddie? Please?”

She bites the corner of her thumb, and I shove my hands in my pockets.

“Okay,” she agrees. “One more date.”

“Really?”

“Really, Braden.” She closes her eyes for a second and turns to the door. She punches the code in and opens it, looking at me over her shoulder through her lashes. “Mess this up, and there won't be another. I don't do games.”

She steps through and the door swings shuts. I turn and walk down the sidewalk.

Maddie does do games. The only difference is, she doesn't even realize she's playing it.

~

I have no idea what to do for this 'date'. Honestly, trying to get an idea out of my no-dating brain is like getting water from a stone. It's fucking impossible. I'm considering the walk on the beach shit Ryan suggested, but I can't just leave it at that. Can I?

Fuck this. When life gets hard, ask Google. Google knows everything.

I pull my laptop from under the bed and start it up, my leg shaking. The hassle I'm going through just for sex should be illegal in every damn state. Do people do this in real life?

This is crazy. I'm going crazy.

I double-click the browser, and it opens onto Google homepage.
Where to take a girl for your second date
, I type. I hit enter and my cell rings. I trap it between my ear and shoulder as I trawl through the search results.

“Yep?”

“Have you spoken to her yet?” Meggy asks.

“Yep. I waited outside her dorm block earlier.”

“I'm sorry? You did what?” She laughs. “You actually waited outside for her?”

“I wanted my answer. You know I'm impatient.” I click a link that looks promising.

“Okay. And what did she say?”

“She said yes. What, were you expecting her to say no?”

“I was fifty-fifty.” I know she's smirking, and I'd love to wipe it off her cheeky little face.

“She was always gonna say yes, Meggy. You know that.”

“Whatever. What are you doing now? Do you have anything planned for your big date?”

“I'm working on it,” I answer vaguely.

“That's a no.” She sighs. “Do you have any idea what you're doing?”

“If you'd be quiet for two minutes, I'd have ten.”

“Are you doing what I think you're doing?”

“It depends what you think I'm doing.”

“Braden William Carter, are you on Google?”

Shit. “Uh
...”

She sighs heavily down the phone. “Go on. Hit me with what it says.”

“Okay.” I scroll down. “Dinner out, dinner in, a movie, the opera - the fucking opera? No chance. Okay, umm, a picnic, rollerskating, coffee - tried and failed - bowling. Bowling? That could work.”

“You could grab food at the alley,” Meggy suggests. “You'd have fun.”

“But would Maddie like that?”

“Are you actually asking me if she'd like it? Is Mr. Insatiable going soft?”

“Fuck off.” I laugh. “I don't get this dating thing and you know it. Help me out here.”

“Are you dating her to get in her pants, Bray?” She asks the question so fast I double-take.

Yes. “No. Why would you ask that?”

“Maybe I'm having a hard time believing you actually like her and want more than sex.”

That's because you're right. “I like her, Meggy. She's beautiful and smart and funny-”

“And you sound like a robot.”

“I'm trying here.”

“You've always been trying, Bray. So what are you gonna do?”

I sigh. “Bowling, walk on the beach, then if she wants we can head back here for the party.”

“Sounds good. Bye now.” She hangs up, the call clicking off in my ear. I sometimes wonder if I'd kill her if she wasn't like my little sister.

I dial up the bowling alley and ask for a lane for two on Friday night. The girl at the other end of the phone giggles when I give her my name, and I exhale slowly. Sometimes - and I'd never tell anyone this - the fawning girls gets a little old. I book the alley and hang up pronto.

I chuck my cell down, shut the laptop, and lean my head back against the wall. Date two? Sorted.

I stare at my phone in disbelief. I left Brooklyn six weeks ago and now, only now, has my brother, Pearce, remembered me. This text message is the first time we've spoken since I came to Berkeley. Well, the first time he's spoken. I sent a text message when I got here to let him know I was safe, and then that was it. Until today.

I look again at my phone. I don't know why I expected any different from him. He would only get in contact if and when he wanted something. And like usual, it's money. I don't want to know what he wants it for, but judging by the fact he's asked for eight hundred dollars, I'd say its rent. All because his arrogant, selfish ass can't hold down a job long enough to support our suicidal father.

I rub my forehead and try to block out the memories, telling Pearce I'll call up the bank and wire the money to Dad's account. Not that it makes a difference. Pearce will use it on what he wants anyway, thinking of Dad second.

A wave of guilt crashes into me for leaving Dad, but I remind myself it's what he wanted, what she would have wanted for me. Pearce has always been too self-absorbed to make something of his life. I got the brains, and that's why she saved the money for me to access when I turned eighteen.

My college fund, she called it one day. Said she'd been saving since she knew I was coming, that she wanted me to have a good life. She'd been saving for Pearce too, but he bought a car and god knows what else. She'd be ashamed if she could see him now. She'd be so mad.

I squeeze my eyes shut, banishing those thoughts from my mind. Three years and the wound is still too fresh, too raw. The pain still trickles out the way blood trickles from a paper cut, but it's bearable. It's just a part of my life. Another part that I should have left behind when I left Brooklyn. But, like all good tragedies do, it's followed me.

I decide to skip out on going to the library for my free period, instead choosing to work from the safe bubble of my dorm. Plus, going to the library means bumping into Braden.

The Californian equivalent of my brother.

My thoughts fall to our 'date' tomorrow night. He must want in my pants really badly if he's still waiting. Usually he'll hang for half an hour - if you show your interest, good. If not, he's onto the next. Yep, you can't deny he doesn't mess around when it comes to his sex life. In fact, a part of me almost respects him for going after what he wants.

A part the size of my baby toe. The rest of me still thinks he's a pig.

I wonder what Mom would think if she knew I was doing this challenge. As an independent, strong woman, she'd probably be a little proud that I'm gonna put him in his place. As a mother, she'd warn me to be careful and not lose my own heart in the process. I snort at the idea. Lose my heart to Braden Carter?

Never going to happen.

~

“Casual,” Kay shouts from the bathroom.

“No, casual dressy,” Lila argues, shaking her head.

“Lila, they're bowling.” Megan huffs. “She needs to be casual yet comfy. I'd say a casual dress or a nice top and those tight jeans you have.”

“The ones that give my ass
its own ass?” I raise a brow.

“Yes. We need to show him what's on offer.” She moves towards my drawers.

“Make me sound like a promotional display at Target, why don't you?” I roll my eyes. “Besides, I thought we were making him fall in love with me, not turn him into a walking erection.”

“The way to Braden's heart is through his dick.” She takes the jeans, shuts the drawer with her hip, and passes them to me. Kay roars with laughter and comes back into the room.

“Braden has a heart?” She laughs. “Funny, Megs, funny.”

“Hey.” Megan turns and points her finger at her. “He does. It's just wrapped up in latex and usually between some girl's legs.”

“Nice,” I mutter, taking the jeans. Lila pats my arm sympathetically.

“It won't be that bad, Maddie,” she reassures me. “Besides, if you tell him you wanna head back to the party afterward, we'll be there and you can escape for a few minutes.”

“But it's gonna be like, two hours.” I watch Megan rifle through my closet. “Two hours alone with Braden. This is gonna be torture. You guys don't even understand it.”