Playmaker

13

James was laying face down on his bed, holding a bottle of whatever alcohol the hotel had in the mini fridge. He didn't even care what he was drinking just as long as it did its job to wipe his memory clean of tonight.

Between drinking himself into oblivion and falling asleep, he lost all sense of time. When a loud knock came on the door, he lifted his head to check what felt like a whole night to be a reality of about 20 minutes.

"Not now, Yass!" he yelled into his pillow.

Another loud knock came and he got up with a grunt. "Yassi, it's over. Go away!"

He was tired, drunk and annoyed that Yassi had once again come to vouch for Nadine. Of course Nadine wouldn't come herself to talk it out with him. Not that it should matter anymore, he thought, since he was sure that there was no way in hell she'd stay after he just humiliated her and left her in the middle of the dance floor.

"Yassi! I said I don't want to talk-"

Without even finishing his sentence, Nadine shoved the both of them into his room and closed the door behind her.

James thought he was dreaming because this couldn't really be her. He moved forward to caress her face, believing this all had to be his figment of his imagination, only to be slapped in the face (and into reality).

"Don't you dare!" crossing her arms and huffing.

He touched the warm spot on his face where her hand had probably left a red imprint and just stared at Nadine.

"Is this some type of joke?!" she yelled at him. Her breathing finally normalized and James could only assume that she ran here from the ballroom. When he examined her, she was carrying her heels while the bottom of her dress was dirty and her mascara had been wiped off.

"Robert James Reid!"

James took a deep breath and with a calm demeanor, he finally answered her.

"Nadine."

"Well?" glaring up at him.

All the alcohol seemed to be waning in effect, but James had waited long enough for this moment that he didn't need any liquid courage. If she wants to fight, then they were going to fight.

"No," he said, maintaining his callousness. "This isn't a joke Nadine. I'm sorry I didn't make that clear enough. So if that's all you have to say, I would appreciate it if you left. You should be getting ready for your flight tomorrow, right?"

His voice sent a nasty chill down Nadine's spine. Never, in the ten years of knowing each other, had James ever been so cold to her. Her anger subsided a little and she uncrossed her arms.

"James..."

He walked past her and opened the door. When she turned around, he gestured for her to exit. And for the second time that night, her feet felt cemented in.

She gulped, "I..."

He looked at her, her expression one he knew well. It was the face she made when she was restraining herself from crying, but he continued on with the cold treatment.

"Like I said, unless you have anything else to say to me, we're done here Nadine."

As if something snapped back into her, she moved James' hand from the handle and closed the door, leaving the two of them still inside his room.

"You can't just do that to me, James."

Her movement brought her closer to James and he was trying to avoid any eye contact with her.