The Middle | ✔️

Chapter 14 (Will)

6 Months Earlier

"So, still no further with Ms Hawkins, I take it?" Craig asks me in the locker room before football practice.

"Yeah, I'm starting to think I'm actually gonna have to cough up the hundred bucks." Brandon says, rolling his eyes and throwing a shoe at me. "Get it together, Archibald. I thought you were meant to be good at this stuff?"

"He's obviously full of shit." One of the other guys says.

"Yeah, I bet he's still a virgin." Someone else contributes.

By this point, the entire football team are aware of Craig and Brandon's bet. It's the main topic of discussion in the locker room these days.

"Well, you guys can all get fucked. Because Jamie sure as hell did last night." I say loudly.

"What?" Craig says, his face falling.

"You actually did it?!" Brandon asks, delighted.

I nod proudly. "Sure did, so get your wallet out, Craig. You lose."

The guys all laugh at Craig as he reluctantly hands Brandon the agreed sum of 100 dollars.

"So, how was it?" Craig asks me, sulking a little.

"I don't fuck and tell." I say.

"Yeah, well, girls talk." Craig says. "I'm sure it'll be all over the school soon enough."

"Nah, Jamie's not like that." I say to him. I honestly don't think she'll run her mouth about it. She might tell her friend Erin, but that's probably it.

"She's not like that?" Craig asks, looking at me in disbelief.

"Sounds like someone's whipped." Brandon says with a laugh.

"I am not whipped." I say, "but she's not like all those other girls. I don't think shell go telling people about it, that's all."

"Oh, wait, I get it." Craig says loudly, commanding the attention of the room. "He's telling us Jamie will keep quiet about it, because it never actually happened!"

"What, no!" I yell at him.

"Yeah." Craig ignores me and continues addressing the others, "I'm not so sure I believe him. We're not talking about some easy cheerleader. This is Jamie Hawkins, I do not believe she would give it up so easily."

"Well, it doesn't matter what you believe!" I yell at him, "it happened, we hooked up last night!"

"I don't know." Craig says, smirking at me. I can tell none of the other guys are quite convinced anymore either. "I think we need proof."

"Proof?" What the hell is he talking about? "What, you're gonna ask her?"

This alarms me. I have a feeling Jamie won't be too happy if she ever finds out about this bet. 

"No, I'm not gonna ask her, don't shit yourself, Archibald." Craig says, and the others laugh. "How about a picture? Or a video?"

"Fuck off, Craig." I warn him. "That is far too far. And illegal." 

"Yeah, man. That's not cool." Brandon agrees with me at least. 

"Well how else is he supposed to prove it?" one of the other guys asks. 

"I do have one other idea, but you're not gonna like it." Craig says, with a wicked smile spreading across his face. He's right, I'm not gonna like this.

"What is it?" I ask, already dreading this.

"Madison Hudson." The rest of the guys collectively suck in their breath and scoff at this.

"What about Madison?" I ask, although I'm pretty sure I already know what he's thinking.

"Everyone knows Maddie wants you. If she found out you'd hooked up with Jamie Hawkins, I don't think she'd be best pleased." Craig grins at me, he's loving this. "You remember what she did after you hooked up with Becky Clarke?"

How could I forget? She stormed up to Becky (who was in the middle of a cheer routine at the time) on the football field, during a fucking pep rally, and started shouting at her in front of everyone, demanding to know if Becky and I had actually gone there. It was unbelievably embarrassing, but that's the level Maddie will stoop to. And she was pretty friendly with Becky before then. If she got wind of anything romantic (or otherwise) going on between me and Jamie Hawkins, she wouldn't be happy at all. God knows what she would do. 

"Maybe I'll have a little talk with Madison later today, you know, then we'll see what happens from there." Craig winks at me.

"And how would that prove whether or not Jamie and I actually fucked?" I ask, getting pissed with this entire situation. 

"Because, Madison would ask Jamie about it, and something tells me Jamie Hawkins will tell the truth about it. I'll get my intel from Madison after she confronts Jamie. And then, I'll know for sure whether or not you're lying about this." Craig looks so smug right now, that prick. 

"Whatever," I say, as all the other guys laugh and talk about Craig's plan. It's a terrible plan, and I don't like how cavalier he's being about using Maddie this way either. Maddie isn't as bad as everyone thinks she is. Okay, she is totally fucking crazy. And she does have a kind of unhealthy obsession with me. But she has her moments, you know?

And to be perfectly honest, I do kind of lead Maddie on. It's not my fault, she has this allure, I think it's her lavender eyes. They're hypnotic. But every time I'm alone with her, I end up saying certain things and acting in a certain way and pretty much alluding to the fact that I would maybe consider dating her some day. But, I wouldn't. I drive her crazy, I know it's not cool, but what can I say. It seems, I'm an asshole.

I send Jamie a quick text before heading out onto the football field, asking if she wants to do something later tonight. We've slept together once, and I have a feeling our seeing each other isn't gonna last much longer. I need to get the good of this thing with her while I can...