How To Play the Player (COMPLETED)

Bite Me, Kitten

"Man, there goes my plan." He snapped his fingers, winked, then reached into the case and pulled out a package of Red Vines. "I knew food would be the easiest way to your heart, Taylor. You and me, we're alike in that way. I love me some food."

I tossed a few candy-coated chocolates in my mouth to keep the smile from reaching its full capacity on my face. "Food is my comfort. Bryan likes to say that whoever I marry better have a fridge as big as his bank account because he'll need to restock it once a week."

Liam early choked on a piece of cady, shaking his head once he'd recollected himself. "I'm sorry about that, by the way. Saying all that shit to your boyfriend."

I was so taken back by the apology it took me longer that usual to muster up a response. "One, he's definitely not my boyfriend, he's my best friend. Two, who the hell are you and what did you do with Liam Scott? Why are you being so nice? Are you really Liam? Or are you an alien who snatched his body and are using it as a host 'til you can get back home?"

Liam poked at my cheek with the red candy, amusement evident in every inch of his expression. "You're a dork, Reese."

"I know." I turned my attention back to my own candies. "But the next Play is getting me a Homecoming and Prom date, so you better embrace my dorkiness and help me."

He raised an eyebrow and slapped one of the Red Vines against his chest dramatically. "You're asking me, the biggest womanizer in school, to help you, the biggest dork in the universe, find a date? Why not just go with your friend?"

"I've gone with him and Brianna every year. Bri's gonna have Andy this year, and I just wanted it to be different, you know? I don't even care too much about Homecoming, but Junior Prom? That's a big thing. I want to go with someone who actually wants to go with me, to take me."

Liam stayed quiet for a while, doing that creepy staring thing again, then finally said, "But won't me helping you find a date be kind of forcing the poor unfortunate soul to go with you?"

I bit down hard on my lip, averting my eyes. He was right, not that I'd give him the satisfaction of knowing that.

"You look like a cute little kitten trying to puff out her chest and get ready to take on a lion." Liam commented through a laugh, "You're tiny little claws are out and you're trying to look all menacing. It's cute, Taylor."

I looked toward him again. "Did you just call me cute, Liam?"

"Maybe I did."

"Beats you calling me average." I breathed quietly, hoping he didn't catch it. His expression twisting into one of guilt told me he'd most definitely heard what I'd said under my breath.

"I didn't mean it like that, Reese." He leaned over so he was nudging my shoulder with his own. "You're just not Nic or Shay. You're just. . . you, I guess."

I snorted. "Bite me. I don't even know what that's supposed to mean."

"Don't tempt me." Liam wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, then raised one, serious again, "I don't really either, yet. I'm still trying to figure you out, Reese. You're definitely a mystery, hard to crack. Sucks for you, though, 'cause I'm Sherlock fucking Holmes. I love solving mysteries."

*

I heard a quiet voice sound beside me, my eyes slowly opening to find Raya sitting in the driver's seat. Her golden locks were twisted into an incredibly messy bun, blue eyes and eyebrows drawn in worry. Her lips moved a million miles per second but I couldn't hear her.

"Reese!" She said, reaching out to touch my hand, disrupted by the sound of a horn blaring. We both looked out her window, blinded by bright headlights within seconds. My hands instinctively shot out to her, but it was too late. Her entire body was ejected from the window and seconds later lay still on the asphalt. I tried to get out of the car, fidgeting with my locked seatbelt, but felt a hand grasp my forearm. I looked back in the driver's seat, where my sister had been seconds prior, but Liam Scott sat in her place, his blue eyes frantic as he scanned my face worriedly. I looked around the car, my eyes widening when I saw we weren't in my sister's totaled sedan but in Liam's truck.

"Reese, are you okay?" Liam looked as if he wanted to release my arm but were afraid I'd throw myself out of the truck if he did so. "You dozed off on the way back here, then suddenly were screaming."

I unbuckled my seatbelt, hoping it would help ease the heavy weight pushing down on my chest, restricting my breathing, but it did no such thing. If anything, as soon as I leaned forward, I had to focus in order to get a full breath in and release it moments later.

"Do you need me to take you to the hospital or something?" Liam asked when I didn't say anything. I glanced sideways at him, surprised to find he was staring at me sympathetically. It was enough to bring me back down and I fished my house keys from my shorts.

"I'm fine." I assured, but my voice was a hushed whisper that was barely audible. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

He hesitated for a minute, then dropped my arm and nodded. "No worries. I know what its like. Lay awake all hours of the night and fall asleep during the day."

I nodded, reaching for the handle on the door and was instantly met with the cold early morning air. Liam was in front of me a couple minutes later, but he didn't reach for my hand, but touched my shoulder, ready to shake me like a rag doll.

"Are you sure you're good?"

Even if it was only for a minute, the thought of opening up to Liam crossed my mind. To talk to someone, anyone, about the nightmares and terrors that plagued me every waking moment of my life. To breakdown and tell them of the war waged inside my house every night, some I'd even become hurt in the crossfire of.

Just as quickly as that thought passed through, it went right out the other side and I allowed Liam to help me down. He shut the door behind me, but didn't go rushing to the driver's side. Dropping my gaze, I realized exactly why he hadn't.

"Sorry. I forgot I had it on." I reached up to unbutton the Letterman, but he pushed my hand back down so it fell to my side.

"Just give it to me later today at school." He shrugged a shoulder. "It's freezing and I'm a naturally cold-blooded person, so you need it more than I do."

I didn't know what to do, so I just stared. That distant look in his eyes reappeared as he stretched his hand out and brushed a lock of hair off my cheek and tucked it behind my ear. It wasn't much, but it was that little action and every one leading up to it tonight, that confirmed what I had been dreading the thought of accepting since I'd seen Liam ace the last Play.

Bryan had been right, the King we watched walk the halls with his head held high, stepping on the rest of us as if we were scum, was no more than a desperate attempt at a façade.

"Goodnight, Kitten. I'll see you later." Liam clenched his fist a little before walking around his truck. I stepped up on to the edge of my driveway and watched him take off down the street, furling my fingers around my keys. I waited until there was no sign that he'd been here to turn around and head back into my house. My mother was still asleep on the couch, hugging the blanket I'd left over her tightly around her frail, exhaust-ridden body. Rather than head for my own room, I lifted the blanket and rested my head and sat at the end of the sofa, staring at my mother until my vision blurred with tears.

"I'm sorry, Mom." I whispered, bringing the heel of my hand to my mouth to contain my sob. "I'm so sorry."