How To Play the Player (COMPLETED)

All By Myself

"I guess as Jay's girlfriend I don't really have a choice, do I?" It came out bitter, and after a second, I added, "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I just mean that I'm pretty much obligated to come, right?"

Liam was staring ahead with a blank expression, but nodded slowly. "Yeah. It's not so bad though, is it? Being with a guy on the team, you come and sport one of their jersey's to show your support. You'll get used to it."

"I've never seen a girl do it for you." I mumbled, feel my cheeks flush as his lips tightened into a tight, thin line.

"That's because I'm not the type of guy girls fall in love with, Reese." His voice was strained, sad even, "I'm an asshole, we're all aware of that. Girls just want me to say they slept with me and then they move on like I was just a consolation prize and nothing else."

The pang of sympathy I felt for Liam in that moment was unwavering. I had to lock my fingers around my mug to stop from reaching out and hugging him. "You don't have to be that guy anymore, Liam."

"Unfortunately, no matter how much I change with this playbook, with your good influence, nobody will ever view me as anything but that, Reese. I'll never have what your friend and Andy have, what you and Jay have."

"Jay and I don't have anything."

Liam finally looked at me, too tired to keep up his guard. He just stared at me, vulnerable, then shrugged away his emotions. "But you will and that's okay. I'm not into you like that. It just sucks, seeing everyone there to cheer the boys on and nobody there for me. Not the Quarterback, but me, Liam Scott."

I set the mug on the coffee table and scooted on to the middle cushion and rested a hand on Liam's bicep. "You're changing, Liam. I will be here through that change. I am your friend by default now. So you're stuck with my annoying nagging and persistence. But if that also means you need someone in those stands cheering you on, then I'll do that too."

He turned his head just a fraction of an inch, his eyes on me for a long time, roaming every inch of my face, before he whispers, barely audible, "We don't deserve you."

*

Lucky for me, Bryan was too tired to try and pry tonight's events, or more importantly why I'd been at Liam's, out of me, and just drove us back to the Waters. I probably should have snuck into Brianna's room and crashed with her, just to please their parents, but I found myself changing into one of Bryan's NASA shirts and curling up against his side in his bed. He stretched his arm over my head and rested it on my shoulder, his body finally relaxing after a long day.

"Bri told me Liam got hurt tonight at the game." Bryan said quietly. "I mean, they won, right? But is he okay? Liam? I know that's why you offered to drive him home."

"Yeah." I tilted my head back so I could see his curious look. "He's okay physically at least. But, Bry, you were right about him. About it all being a façade. I saw that tonight."

I expected him to boast or at the very least an "I told you so" but he just reached out and tucked a lock of my blonde hair behind my ear. "I knew that because I was in love with someone who hid behind one so well for the last five years, Reese."

I touched my pale hand to his dark cheek. "I'm sorry, Bry."

"It's okay. It took a good year and a half, but the feelings aren't there so much anymore, just a dull ache and a pang of jealousy here and there. I realized that I'd rather have all of you as my best friend than parts of you if I tried to take it any further."