As Told By Winter

Chapter 3

Alison had been texting me every morning nonstop with a list of guys she thought I would be perfect with. Each one of them, getting worse by the day, so obviously I turned them down. Which only made her more determined much to my dismay.

Which led me to avoiding her at all cost this week at school. Wherever she showed up I made some excuse in order to avoid her. Yes, it was wrong to avoid her but she was relentless in finding someone for me. There was no need for that. I was perfectly happy being single, and I didn't care what people thought.

I groaned knowing I wouldn't be able to avoid her Saturday, since I was sure she was coming. I was happily surprised when she texted Ryder saying she wasn't feeling well, so she wasn't coming. I was safe for another day.

"I'm honestly surprised she didn't show." An evil smile flashed across Derek's face, as he geared up to say. "You'd think balls flying at her wouldn't be something she'd wanna miss." Oh snap. "Though, maybe they're just a little too small for her taste." Erick howled with laughter. "Shut up." Ryder said through his own laughter.

"That's messed up Derek." I slapped his arm but couldn't help but chuckle. He beamed brightly, clearly proud of himself. "Alright, are we gonna do this or sit around chit chatting like a pair of teenage girls?" I pointed my question towards Derek. "Let's freaking go, short stack." I shove him playfully and walk towards Ryder. "Let's take these muppets down." Ryder and I high-fived before putting on our helmets, and getting to work.

It would be an understatement if I said they never stood a chance. Ryder was like a character straight out of the matrix, game after game. Derek was furious through the whole thing. Erick didn't have a care in the world. He wasn't the competitive type, he was more of the, have fun and carry on type of person. Nothing phased him. Not even me jumping out from every corner he turned.

Derek wasn't a gracious loser but today he was downright unbearable, I almost wished that Alison had showed up. He threatened to quit every time he got shot, or tried to argue the legitimacy of each one of them. Saying that it didn't count, because of some stupid made up reasons. It was pretty much hell today. What usually was relaxing had my blood boiling.

I thought he had moved on from whatever happened last weekend that had him in such a foul mood. He seemed like his old self this past week in school, but he was acting like he did when we hung out in Ericks room. The only difference this time was his anger wasn't aimed at me.

"I think that's a new personal record." Ryder removed his helmet and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Our gazes met after I took off my own helmet and gave him a confused look. "He complained nine times that round. One less than the last match."

"You got something to say, Ryder?" Derek's voice boomed behind us and it was full of hostility. I quickly took a step away and faced Erick and Derek, feeling guilty just from hearing Ryder's comment. Ryder didn't say anything during our matches but I could tell Derek's constant accusations of him cheating were wearing him down. "Yeah, actually I do." Ryder stepped up to meet Derek.

"Maybe if you spent less time whining and more time playing the match, you would have made it harder for us to find you." I watched helplessly as the air grew with tension. Those guys don't have a problem fighting other guys but when it comes to each other- it only ends when they go to the hospital. I could tell things were quickly getting out of control between the two.

"Bro, you were the one playing dirty and lying about hits. Just own up to it. Stop acting like you're any good, Bro. Just stop!" Derek said as he moved close to Ryder's face. "I wasn't cheating, Bro. But you know who was cheating? Who wasn't calling out my hits? You think I'm dumb, dude? We made eye contact so many times and I let you get away with it; but clearly there's something so far up your ass that you can't even think straight!"