Roommates with a Player

Chapter Twenty Two: Don't Take the Player Out of the Game

Ricky’s P.O.V.

            God, I hated school. It moved by so slowly, especially when there was only twenty minutes left until we were out for Thanksgiving break. I was so done with school. I mean, it wasn’t like senior year was even important. And with my last name behind me, I could go anywhere.

            I was on edge. I’d been for days now. Ever since James had started flaunting Emma around, I’d been tense and ready to throw a punch at anyone who got in my way. And here he was, sitting in the desk next to me, calmly reading a book like he was completely innocent. What a dick.

            The worst part? They were always around me. I couldn’t escape them. They were at my house, cuddling on my couch, eating my food, breathing my air. It was disgusting to watch. It was like James was dangling Emma right in front of me. He was probably just using her to get on my nerves. But she was oblivious to this, of course. Damn, she was so naïve. And dumb, too. She still hadn’t figured out that I’d been sneaking in to her room every night and reading her diary.

            All Emma wrote about was James, James, James. And it wasn’t anything good, like steamy sex stories. No, it was all about his adoption and Leah and cuddling and telling secrets. I just didn’t get it! I could give her so much more to write about…

            The bell rang, making me jump. People darted from class, eager to get home and away from this hell-hole. I slowly gathered up my stuff, purposely dawdling so Emma would have to wait for me. I smiled to myself, knowing she’d be pissed. But she was always cute when she was mad.

            “See ya tonight, man,” James said to me as he slung his backpack over his shoulder.

            “What do you mean?” I asked. “I didn’t invite you over.”

            “Yeah, but Emma did. We’re having a movie marathon. You’re welcome to join,” he said, a deviant smile playing at his lips.

            I quickly glanced at the teacher’s desk, making sure he was no longer in the room. Seeing as the coast was clear, I shoved James. Hard. He staggered back, falling into one of the desks and onto the floor. His books spilled across the linoleum, going in every direction.

            “What the hell, man?!” he shouted.

            I ignored him, walking swiftly out of the classroom. After a few minutes, I heard fast footsteps approaching.

            “Ricky!” James called after me. “Come on, man!”

            I was at the meet-up place when he finally caught up with me. James grabbed my shoulder and slammed me against the hard bricks that made up the school. I glanced to the side, anxious for Emma to get here. Maybe she’d finally see how her boyfriend really acted.

            “What’s up, dude?” he growled in my face. “You’ve been weird ever since Emma and I got together.”

            “I don’t have to tell you anything,” I tried to push James off me, but his grip was too tight.

            “Yes. You. Do.”

            “You’re being a total prick right now, you know that?!” I yelled.

            “You’re the one who’s PMS-ing,” he fired back. “Just calm down and tell me what’s wrong.”

            My shoulders dropped and the coldness in the air hit me. I felt it slither up through my clothes and run across my skin. I exhaled loudly, watching as my breath became a white puff. James took his hands off me and stepped back, waiting.