A Numbers Game

Chapter 9

Rodney inquired, eyebrows raised. Like a chameleon I feel myself flush red as I step out of Carter's entanglement of limbs like he was pepper. I shake my head and let out a breath.

"No. Are you kidding? Please Ro, I was just entering the Wi-Fi password into Carter's phone." I shoot Carter an as if look which he fails to catch.

He nods and gives me a "yeah right" smile. Slinging his backpack off his shoulder and onto my chair, Rodney pulls out his game controller. I work quickly to add him into the game and get him situated but my fingers fumble prolonging the process. I still feel dazed as I plop myself in between the two guys. The countdown for the round begins but my mind is distracted. I can still feel his arms around me and phantom touches. Red splats on my screen catch my attention and I bolt my character in the opposite direction. I hear Rodney start to guaff.

   Carter understands doesn't he? I'm not ashamed of him. Im not. Why the hell would I be? He's a good person and kind and knows how to treat a girl. That says a lot about a guy, a person in general, these days. He understands what I do and mean without me having to explain myself incessantly, which I despise, but often must do, and isn't too sensitive. The kid manages to survive my crazy mood swings, per my numbertitis condition, and still decides to stick around. A warmth spreads in my chest as I dwell on the subject. My eyes flick over to him momentarily, the side of his mouth tipped into a frown. Not to mention he's easy on the eyes. I can't help the horrible feeling that he's angry at me for moving away from his embrace.

The controller vibrates in my hand and I look up. One of the archers has me in their sights. I run for cover wildly.

"You alright Z?" Of course I am, with my clammy hands and racing heart and senses hyper aware of my shoulder brushing against Carter's every time I click L2. I have this crazy idea to just kiss him right there. Just say screw it and give in.

"Peachy keen." I lie. Rodney shrugs.

"Guess you just suck then." This grabs my attention and I focus just long enough to take out a few of his men. He frowns at me. "Don't be like Jackson now." he warns me and I realize that he was Rodney's primary mode of transportation. With me and Jackson's little quarrel earlier; he was left out in the cold. I feel a pang of guilt at me not listening to him on the phone.

"Hey, sorry about earlier. It didn't register that you didn't have a ride over here," he waves me off, eyes still glued to the screen.

"Yeah, I would've given you a ride." Carter adds in. Rodney snorts.

"For me to be a third wheel? Thanks, but I'll pass. My mom was more than happy to drop me."

"A what?" I sound shrill and adjust my voice. "Please, Ro, don't be ridiculous." Carter stiffens beside me and I don't know what I did wrong. "Anyways, I didn't know if Jackson was coming over or not. I didn't exactly dis-invite him." Though I didn't really have too. My anger flares as I think of Jade lips coming too close to his face and the dazed expression he wore. He's a fool. And he had the gall to act like nothing was wrong. He knew what was wrong with what he was doing. I guide my character in doing a silent kill, the sound of the neck twisting providing the room with a satisfying crack.

Rodney sighs. "I don't know why he's going back to her. Whatever she has that makes every guy go crazy, I just don't see it." He runs a hand down his face as the round ends. He turns to Carter, nodding towards him. "Jade Pickett, what do you think of her?" My fingers curl inside my palm. Though Rodney may not see the appeal, I did. She played on the raging hormones inside every teenage boy. In addition to dressing like she was covered in plastic wrap, she switched between playing a innocently coy school girl, which she definitely was not, and a dominating hard to get queen bee, which she also wasn't. She knew what she wanted and waited until she was sure that when she pursued it she wouldn't fail. You could tell who her next victim was based on who she watched in the halls every week. Jade was a master of disguise and knowing her target. In all reality she was needy and insecure and empty. But of course, teenage boys eat the act up. Even the good guys find themselves attracted to her for a reason unknown to them. Hence, my apprehension at Carter's response. I had my strengths but...