The Dating Game

THIRTY-ONE

But I force that idea out of my brain before I answer Aunt Monique. "Not bad. Took the wrong exit but we got here okay."

"I see that," she says, ogling my boyfriend like a piece of meat. I want to puke when she asks, "Who's that?"

"Chase," I answer. "He's my boyfriend."

"Oh, your mom told me you were seeing someone but she didn't mention he was such a cutie."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her before letting her know we have to leave for an event, and then sends us all off with a wave. When we're all inside the car, I send Chase a confused look and he just responds with a shrug and a cocky smirk.

The drive back is simple and calm, especially since Naomi fell back asleep halfway through, and we arrive safely before Chase offers to help me out with my sister. Again, I turn him down, but he manages to make me accept in the end.

The rain is a mere sprinkle when I open the driver door, but after taking Naomi to bed and ensuring she's asleep, it's back to pouring outside. Chase escorts me to my front porch and encourages me to step out into the rain, but I draw the line.

"Not happening," I tell him.

"Oh, come on," he asks again. "One more salsa dance?"

I shake my head. "Nope."

"What if I play music this time? I'll even serenade you."

"Can you even sing?"

"I can certainly try."

I chuckle but still decline. "I'll stand on the edge for the performance."

He nods before breaking out in a horrible rendition of "Baby One More Time" by the iconic Britney Spears, and I can't control my laughter. I can't tell if he's bad on purpose or if he's just bad, and that's what makes it funnier. But as he takes a bow at the end of his performance, he manages to grab my wrist and pull me down the step to be level with him in the pouring rain.

"Oh, you jerk!" I chew him out, though I can't help my smile. It's annoying, but I'm still laughing from his performance and it's too funny to hide my grin.

"Maybe," he says, "But look at you. You're so happy down here."

I take a moment to digest his words, watching his eyes search mine. For a moment, I want to pull away and head back. I want to stop this from going any further and stop my brain from spiraling down places it should never go. I want to deny what my heart wants to believe and what my brain tells me is ridiculous, but I can't.

As Chase leans in, I don't bother stopping him. Instead, I let him cup my cheek and move my hair out of my face. I let him take his time and I don't break eye contact at all. And before I know it, he kisses me softly as the rain pours onto our heads and soaks his jacket that hugs me warmly. And as much as I want to hate it, I don't: it actually feels nice. This feels nice.

Moments pass in broken segments and coming back to reality takes a while once our lips disconnect, but when we're both fully conscious again, Chase takes his leave and tells me to sleep well. I try not to overthink the moment and let it be just that—a moment. A goal in the game; a stepping stone to victory; a necessity to win. That's all it is—that's all we are. It needs to stay like that.

Monday, January 22nd

Sunday passes by quicker than I imagined, filled with chores and homework as my mother allowed work to consume her. She still hasn't had the talk with me that she claimed was so important, but I can assume it has something to do with my disgrace of a father whose face I haven't seen in a few days. If it's good news, he'll be out of here for good—that's the best-case scenario.

But now, after a busy weekend, I'm getting ready for another day of school, trying to prepare myself. To be completely transparent, it was never that bad before. Before the game, before Isaac moved, before Anna turned evil and decided she wanted to instigate meaningless arguments with me. Nothing is how it used to be anymore and I'm stuck trying to decide whether or not that's a good thing.

On one hand, I have a lot more connections to the popular world of high school, including my "boyfriend," Chase Matthews. On the other hand, life is never going to be the same after we break up, even if I'm not boosted into the world of recognition anymore. I will always be known as the nobody Chase dated, but I will always know what being an outsider feels like.

And when I arrive at school and can't seem to find Chase, my body freezes and my brain panics. For a moment, I think he's abandoned me, and I struggle to keep calm. But when I spot him among the crowd, I realize someone just got to him before I did. And that person just so happens to be the recently bailed-out Anna Price.

I seem to catch the end of their conversation which results in a sour expression from Anna and a pitiful look from Chase. I watch him smile and then thank her–I think–before he turns in my direction. I avert my eyes, trying not to make it obvious that I was watching them. When he reaches me, he lets out an energetic, "Hey!" and I jump out of surprise.

"Jesus!" I blurt and elbow him on instinct. "You can't scare me like that!"

"No kidding." He rubs his arm. "Have you ever considered boxing? You'd be great at it."

I cross my arms. "Sounds like a blast," I say through my teeth and shake my head before starting to walk, Chase following after me naturally. "What were you saying to Anna?" I ask him when we reach my locker.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. We were just, y'know, talking," he tells me suspiciously. Very suspiciously. What is he hiding?

"Mhm," I nod slowly. "About what?"

"None of your business, Mickey," he gently pushes my shoulder as he uses a nickname strictly reserved for my five-year-old sister. I glare at him and he laughs but I refuse to let him have the last word.

"Watch yourself, Matthews," I tell him, trying my best to come off as intimidating. He just throws his arms up in defense with that smug grin.

After a moment, I close my locker and he says, "By the way, you remember the mission for this last week, right?"

I snort at his use of such a serious word when talking about this silly game before the reality sets in that this is our last week together. Part of me feels disappointed for multiple reasons, but I can't show him that. Instead, I just shake my head and allow him to explain the goal for me.

"I don't understand it," I tell him truthfully. "There's nothing we have to do in particular—just not fall in love."

He nods. "Exactly."

"Okay, but that's so easy. What makes this week any different than the last three?"

Suddenly, he takes my face in his hands and pulls it close to his. They're inches apart and he's staring into my eyes, switching between both of them. It's kind of uncomfortable—my head is stretching so far from my neck that I can only focus on the pain and not the intense eye contact.

"Like this," he says with a grin as if he's just cracked the code.

"I don't understand how this is supposed to make me fall in love with you," I tell him flatly.

"You don't feel anything?" he asks.

"Nope."

He sighs and lets go of my face. "Well, then I guess this last week is gonna be a breeze for us."