When One Player Meets Another...

One When One Player Meets Another Chapter 9.5

I frowned, looking at the floor, as soft as it was I’d rather sleep on a bed. Instantly I demanded, “How the heck did I end up on the floor? I’m the one paying for the trip!”

Ok so my parent’s were paying… but that’s pretty similar if you ask me. “I’m the girl.” Summer stated coolly, “Besides isn’t this an apology trip? Thus I get the bed.”

“The floor will hurt my back.” I stated. Her response was quick and lighting fast, “Then sleep on the couch.”

I paused for a moment before I asked, “Can I sleep with you?”

There was a muffled 'whump' as something hit me squarely in the face. Whatever it was, it was soft, so I think the “Ouch!” I let out, came more from surprise than pain. “What the heck was that?” I demanded.

“Pillow.” Came Summer’s muffled voice.

“Why?”

“’Cause you deserved it.”

I rolled my eyes, “Summer when I asked if I could sleep with you, I meant like next to you, not WITH you.” When she didn’t answer right away I continued, “I swear, I’m not gonna try anything on you.”

“I’d kill you if you tried.” Summer mumbled, and I just rolled my eyes again.

“Oh please,” I stated, and her voice as she responded, I could what I said had bruised her ego, “No, really, I’m scary when I’m angry.”

“You were angry earlier and I wasn’t scared then.”

“Shut up.”

“Is that a yes?” I enquired, and once again there was silence so I pressed on, “Does that mean I can sleep with- next to you?”

Her response was almost so faint that I didn’t catch it but I knew what it was, “Fine.”

I climbed into the bed, only to hear the strange noises things being set down on the sheets. “What are you…?” I began, but Summer was lighting fast.

“I’m building a wall out pillows, it would be in your best interest to keep on your side.” After that Summer offered no more conversation, no mater how I poked or prodded with my words.

Finally I let the silence grow, and as I did I heard her breathing change from the regular, to slow and deep and just like that Summer Smith was down for the count.

I listened to her breathing as it mixed in with the outside sounds, now that my eye had somewhat a adjusted to the darkness and thanks to the light from the city outside, I could see Summer’s silhouette as she slept over the pillow wall.

Eyes closed, an expression of peace on her face so different from the usual expression she wore around me, the city light’s creating a somewhat halo affect around her brow hair that lay in a mass on her pillow… she seemed so innocent.

Too innocent to cheat on me I know. She would have never done anything with Will… not while she was still dating me. That was just classic Summer Smith, but I couldn’t help it, that dopey grin she got on her face when she talked about him drove me insane.

She wasn’t supposed to smile for other guys. She was supposed to smile just for me.

Yet she smiled for him, the stupid little rat boy… I hated his guts since he walked in the cafeteria and dared to call her pretty right in front of me. That’s why I slammed the tray into his shirt, because although he acted all innocent when I came up behind them I could see it in his eyes. Before I even introduced myself he knew who I was and what she was too me.

So I had tried to scare him off, but it had only made the hunt more alluring for him. Which had then risen the stakes when he actually fell for her… and she was falling for him. As much as it pissed me off, I knew that was true.

And for the first time I felt a small pang of worry that I might not get what I wanted in the end.

Which is probably why, though I swore I wouldn’t touch her, I couldn’t help but reach under the pillow wall that she had constructed and take her hand in mine. Instantly I felt a flood of warmth run through me, reminding me of how I felt earlier today at Saks, when her and I had been joking around not as a couple, or two people who hated each other but… friends.

I didn’t think I could ever fall in love with Summer, but I wouldn’t mind be her friend. After all, though the whole honesty thing was harsh, I liked it; I liked hearing what Summer really had to say.

And as sleep began to claim me I couldn’t help but give a silent thanks to Will. Ironically, if it weren’t for the fact that he was trying to destroy everything good in my life, I wouldn’t be here right now.

“Thanks dude,” I said softly, “I owe you one.” And with that I fell into a deep sleep.

<End of Chapter 9.5>