Authors Note: Hello, beautiful people. I finally found a picture of whom I picture Phoenix as, so it's posted. Her name is Lara Raybone and she's a model, she's not very popular in the entertainment world yet but she's gorgeous, right? So what do you think about Jess and Ace together? Unusually paired but I think they're cute. Phoenix might be a tad mad in this chapter. Haha. Enjoy!
|Chapter 12|
The weekend past by far too quickly and my American History class had arrived. I sat down in my usual seat at the very back of the class while students piled in.
I really wished I could just skip class today but I didn't want that asshole to have the satisfaction of knowing I was hurt. He was probably too dense to know either way but whatever, I had to come.
Carter walked in and I swear, I gulped so loud the whole class could hear. He looked hot, wearing an outfit I hadn't seen him wear before. It consisted of a blue, short sleeve button up, black skinny jeans and a snapback that had "Golfwang" written on it. I guess his style alternated between rich, preppy guy to skater guy.
He looked up at me and gave me a big smile. Yeah, he clearly didn't know that I was pissed at him. I dropped my eyes, staring at my desk.
Mr. Sheffield started teaching but it was hard to focus. I kept drifting in and out, thinking about Carter.
He had taken up too much of my important thinking time, I was sick of it. I wanted him out of my head and out of my life. I didn't need all of his mixed signals bullshit.
I saw him glance back at me a few times but I never made eye contact.
After what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Sheffield announced, "Class dismissed."
I gathered up my stuff and waited for the crowd of people to file out of the room.
To my surprise, Carter was leaned up against a wall, waiting on me. Oh great, now he had time to talk to me.
I walked straight past him, not even giving him a passing glance. Carter ended up by my side anyways, "Phoenix?"
I didn't respond, maybe the silent treatment was a bit immature but I didn't think I'd be able to talk to him without screaming.
He called my name again, "Phoenix?"
I rolled my eyes and he grabbed my wrist, forcing me to look at him.
I growled out, "What?!"
Carter's eyes were full of concern. I'm sure he was just so concerned about losing a sex toy.
Carter asked, "What's wrong?"
I bit my tongue, holding back everything I had not to scream, "Nothing."
I tried to walk away but he pulled me back again. He really should've just let me go, he did not want to hear what I had to say to him.
His hazel eyes bored into mine, "Phoenix, what's wrong?"
I couldn't hold back any longer, I screamed out, "What's wrong is I'm tired of your shit! I'm tired of the mixed signals and waiting for your texts! And I most certainly will not put up with getting used for sex and then getting kicked out of your goddamn apartment! You're a fucking selfish bastard!"
There were a few people in the hallway, staring at my outburst but I didn't give a damn. I was enraged.
Carter looked embarrassed. Good, he should be. He mumbled out, "I didn't kick you out."
I yelled, "Oh, piss off!" I flipped him the bird and opened a door to the stairwell. There was no way I was going in an elevator with him. I sped down the seven flights of stairs, cursing to myself.
Once I reached the first floor, I stopped and set down on the bottom step. Carter could be exiting the elevator and I really didn't want to see his face.
I pulled out my phone, scrolling through my contacts. Oddly enough, I clicked on Ace's name. Jess, Ace, Kylie and I had all hung out on Sunday and I had gotten his phone number. He was a cool guy and gave better advice than Jess to be perfectly honest.
I texted: So, I ran into Carter after class and he had the audacity to ask me what was wrong? He didn't even know! I may or may not have made a huge scene and told him off.
Ace texted back: Hahahaha. Oh fuck, Phoenix, I'm proud of you. I wish I could've seen his face.
I texted: It was awesome, he looked really embarrassed. Any tips of what to do if I see him again and want to punch his face in?
Ace texted: Want me to punch him for you?
I texted: You can fight? I doubt that.
Ace texted: Oh, fuck you. I was trying to be nice.
I laughed out loud. I could already see Ace as one of the girls, joining our troublesome foursome.
I finally stood up and headed off to tennis practice. Fuck Carter Sanders.
....................................................
On Friday, I stood on the tennis court, stretching alongside my teammates. We had a game against West Virginia today and for once, I was extremely nervous. West Virginia was good and I wasn't in my typical "game mode".
After my confrontation with Carter on Tuesday, he had texted me twice. One saying "Phoenix, what was that all about?" and another that said "Can we please talk? Meet me at my apartment at 7." I didn't reply to either.
I was angry and hurt. I felt so incredibly stupid and taken advantage of. Maybe I had caused all of this, I probably did. I was the one who always tried to attack him with my body, giving him the wrong impression of me.
He probably just assumed I was a whore who wanted to jump his bones. I'll admit I didn't know what I wanted from him at first but after the first "date", I knew and I thought he knew, too. We had a connection, emotionally and sexually, or maybe I had just imagined that.
But I wasn't going to take the full blame for this. You don't just lie about liking someone, sex high or not, that's just fucked up. Plus, you don't kick someone out after just having sex with them causing them to stand in the cold for thirty minutes waiting on a cab, at least be a fucking gentleman. If he really liked me, he wouldn't have done that.
"Phoenix? Phoenix!"
I glanced up to see Audrine looking at me weirdly.
I asked, "What?"
Audrine growled, "I've been saying your name for the past 20 seconds! Where's your head at?"
I bit my bottom lip, "Nowhere, I'm here. Sorry."
Audrine rolled her eyes, "Seriously, get your head out of the clouds. We have a game to win today."
I nodded. Audrine was right, I needed to stop thinking about him, I needed to just focus on the game.
A loud voice came over the speakers, "First set of the day, from the University of Pittsburgh: Phoenix Malone and Audrine Becker."
Audrine and I walked out onto the court, earning a round of applause and some screams from the crowd. We were using the indoor tennis court because of the snow outside, so the crowd seemed unusually close to us.
"Versus from the University of West Virginia: Violet Caudill and Reanna Deem."
There was only small claps for them since we were playing at home and their fans weren't here.
Audrine had first serve and I watched as her powerful muscles flexed as she smacked the ball with her racket sending it soaring across the net.
We have to win 2 out of 3 sets to win the match. The first set, we won 1-4. You have to get 4 points to win a set.
For the second set, you switch sides, going to the opposite side of the tennis court. While, I was walking over to the other side of the court, I glanced over at the crowd. Jess had said she would try to make it today but I didn't see her but whom I did see made my heart stop.
Carter Sanders was amongst the crowd, his gaze looking straight at me. What the hell was he doing here? Was he doing this on purpose, just to spite me?
I tore my eyes away from him quickly. Focus on the game, focus on the game.
The other team served first, bouncing the ball directly at me. I smacked it with my racket sending it straight into the damn net.
I muttered under my breath, "Shit."
I could see Audrine glaring at me from the corner of my eye but I didn't dare look at her.
After seeing Carter, it was no surprise to me that we lost our doubles match. I walked like a zombie over to my coach. He gave me a quick speech about what I had done wrong, like I didn't already know.
I set down on the bench, next to my teammates and they gave me pity slaps on the back. Audrine set down next to me, I could tell just by her facial expression that she was pissed. It was my fault we lost, I'd take the blame for it.
I sighed, "Audrine, I'm sorry. Okay?"
Audrine rolled her eyes, "I don't know what's up with you, if you're going through some rough shit right now or what but that's no excuse. Once you get on that court, the only thing that matters is that flying ball coming at you."
I mumbled, "I know, I know."
I was angry, too, at myself. I clasped my hands together, looking at the crowd, trying to avoid Audrine's glare but meeting Carter's eyes instead.
I guess I looked at him for a second too long and Audrine noticed. She practically yelled, "Don't even tell me that's why you fucked up the match today."
I glanced at her and she shook her head, biting her bottom lip, "Really, Phoenix? Carter Sanders?" She added in a hateful voice, "What he do, break your heart?"
My God, she didn't have to be such a bitch to me.
Audrine wouldn't shut up, "I didn't pick you as my doubles parter, so you could fuck up our stats over some stupid guy. Do you even know how pathetic that is, Phoenix? Jesus Christ."
I couldn't take it anymore, my hands were shaking with anger, I screeched out, "Audrine! SHUT UP!"
I gave her the most intimidating glare I could conceive and she just continued shaking her head at me.
I rolled my eyes, standing up and sitting down between Katie and Melanie, so I didn't have to sit by her.
Audrine had always taken the game far too seriously and that was one of her worst qualities. It was one match, one stupid match. She acted like I had screwed up the whole season.
I had somehow managed to get my anger out on my singles match, winning it. Audrine grinned at me after I won but I ignored her. I didn't win for you, bitch.
After watching all my teammates play, I finally got the hell out of there. I didn't even say goodbye to anyone, I just stalked out of there.
The cold air hit me as I speed walked down the sidewalk, heading toward my dorm room. It was unfortunately a long walk.
I heard someone scream my name and turned to see Carter jogging toward me. Fuck, I was not in the mood for this.
Once he was a few feet away, he stopped, looking me in the eyes.
I grumbled, "What?"
Carter looked nervous, as he positioned his weight from his left foot to his right foot. He licked his lips and asked almost sincerely, "Are you okay?"
I sputtered, throwing my hands in the air, "No, I'm not okay. You show up for God knows why, causing me to fuck up my doubles match. Then Audrine starts bitching me out for messing up our stats, so I told her to shutup. I told my fucking doubles partner to shut up. I-I- you're just messing everything up for me! Just leave me alone!"
Carter tried to grab my shoulders but I moved away from him and began flat out running to my dorm room. I knew I looked like an idiot but I didn't care. I had to get away from him before the tears started falling. Luckily, he didn't follow me.
First, he was tearing my attention away from class and now tennis? He was going to destroy me. How had I let this happen?