Playing for Keeps

Love Drunk

My reflection looking back at me seemed perfect. My make-up was applied perfectly, my hair perfectly curled. But inside I knew I was falling apart. The image of Bryce and Jazz burned into my brain, and ripping me apart little by little.

Brit poked her head in my room, “Hey, do you need help with anything?”

“Yeah, do you think you can curl the  back of my hair?” I asked.

“Sure thing.” She grabbed my curling iron and started to put curls into my hair.

“Soooo, are you gonna let this Jason guy down slowly?” Brit asked.

“What are you talking about?” I lied.

“Summer, I know as well as you do, that you don’t like Jason. Or at least not like that.” She let another curl fall from the curling iron.

“Well, I’ll tell him eventually… But maybe tonight will change how I feel about him.” I said, playing with my fingers nervously.

“Okay.” Brit said, adding the last curl and placing down the curling iron.

I pushed myself out of my chair and smoothed out my dress. My dress was ruby red, and stretched down to just above my ankles, covering my hideous bruises from soccer. I wore ruby red stilettos to match. “Well how do I look?” I asked.

“You look you should be going to the Emmy’s, not some small town homecoming.”

“Well thank you. You don’t look to bad yourself.”  I smiled.  I wasn’t lying. Her emerald green dress made her orange hair stand out, and her green eyes shine.

A knock at the door made me jump. “Summer! Jason is here!” My mom yelled from down stairs. I quickly adjusted my curls and grabbed my purse. “When is your date gonna be here?” I asked Brit. “I’m riding solo tonight.” She said, with a confident smile.

“Well why don’t you come with us? There’s nothing like pulling up to a dance in a sleek silver stang!” I joked.

“Sure, if you don’t mind.” She said, grabbing her own purse.

“Of course not.” I assured her.

“Just give me a moment.” She said, rushing to her bedroom. I walked down the stairs to where Jason waited for me. He was talking with my mom, but he stopped when he saw me. My mom gave me a knowing smile and walked to another room.

“Wow… Summer you look beautiful.” He said shyly, running a hand through his hair.

“Thanks. You look handsome.” I said, reaching up for his hand, which was still nervously running through his hair.

“Alright I’m ready!” Brit said walking into the room.

“Oh, yeah. Jason, would it be okay if Brit rode with us?” I asked.

“Yeah, no problem.” He said, a kind smile spreading across his face.

“Great!” Brit said excitedly.

“PICTURE TIME!” My mom announced, wielding a camera.
 

~~*~~*~~
 

We pulled up to the school. Music was seeping out of the gym doors, filling the parking lot with a steady beat of music. Brit got out and headed towards the door, leaving Jason and I alone. I was going to make the most of tonight, and it started with Jason. I reached for his hand and intertwined our fingers. He gave me that shy smile, that was beginning to look cute on his face.

The gym was decorated to look like a medieval castle. Though if I remembered correctly, most medieval castles didn’t have laser lights shooting everywhere, but it still looked pretty cool.  Jason and I made our way towards a group of people near the middle of the gym. I recognized Clair, Jasmine, Liz and Kimmi along with a few guys from the guys soccer team. It’s funny how we always seem to be near each other, the boys and girls soccer team.

We all talked as the gym slowly began to fill up. I was joking with Clair when I felt someone’s arms wrap around waist. “Jason, what are you doing?” I laughed.  Clair quickly shook her head. My stomach dropped and I quickly turned around. Bryce was standing there with a goofy grin on his face. He looked like he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days and he wreaked of alcohol.

“Bryce, what are you doing?” I asked, pushing myself away from him.

“I wanted to dance with you.” He said with a grin.

I was about to say something, when Jason walked up and confidently answered for me. “Sorry Bryce, she came here with me.”

Jason turned to look at me, that shyness returning to his features when he asked, “Summer, would you like to dance?”

I gave my full attention to Jason, ignoring Bryce, “I would love to Jason.”

I pushed past Bryce, pulling Jason along with me. We walked to the middle of the dance floor and stopped to look at each other. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I wrapped mine around his neck. We slowly moved to the song playing in the background. It was nice. I knew Jason cared about me. But I honestly can’t bring myself to feel the same.

I looked up at him to see he was already smiling. The music was slow and we were in like some sort of trance. I saw his eyes slowly close as he leaned forward. I knew what he was doing, but I wouldn’t stop him. I closed my eyes and started to lean forward too.

Suddenly Jason and I were pulled apart. I stumbled backwards, but steadied myself before I fell over. Jason’s expression mirrored my own1. We were both shocked! Who did that? That’s when I saw Bryce. He was standing about two feet from Jason. His hands were clenched into fists.

“What the fuck are you doing with my girl?!” he snarled.

“Your girl? Have you forgotten you guys broke up?! She’s not your girl anymore!” Jason snarled back.

Bryce lunged at Jason, throwing punches and cursing loudly. I quickly grabbed a hold of Bryce’s arm, trying to yank him off Jason, but it was no use. Jake, one of the seniors on the soccer team notice and helped me pull them apart. But Bryce wasn’t going to give up so easily. He broke out of Jakes grip and tackled Jason. Jason threw some punches of his own, landing one strait to Bryce’s jaw.

Jake and some other boys came and yanked them apart. Two guys had Bryce, with his hands pulled tightly behind him. Jason was in the same situation. They both squirmed, itching to attack each other again. Jason had a bloody lip and his cheek was swollen. I walked over to him and placed a hand on his cheek. He calmed down and the boys let him go. “Jason, you’re not going to like this, but I need to get him home before he causes anymore trouble.” I motioned towards Bryce who was struggling even more at the site of me touching Jason.

“No fucking way am I letting you be alone with that bastard.” Jason spat.

“He won’t hurt me. And I’m afraid if you came you two would only fight again.” I said.

He eyed Bryce for a moment, before nodding. “Fine, but call me when you get home so I know he didn’t hurt you.”
I gave him a small smile and leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

I heard Bryce yell as he tried to pull about of the tight grip he was in. When I turned around I saw he was pinned to the wall with about 4 guys holding onto him. When they saw me making my way towards me the moved so I could see his face. “Bryce?”

“Summer!” he said happily. That sent hit me hard. He reeked of alcohol but it smelled worse now that I was face to face with him. His eyes were blood shot and droopy and his hair was in knots from fighting. I could see he had a bruise forming along his jaw where Jason had hit him. I reached out and tenderly brushed it with my fingertips. Bryce wasn’t struggling anymore, and he was looking at me with intense eyes. The memory of Bryce fighting with back instantly played itself in my memory, making me pull away. Bryce reached out and grabbed my hand. But I pulled it out of his grasp. “Come on.” I said, walking towards the back exit of the gym. The music was still blaring and kids everywhere were either dancing, or twerking, or even grinding on each other. I pushed my way past them hoping Bryce was following me. I stepped outside into the cool Illinois air. Bryce stumbled out after me. A teacher gave us a funny look. “Are you leaving?”

“Yes.”

“You do realize you can’t go back in, right?”

Disappointment dropped in my stomach, but I knew that was the case. I nodded and started to pull Bryce towards the parking lot. I scanned it for his truck seeing it in the far corner on the other side of the school. Great. I hate wearing heels, now I have to endure the pain of walking through the grass and rock road pathway to my drunk ex’s car.

After about 2 minutes I decide that there was no way in hell I was walking all the way there in these heels. I stopped and bent over, yanking my heels off.

“I always liked you better in cleats anyways.” I heard Bryce mumble.

I ignored him, and continued to walk barefoot to Bryce’s truck. It took us about 8 minutes. Bryce stumbled, and tripped over is drunk self a couple of times but it was his own fault. When we got to his truck I turned around and held out my hand, “Keys.”

“Why can’t I drive?” he asked.

I raised my eyebrow, giving him an ‘Are you serious’ look, but his blank stare showed he still didn’t understand. “You’re wasted. I’m not letting you kill yourself.” I said. “Now give me your keys!” 

He grinned, “Well you’re going to have to come and find them.”

I rolled my eyes and groaned in frustration. I walked over and reached my hand down his pocket. My hand grasped the cold metallic key and I pulled it out.

“How’d you know it wasn’t in my jacket pocket?” he asked.

“Because you always put your keys in your pants pocket.” I unlocked the doors and jumped in.

“So you’ve been paying attention?” he asked.

I ignored him as I shoved the keys into ignition started the truck to life. I reached to turn the heat on, rubbing my arms in attempt to warm them up faster. Bryce moved a little, and then I felt a warm jacket fall on my shoulders. The jacket was still warm from his body heat, instantly warming my cold body.

“Does that help?” He asked.

A smile played across my lips, “Yes.”

I pulled my seatbelt across m, and then pulled out of the parking space. A question tickled my brain, aaand lingered on my lips, “Bryce? Why on Earth would you get drunk? Especially going to something at school! Do you realize they could suspend you? Or kick you off the team? You could lose your soccer scholarship all because you wanted to get drunk?!”

“I don’t care.”

“Why?” I asked as I turned onto the main road that headed towards our neighborhood.

“Because it helps numb the outside world, and make it seem better than it is.” He told me. His words were a little slurred  here and there but I ignored it.

“Bryce… What’s going on? You never used to act this way.” I said quietly.

“I didn’t need to because I had you…” he whispered.

I tried to form some kind of response, but I couldn’t. I felt that knot form in my chest again, making it hurt. I swallowed down a sob. Bryce was leaning his head against the window, looking straight ahead. The silence between us was becoming so thick that it was nearly suffocating me. I reached in and turned on the radio.

Instantly music fill the space between us. But who was I fooling? I still felt the awkward silence between us.

I pulled into our neighborhood, turning down his street. I pulled into his drive way and killed the ignition. We just sat there. My sadness and my longing for him disappearing and slowly being replaced with anger.”

“Great, now I missed two homecomings.” I mumbled.

“What?” he asked.

I leaned my head against the seat, “I didn’t go my freshmen year. And now I missed this one.”

“Why didn’t you go freshmen year?” he asked.

“Because… Because I didn’t think I would like it. I didn’t have anyone to go with, and I figured I wouldn’t have any fun. After all, who wants to get dressed up and go to something like that?”

“Then why did you go last year?”

“I-I…”  I had you last year. But I didn’t want to say that. If I did, Bryce might realize that I still loved him.

We sat there silently. I climbed out of Bryce’s truck, and Bryce followed suit. I let out a sigh. “Well thanks to you I missed homecoming and all the dancing that goes with it.”

Bryce gave me that grin that I loved so much. He opened the truck door and leaned in. He pushed the keys in and I heard the music come back on. He flipped through the stations, before finally landing on one that was playing, “Let Her Go.”

Bryce turned and smiled at me. He walked over, and pulled me close to him. “We can still dance.”

I smiled and leaned my head on his chest. I hesitated before wrapping my arms around his neck. He wrapped his around my waist, pulling me hard against his body. We moved to the music. His driveway turned into our own world. A world where everything was normal. A world where we were still together.

‘Only know you've been high when you're feeling low, Only hate the road when you’re missin' home, Only know you love her when you let her go, And you let her go’

I felt a tear stream down my cheek and fall onto his shirt. What have I done? This breakup has obviously hurt not only me, but him as well.

‘Well you see her when you fall asleep, But never to touch and never to keep, 'Cause you loved her too much, And you dived too deep’

The lyrics rang through my ears, as we continued to move. I felt the song drawing to an end, and I was dreading it. Bryce started to pull away, and I felt my arms tighten around his neck. I looked up at him, but he was already looking down at me. He leaned forward and crashed his lips to mine. I kissed him hungrily, as if my life depended on this moment. But then I started to taste the alcohol on his lips.

I was brought back to last year. When I had gone to Jack’s homecoming. He had gotten drunk and shoved his tongue down my throat. I don’t know how far he would have gone if Bryce hadn’t come. He had gotten hurt that night too.

I pulled away. Bryce made a groaned in protest, but I looked at him which made him shut up. I reached and brushed my hand across his face. He grabbed my hand and held it.

I felt my breath quicken. Right now, all I wanted was him. But… I can’t have him. No now. Not when he’s drunk off his ass. “Come on. Let’s get you in bed before your mom finds out your wasted. I reached in and pulled his keys out of up to his door and unlocked it.

“Go up to your room.” I whispered.

He looked at me with confused eyes, but obeyed without question. I walked into his kitchen and grabbed him a water bottle and an aspirin. I knew all too well that he was going to wake up with a serious hangover, and a lot of questions. I tiptoed up the stairs and down the hallway to his room. He laid there in a pair of loosely fitted pajama pants that hung dangerously low on his waist.

I shook the foggy thoughts from my head and placed the pill and the water bottle on his side table. Bryce grinned at me. “You wanna get in here with me?” he asked.

“No… Bryce your drunk.”

“Sooooo?” he slurred.

I rolled my eyes and reached for his covers and pulled them over his body. “Bryce, I brought you some water. Make sure you stay hydrated okay?”

“Okay babe.”

I stopped dead in my tracks, hesitating, before continuing forward. Before I left his room I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, and quickly scrabbled down a note and placed it on his night stand.
 
I left his house, and went to his backyard. The gate that led to my backyard wasn’t locked, and I was grateful for that.

Carefully I walked past my mom’s rose bush, trying hard tot to get it stuck on the thorns. The door was unlocked, so I slipped right in. I collapsed on the couch and pulled out my phone sending a message to Jason.

I’m home- S

Did he try anything-J

Yes, but I liked it…

No-S

Sorry our kiss got cut short. We’ll have to finish what we started. ;)-J

I cringed. First of all, I didn’t want to kiss him. Second, I didn’t know if I wanted this… thing between me and Jason to turn into something. My mistake with Bryce was exactly that. A mistake. I should have never broke up with him. And I was starting to regret it even more than normal.

My fingers brushed along my lips, remembering this kiss we shared.

I decided not to respond to Jason. My feet were killing me from the short time that I did where my heels. And my dress was beginning to feel itchy against my skin. I dragged my feet up the stairs. I unzipped my dress, and let it drop to my ankles. I reached for my blue tank top and pulled it over my head.

My bed was looking more inviting with each passing second. I sunk under the sheets and closed my eyes, and drifted into dreamland.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Comment and Vote!