Chapter 4 Chapter 4 The Video Game
It’s been a month since our Sand Dunes trip. Tish and I are back at school, and life has been nonstop. Between school, soccer, tennis, and work, I haven’t had time for anything else—let alone going out. I work Monday through Thursday after practice, so at least I get my weekends.
My parents work nights, which means I’m stuck babysitting my brothers most of the time. That Friday night was warm, though, and they ended up heading out for a bike ride with their friends. Tish came over, and we were just hanging out, doing nothing.
Colt calls and asks what we’re up to. I tell him nothing—just chilling, maybe playing video games. My body is sore as hell, and I don’t feel like going anywhere. Tish and I play tennis at her school, and I’ve got soccer at mine. I got lucky that practices and games don’t overlap, but it still kicks my ass.
I tell him he can come over if he wants.
Then he drops the real reason for the call—Matt wants to come too.
I hesitate. I really don’t want to see him.
Tish nudges me hard, giving me those crazy eyes.
“Fine! Bring him!”
We hang up, and my phone rings again immediately. I roll my eyes, already annoyed.
“I said fine! Just bring him. I’m going to play a video game anyway—have fun watching me!”
Silence.
“What are you playing, trouble?”
I blink. “Vincent? Sorry—I thought you were Colt. Need for Speed.”
“Can I play with you?”
“Anytime,” I say, leaning into the flirt. Tish starts cracking up.
“I’ll be on in five.”
“Take your time,” I smirk.
“You know I will.” The way he says it almost sounds like a moan.
I shake it off and clean up the living room a bit. I like things neat before people come over. I grab an energy drink and drop onto the carpet in front of the TV, turning the game on.
Vince is already waiting.
I put my headset on so we can talk shit—and flirt more.
Tish lets Matt and Colt in. They settle onto the couch behind me, already drinking. I glance back, and Matt is staring at me like I hung the moon.
No thanks, asshole.
“Matt is there, huh?” Vince says in my ear.
“Yep.”
“He’s going to ask you out.”
“Skip.”
He laughs. “He hasn’t shut up about you. About that night. I wanted to shut him up so bad.”
“Why didn’t you?” I ask, trying to pass him—he’s kicking my ass.
“He’s my friend. And he really likes you.”
“I have no comment. I’m not interested.”
He laughs again.
From behind me, Colt leans forward. “Who is PussyMonster? Who are you playing with?”
I grin. “Colt wants to know who I’m playing with.”
“I can hear him, trouble.”
I turn slightly. “Some Italian asshole with an East Coast accent. Deep voice. Big dick energy.”
Tish turns bright red and chokes on her beer. Colt just frowns, confused, and goes back to talking about school and other dumb shit.
“Another race?” Vince asks.
“I can go another round.”
“I want to go all night with you.”
“Oh yeah? Then come over and show me.”
He laughs. “I wish. I have to work early tomorrow. Another night?”
“Most of my nights are full,” I say. “Soccer, tennis, work… I don’t have time for anything else.”
We don’t talk much after that. We race a few more times, then he says goodnight.
Before Colt and Matt leave, Matt does exactly what Vince said—he asks me out. I tell him I don’t really have time to date, but Tish nudges me hard.
“We’re all going bowling next Saturday night. Go as my date!”
“Our whole group,” Colt adds.
I sigh. “Okay… fine.”
They leave, and Tish and I head outside, sitting on the stairs of my building with our Dr Peppers, music playing softly from her phone. Erika joins us, and we people-watch, talking about the boys.
“Why didn’t you tell Matt about Rodrigo?” Tish asks.
I shrug.
Rodrigo is technically my boyfriend. One of my brother’s friends. His family is super religious, and we’ve been seeing each other for a month.
I was ready to have sex.
He wasn’t.
He literally stopped after putting the tip in—completely chickened out.
Yeah. No.
I’m not doing a dry relationship.
“I’m dumping him next week,” I say. “He’s boring. I’m not wasting my time.”
“You’re so cold, Elle.”
“I like being a bitch.”
My phone buzzes. It’s Gemma.
“Green Door?” she asks as soon as I pick up. Gemma always skips "Hello" and "Goodbye".
“We’ll meet you,” I reply.
We split up to get ready. The Green Door is a swingers club—Gemma knows someone, so we can get in. We mostly just go to watch.
My phone buzzes again. I answer not looking again.
“Gemma, do you have drinks or do I need to bring some—”
“Where are you going, trouble?”
I roll my eyes. “I thought you were going to bed, Vincent?”
“You agreed to go out with Matt?”
“He said the whole group is going!”
Silence.
“Are you jealous, Vince?”
Nothing.
“Do you want to ask me out?”
“No.” He says it way too fast.
It stings a little.
“Where are you going with Gemma?” he asks.
“The Green Door. All the girls are coming.”
“The Green Door…” I can practically hear the smile in his voice. “Can I go?”
I smirk.
Well, well. Look who grew a pair.
“You have to work early. And you literally just said you don’t want to go out with me, so…” I literally asked him to come over to fuck, he said he has to be up early. Shit head.
“You know that’s not what I meant,” he says. “I’m too old to date you.”
I laugh. “Ha-ha. But not too old to fuck. Goodnight, Vincent. See you next weekend—on my date with Matt.”
I hang up before he can respond.
I don’t want to hear his lame excuses.
Later, we meet up with some guys Gemma knows after the Green Door. We mostly just watch—no way I’m hooking up with random guys in a club.
Still…
It’s a night.