Mutual Hatred - Love Game (23 page)

"Hey, I'll walk you to your car," offered Brandon.

Shelley shook her head. "No, you don't have to. I'll be fine on my own."

Brandon ignored her and guided her to the front door. The two walked in silence until they reached her car.

"You were a good coach today," Brandon said softly.

"You played well too," said Shelley.

"Would you change the way you felt about me if I told you that you've changed my perspective on girls?" asked Brandon.

"No."

"Why not?" he persisted.

"Because you'd still be an egotistical jackass who spent the whole night with Chelsey Smith," retorted Shelley.

Ouch.

"But you've changed my outlook! We won tonight. Do you know how good that felt?"

"That's nice for you," said Shelley, "But I really should be getting home now."

"Go out with me tomorrow night."

This caught Shelley completely off guard.

"Excuse me?"

"Go out with me. On a date," he clarified.

"Are you drunk?"

"I've only had two beers the entire night. And those were hours ago."

"So you're asking me out on a date with you, after you did God-knows-what with Chelsey and hated me all this time," Shelley said slowly, as if still not understanding. "Why?"

"I think I like you."

Uh oh.

Chapter 19 – Brandon the Man-Whore

Shelley started coughing up a storm. Brandon thought there was something seriously wrong with her, so he gingerly patted her on the back and asked,

"Are you okay?"

She stopped coughing long enough to say, "I think I've got something stuck in my throat. Oh wait-it's just a bunch of BS!"

At first, Brandon didn't understand, but her words finally sank in. She thought he was kidding!

"No, no!" Brandon said hastily, "I mean it. I really do like you."

Shelley placed her hands on her hips. "And you expect me to believe that crap?" she retorted.

"Look, I know I didn't make the best first impression, but can't we just start over?" pleaded Brandon.

He sounded so desperate that Shelley almost believed him.

Key word:
almost
.

"Did Chelsey put you up to this?" demanded Shelley, "Is this another one of your sick jokes?"

Somewhere along the road, he'd definitely screwed up with Shelley, and now he regretted it. Did this girl not forgive and forget?

"What would it take to make you believe me?"

Shelley pretended to ponder the question for a moment. "Hmm, maybe a lifetime of servitude and a diamond ring."

"You're not taking me seriously!" protested Brandon. "What do I have to do?"

Shelley narrowed her eyes. "Are you actually
serious
?"

"Yes," Brandon said gallantly, thinking maybe Shelley had finally got the message.

"Fuck off, Miller. Mess with my head like that again and I'll screw you over."

Hostile, aren't we?

"I don't understand you! You're the most complicated girl I have ever met!" Brandon said with great despair.

"Well then I suggest that until you 'figure me out,' don't
ask
me out," said Shelley.

She got in her car and slammed the door. Brandon watched as she drove off into the night, silently wondering where he had gone wrong and cursing himself for being such an idiot.

Time for a different approach.

- - - - -

How was he supposed to win the heart of the girl who hated him so? Maybe he'd be lucky and it would turn out to be one of those clichéd romances. You know the kind where two people who hate each other end up falling in love?

But Shelley didn't seem like the type of girl who would be associated with those things. Apart from her looks, she was anything
but
a cliché.

That damn Chelsey.

She really was a whore.

He hadn't minded when Chelsey had kissed him. She wasn't a
bad
kisser. But then things had gotten out of hand and they'd ended up in one of the guest bedrooms. Chelsey had gone so far as to pull down his pants.

And that was where things really started going downhill.

You see, most girls considered Brandon to be a sex god. Sounds stupid, but in a sense, he was. But being a sex god came with the reputation of having a fairly large, err, 'package.' And who was he to let down the female population by putting an end to the rumor?

Unfortunately, he
had
been slightly tipsy when he and Chelsey were in the bedroom. And when she'd seen his private parts, she'd gotten that vicious glint in her eyes.

That was never a good sign. It meant Chelsey had an idea. Now that didn't happen very often, but when it did….

Her latest one was blackmail.

She wasn't quite satisfied with Brandon's genitals, so now she was forcing him to get Shelley to fall in love with him, only to break her heart, otherwise Chelsey would tell everyone….you know. He didn't want to break
anyone
's heart, but he couldn't very well let Chelsey spread the word. He had his pride to think about!

So his first attempt at reeling Shelley in had been a bust. How else could he woo her?

Brandon didn't have to think about it very long. The answer was obvious.

- - - - -

Monday morning, Shelley opened her locker, only to find it full of red roses.

What the hell?

"Like it?" a voice drawled.

Shelley slammed the door shut, only to find herself face-to-face with Brandon.

"I recall telling you on Friday night to
fuck off
. Or do you not understand English?" she said frostily.

What a burn!

"Geez, what did you have for breakfast, instant bitch?"

"I thought you wanted me to go out with you. Calling a girl a bitch is not the way to her heart," remarked Shelley.

"Sorry, sorry. It sort of slipped. Just give me one chance. That's all I'm asking," said Brandon.

"Even if I wanted to give you a chance, I can't. I'm your coach; I'm not allowed to date my football players," Shelley informed him.

Bummer.

"We could always keep it on the DL, you know. It can be our secret," said Brandon.

"Nice try, but I don't think so. You're Brandon Miller.
Everyone
knows your business."

Damn it all. She always knew just how to evade him. It wasn't like he could argue with her; even he knew that there was no way he'd be able to keep a girlfriend a secret. Alex and James would know, and then eventually everyone else would find out.

But Brandon wasn't about to give up. Quitting meant Chelsey would spread the word about his private parts, and there was a snowball in hell's chance that he would ever let that happen.

What's a guy to do?

- - - - -

As Shelley sat through Ms. Nickol's AP English class, her thoughts wandered. She just couldn't seem to figure Brandon out. They'd hated each other for months and suddenly he was confessing that he liked her? It just didn't make sense! But for some reason, the image of Brandon and
Chelsey conspiring against her did. It was just the thing Chelsey would do, although why Brandon would ever agree to help Chelsey was still a mystery.

This thought only fueled Shelley's anger. Damn Chelsey. Damn Brandon.

Shelley's not-so-bright-idea number 932: Humor Brandon and play along with his game. Then when he's about to make his grand finale, make it backfire on him.

It usually always works.

As if Brandon could feel Shelley's eyes burning into the back of his head, he turned around. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion when she smiled at him.

Was she on crack? This morning Shelley had told him to fuck off, and now she was smiling? She was more messed up than he'd originally thought!

"Mr. Miller, what are you doing?" Ms. Nickol said sharply, interrupting any of Brandon's thoughts.

"I, uh, was just turning around to see what time it was," he answered lamely.

"Right," Ms. Nickol said with pursed lips, "And that expensive watch on your wrist is for…?"

Anyone else who had been in the situation would have been red with embarrassment by now. But Brandon wasn't just anyone. Shelley was impressed by the way he retained his composure every time Ms. Nickol made a snide remark.

"It's just decoration; I like to accessorize," said Brandon, casually trying to play it off, "Sometimes I forget that it's there."

Belinda Breen, who sat behind Brandon, was cracking up. She was laughing silently, but Shelley could have sworn she saw tears streaming down her face. Honestly, Brandon wasn't
that
funny.

"I suggest that you stop looking at Ms. Sinclair, Mr. Miller, no matter how pretty she is," Ms. Nickol said dryly. "Another disruption and I'll see you in detention after school."

At this, Shelley snickered, only to earn a hard glare from Brandon. As juvenile as she knew it was, Shelley stuck her tongue out at him as he turned back around in his seat.

"Now class," said Ms. Nickol, continuing as if nothing had happened, "I would like you all to turn to page one hundred and thirty-four in your literature text. Would anyone care to read?"

No one raised their hand. Disappointed, Ms. Nickol said, "Very well then. Brandon, will you please read?"

Johnny's sister had known full well that Brandon wasn't paying attention. Once again, he was busy texting Belinda.

"Mr. Miller!" repeated Ms. Nickol.

When Brandon's head snapped up, Ms. Nickol said icily, "Detention."

His face was aghast. Detention?
Again
? But if he didn't go to practice today, then Shelley wouldn't let him play in the game tomorrow!

"But Caroli-er, Ms. Nickol, I can't miss practice! I really,
really
can't. I'm sure we can reschedule, can't we?" he protested.

"No exceptions, Brandon. If you can't play tomorrow, then you can't play."

Damn these women! They were all out to get him! First Chelsey, now Ms. Nickol. And Brandon had a sinking feeling that Shelley was still out to get him too.

When the bell rang to signal the end of the day, Brandon hung back. He approached Ms. Nickol cautiously, as if she'd attack him if he got too close. She was erasing the board, so she had her back to him. He was surprised when Ms. Nickol said, without turning around,

"If you're going to try to worm your way out of detention, I'm telling you now, it won't work."

As she said her last words, Ms. Nickol turned around to face him.

"I thought we had a connection," Brandon said softly. "Didn't what we had matter to you? Because I know it meant a lot to me."

Ms. Nickol's expression softened. It was a wonderful feeling to know that he could still charm at least
one
woman.

"Then why did you break up with me?" said Caroline.

"Come on, Carly, Johnny was my bud. It tore him up every time I went out with you, and I couldn't do that to my friend," explained Brandon, "I really didn't want to do it though. Are you treating me like this because you're bitter?"

Caroline hesitated, but then she nodded her head. "You used me."

"It's been a year. Don't you think it's time to forgive and forget?" urged Brandon. Just in case, he gave her what he thought was his most winning smile.

And indeed it worked. Wearily, Ms. Nickol sighed and said, "Fine, fine. Go to your football practice after school."

Brandon would have hugged her, but something-or someone-standing in the doorway caught his eye.

Shelley.

And she was looking at him with more disgust and shock than all the other times put together. Brandon saw disappointment and betrayal. It stung; he shouldn't have cared, but he did.

Today really wasn't his day. Even though he'd gotten out of detention, he now felt that he would have been better off
in
detention. There was a slim chance that Shelley hadn't actually heard the conversation. Maybe she was just pms-ing again.

Wordlessly, Brandon left the room. He was surprised to find Shelley waiting for him at his locker, her arms crossed.

She didn't say a word as he fiddled with his combination, nor did she say anything as he shoved books into his backpack. Now she was starting to scare him. But finally, when he slammed his locker shut, Shelley said,