Mutual Hatred - Love Game (25 page)

"We must be pretty some pretty good looking kids," Shelley said jokingly.

"You have no idea," said Brandon as he opened the passenger door for Shelley. "I can't imagine being ugly," he added, making his way to the driver's side.

"That was incredibly shallow," retorted Shelley. "Life isn't just about looks."

"Point taken. It's about using your looks to get what you want," said Brandon blatantly.

"And what if you don't get what you want with your looks?" she inquired, "What do you do?"

"Are you referring to me not being able to get you? All in good time, love, all in good time," Brandon said confidently. "The ladies love me."

"You're so impossible," said Shelley, shaking her head. When she noticed he wasn't driving in the direction of her home, she added, "Hey, where are we going?"

"What, tired already? You're such an old lady," teased Brandon. "Wanna watch a football game?"

Shelley thought he meant a game on TV, but they ended up at Champions' Park watching a pop warner game. As they made their way up the bleachers, Brandon told Shelley,

"There's something exhilarating about watching football. It gives me such a high."

"I'm sure it does," she snickered.

Watching kids play football was…interesting, to say the least. Shelley had to shush Brandon more than once because he kept getting up and shouting inappropriate things like, "What a fucking douche bag! Don't take his shit!"

Shelley recognized some of the kids playing as the ones who were at the Community Center for day care. It'd been so long since she'd volunteered there that it was at the back of her mind. It reminded Shelley of the run-in she'd had with Brandon that day. They'd traded insults and she'd even threatened to key his car. And now, here they were, spending time together like they were friends.

Were they
really
friends? 'Friends' was such a broad term. What kind of friends? And did she still really hate him?

That was precisely what Brandon asked her as they sat on her front steps after the game.

He elaborated when Shelley didn't answer. "I think what I'm really asking is why did you decide to go out with me tonight?"

Shelley hesitated before answering. The wrong, aka honest, response could ruin everything. "I don't know," she shrugged, "I guess I felt like being spontaneous."

"Then I guess that leads me back to my first question," Brandon said slowly, "I was dying to ask you all night if you were actually interested me or not. Are you still mad at me for the whole 'Luscious Lloyd' thing?"

"Do you really care?"

"Yes," was his honest reply.

"Am I mad? No. I don't hold petty grudges. At the time, I was pretty pissed though," Shelley responded, "Am I interested in you? You'd better keep dreaming."

"Ouch," said Brandon, scooting away from her.

"We're friends, right?" asked Shelley, "Or at least acquaintances?"

"We're whatever you want us to be, baby," Brandon said in his most seductive voice.

Shelley lightly smacked his shoulder. "Be serious. Do I still annoy you because I'm a girl?"

"Sure, some of the things you do and say infuriate me, but you're not bad. You could be worse; you could be
Chelsey
," Brandon said with a shudder.

"So said the boy who totally got it on with her a week ago," Shelley teased. "What exactly were you thinking?"

"Don't remind me," groaned Brandon. "I'll have nightmares for the rest of my life."

"You have bad taste in girls," Shelley remarked. "And Chelsey is proof that alcohol really does hinder one's judgment."

"My judgment can't be that bad. I like you, don't I?" Brandon said softly.

And without warning, he leaned in. Instinctively, Shelley did too.

Closer, closer.

Thoughts were running through Brandon's mind. What was he doing? What was Shelley thinking?

They were centimeters apart now. Shelley's eyes were closed. Brandon knew he was
this close
to 'touchdown.'

Ah, using football terms in daily life.

Sorry, but this football player wasn't going to be scoring any touchdowns anytime soon. Right when their lips would have met, Shelley let out a giggle.

The giggle turned into a chuckle as Brandon straightened up. And as he watched her in confusion, Shelley's chuckle turned into an uncontrollable, hysterical fit of laughter. Brandon sat rooted in his position. He couldn't figure out why, for the life of him, Shelley was laughing. In fact, he was a little offended.

This was supposed to be their first 'real' kiss, seeing as the other two had been for show. But this,
this
was supposed to be real.

Apparently not.

Brandon patiently waited for her to compose herself. Shelley finally looked him straight in the eye and said solemnly, "I ruined the moment, didn't I?"

He merely nodded in reply.

"I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me! God, you must think I'm a lunatic," she wailed.

"No, no. Slightly cracked, but you're perfectly sane," Brandon said as he stood up and offered Shelley a hand. "Well then, good night."

"No, no-wait. Let's try that again," said Shelley.

"Sorry babe," he shook his head, "You ruined the moment, but maybe another time. Thanks for a fun night."

Somewhat dazedly, Shelley hugged Brandon and watched him leave. When she let herself in the house, still in a daze, her dad was waiting for her.

"Did that boy treat you right? If he didn't, I'll go beat him up for you," Mr. Sinclair offered eagerly.

This seemed to snap Shelley out of her reverie. "No, daddy, that won't be necessary," she said quickly. "He was a perfect gentleman."

"Are you going to be seeing him again?"

"I see him every day at school," said Shelley, knowing full well that that wasn't the answer her dad was looking for.

"Shelley," her dad said warningly.

"I don't know. I think he likes me though."

"Of course he does!" Mr. Sinclair barked, "Why wouldn't he like you?"

"Well gee daddy, I thought you didn't like him," Shelley said sweetly.

"Oh, he's fine. It's his intentions that I'm worried about," Sean said darkly.

"I'm sure whatever he wants, I can handle it," Shelley said confidently. "Well, I'm pretty tired. I think I'll head up now. 'Night, dad."

She leaned to give her dad a kiss on the cheek and headed upstairs to her room. Shelley heaved a sigh when she realized there was still homework to do.

Looks like someone's going to be pulling an all-nighter.

- - - - -

Meanwhile, Brandon was met at the front door by Morgan, who said nothing but gave him an expectant look.

"We had fun," Brandon simply said.

"Aren't you going to give me details? You can't just tell me you 'had fun' and expect me to leave it at that. I need more information!" cried Morgan.

"I'm a guy," Brandon shrugged, "I don't do girl talk. Why don't you ask Shelley?"

"Because that's not the same as hearing it from
you
," Morgan said it like he should have known.

Morgan was his sister and much as he loved her, Brandon was starting to get irritated. She never asked him about his other dates! "Well I'm sorry big sis, but I don't feel like talking about it."

And he left her gaping at him as he went to his room.

In the privacy of his own little kingdom, he sat down at his desk and thought about the night's events. It hadn't turned out too badly. No fights, no surprises.

Except for the near-kiss. He hadn't counted on Shelley to start
laughing
. Brandon knew he would never understand the female species.

He heaved a sigh.

Girls. Can't live with them, can't live without them.

Chapter 21 – The Games We Play

"You've
got
to find out what happened on that date," Morgan said urgently to Taryn, "Team BS can't make a move until we find out whether or not it went well. Brandon's not talking and I don't want to ask Shelley. It'd sound more natural if you asked her about it. You're her best friend, after all."

"You're missing the point, Morgan," pointed out Destiny, "None of us are supposed to know about their date. Taryn doesn't even know. You only know because Brandon told you."

"Why don't we assume that it went well?" suggested Taryn. "Morgan, you told me Brandon said it was 'fun.' So maybe it
was
fun."

"Please," scoffed Morgan, "What we need are details!"

- - - - -

"So she
laughed
when you were about to kiss? Who the fuck does that?" snorted Kyle.

Kyle Stanford was one of Brandon's few trusted friends. While Alex and James were his best friends, Kyle was different. He and Brandon were on the same level of understanding.

"Yeah, well, Shelley said she didn't plan it, so whatever. I'm down with that," shrugged Brandon.

"But dude, if I know Shelley Sinclair like I think I do, you're in for a whole lot of shit," Kyle admonished as he picked up his sports bag and slung it over his shoulder.

The two had just arrived at school the next day and met in the parking lot. Now they were walking into school together.

"Like what? This is a girl. If I can weasel my way out of detention with Nickol-who hates me for last year, I can handle Shelley. How hard can it be?" asked Brandon.

"Oh," said Kyle, making a face, "You have
no idea
."

- - - - -

A week went by after the first date. Around their friends and peers, Brandon and Shelley treated each other as they were expected to-they traded insults between classes, Brandon gave Shelley attitude during practices, and in turn she made him run laps.

That was as far as their "relationship" went. And it was almost as if the date had never happened.

Which really wasn't the truth at all.

In fact, Brandon was contemplating asking Shelley out again. The football team had two games this week-one of Tuesday and the other on Friday. If they won the one on Friday, there'd be a party for sure. Brandon just hoped that it wouldn't be anything like the last one.

Much to his annoyance, Chelsey had cornered Brandon yesterday to ask about his progress with Shelley.

"Have you done it with her yet?" she asked point blank.

"No," Brandon shook his head, "Not all girls are slutty and
easy
like you are."

"Jerk," muttered Chelsey. "What kind of 'playboy' are you? It must be a blow to your ego, not being able to get a girl like Shelley. Don't you wish you hadn't passed me up now?"

"Actually, I'd rather be single than be with you. You disgust me," smirked Brandon.

Oh, what a burn.

Chelsey raised a hand to slap him, but Brandon caught it.

"I wouldn't," he said, his voice dangerously low.

"What, not man enough to let a girl slap you? It must be the size of your dick. Oh, I get it. Does Shelley not want you because she got a look at it and decided it was too small for her taste? They say bigger is better," Chelsey let out a sinister chuckle.

"You're so fucking vulgar," Brandon said in distaste, "Most girls don't talk like that."

"You're forgetting that I'm not most girls. Look, you break her heart by Christmas and I'll think about letting you go to prom with me," said Chelsey.

Was she trippin' with him?

By the look on her face, Brandon didn't think she was. "Is that supposed to be an incentive?" he asked dryly.

"You know what?
This
needs to stop. Being rude to me? That's a no-no sweetie pie. Do you want the
entire school
to know the truth?" Chelsey's smile was mocking when Brandon shook his head, "No? Then you'd better watch what you do and say to me."

Chelsey gave him an appreciative 'look' and licked the side of his ear before stalking off.

Gross.

He'd have to take ten showers to get her saliva off of him. Maybe Morgan would let him borrow her pore scrub.

Damn girls. The ones you want are the ones you can't have. And the girls who want you are the
last
you'd ever think twice about.

- - - - -

Brandon made his move Friday night, just as planned. The team won the game on Tuesday, which made that their seventh straight win in a row. So far this season they were 16-3, having lost the three games to the top three teams in the area.