Page 37 of Dirty Roulette
“Then what’s going on between you and Payton?” Charlie’s cheeks turn crimson, and her chest heaves from her ragged breaths. I’m not sure if she’s about to lunge at me or start crying.
“Nothing is going on between us.” I shrug, with my eyes darting across the room where a bomb went off. My dirty clothes, the half-eaten slice of pizza I forgot to throw away, and empty energy drinks litter the floor – I look anywhere but at her. “I’d do the same thing for you.” I suck on my bottom lip and the taste of iron coats my dry tongue.
Charlie fiddles with the hodge-podge of change on the dresser, staring at the reflection of some of the quarters, and playing with the different shades of copper pennies. “She seems off. Ever since the party, something just doesn’t feel right.”
Payton asked me not to tattle, but the little voice in my head tells me to spill. If Charlie wasn’t my sister, it would be easier to put it on blast that Payton turned me into a rabid animal the other night. I can’t sleep because of her. A fantasy about sucking on Payton’s pink nipples,and her underneath me won’t quit popping up. These daydreaming episodes are worse than a hangover on the bathroom floor.
For the past three nights, I’ve been rock-hard staring at the popcorn ceiling with her cemented into my mind. It’s taken all the willpower I have not to jerk off with the memory of her naked body. I’m unholy with some insatiable attraction. The girl was always gorgeous, but I didn’t think she could be softer than lace. There is no way to put those thoughts into perspective for Charlie to understand.
“Well, Roulette kinda does that to you.” I let out a heavy breath to release the tension in my chest, but the weight is collapsing into my lungs.
“It’s a stupid game.” She ruffles a hand through her hair. “Brody even said he didn’t expect some of us to follow through anyway. Payton didn’t have to play if she didn’t want to.”
I let out a breath, shaking my head. “Did you talk to him or something?”
“Yeah, he called and said everything was chill. He was joking and didn’t expect her to be so uptight about the photos.”
She actually believes Brody that Payton doesn’t have to finish the game, but I’m standing with a bloody lip, and bruises on my chest with the pain of knowing Paytonwillhave to finish Roulette.
“Would you think it’s funny if someone sends you the nudes they took of you at a party you were trashed at?” I ask.
“No.” She sulks, her eyes staring far beyond me. “He’s a jerk, I get it. I just...”
“She was embarrassed. I get you dated Brody and maybe he has a dark sense of humor you understand, but that wasn’t funny to her. I stood up for her at practice. That’s it. Maybe you should too.”
I trudge to the door. She uses an arm to block the doorway. She lifts her chin up in a snobby manner. “So, you don’t have some secret crush on my best friend.”
“I’m not having this conversation with you.” I grasp her fingers drilling into the doorframe to remove them. “Can you go back to your dorm, kiss and make up with her or something?”
Charlie clears her throat. “When did you become protective of her?”
“She’s my friend too, and while you ditched her for Brody all summer, we would actually have conversations, but you don’t pay attention to that.”
“Since when?” She scrunches her eyebrows together, the wheels turning in her brain. “You used to bully her freshman year and call her flat-chested. Then you’d shoot spit wads at us.”
“I’m not on the edge of seventeen anymore. Plus, she grew a nice rack.” I lift my brows and give her a cocky smile.
Charlie grabs the dirty clothes in the doorway and thrusts them at me. “You’re disgusting!” She chuckles, and I hold up my hands to snatch the dirty shirt before she throws it at my face.
Footsteps pound down the hallway, and both Charlie and I turn our heads in sync to see Nick, wearing a cooking apron with a mixing bowl in his hand. “Don’t you have somewhere better to be than hounding your brother?” Nick complains, licking the chocolate off a mixing spatula. “God Damn, my ears hurt! Can’t a man cook his brownies in peace?”
“Oh, my god! Go smoke some weed!” Charlie tilts her head dramatically, letting out one of her hormonal groans. “Screw you and your stupid football team!” She flips me the bird before heading out.
“Yah, love you too.”
I go to the bathroom and throw up the toilet seat to piss.
I might be that guy who can drink his weight in beer all night and still pass a calculus test in the morning hungover, but I’m a wreck right now. I’m unable to clean or unpack the rest of the boxes, leaving my room a mess. This place makes me miserable. I need fresh air.
I flush, and I realize I forgot to message Payton. Whipping out my cell, I send her a quick message.
Ryder:It’s a bit late. Will you still meet me?
Payton:Sure, there is a playground on 7th. Trouvez-moi.
Ryder:Always. I’ll be there in fifteen.
***
