Playing Games

Everyone likes new toys

'He's looking at you again' Mona said to her cousin. Maria didn't need to look up to see who was staring, it had been going on for weeks, watching, stalking, accidentally bumping into her, brushing past her and every look and touch she could feel.

But Maria knew what it was, to be watched, stalked by him. It was frightening and she found herself involuntarily putting on a show for those around her. Unwilling to share her feelings with Andrew, she had mentioned it to her cousin Mona, who now pointed it out, which actually made the whole thing worse.

It has been three weeks since that gym lesson which seemed to start the whole thing off, and since then, Chase and his friends had developed an immature habit of trying to attract her attention. At first she had rolled her eyes, her being new meant she was the shiny new toy. Half of them were in her class and the jokes and exaggerated wolf whistles when she walked into a room made her feel uncomfortable.

Natalie found it amusing, she was enjoying the attention, already used to a fair amount being a cheerleader, only Mona seemed to pick up that her cousin wasn’t finding it funny anymore.

She sat with her now at their usual lunch table in the busy school canteen. Just ignore him’ she said to Mona, who was openly staring at Chase, ‘don’t encourage him please’, Maria begged.

Andrew would be here any minute and thus far he hadn’t picked up on the football teams newest target. She didn’t know what his reaction was going to be, but Chase and his friends were huge. Andrew wasn’t small but he was a swimmer. They were like a pack of animals, used to contact sport and Andrew wasn’t like that.

As she thought about her boyfriend, he appeared, his best friend Max at his side. Giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, he carried on his conversation with Max about his next swim meet. Mona flashed her cousin a warning look and instinctively Maria looked towards Chases’ table.

He and his friend Ryan were heading towards her. Both were smirking, it was obvious this was Chases' suggestion. Ryan fell back waiting to see what his friend was going to do. She felt like he was like a hyena waiting to pounce after the lion had done the damage. He took in Marias terrified expression. God she was hot. He could see why Chase wanted her. That first day when she arrived hadn’t been the first time the guys had seen her. Last summer, at a house party he had hosted, Mona had bought her cousin along and since then basically every guy on the football team had a twin fantasy of the two girls. It was hard not to.

But there was something else about her, she’d walked across the football field in those tiny shorts, like she knew she was attractive, but she didn't realise just how attractive she was. And unlike Mona, she seemed more timid, shy even. The guys had stopped talking as she approached, whistling. Chase had said ‘s**t is that Monas cousin?’ when they had all turned to look at her in appreciation, she’d stopped, bitten her lip and half the team had groaned in pleasure.

Her eyes were wide, alert and scared and, before anyone could say anything, Chase had claimed her. It didn’t matter she was dating Andrew because to them he was a nobody. And because what Chase wanted, he got.

After what seemed like an eternity, Chase stopped at the table, he stood next to Maria and looked at her pointedly. It was his latest game, trying to make eye contact, trying to get her to speak to him. It didn't usually work but he knew, with Andrew there she would break, and he wanted that. He wanted to hear her soft voice, she sounded well spoken, delicate and sweet, there wasn't an accent he could place, she was his mystery. 'Hello Maria' he said, his voice quiet but his eyes were twinkling with trouble. It was a dare, they both knew it. What he really meant was, 'you can't ignore me now surely, not if you don't want your boyfriend to ask questions.'

Maria looked up slowly, she knew they had been coming over but she hadn't wanted them to stop. She took her time, looking up at him, keeping her expression neutral. Andrew and Max had stopped talking and turned to Chase. Andrew had a small frown on his face. 'I said hello Maria' he repeated, his voice was low and he sounded annoyed. She still didn't reply, 'well this is awkward' Mona said, and some of the guys chuckled.

'Hello' she replied quietly, trying not to cause a scene. He smiled, 'that wasn't so hard, just being friendly' he said. 'Andrew, how's swimming going? Top of the team yet?' Chase now turned his attention to a very confused Andrew, 'ummm well we have a meet this weekend so Captain gets decided then' he replied, his confusion was obvious.

Chase sneered at him, ''well you need to make sure you win Captain this year. I wouldn't want you to be disappointed again'.

Maria stood up abruptly 'I'm getting some water' she said, not looking at anyone and rushing off. Mona watched her go.

Chase smirked and walked away, Ryan following close behind. Mona caught Maria's eye, it looked like she was about to start hyperventilating. 'Well that was weird', Andrew said, frowning, 'how does he know Maria?'

'Gym,' Mona replied casually.

After getting water, Maria had played it off, 'he seems like a weird guy,' she had shrugged and Andrew had dropped it, because of course he had. Innocent and lovely Andrew wouldn't think anything more to it.

After lunch the girls headed to their next class, English lit. They had finished their first essay the night before ready to hand it in,

‘but why did he have to come over?’ Maria asked. It was rhetorical.

‘Because he’s a man, he has a d**k and apparently, we would all somehow doubt that if he didn’t try and play alpha’ Mona answered, rolling her eyes.

‘Oh I don’t know about that, I’m pretty sure enough girls can vouch for what I’ve got, no need for me to play at anything’ came a familiar voice from behind the girls. They jumped and turned. Chase stood there alone this time, watching her, ‘stop stalking me’ she said firmly, but he just smirked.

‘I mean it, I don’t like it, no more comments, no more staring, it isn't flattering, just creepy' Maria said.

‘and what about what I want?’ he asked her, blue eyes twinkling, ‘I don’t care what you want’ she said, shaking her head.

‘Now that’s not very nice’ he said, brushing her hair back off her shoulder. He looked into her eyes and it was hard, touching her soft hair and looking into those big brown eyes not to lean in and kiss her. She looked adorable when she was angry, ‘I’m not very nice’ she said softly. He liked that, her reply, it made him smile involuntarily.

‘Nice enough to try and protect that chicken of a boyfriend of yours? Wouldn’t you like to know what it would feel like to go out with a real man? Not some second best coward hiding behind your skirt?’ he leaned in as he spoke and she could practically feel her heart beating in her throat.

She used her hand to push him away from her. He made a point of not moving for a second, then letting her. She could feel his toned chest through his t-shirt and if she had been so angry she probably would have enjoyed that, ‘lesson number one in being a real man. Don’t stalk girls and make them uncomfortable.’

His eyes flashed when she said that he was really angry now. Mona touched her arm, looking nervous. She had already warned Maria that Chase wasn’t exactly the nicest guy in school. Too much ego and free rein meant he was a bully, arrogant and short-tempered. But he didn't say anything. He just smirked and walked away.

The girls watched him.

‘Well that was stupid’ Mona said.

‘I know but..’

Mona cut her cousin off, ‘No Maria, that was stupid. His mum literally runs the school, his uncle is the coach, I need a cheerleading scholarship, Andrew needs a swimming one, you need to actually graduate as well, and he’s not exactly a ray of sunshine when he’s angry. He’ll take this out on someone now, wait and see’.

'So what should I do? Just let him be creepy and stalk me so I don't hurt his feelings?' Maria snapped,

Mona looked hurt, 'no, but you should avoid insulting him. Yeah he's a d**k, but just avoid arguing with him'.

Maria wanted to brush it off but this time Mona insisted she say something to Andrew. After all, if Chase was going to do something stupid, her boyfriend should at least be given a heads up.

So after school was finished for the day, as Andrew walked her home like he usually did, Maria told him that Chase was being weird. She didn't go into details but just mentioned that she had made it clear she wasn't interested and felt that he perhaps saw her as a challenge.

Andrew wanted to confront him, but Maria told him to just ignore it for now, 'he'll get bored, and find someone else to annoy. Besides, this weekend you need to be focused and if you're thinking about this then you won't be.' she had reasoned.

But to Maria, it wasn't about Andrew being distracted, both Mona and Max had told her stories about Chase. He was a big guy with a temper, and a group of friends that would back him up, so she told herself she was protecting Andrew and tried to convince herself there was nothing more to it.