Playing With Fire

I walked down the halls Huntington Beach High on Monday morning, hearing everyone talk about our party. Apparently the entire senior class was there, because almost everyone I passed said hey to me.

I saw my newly made friend Alexis as she waved at me, standing around the same girls I spent most of the evening with. I casually waved back and walked into my first class. I noticed Autumn wasn’t here yet, that’s odd. I sat in my seat, waiting for my friend to walk through the door so I could tell her what I remembered about the party.

I saw Autumn enter the room and her facial expression instantly dropped upon seeing me. She purposely avoiding eye contact with me and sat down next to me, not speaking a word. A few minutes went by before I finally decided to speak up.

“How was your weekend?” I casually spark a conversation.

“My weekend was fucking fantastic, just wonderful. How was practically fucking Zack Baker in front of the entire school?” she sharply replied, causing my mouth to drop open and eyes widen. She looked at me and sarcastically smiled.

“What are you talking about? Who told you that?” I said quietly, trying to not attract attention to our conversation.

“Who didn’t fucking tell me is the real question, Cailey Jo. How the fuck could you do that to me? You’re supposed to be my friend!” She raised her voice and I looked around to see everyone still minding their own business.

“How could I do what? What are you talking about, Autumn?” I furrowed my eyebrows.

“Oh, where do I begin? Well first, I see Zack walking you home after school on Thursday. Why would you have him walk you home, CJ? He has a fucking car, that makes no sense.” She paused and caught her breath. “And then I find out you grinded with him all fucking night at your party that you fucking invited me to, and then you guys went upstairs to continue what you started,” she sighed deeply and looked down at her desk.

I sat there trying to process everything Autumn had just told me. Zack had a car, but he had walked me home. Autumn saw us walking, that’s why she gave me the cold shoulder on Friday. Autumn thinks Zack and I had sex, which I didn’t know the truth so I couldn’t defend myself. Hell, I didn’t even know we danced. I was shocked and confused.

“Why are you so upset?” That was all I could muster. Really Cailey Jo? Autumn turned and stared at me, dumbfounded.

“I’ve liked Zack for years, CJ. Everyone knows that,” she stated matter-of-factly. “I’ve tried to get his attention for years, and you waltz in with your fucking ugly cowboy boots and your stupid drawl, and he’s all over you. I don’t fucking get it.” She threw her hands up and turned away from me.

“Zack and I are just friends, Autumn. I didn’t even know you liked him…” I said quietly. She let out an unamused chuckle and shook her head.

“Well now you know.”

I sat there quietly and hung my head. I didn’t know whether to tell Autumn I liked Zack too, but at the same time I didn’t even know if I liked Zack like that. Hell, maybe I liked Matt like she thought I did initially. But I didn’t want to tell her we didn’t hook up when I didn’t want to end up lying to her. I needed to talk to Zack, now.

The rest of the day was undoubtedly awkward between Autumn and I. We still sat next to each other in every class due to all the other seats being filled. By lunchtime, I found myself scavenging the halls, looking for those green eyes that made me weak in the knees. I searched and searched but never found them. I decided I’d wait to talk to him after school.

I walked into gym to be greeted by Alexis and her two friends, Maddy and Emilia.

“Hey girl! You fully recovered yet?” Alexis asked me, but before I could answer, Maddy replied.
“I literally just sobered up this morning. Such a fun party, you have to throw one again!” She smiled at me. Who was she and when was she in my house? I didn’t remember her at all.

“I was good by Saturday night,” I lightheartedly laughed. They asked if I had a round two, causing me to let out an overdramatic no. We all laughed and began changing for class.

“So, you and Zack Baker huh? Girl, you could do better. Seriously. He’s such a weirdo,” Emilia sparked up a conversation while we walked the track. I immediately wanted to defend Zack, telling her she had no idea who he was, or what she was missing out on. He wasn’t weird, and I certainly couldn’t do better. I shook the words from my tongue just before opening my mouth.

“We’re just friends,” I said simply. All the girls gave me a puzzled look, followed by a chorus of ‘riiiight.’

“Really, he’s my tutor. He showed up my brother’s friends I guess. I don’t really remember,” I laughed, rubbing the back of my neck. I knew what was coming next.

“But you guys were dancing, and you went upstairs with him. Did you…?” Alexis asked, smirking at me. I violently shook my head, although I still didn’t know the answer. Which reminded me…

“Matt!” I called over as soon as I spotted him on the football field. I began jogging over to him as he turned and smiled at me, football in head.

“Hey suga, what’s up?” he said sweetly, squinting his eyes in the bright southern California sun.

“Have you seen Zack today?” I asked him. Matt shook his head as he moved next to me and began walking with me on the track.

“No, I think he stayed home. Probably still hungover, I don’t know how fucked up he was.” I let out my breath I’d unknowingly been holding. “Why, what’s up?” Matt elbowed me jokingly in the side.

“I just wanted to talk to him and get everything sorted out, ya know?” I looked up at his face, but not before scanning his tall, muscular frame.

“Yeah. I’ll relay the message if I see him tonight,” Matt replied, stopping in his tracks. I thanked him and said my goodbyes, catching up to Alexis and company.

I decided to stay after in the library just in case I had just missed Zack in the halls today. Unlikely,

but worth a shot. 2:30 came, and I sat at our table, trying to distract myself from my thoughts of that dark haired boy. I had to resist looking up at the door every couple seconds, expecting his slender figure to walk up to me, goofy smile and all.

2:45, 3:00 and finally 3:30 rolled around with no sign of the middle Baker child. I sighed and closed my book. I rose from my seat and began my walk home.

I let myself get caught in my thoughts while savoring the last bit of warm air for the year. What if Zack and I did have sex? Would it change things between us? Half the time I found myself daydreaming about kissing his pouty lips, then the other half, I couldn’t stomach what it would be like if we had sex. Zack was a friend, that’s it. Regardless of what happened that night, I wanted to stay friends.

I arrived at my house quicker than normal, spotting Matt’s car in the driveway. My heart skipped a beat. Maybe Zack was with him. I opened the front door, walking past five boys sitting around my living room. They sounded like a choir, all saying hello simultaneously. None of them were Zack. I smiled and immediately went to the kitchen, opening the fridge and getting out a water bottle.

“Hey,” a voice said, approaching me from behind as I leaned against the counter. Matt leaned his back against the counter next to me, crossing his built arms as he studied my face.

“So, anything?” he asked, referring to Zack. I held my head low, shaking it. He let out a sigh.

“I’m sure he’s just hungover, he’ll be at school tomorrow. Don’t sweat it, kid,” Matt patted me on the back sweetly and walked back into the living room.

I decided to head up to my room to avoid any questions Clayton and Matt’s friends may ask. I undressed as I started the shower, examining my body for any answers to what may have happened between Zack and I. No love bites, no hickeys, no bruises, no answers. I hopped in the shower and let the water rinse away my thoughts.

Bed was calling my name, and it was only 6:40 but I didn’t care. I crawled in and let sleep carry me away.

Notes

Zack has disappeared for a bit but I promise he'll be back next chapter! I know everyone has missed him, haha. Thank you for all of your comments, they are very much appreciated!

I just posted the first chapter to my new story 'The Stage.' If you guys want to check it out, let me know what you think, that would be awesome! Thank you soo much for all your feedback!

Title credit: Tracy Lawrence "Find Out Who Your Friends Are"