Game Changer (The Field Party)

He nodded his head toward the table of food in the kitchen area. “I’ll show you where the food is.”

He wasn’t ushering me out the door. He was going to feed me. Okay. I wasn’t sure I could eat with my nerves at the moment, but I stood up, then glanced back at the girls. They were all watching us with knowing smiles that I feared were very mistaken.

“Thanks for the cookie,” I said awkwardly, not knowing if I should tell them it was nice meeting them and good-bye, in case after he fed me, he was sending me away. “It was nice to meet y’all.”

“Don’t let him monopolize all your time,” Maggie said.

“If things get boring, you’re welcome back to the sane part of the party,” Tallulah added.

“Thanks, y’all,” Asa said with a sarcastic tone. “Looks like I got you out of here just in time,” he then told me. “Follow me to the food.”

When he turned to head toward the kitchen, I did as he said and followed him. I didn’t check, but I knew others were watching us. Even the guys this time. Once again, why was I here? Oh yeah, because I was an idiot. Being with Brett was much easier than this. He didn’t have large groups of friends. He didn’t make me nervous, and I hadn’t been crushing on him for years.

I liked easy, I decided. No drama. No nerves.

“The pizza might be cold, but it’s still good,” Asa said, and I took the plate he was holding out to me. “Fill it up and we’ll go find somewhere to sit. Preferably where those idiots aren’t watching our every move.”

I glanced back to see the guys all quickly look away from us, having been caught. All except for Gunner. He looked amused. “Why are we all checking out Asa’s date like it’s odd for him to have a date? He’s always got a fucking date.”

Brady elbowed Gunner, who shot him a scowl. “What?” he asked, confused. “Is it because she’s someone we don’t know? Hell, he’s been through all of Lawton already. The redhead was from somewhere else too.”

“Gunner, honey, shut up,” Willa called from across the room.

“Yeah, Gunner,” Asa agreed.

I turned back to the food.

“Sorry about him,” Asa said. He seemed bothered by Gunner’s teasing. He had no reason to be. I knew Asa dated a lot. I’d seen him pull up to get gas with many, many different girls in the passenger side. I had envied them all.

I gave a half shrug using just my left shoulder. “No worries. It’s not like that’s secret,” I said, then smiled at him briefly before putting some pizza on my plate.

“Figures,” he muttered.

I laughed. A real laugh. And for the first time all night, being there wasn’t so bad.

How Many Times Have You Played This Game? CHAPTER 15

ASA

She fit. She fit in too easily. As if she belonged here.

Fuck that. She wasn’t supposed to fit in with my friends. That made things harder. I liked Ezmita. I had liked her before I knew she’d laugh at Gunner’s crude jokes, or have great comebacks for Nash’s smart-ass comments. I just hadn’t been sure my attraction or interest in her hadn’t been sparked by her saving me from my dark moment.

Tonight, I had that question answered. Ezmita was more than the girl who stopped me from ending my life. She was beautiful, but I’d dated a lot of beautiful girls. Ezmita was different and even as I acknowledged it, I felt a dread settle inside me.

Glancing around at the other girls in the room, I remember hearing each of my friends say the words “she’s different” before they fell into… whatever they had. Committed relationships that start in your hometown and extend to college weren’t for me. They shouldn’t be for anyone. College would be full of girls. New girls that I’d never met. I hadn’t grown up with. A vast ocean of choices.

Ezmita was in Lawton and going somewhere else in the fall. Long-distance didn’t work for me. It didn’t work for anyone. I didn’t care what they said. That shit was a lost cause before it started. Tonight, however, was nice. Ezmita had laughed and talked with the other girls while the guys and I played. She was now beside me on the beanbag because I couldn’t concentrate on anything else while wanting to watch her. I’d gone over and brought her back to the beanbag with me. She smelled amazing, and the longer we sat there, the harder it was to not touch her. I really wanted to touch her.

“Ouch,” she quipped as Ryker tossed the remote and cursed and Gunner did a weird dance at yet another victory.

“Who’s next?” Gunner asked.

I was happy right here, and apparently everyone else was done playing against Gunner.