Chapter 12 - Fall For Your Game

"To think that I

Would be a victim not another

Say it, play it how you wanna

But no way I'm ever gonna fall for you, never you, baby"

We were in mid October now. The weather was windier, the days were longer, and school got harder. Exams were coming, and I had projects to deliver, homeworks to finish, etc, etc. Rowing was becoming harder and harder as the competition approached: we had only one month to train now.  

It was getting increasingly difficult to reconcile rowing practices with school. I needed to focus on my studies so I could get into a good college, but I loved rowing and I wouldn't give up now.

As if it wasn't enough, I still had Aiden and Matthew to worry about.  Ellie had finally given up on talking to them, but they were both still trying to win the bet and unfortunately, I was their prize.

It was incredible how much they were trying and how much time they were wasting. I found it so stupid to be so commited into something so idiot. They never stopped trying, no matter how many times I told them 'no', no matter how many times I replied with sarcastic comments or treated them bad, like they deserved to be treated.

I knew they thought I was rejecting them because, apparently, I had this 'hard-to-get-facade', and because I was 'stressed' due to all the school work and stuff. That might have been a reason if I didn't knew what they were up to, but now I wasn't just stressed and trying to be hard to get. First of all, it was not a facade. I really was hard to get. Second of all, yes, it was not in my plans to lose time with guys when I had such an important year at school and at rowing. But the most important reason was that I knew. I knew what they wanted, and no matter how hard I tried to pretend it didn't hurt me, it did, so it was incredibly hard to look them in the eye and pretend everything was okay.

But I still had made a promise to myself. I still wanted to complete my plan, I still wanted to make them fall for me and then break their hearts. It was just that some times it was hard to keep up with the plan, as I had so many other things to do and so much going on in my life. And my big mouth didn't help either. They talked to me and I sarcastically rejected them, even when in my mind I was preparing a sweet sentence to reply with, the ironic comment came out of my mouth first and screw everything up. I definitely needed to control my mouth if I wanted to have a chance in this 'game'.

As Halloween was coming, my school had been really busy in preparing the annual party that took place in the night of October 31. I used to go to the dance party only because Dylan insisted on going, and I was guessing this year would not be different.

There were posters everywhere in the school reminding the students of the party, the cheerleaders were talking all the time about make-up, dresses and costumes and I was getting sick of it all even before the dance had actually started.

But Ellie was really excited about it.

"And we can wear any costume we want?" Ellie asked for the third time in that day, 16th of October.

"Yes." I replied dryly. Me, Dylan and Ellie were sitting in our 'Anti-social' table at the school's canteen. Ellie didn't mind at all in joining us and being labeled an anti-social.

"Like, can I be a werewolf, or an unicorn?" She continued excitedly.

I mentally facepalmed myself and Dylan tried hard not to laugh.

"Yes, Ellie. I've told ya, you can, as long as you don't go naked, the school allows every costume. Of course it's better if it has connections with Halloween, but I guess unicorns are okay." I informed her.

Ellie's face filled with a big smile.

"We did not make Halloween parties in our school at London, so this is all a little new for me! What were your costumes the previous years?"

"We have this thing where we always go in combined costumes." I declared, looking at Dylan.

"In freshman year mine and Kiara's theme was Harry Potter. I went as Harry and Kiara as Hermione."

"Oh, yeah, I remember everyone kept saying 'you're a witch' and I was like, 'No, I'm the brightest witch of my age!'." I laughed. "Then in sophomore year our theme was Robin Hood."

"And last year our inspiration was Pirates of the Caribbean." Dylan said. "And every year there's an award for the best male and female costume, which is usually won by the cheerleaders and the guys from the football team."

"I don't have any ideas for costumes this year though." I stated.

"We can go to the shopping centre to get some inspiration!" Ellie exclaimed, clapping her hands with excitement.

"I don't know... I usually just go to the dance ball because of Dylan..."

"Oh, come on! We need a break from all the school and rowing work! It's going to be fun, you'll see!"

I sighed. I couldn't say no to such a happy face.

"Fine. But I won't go as a unicorn."

-------------------------

We (or must I say, Ellie) decided to go to the mall after school. I was going to go with her, but Dylan wouldn't, as he didn't really feel like going to the mall with girls and besides he also had basketball practice.

"Yes, class, I know you are all very excited about the Halloween dance ball, but right now we're in History class and I want you to focus on this work." Mr. Robertson, the History teacher, declared. "As you know, it's a pair work. I made the groups and now I'm going to say the names. I don't want to hear any complains, as the groups are already decided and will not change."

Mr. Robertson started to say students names. My head raised once I heard my name.

"Kiara Raven with Aiden Stuart."

I should have guessed. I saw Aiden smirk while the teacher continued on with the list. I stayed in my table, seeing Aiden getting up and coming towards me.

"Apparently even the teachers think we are a good couple."

"Group. Not couple." I fixed. "And if you think I'll do all the job for you, you're mistaken."

Aiden raised his hands up to the air.

"I would never think that."

The work we had to do was about the Cold War, but Aiden was more interested in the Halloween party.

"Are you going to the dance?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Really?" Aiden asked, obviously interested. "What costume will you be wearing?"

"I don't know, Aiden."

"You could go as Catwoman. Or one of the girls from Burlesque."

"And you could go as a hospital patient, it would save you work, because if you don't shut up and start to work you'll most certainly get injured."

Aiden chuckled. I glanced fiercely at him.

"I'm not kidding."

"I know you're not, that's what makes the situation funny. I'd like to see you try to hurt me."

"Oh, of course, I forgot you are all tough with your bad boy attitude." I snapped.

"Love, it's not an attitude, it's the way I am." He responded smugly.

"Well, then I think you're losing charm. I haven't seen you with a girl this year yet." I innocently provoked him.

"Good to know you pay so much attention to me." Aiden replied with his usual smirk.

"I didn't. I just hear people talk, you know? I bet girls are finally sick of you."

"Never." He resolutely denied. "I am the one who's not that interested anymore. I'm sick of seeing them cry after I break up with them, you know? I mean, don't they know it's nothing serious?"

Aiden seemed to regret his words after they came out. Yup, saying that was not the best way to make me fall for him.

"Because... I'm sick of not having anything serious." He tried to save himself. "I want to. But this girls are all so vain and shallow... they hook up with the first guy that wink at them and call them pretty... I want someone different."

"And you expect me to believe that?" I questioned and Aiden did a puzzled expression. "I mean, you have to recognize it's not easy to believe the school's bad boy is really trying to find love. Everybody knows all you want is partying and having fun and breaking hearts."

I was telling all this in an indifference tone, but the words were getting to me. All of this was meant for one thing: Aiden was trying to break my heart too.

"That's the problem with people. You're one thing your entire life and when you decide to change no one believes you, no one gives you a chance. Do you know those people that are always happy? If one day they're not it's like it's the end of the world, with everyone asking them questions. With me it's the fact that if I want to have a more serious relationship everyone will laugh and not believe me because I never had one. And maybe the reason why I never had a serious relationship before isn't because I didn't want to, but because it's easier to go with the flow than to change and face everyone."

At that point, I thought that maybe I would believe him if I didn't know about the bet. He seemed so true, so honest... there were no smirks or eyebrows raising or sarcasm in his voice.

But of course he was lying. He had to. Everything about Aiden was fake. He was only saying what I wanted to hear, he was only doing that so I would fall for him. So he would break my heart.

But I was not one of those vain and shallow girls. And I would not fall for his game.

He, along with Matthew, would fall for mine. 

"Womanizer, woman-womanizer, you're a womanizer

Oh, womanizer

Oh, you're a womanizer, baby

You, You, You are; You, you, you are

Womanizer, Womanizer, Womanizer (Womanizer)."

On this chapter there's a slideshow showing Kiara and Dylan's costumes from previous years. Music is "Womanizer" by Britney Spears :)