Wicked Games

OLIVIA

Olivia watches Rainey and Ansel step out of the black Honda parked in front of the school. Her heart races at the sight of them together.

She swallows hard, trying to push down the bitter resentment welling up inside her. The sharp wind whips her long brown hair into her face.

She ignores it, biting her lip hard.

She can’t wrap her head around how Rainey, who’s only been at the school for four days, has already caught Ansel’s eye.

She’s been head over heels for Ansel since seventh grade, and it doesn’t seem fair that a new girl can just waltz in and steal him away.

He’s hers.

“Jace,” she says, her cousin’s name barely more than a whisper. Her eyes remain fixed on the heartbreaking scene in front of her as she digs her nails into her palms.

Jace is too engrossed in his phone to notice her. He’s chuckling at something on the screen.

“Jace!” she shouts.

He looks up, startled. “What’s up, Olly?”

“Put the nudes away for a second and pay attention. That girl over there.”

She points at Rainey, who’s blissfully unaware of the two pairs of eyes watching her as she walks with Ansel toward the school.

“Oh, the girl I showed around on her first day? What about her?”

“She’s making moves on my guy, and I’m not okay with it.”

“Then do what you usually do. Threaten her or slap her or something.” Jace shrugs, already turning his attention back to his phone.

Olivia frowns and snatches the phone from his hand, earning a whine from him. “Damn, she was about to send a bikini pic.”

“I can’t just threaten her or slap her or whatever. She broke my damn wrist last time.”

“That was her?” Jace laughs. Olivia gives him a stern look, and he clears his throat, trying to look serious.

“I need you to distract her. As much as I hate to admit it, you’re good-looking. So make her like you or something. Or sleep with her and get her hooked.

“I don’t care how you do it, but you need to do it fast, before Ansel gets taken away from me.”

“You know, Olly, something can only be ‘stolen’ if it belongs to you. And from what I can see, Ansel doesn’t even know you exist.”

Olivia shoots him a glare and he gulps. “Sorry.”

“Just do this one thing for me, you jerk!”

Jace sighs. “I really don’t have time to be—”

“I’ll do your homework for a month.”

“That’s not enough, Olly. I can’t—”

“I’ll set you up with Lisa.”

“Now you’re talking!” Jace rubs his hands together, and Olivia smiles, crossing her arms. “So you’re in, then?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m in. But the date with Lisa has to be at my place, just the two of us.”

“You horndog.” She grimaces. “If I’m going to let you sleep with my best friend, it better be worth it, Jace.”

“It will be, Olly. Chill.” He smirks.

“And don’t try to back out. I really need your help.”

“Don’t sweat it. I mean, this is what comes with being a ridiculously attractive god. Sometimes duty calls.”

Olivia pretends to gag at his arrogance.

“Heavy is the head that wears the crown,” he continues, running his hand through his hair with a smug smile. “I’ll make her fall for me in a day. Just watch.”

“Make who fall for you?” Tate, Jace’s friend, walks up, looking curiously between the two scheming cousins.

Tate and Jace are neighbors, and their parents are partners in a well-known local liquor business, which forces them to be friends, even if they don’t want to be.

“You know that cute new girl—”

“Shut up, Jace. She’s definitely not cute.” Olivia rolls her eyes. “Rainey. The same girl you keep following around like a lost puppy, Tate.”

He narrows his eyes. “What are you guys up to?”

“I’m going to make her fall for me. She looks like a good lay, an easy lay.”

“Dude, you can’t do that.” Tate frowns. “I like the girl.”

“Tate, buddy”—Jace slaps a hand on Tate’s shoulder, smirking—“you like every girl at Crosshill High.

“Relax. We can just share her. I’ll take Wednesdays; you take Tuesdays. It’s not like you’re planning to marry the girl or something.”

Tate sighs, rolling his eyes while Jace extends his hand toward Olivia.

“My phone. I still need that bikini pic to get through geometry.”

She hands the device back to Jace, a mischievous smile playing on her lips as she thinks about the devilish plan she’s just set in motion.

RAINEY

I hate school, but I hate being at home even more. If I had to choose, I’d pick school every time.

It’s been a long, grueling day, mostly because I haven’t seen Ansel since this morning. I spent my lunch period in the office trying to get my gym clothes.

I didn’t eat lunch, but I’m more upset that I didn’t get to see Ansel. That would have been my only chance, since we don’t have any more classes together.

I can feel myself getting attached, and I know it’s not a good thing. I’ve always been a self-reliant girl. I don’t need anyone. But somehow, life seems brighter when he’s around.

The final bell rings, and students pour out of their classrooms, flooding the hallways. I open my locker to toss in my textbooks, and suddenly, there’s someone standing next to me.

The smell of cinnamon and peanuts fills my nostrils as I turn to see the same boy who made me late on my first day of school.

~The guy who loves to be naked.~

“Hi.” He grins, his hands tucked into his black hoodie as he leans against the locker across from mine. Tate stands behind him, a weird expression on his face as he messes with his hair.

“Do we have something to discuss?” I ask, trying to sound indifferent as I shove my history textbook into my locker.

“Yeah. I think you owe me a date,” he says, his voice smooth.

“Excuse me?”

“Dude—” Tate tries to grab his shoulder, but he shrugs him off, shooting him a stern look before turning back to me, his grin wider than ever.

“You owe me a date, as a penalty for being so sexy.” He bites his lower lip, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes.

“I don’t know you,” I state firmly. “And you don’t know me. Goodbye.”

I slam my locker shut and start to walk away. Tate bursts into laughter while Jace steps in front of me. His ego seems bruised, but he forces a smile.

“Don’t tell me you don’t remember me,” he says, leaning against the locker next to him. I’m starting to think he has a problem standing up straight.

“Oh, I remember. But I’m not sure how a five-minute conversation qualifies as ‘history.’”

Jace swallows, standing up straighter. “Uh, well, you see…”

I glance at the time on my phone, impatiently brushing my hair out of my eyes.

“Ever since that first day, you were just so… I don’t know. You were all I could think about. I’ve never really thought about a girl the way I thought about you.

“I mean, I just couldn’t get you out of my head…like…wow,” he chuckles. “You really made an impression on me.”

“By asking where my math class was? And you gave me the wrong directions, by the way.”

Tate laughs again, doubling over and clutching his stomach.

“Let’s start over, okay? How about I take you out tonight? Best place in town. Great food and view. My parents have a lot of money, you know.”

“Oh, they do? That’s too bad, because I’m not interested in your money, and I’m definitely not interested in a date with you.”

“Come on.” He bites his lip. “You don’t have to play hard to get, babe.”

“I’m not. Here’s some advice: money doesn’t impress every girl. And next time you’re trying to be ‘hot,’ make sure there’s not a booger in your nose. Excuse me.”

I give him a tight smile and walk away.

Tate bursts into laughter, slamming into a locker as tears stream down his face. “Damn, that was hilarious!”

“Fucking bitch,” Jace mutters. “There’s nothing in my fucking nose!”

Tate laughs even harder while Jace pulls out his phone to check his reflection. He curses under his breath when he sees the dried snot in one of his nostrils.

Wiping his nose with the sleeve of his black sweater, he glares at Tate, who’s still laughing uncontrollably.

“Shut the fuck up. I’m not done, okay? I’m going to make her regret this so much, even you’ll feel sorry for her, you jerk.”

Tate nods, trying to stop laughing as he pats his friend’s shoulder.

“Yeah. Good luck with that.”