Foolish Games Read online

  "I..um.. why?" was it possible that he knew? He had to know. why else would he be acting this way?!

  "Did they tell you that you had to sleep with me to get in?!" he asked harshly.

  Jessie’s heart was beating rapidly. She knew she couldn’t lie because it wouldn’t work. But the hurt look on his face made her regret ever thinking about joining that sorority.

  "Answer me damnit!!" he shouted at her. Jessie flinched.

  "Yes!" she shouted back quickly. She was suddenly scared at the rage which seemed to be in him and confused as to how he found out.

  Nick looked at her disbelievingly and took a step back from her. He knew that if he was too close, he might actually kill her.

  "Why?" he asked hoarsely, "How could you do that to me?"

  The pain in his voice tugged at her heart.

  "Nick, I.."

  "I trusted you!" He said almost accusingly, “I cared about you. Hell, I even told you I loved you!" His baby blue eyes were now dark and cold, not as warm as they used to be as they searched her hazel ones. "Do you have any idea how much it hurts to know that everything I found ‘special’ about us, was all a lie? That it was all just some game so that you could get into some sorority?”

  "Nick, if you would just give me a chance to explain!" Jessie pleaded.

  "What’s left to explain? I know all I need to know already!" Nick said then started towards the door.

  Jessie couldn’t just let him leave without explaining herself, so she followed him and grabbed his arm and faced him.

  "It wasn’t all a lie Nick!" she said, her hazel eyes boring into his, begging him to believe her.

  "Wasn’t it?" he asked mockingly, "Tell me then Jess, when you asked me out the first time to Amanda’s party. Was it because YOU wanted to or because you had to find a way to get closer to me and the party was one way of getting there?"

  Jessie looked down and played with her hands. How could he ask her that?

  "Well because.."

  "You can’t even look me in the eye and tell me the truth! Thanks a lot Jess!" he said.

  "Does it matter Nick? I’m not joining Phi Alpha Beta anymore!"

  "Really? You told them that?" Nick asked her.

  "Well no, not yet. But I was going to before you came here I swear!" Jessie said.

  "Yeah whatever Jess." Nick shook his head at her.

  "Why don’t you believe me?"

  "Because I don’t think I can trust you anymore." With that he left.

  Jessie just stood there confused. She didn’t cry. Well, not for a while anyway. How had Nick found out was what she wanted to know.

  CHAPTER 29

  On her way to the Phi Alpha Beta house, Jessie met Erica who had come in for a class.

  "Aren’t you supposed to be at the hospital now?" Jessie asked looking at her watch.

  "Yeah but I changed my mind." Erica said as they walked to the sorority house.

  "Why?"

  "Well I had a really enlightening conversation with a woman I met there." Erica said, then filled Jessie in on her conversation with Katherine, "What’s wrong Jess?" Erica asked then noticing her friend’s distressed face.

  "Nick and I had a fight. He found out about me having to sleep with him to get into Phi Alpha Beta and he confronted me about it."’ Jessie said.

  "What did you tell him?"

  "I tried to tell him the truth but he wouldn’t believe me. I have to say that I can’t really blame him. I mean everything adds up. He knows that I didn’t want to go out with him before. So he thinks that I did it just to get close to him and that’s true. I did." Jessie said.

  "Yes, but that’s not the whole truth Jessie. You really do like him and you were willing to give up this sorority for him, did you tell him that?" Erica asked.

  "No, I really didn’t get a chance to," Jessie said, "It’s over with okay. Let me just do what I have to do."

  "You can’t let him go that easily!" Erica protested, "You love him and he loves you!"

  "Apparently not enough. He would have believed me if he did."

  They were at the Phi Alpha Beta house now so they went inside in search of Britney. They were about to pass the main room when they heard Jessie’s name being said. Jessie and Erica hid behind the wall to hear what they were saying about her.

  "..so there I was hiding in this bathroom stall and Jessie was boasting about how she and Nick finally had sex!" they heard Britney say.

  "What the hell! I never said that!" Jessie said softly but her voice angry just the same.

  "Who was she talking to?" they heard a girl cut in.

  "Oh, you know, that bitchy girl she always hangs out with, what’s her name again? Oh right, Erica." Britney said totally unaware of the two girls listening in on their conversation. "Anyway, let me finish! So I heard their entire conversation. Oh, Jessie also said that she didn’t want to hurt Nick’s feelings so she’s not going to join Phi Alpha Beta in case he finds out."

  "Oh how sweet!" someone said sarcastically.

  "That’s why I did what any Phi Alpha Beta girl would do. I told Nick!" Britney said.

  That’s it! Jessie couldn’t take it anymore. She ran into the room and charged at Britney. Erica followed closely behind her.

  "You bitch! It was you! You told Nick!" Jessie cried pushing her violently.

  Britney’s back hit the wall hard but she was still undeterred.

  "Of course I did! You can’t have him Jessie! He’s mine!" Britney said.

  Jessie raised her hand and slapped her straight across her cheek. Britney screamed and sank to the floor.

  "Jessie don’t!" Erica said. If she wasn’t holding her back, she knew Jessie would do much more to Britney than just hit her. And Britney knew it as well.

  The two girls who were in the room, had rushed to Britney’s side and were helping up.

  "Don’t touch me!" Britney said brushing away the hands that were trying to help her and getting up herself. She held a hand to her burning face. "You’re gonna pay for that. You and your slutty friend here."

  "That’s it!" Erica said letting go of Jessie and charging at Britney herself. She grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled hard. "Yeah you would know a slutty person since you seem to define one so well!" she let her go and walked out. Jessie followed her without a backward glance.

  "I can’t believe that I actually thought about joining THAT!" Jessie said when they were back outside.

  "Neither can I!" Erica agreed, "Can you imagine becoming like them?!"

  They both shook their heads. They were so busy talking that they didn’t even notice that someone was following them. Jessie heard the footsteps behind her a little too late. She heard Erica shriek and turned around to face Josh. He was standing directly behind Erica and he was too close for comfort. He smiled then.

  "Nice to see you again, Jessie." He said.

  "Leave me alone!" Jessie cried.

  No one was around so there were no witnesses. How convenient for Josh. Jessie glanced at Erica and noticed that she had turned white as a sheet and looked scared to death.

  "What’s wrong?" Jessie asked her.

  Josh turned Erica a little and Jessie saw that he was holding a gun against her back

  "You better do as I say or your friend here gets hurt." Josh warned her.

  "W-what do you want me to do?" Jessie asked shakily.

  "Get in the car," he pointed to a car a few feet from them, "And start driving."

  CHAPTER 30

  "That’s what Jessie had to do?!" Brian asked incredulously. Nick had told him the truth about his relationship with Jessie. Or at least, his version of the truth.

  "Yes! Can you believe it!" Nick asked still upset. They were both at their usual place, the basketball court.

  "Actually I can. I mean, after all, she is Erica’s friend." Brian said harshly, "They’re both cold-hearted bitches."

  "I can’t believe I fell for that!"

  "For what?" Brian asked.

  "Everything
she said!"

  "Well Nick, we’re guys. When it comes to women, its in our genes." Brian mused, "Besides, compared to you, I’ve got much bigger problems."

  "Oh yeah? Last time I saw you and Erica, you two could barely keep your hands off each other!" Nick stated dryly.

  "Oh all that’s changed believe me!" Brian said bitterness in his usually kind voice.

  "So.. you gonna tell me or stand there and try to squeeze the life out of that basketball." Nick asked noticing the way Brian was clutching the basketball in his anger.

  "Erica’s pregnant Nick." Brian answered. Nick raised his eyebrows, "For Kevin."

  Nick did a double take then.

  "Wow. That is a little more than I expected to hear."

  "You and me both." Brian said shooting the ball from his spot on the middle of the court and missing completely.

  "Boy she did you and Kevin? Your family better watch out!" Nick joked.

  "That’s not funny Nick." Brian said retrieving the ball and trying again and still failing. He’d been finding it hard to concentrate ever since Erica broke the news to him and people were beginning to notice..like his coach.

  "I’m sorry. I just..well, wasn’t she with you? I mean how do you know it’s not yours?" Nick asked finally taking the ball from Brian and shooting himself.

  "Erica’s almost two months pregnant. We weren’t together two months ago, so it definitely ain’t mine."

  "Oh." Man that must hurt! Nick thought to himself sensing his pain, "Well that explains your game."

  "What are you talking about?" Brian asked.

  "C’mon, you know exactly what i’m talking about!" Nick said, "We’ve been here a long time now and you haven’t even made a single basket!"

  ‘I know and i’m trying to concentrate but it’s no use."

  "That’s because you’re trying too hard. Stop putting so much pressure on yourself." Nick advised, "And try not to think about Erica, even though I know that’s not gonna happen."

  "I can’t help it Nick." Brian said. Inside he was hurting. He just wanted to know if she was feeling the same way.

  Jessie tried to keep still but it was no use, she was shaking. She had been driving for the past half hour and she had no idea where she was going. Josh was in the back seat with Erica while Jessie was in front driving. She glanced ever-so-often in her rear view mirror to see the scared face of her friend looking back at her.

  "Turn here." Josh instructed for like the millionth time.

  That’s how it had been for the past half hour, with Josh instructing her where to go. All Jessie wanted to do was scream for help but she didn’t know what Josh would do if she did and she wasn’t going to risk Erica’s life on that.

  They were driving away from the town now and they passed few houses as there were mostly trees on either side of them.

  Where the hell is he taking us? Jessie thought.

  About ten minutes later, Jessie pulled up to a cabin out in the middle of nowhere as she called it. Josh told her to get out and she did. She would have ran or something but she couldn’t leave Erica with him. She knew, only too well, what he would do if she tried to escape. She had done it before. But that was a long time ago, she told herself.

  When they were in the cabin, Josh locked the door and turned to them.

  "Now then, let’s get down to business."

  CHAPTER 31

  Erica looked at him as if he were stark raving mad.

  "Why did you bring us here?" Erica asked trying to keep her voice calm and surprisingly, she did.

  "Actually, it’s Jessie that I really want." Josh said advancing towards them. "I just brought you along for insurance. You know, so Jessie wouldn’t try anything stupid without one of you all getting hurt. And believe me, if you do try anything, I WILL hurt you." he was standing in front of them now.

  "What do you want Josh?" Jessie asked, her voice hard but she was still shaking inside because she was still afraid of him.

  "I thought I’d already made that clear. I want you." Josh said a wry smile on his face. He reached out and touched her cheek then. Jessie slapped his hand away and Josh grabbed her by her shoulders angrily. Jessie could feel his hands biting into her flesh and she screamed.

  "Leave her alone!" Erica cried out, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him off Jessie. Josh tried to shrug her off but she ignored him. He let go of Jessie and pushed Erica as hard as he could. Erica let out a piercing scream as she fell back against a table, hitting her back and then crumpled to the floor.

  "Erica! OhmyGod!" Jessie screamed rushing to her friend’s side.

  "Forget about her! We have some unfinished business!" Josh said walking up to her again.

  Jessie stepped back, "She’s pregnant damnit!" she stated angrily.

  Josh shrugged his shoulders unmoved.

  "Well, not anymore."

  "You insensitive asshole!" Jessie bit out, "You really have no feelings do you? You care about no one but yourself!"

  "Uh-uh baby. I care about you." Josh said as he watched Jessie back away from him. Her back came up against a wall and he smiled.

  "No you don’t care about me at all. You never have." Jessie said aware of her predicament and not liking it one bit. She was trapped and he had the audacity to smile over it. She looked around to see what she could find to use as some sort of protection and her eyes fell on the poker in the fireplace which was not far from her. She reached for it just as Josh reached for her and she put it in front of her to ward him off.

  "Don’t touch me Josh!"

  "Or else what? You gonna poke me to death?" he said sarcastically, "You can’t hurt me Jessie. You won’t. You’re still afraid of me. You know it and I know it."

  "Screw you!" Jessie cried irritated, still holding the poker in front of her.

  Josh tried to grab the poker from her but Jessie was quicker than he expected and she hit him hard across the shoulder.

  "Shit!" Josh cried as his knees fell to the floor.

  Jessie dropped the poker and ran to the kitchen where she picked up the biggest, meanest, looking knife she could find. Josh had staggered into the kitchen after her. Her back was to him. When he grabbed her arm, she instinctively turned around and plunged the knife into his side. Josh let her go and fell to the floor on his back. Jessie watched mesmerized as blood poured out of him and onto the floor painting it red. She snapped out of it and ran to Erica.

  Erica was semi-conscious when Jessie found her. Jessie shook her shoulder trying to wake her.

  "Erica!? Come on, we’ve got to get out of here!" Jessie said. Erica stirred a little before finally opening her eyes.

  "Mm..my back.." she said.

  "Jessie! You bitch! If you leave here, I swear to God i’m gonna kill you!" Josh’s voice screamed from the kitchen.

  "Shit! Erica we’ve got to get out now!" she tried to help Erica up and grabbing the car keys from the table, went to the door.

  "Shit, shit, shit!!" she cried when she noticed that it was locked. She looked around nervously and her eyes finally fell on another set of keys nearby. She quickly grabbed it and opened the door.

  She was helping Erica into the car when she saw Josh staggering to the door after them.

  "I’m warning you Jessie. You leave here and you’re gonna wish you never met me!" Josh threatened from the door.

  Jessie got in the car and started it.

  "Too late Josh. I already do wish I never met you!" Jessie cried out then drove off.

  CHAPTER 32

  Jessie was pacing the waiting room of the hospital where she’d brought Erica in, hoping for some word on her friend’s condition. She had been there for half an hour now and she’d called Erica’s house but her parents weren’t home so she left a message with their maid and explained the situation briefly. She had wanted to call Brian, but the last thing Erica had said before she was taken away was, "Don’t tell Brian." She didn’t know why she didn’t want Brian to know that she was in the hospital but she still respected her f
riend’s wishes. She did, however, call Kevin because she knew for a fact that he loved her and would be there for her.

  "Jessie! Have a seat will you?" Kevin stated from his seat in the corner of the room. He had been watching her pace the room for the past half hour and it was beginning to get to him.