Chapter Ten : Toys

"Did you hear?" Gemma asked me on the way to practice. The game was in two days and I pushed myself more than I had ever before. I even took it upon myself to practice before school and during lunch.

"What now?" I asked, ready to hear another ridiculous rumour come from her mouth.

"Dakota has a girlfriend."

"What?"

"He didn't tell you? I thought you would've known."

"No he didn't tell me." I said through gritted teeth.

I stormed through the gym and into the change rooms, putting on my gear in a hurry. It's been a while since him and I have had time to hang out but why wasn't I the first person to know he had a girlfriend. I am his best friend after all and I have to hear it from Gemma?

"Hey." Dakota said as I was putting on my jersey. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, ignoring him, not entirely sure as to why I was so angry with him. I grabbed my helmet and shoved my way past, walking out of the locker room.

"You all know the drill." Coach blew his whistle, not bothering to go on his usual tirade of conspiracy theories about the upcoming opponents.

"Why are you so quiet?" Dakota asked, pretending to practice with me.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend?" I asked not looking at him. I don't know what I'd do if I did.

"I have to tell you everything?"

I scoffed and walked away from him, leaving practice without my duffel bag.

"De Angelis, where are you going?" Coach yelled after me. I continued to walk, wanting to get away from Dakota, from him, from the world.

I climbed in through my bedroom window, I didn't want to deal with my mom asking me a million questions of why I wasn't at practice. I didn't bother changing out of my uniform as I threw myself on my bed.

Dakota has a girlfriend.

I chuckled at myself. Why am I so mad about it? I shouldn't be, after all we are only friends. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I heard a tap at the window, expecting it to be Dakota demanding why I left practice, but instead it was Gemma.

"What are you doing here? And how do you know where I live?"

"We were supposed to hang out after practice and you kinda left me there so I followed you." Gemma smiled at me and tried to climb in my bedroom.

"No, no. No girls allowed unless my mom knows." I blocked her from getting in.

"Do you do everything your mom says? Do you know what I say? Come to Jane's party tonight."

"I have a game in two days Gemma."

"Exactly, you'll have plenty of time to recover tomorrow." I pondered over it for a moment.

"Queenie won't be there." She smirked.

"Lets go."

I knew it was a bad idea to go, but I felt like if I didn't I'd only be sitting in my room in self pity. Wondering why Dakota hadn't told me about his girlfriend and wondering why I cared so much about it in the first place.

"Nice house." I said to Jane over the loud music.

"Thanks, have a beer." She handed me a red solo cup. I downed it in one go. Like Gemma said, I'll have plenty of time to recover.

"Thirsty?" Jane smirked.

"Very." I said before downing another beer in no time.

"And why isn't Queenie here again?" I asked as we made our through the crowd of people and out to the backyard.

"She's banned from my house." Jane said as we sat at one of the patio sets. I'm beginning to think all nice houses have patio sets.

"I don't want to know why." I chuckled.

"Let's dance." Gemma grabbed my hand along with Jane's. I let out a nervous chuckle as I was sandwiched between the two, awkwardly swaying back and forth.

After a couple more beers, I became more comfortable, even feeling a little enjoyment out of dancing with the both of them. And I was actually having a good time. I didn't need to worry about Dakota, just me myself and I.

Most of the time as the night progresses at parties it dies down, but this one was alive. More and more people showed up, making the place jam packed and the music louder.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." I told Gemma and Jane before hurrying inside.

I was heading for the bathroom when I bumped into Dakota and his new girlfriend. She was blonde and tan and looked familiar. I recognized her from one of million parties we went to.

"Hey." Dakota said with a smile. I remained quiet, scared that if I opened my mouth I might say something stupid or possibly barf.

"This is my girlfriend, Eva. Eva this is my best friend, Luka." She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Hi."

"Right." I shoved past them and ran up the stairs. I practically threw myself on the floor of the bathroom, nearly missing the toilet.

I'm never drinking again.

I flushed down the chunky soup I just spewed out and stood up looking at myself in the mirror. I felt a flame ignite inside me once more, seeing Dakota with Eva. I splashed water on my face and rinsed my mouth. I shouldn't be angry. I keep telling myself that but yet I continue acting like a prissy kid. There was a knock on the bathroom door.

"It's Jane." I opened it and walked out, still feeling somewhat sick.

"I just came to see if you were alright. Gemma is totally wasted, she passed out right after you left."

"Yeah I'm fine. I better get home, will Gemma be okay here?" She nodded, her dark hair flowed around her face and for a moment she looked like a completely different person in my drunk state.

"You're pretty hot, Jane."

"So I've been told." She gave me a half smile before I leaned in to kiss her. Before I could even come close, she immediately shoved my face away.

"Ew, no." She chuckled.

"What? Is it the vomit? Because I rinsed."

"Whatever is going on between you and Dakota, keep me out of it because I'm not going to be one of your toys to make him jealous."

"What? We aren't-"

"Go home, Luka." Jane smiled and walked back downstairs. I was stiff for a moment trying to get a grip on what just happened.

I began walking home, feeling the lowest I had ever felt. Not because Jane rejected me, or because I threw up. Matter of fact I don't know why I was feeling so low.

Usually I'd have Dakota on my back, blacked out and unconscious leaving a party. A part of me misses it, but the other part is thankful I don't have to haul his ass half way across town. But maybe I like having to do that.

I laid down in bed with my head spinning, feeling like it was going to spin right off. I chugged a glass of water and closed my eyes. Tomorrow is going to be one hell of a hangover and I only pray it goes away on game day.

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