Catching Up

"The love game is never called off on account of darkness."-Robert Frost

Considering I haven't played soccer in about a month, I sucked. The first half of practice we were scrimmaging and the last half we were conditioning. Since I was the center forward before Ashton's accident Coach Brown put me there again. I could barely shoot, trap, or aim. What's also exciting is that we have a game this coming up Saturday and Coach told me that if I want to keep my center forward position then I would have to have extra practices before and after school to catch me up on skills and conditioning.

It was seven p.m. when Kelsey and I were in our dorm after soccer.

"You have no idea how lonely I've been here without you," Kelsey said as she was giving herself a pedicure on her bed. "Where have you been staying anyways?"

"Ashton's hotel," I replied. I stood up as I said, "Hey do we have any champagne?"

Kelsey said confused, "Umm, if we do then it's with the wine."

I walked over to the back of my closet and bent down. I picked up a medium sized box and brought it out of the closet. In that box were two wine glasses, a few bottles of wine, and hopefully a bottle of champagne.

Kelsey and I started that whole secret stash of wine towards the end of the first week of school. We had a load of homework, we had our first soccer game that Saturday night, and I had a dance competition that Friday night. Because of that, we decided that we should always have at least one bottle of wine ready to go whenever we felt overwhelmed or just wanted to have a little fun. Sometimes on Friday nights when I want a girl night and not spend it with Ashton, Kelsey and I always have a little wine and peanut m&m's—it's our thing.

I opened the box and sure enough, there was one bottle of champagne and two champagne glasses. I got them out and put them on the floor. I walked over to my bottom desk drawer and pulled out a target sack.

Kelsey joked, "Let me guess what you're about to do. You're about to pull out a gun and shoot me and then celebrate with a glass of champagne."

I laughed dryly. Little did she know that that actually hurt a little bit.

As I pulled out the box of godiva chocolate I said, "Actually, I bought chocolate."

Kelsey gasped as she finished her last coat on her pinky toe. She quickly climbed down her bed ladder and waddled over to me carefully, so she wouldn't mess up her freshly pedicured toes.

"Godiva chocolate is my worst weakness ever, but I love you so much right now!"

She stared at the chocolate wide-eyed as I laughed. We both sat down as I opened the box of chocolates.

Kelsey made a face continued, "Wait a second. There is chocolate and champagne. Either we're celebrating something or grieving over something."

"Well we are definitely not grieving, so I guess we're sort of celebrating," I replied.

As I was about to open the champagne I realized that the bottle was already half empty. I stared quizzically at Kelsey as she was basically urging me to open it with the look on her face.

I asked her, "Why do we have a half bottle full of champagne?"

She looked confused at first, but then she looked like she realized something.

Kelsey replied, "Oh, right. Well last weekend after Bryce's football game, we went back up here. It turned out that he brought champagne," she smiled and continued, "and tequila. We started off playing regular poker, but then it turned into strip poker and-"

"Okay, thanks. I don't need a play by play I think I got how it ended."

I really didn't need to hear how she slept with my ex. I never did make it that far with him, because when we kissed and it got too far, I always told him to slow down. He used to be nice and follow my orders, but now I guess I have to follow his. I forgot up until that moment that Bryce is going to make me kiss him sooner or later. I just pray that time isn't soon…

Kelsey started cracking up. "I'm just kidding about that last part. He did bring champagne, but not tequila. And we never played poker or strip poker; we just talked and celebrated his winning touchdown." She looked at me for a second then started laughing all over again. "You thought I slept with him? Please. The one thing I learned from Courtney is that being a slut takes you nowhere."

At that, I laughed. I also felt relief that she and Bryce haven't done it yet, but knowing Bryce, he would probably be pressuring her soon.

Kelsey continued, "So why are we celebrating?"

I opened the champagne and filled the two glasses. Kelsey took one and I took the other.

"Well, I guess your new relationship along with my better than ever relationship with Ashton," I told her.

She raised her glass and said, "To great days with great guys and many more to come."

I mimicked her motion and we drank. We started eating the chocolate and talking.

"So how is Ashton?" Kelsey asked me.

I took a sip. "Well since he's conscious, I guess that's a step up. I just can't wait until he's out of the hospital." Kelsey nodded. "He should be out by Friday or Saturday, after that it's just the matter of his bones healing." I sighed and said, "Enough about my relationship tell me about you and Bryce." I really didn't want to talk about him, but I wanted to be a good friend to Kelsey.

She ate a piece of chocolate and chewed it slowly. She took a sip and looked down. "Let's not talk about that right now."

"Did something happen?"

"No, I just don't want to talk about him right now."

That was odd. Like two minutes ago she was kidding about sleeping with him and now she doesn't want to talk about him? I swear if he did something to her then I'll kick his ass. I don't care who his dad is.

At that moment I got a text. I sighed because it was from Chuck. It read:

Its good 2 have you back, Peterson. Im looking forward 2 having some more alone time with u…w/out u ruining my clothes with scotch :). If u get bored later though u know where 2 find me ;)

I sighed again and shut my phone.

Kelsey eyed me suspiciously and said, "Who was that?"

I rolled my eyes. "Chuck."

Kelsey laughed. "I told you that he has the hots for you. Has he made his move yet?"

I scoffed. I thought back to his party when he talked to me and the time after my first English class here. He has been making his move since the first time we met. I seriously wouldn't care if he got expelled…or arrested.

"Please, he's been making his move for awhile now," I told her.

"I'm surprised you haven't acquiesced yet. I told you once that everyone has their Chuck moment sooner or later."

I really hoped that I never had my Chuck moment. I thought about his carefree attitude about everything. About the law, Director Brown, or basically just authority in general. The only way that I would ever have a moment like that is when Hell freezes over.

I decided to stop thinking about my possible moment and start listening to other people's reality.

"Tell me about yours, Kelsey."

Kelsey laughed and shook her head. She took a sip of champagne and said, "There's really nothing to tell. It was just a little freshmen rendezvous during spring break."

"Nothing to tell?" I asked dubiously. Once she nodded I continued, "I've known Chuck long enough to know that with him it's never nothing—"

"Oh my gosh, enough about Chuck! I do not want to hear any more about that sadistic ass," she said while smiling. I knew she was just avoiding it, but I would get it out of her eventually.

I watched her smile and I thought of Clint. I thought of his perfect blonde hair and how he always hugs me gently, like I was a fragile doll and could break easily.

Then I thought of Ashton. Ashton is my boyfriend and Clint is my friend. There's nothing wrong with checking up on your friend. Right?

I started, "So how's your brother doing?"

"Clint?" When I nodded she shifted uncomfortably. "Okay what's going on with you two? I mean it's totally fine if you're into my brother it's just-"

"I'm not into Clint. Why would you think that? You know that I love Ashton."

Kelsey gave me a sad smile. "Stephanie, everyone knows why Ashton got in his car accident. They know that you were with Clint, but what I know is that you were at my house." She looked down and continued, "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

I looked down and wondered if there was anything to tell. I thought back to the moments that I've shared with Clint: When we first met on the train, me meeting his brothers, us kissing at Starbucks, us seeing movies and shopping, and then there was that night at his house…

Well considering that I not only remember every moment that we've shared, but also remember the feelings that I felt, I'd say that there was something was to tell.

Since I was tired of lying I decided to tell the truth, "Umm…Clint and I almost kissed that night."

Kelsey stared at me in bewilderment. I could tell she was shocked at what I swore not to do again. Even though I didn't actually kiss him, almost kissing him is pretty much the same thing.

Once I saw that she wasn't going to say anything, I continued softly, "The only thing that stopped us from kissing was the call from the hospital about Ashton." I closed my eyes and went on, "When I was about to leave, Clint told me that he was falling in love with me."

I heard Kelsey cough and opened my eyes. She choked on a sip of champagne. She got a weird look on her face and said, "He told you he loved you?"

"I know this is weird, and trust me I know this is totally wrong considering Ashton, but…well—I don't know how I feel about him."

Her eyebrow's pulled together as she shook her head. "Stephanie, there's something you need to know about Clint—"

My phone interrupted us. It was a text from Clint:

Hey Steph. It's been awhile since we last spoke…can you meet me? Like now? I'm outside your dorm, so can we go for a walk :)

"Speak of the devil…" I said.

After I showed Kelsey the text, she said reluctantly, "Fine. Go ahead and go on your walk."

I put on my gray Hollister sweatshirt over my red tank top. I looked in the mirror to see how I looked. My hair was a mess; it looked like I just woke up. I put it in a high bun and decided that I now look at least presentable.

"If there's nothing going on with you two, then why do you care how you look?" Kelsey asked me.

That caught me off guard. Yes, the question was true. Why did I care? It wasn't like I was off to see Ashton. The only person who I would see was Clint.

When she saw that I wasn't going to answer she continued, "Like I said, it's okay if you're into Clint. Just make sure you don't hurt Ashton again. If you have to dump him, then dump him. Just don't cheat again."

I nodded my head in agreement as I walked out the door. There was an eerie feeling as I walked through the hall. It was as if someone were watching me. I turned around, and heard someone breathing. I decided to run.

Once I got outside I immediately saw Clint. Our eyes connected and he smiled. He walked over to me for a hug, but I turned away. I really wanted a hug from him, but I was almost positive that Kelsey was watching us through the window.

"So why did you want to talk?" I asked.

Clint kept staring at me intently. "Maybe because the last time we saw each other I told you I loved you and—"

"No. You said that you were falling in love with me…not that you were in love with me."

He walked closer to me and said, "Well just so we're clear," he leaned in closer and whispered in my ear, "I love you."

I closed my eyes and sighed. What was I supposed to do? When was he going to get that I only liked him as a friend? I mean has he been an awesome friend? Absolutely, but I just wanted to stay friends.

"What do you expect me to say?" I asked softly.

He snickered. "Anything is better than this agonizing silence." He then put his hand on my shoulder.

"Clint—" I said while pulling away from him.

"Never mind, don't say anything. Just listen." He put his hands on my face. "I'm the guy for you, Stephanie Peterson. I'm the guy for you and I'm gonna prove it."

Tears started to form in my eyes as I shook my head. "Why? Why would you do that to me?" I stomped my foot on the ground like a little kid throwing a fit. "Damn it, Clint. You know that I love Ashton. I don't want you to prove anything!"

"Too bad because starting now, I'm gonna fight for you."

"I don't want you to! When are you going to get it?"

He gently kissed me on the forehead. "I'll wait for you then."

I was absolutely speechless after that. I went over what I knew in my head: I have a boyfriend, I have a boy friend who wants to be my boyfriend, I have an ex-boyfriend who's threatening me, and I have a random guy who wants to have sex with me. Why were guys so freaking complicated? And why was I in the middle of a crazy love square thing? I don't even know if that's the proper name for the mess I'm tangled in.

When I was about to reply to his declaration of love for me, I saw that he walked away. I looked up at my dorm window and saw Kelsey shaking her head just before she also walked away.