TMI (2014 Collector's Dream Winner)

TMI - Chapter 17

As the evening slowly ticked down, Meg wondered what to do with herself. Her mother had already been home and left for her second job, waiting tables. She nuked a frozen meal for dinner and threw a few hours into studying that wasn’t so bad since she had left over cake. Around nine-thirty, she grabbed a paint brush. She clipped a piece of Bristol paper to her easel. Its smooth surface was great for testing colors. She got out some acrylics and starting layering colors… olive green, khaki, mustard, golden rod, chocolate, moss, ochre, and ivory. Meg mixed and blended and scraped, but still couldn't get the eyes right.

Thank God Chase never asked about the easel. She'd have cracked like uncovered paint and never been able to face him again. If he’d noticed, he pretended not to. She thought of his hands on her shoulder, on her hip, and her eyes slipped shut. She relived his lips, his tongue on hers and sighed at the way her body reacted to just the thought of his hands on her. If he'd pressed her for more, she wasn't sure she'd have said no. When the stab of pain came, as it always did, she carefully draped a cover over the easel and started cleaning brushes.

That's when her cell buzzed.

Meg glanced at the screen but it was a text message from a number that wasn’t in her contacts list.

Hey. I hear U been asking a lot of questions about me.

Meg frowned at the screen and quickly typed a reply.

Here's a question. Who is this?

The phone pinged with a reply.

Sorry. My name's Ryder. Ryder West. I'm Bailey's friend.

Her eyes narrowed. Bailey's friend? She'd be pretty pissed to find out he was just a friend and not a boyfriend. Meg texted back.

Well Ryder West I'm Bailey's friend and you're right. I do have questions about you.

His reply: Fine. Ask.

Oh, she planned to.

How did you meet?

They hadn't met, not officially, as far as Meg knew. 

We both like Xbox games.

Meg knew that much. So you played a few games and thought you’d pick up the other player?

U know its not like that. Stop wasting time and get to the point.

Meg shook her head in disgust. Ryder wasn't quite the gentleman Bailey thought. Fine. What’s your deal?

No deal. Just like hanging out with her.

Oh, she wasn't letting him off the hook that easily.

So what are you texting me for?

I just wanted to show U I'm not jerking Bailey around. Can U ease up on her? I don't like hearing her so upset.

Upset? Bailey was upset? This was news. Why is she upset?

Testing me again? Fine. She told me UR mad at her because she forgot about plans she made with U.

Meg wished she could believe that. The truth stung a bit and she tapped out a reply. She didn't forget. She just wants to talk to you more than me.  Oh, God, could she be any more pathetic?

I feel the same way about her. If U were really her friend, U wld be happy 4 her.

Oh, hell no. Meg stabbed at the buttons with extra fury. I am really her friend and that's why I'm making sure you're really who she thinks so why don't you prove to me you're not some 50 year old pervert getting off by the sound of her voice?

UR really sick. Why can't U just be happy for us?

Meg rolled her eyes. He's the creep hiding behind a keyboard and she's the sick one? Is English not your first language? I'm not backing off until I know you're for real.

Meg waited but no further texts arrived.