Challenge Accepted

Chapter 7

So, this crazy thing happened. We are currently at 80 reads and #152 under Challenge! This is INSANE. Thank you all so much for making this happen, I wouldn't trade this for the world. Anyway, please comment or vote, it would mean so much! Enjoy the story!

I rocked myself back and forth in the small room I'd found. I was pretty sure it was a pantry, or something along those lines, but I didn't bother checking. The tears were making my vision bleary anyway.

I knew Marek would be too intoxicated to find my little hiding place, I wasn't even sure he would come looking.

He leaned in as my expression turned from curious to bewildered. He was going to kiss me. I wasn't ready for this I had barely accepted we were a couple for the foreseeable future and kissing had not even crossed my mind.

I took a step back, enough to let him know that I was not going to kiss him. He stopped leaning in, clearly sensing my hesitance. "Amber, come here," he teased playfully. Amber? Where had I heard that name again?

Then it came back to me, Amber was the girl that Marek dated, the one Rory told me about. I stepped further away, shaking my head furiously. This could not be happening to me.

As soon as Marek took another step towards me I ran. I looked for the nearest corridor but there were none, so I ran up the grand staircase. There were less people on the second floor, but still enough for me to blend in. I kept running down the hallway until I found a door with a lock. The small room had white tiled walls, with a concrete floor. I hustled between a large rectangular cupboard and wrapped my arms around my legs, rocking myself back and forth.

I tried to focus on the sounds of people talking behind the small white door, the murmurs of everyone oblivious to my existence. Trying to drown out my spiralling thoughts.

I heard a knock on the door and knew without a doubt that this person came looking for me. I got up wearily, stumbling slightly, and unlocked the door. Expecting Marek to burst through the door, I was thoroughly surprise when Rory slipped cautiously through the door.

"Want a ride home?" He questioned uncertainly. I nodded, unable to trust my voice. He offered me a hand and I took it, hoisting me up. He held on to my waist, more for the purpose of keeping me upright than to annoying Marek.

He placed me delicately in the passenger seat of his onyx black car lined with leather. The car ride was silent, the air thick with tension. But I didn't care, all that I could focus on was my mind repeating Marek's very words over and over again.

"Amber, come here."

Why did it bother me so much? Why did I care so incredibly much that he called me the wrong name? If anything, shouldn't I be glad he confused me a girl he used to love? Did that not mean that he was in the process of falling for me too?

I resolved not to think about it until I'd had a night to think on it. If I showed any resentment towards him he would think I liked him and was being jealous. I wasn't even certain he would remember the kiss when he woke up tomorrow, with the amount of alcohol Marek had consumed.

I sighed.

This should not have gotten this complicated this quickly.

The car came to a halt and I stepped out, pulling my unbelievably short dress down. Rory led me to the door and said a wordless goodbye. As I watched his jet black hair disappear inside his car I wondered why I couldn't have made the deal with someone like Rory.

Someone who at least cared enough to keep my dignity intact.

My phone buzzed and I removed it from the small clutch. It was a text from Marek that read, "Where did you go babe?" I slammed the door behind me furiously and flopped on to my bed, within seconds I was out like a light.

Monday morning by the tables Marek acted like nothing had happened, but now I was fully committed to Rory's plan. We met again behind the school, this time we planned ways to get in Marek's heart. The result of the meeting was that I would visit Marek's family and attend each of his football games.

Rory had given me a schedule of the football season, which meant that I had a football game to attend next weekend.

I practically skipped towards the front of the school building and towards Marek. I slipped under his arm by the tables and asked him if we could visit his family. I could feel his muscles tense and his expression turned confused.

His nod seemed forced, but I couldn't figure out why he wouldn't want to show me to his family. I gave Rory a questioning look, but he just shrugged in return.

What the hell had I gotten myself into?

Thank you for reading. I know I'm taking a while to get to the beef of the story, but I've finally figured out both of their backstories in depth. I want to reveal those first and then have a plot twist centered around Rory before any kissy-kissy stuff happens :) 

How does that sound? Anyway, please comment and vote!