Strip or Dare - CHAPTER 34 THE END (UPDATED 11/29/2020)

Chapter 32: Punish Me

Adam's POV

Our team won. I was never aware of it at first because my judgment has been clouded by the guilt feeling I had for screwing Cara when I felt like Allison had kind of rejected me. Besides, Zeke played the goal keeper on the second half of the game so I was just watching dumbly while my thought flew to how I can make up to her. Flowers? She seemed to be the type who doesn't even like them.

When I got lifted into the air, along with the hard taps and back slaps, it kind of gets into me. We've won. And that means, we've entered the Nationals. Our team will be playing against different colleges outside Portland.

I looked at my team mates. Zeke who was pouring beer over me. And the others who were bathing themselves with ice cold liquors. Coach Spencers hugging and lifting me into the air. The cheering squad running towards the field, making out with my team mates. Everybody was in high spirits and was up to doing every crazy thing they could think of.

"Congratulations." Carly said. She was wearing a midriff baring backless black top and a tattered jean with her natural blonde hair in braid and her lips in their usual plum color. "You've managed to bring your team into the Nationals and just what I've promised, I'll let you in a little secret."

She pressed an envelope into my hands. I wanted to chuck it somewhere on the field but a nagging feeling kept on telling me to open it. And I did, opened it with trembling hands amidst the cheers and shouts roaring in my ears.

Brace yourself. My mind told me.

I pulled the contents. They were photos. Not just photos but photos of Allison and my step brother, Nate kissing just outside Retaliation. A newly opened bar in Johnson City but was raided the other night for the police had traced the biggest dealer of ecstasy in there. I don't know the whole story but Zeke had definitely mentioned a thing. Anyway, it was a drug thing. And I don't do anything but dope.

"I've seen them kissing outside the bar after the raid maybe." Carly said. I looked at her, wanting to shove the photos in her mouth and punch her in her nose but I restrained myself. So much anger was flowing in me. For all I know, they could be screwing each other. I fisted the photos in my hand and walked away from Carly.

I wanted to skip the victory party but Zeke made me come. "It was one of a lifetime party, man. You can mop later." he said over the phone. He was right, of course. After all, he was still my bestfriend. I sighed, forcing myself to get those pictures out of my head, heading to the shower and scrubbing myself raw. I put on a shirt, a tight-fitting low waist jean and pulled my hair into a loose bun before heading out of my house. Good thing the party was in a nearby bar: Repraisal. It was in Gladstone and a ten minutes' drive from my place. I was contemplating whether to go there or head straight to Allison's place before anything else. I need to talk to her, straighten things out, ask her what the real deal was but I need this party too. I need some fucking guts. Guts, bro! Now I sounded like a pathetic whiny lovesick puppy.

I stepped inside the bar. The remix was deafening, it pounded along with my heart beat. The blinding lights kept on blinking and everybody was passing beers, chatting and dancing. Everybody was having a fucking good time, except me. All because of a fucking dork whom I fucked last week. I don't even know why I gave so much damn on her. Because you love her, something inside me said.

I wanted to laugh. Love? That wasn't possible. I like her. More than I like any other girls. I want to know her, to spend my time with her, to interlace my fingers with her... I would even quit soccer, go abstinence and oh my God, brotha! You are in love with a woman that was so out of your league.