Chapter 37

[Alex's POV]

"...and then we kissed" I said ecstatically.

"Oh wow! That is amazing! I'm so happy for you!" Tia gushed.

Tears of happiness threatened to fall. Was this even for real? Dylan Kennedy liked me. Me of all people! How was this even possible. He was a player. Players don't fall. They make others fall and crush their hearts. Why should things be any different now? Maybe he wants to get into my pants again.

Or maybe he really likes me.

He could. Maybe he really does. Surely all that he had said back there hadn't been an act after all. The way he had kissed me was full of passion. Maybe he really likes me. This thought made my heart do a three sixty degree turn and caused giant butterflies to flutter. Dylan likes me.

The question is--how much? Does he like me enough to leave his player ways and love me with all his heart. Could he really do that? Was this even possible? Maybe I should stop dreaming so much...

Suddenly the crowded school cafeteria went dead quiet. I and Tia stopped our conversation like everyone else, turning our heads around, wondering what the hell was going on.

And then my eyes fell on Dylan.

He made his way inside the room, the crowd parted like the red sea as his eyes raked across the room and stopped abruptly as it fell on me. He smiled his gorgeous, dazzling smile, making my knees go weak and my hurt to flutter. 

He didn't remove his gaze as he stopped in the center of the cafeteria. He was standing next to the A-lister's table. I expected him to sit down like he usually would. But I was in for a surprise.

He climbed onto the table. Everyone stared at him with interest, wondering what he was up to.

"Hey guys!" he said waving and smiling.

A couple of people actually replied back.

"So...I'm here to...um, announce something" he said. I went rigid. I suddenly felt dizzy and my head and stomach hurt. In short, I was nervous. What the hell was he up to?!

His eyes locked into mine and my breath stopped. He wasn't going to--

"I'm in love" he said casually.

I heard a couple of people gasp. Some hooted, others whistled and a few even clapped. All in all, many were surprised. After all, he was Mr.Player and players aren't supposed to fall in love.

"Who is it?!" someone shouted.

"Yeah, c'mon tell us!" another voice came.

He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted.

"Me of course!" Stacey's annoyingly sickly sweet voice floated through the cafeteria as she made her way to the table Dylan was standing on, her stilettos clanking against the tiled floor. She was a picture of perfect beauty, her gorgeous blond hair seemed longer and really lustrous. Her clothes hugged her figure perfectly, and her make-up was perfect too. She was perfect. How could he love someone like me?

"Obviously, I'm the one he loves, since I'm his girlfriend" she said, flipping her blonde hair and smiling triumphantly. God! I just wanted to walk up to her and punch her square in the face. She such a--

I noticed Dylan running his fingers through his messy blonde-brown hair. He was clearly frustrated. No surprise there, it's Stacey we're talking about here.

"Actually no, Stacey. It's not you. So get over yourself" he said, sounding annoyed. My mouth dropped open in surprise. I'd never heard him talk like this to Stacey. The whole cafeteria went 'Ooooohh'. Stacey narrowed her eyes at him.

"What the hell are you saying, Dylan!?" she barked, sounding bitchy.

He turned to her. "What I'm saying Stacey, is that I don't love you. Heck, I don't even like you! I don't even know why we're together. Anyway, please don't ruin this for me. It's important to me, okay?" he said, turning back to address the students once again.

"Oh no Mr. Player, you're not getting away with this so easily" she said. She told a guy to move off his seat as she climbed onto it, trying to balance herself in her killer heels and climb the table alongside Dylan.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Dylan exclaimed.

"Now talk" she said, standing straight in front of him, looking at him eye to eye. Her heels gave her  height so that now she was finally as tall as Dylan. He stared at her incredulously, like she had gone crazy or something. More and more people were entering the cafeteria. The news of the ongoing drama had spread arround the school like wild fire.

He sighed. "Don't make this hard for me Stacey" he said. I'd been sitting pretty close to the table he was on, thats why I could hear everything he was saying. She stared back at him adamantly.

"Fine, I don't like you, I like Alex!" he said, raising his hands up in frustration. A couple of people gasped and 'oohhed'. My heart skipped a beat as he said those words. He had just confessed his feelings for me in front of everyone. 

Stacey's mouth dropped open. "What?!" she stared at him, wide-eyed, clearly surprised at what he had said. "You're kidding, right?"

He stared back at her solemly.

"What!?" she exclaimed. And then started laughing. She laughed and laughed, her shrill voice echoed in the room. "Alex! You like Alex? Her? You're crazy!"

He still stared back at her, looking dead serious. All traces of laughter vanished form Stacey's face as she realized what he was saying was true and that he was really serious.

"How can you? I mean look at her!" she exclaimed, and then her eyes snapped onto me. There was no humor in them, they looked cold and vengeful. I gulped, ready to face the wrath of the bitch-queen. My eyes shifted onto Dylan. He had an adoring look on his face. His expression were soft and sweet as he looked at me.

"Yeah, I'm looking at her. Isn't she the most beautiful girl ever? I wonder why it took me so long to realize that" he said, looking straight into my eyes. I instantly felt my cheeks turning red. The crowd of students stared intently at him, a few looking at me and whispering. Many started hooting. 

"Oh how sweet!" Stacey said, sounding malicious. "The player finally falls for the ugly nerd, how cute!" I looked back at Stacey, she was giving me the ultimate death glare.

"Yeah, she's beautiful, in and out. She's not manipulative, bitchy and full of herself" he said.I couldn't help smiling. I liked how Dylan was defending me in front of all these people. Dylan seemed protective and caring.

"What do even see in her Dylan!?" Stacey demanded.

"I don't know...I just like her a lot. And I don't care what anyone else thinks." he said stubbornly, fixing his gaze on me. I stared back at him in shock. I didn't know what to say. All of this was so unreal.

"Okay, so I know I've done a lot of things which I'm not proud of. I've broken  the hearts of countless girls, acted like a total douche. In short, been a player. Hell, I've even hurt the only girl I genuinely liked. And I'm not at all proud of this. In fact, I still sort of feel like a sick, selfish, egoistic, prideful asshole"

A couple of people nodded in agreement. But mostly they all stared at him wide-eyed and intently.

"BUT, that's all set to change. I want to change that. And I will. I'm done with this player business. I don't think breaking a girl's heart and messing around with them is fun. I don't need to try out different girls either, because I've already found the one I'm looking for." He turned fully towards me.

"Alex Rogers, I love you. That night at the party when we kissed, I should have realized things were set to change. You changed my life. You've changed me. You've forced me to leave my womanising ways. You know why? Because that's the only way I can get you. I love you so much that I'm ready to change"

My heart flip-flopped inside my chest. I was speechless. Did he really mean all that he had said right now? Did he really? He was a player after all. He had a way with words. but would he really go as far as accepting it front of everyone. Didn't players avoid the feeling of love like it was plague?

"I don't care what others think of me anymore. All I care is about you. To hell with my player reputation and all that shit, I just want you."

 I wanted to go right there and kiss him. He sounded so sincere and so caring. But did he really mean all of that? Did he really? They were just words. Would he really do as he was saying?

"That's how he proves it, his love. He's leaving his player ways for you Alex. He just wants you. Can't you see it in his eyes? He really loves you. he totally does! Give it a shot" Tia said from beside me. I turned to her, my eyes widening. She didn't knew about the prove-your-love part.

"Alex, go out with me? Okay don't just answer that yet. Take your time. But Alex, if you really think its worth a try, then please, a week from today, meet me at our thinking place. I promise you, it'll be worth it." he said, smiling. People scrunched up their face in confusion, not knowing what Dylan meant by our 'thinking' place. But I did.

I sat there, wondering what to do. Should I go? Or should I not?

****

The rest of the day had been quiet uneventful. People had been giving me a lot of stares since that dramatic incident in the cafeteria. I'd actually been quiet happy. Dylan's words were still fresh in my mind. It made my heart flutter whenever I thought about it. I had been replaying the scene int he cafeteria again and again. Things were actually pretty good.

Well, they were until Stacey showed up after school.

She walked straight towards me in the parking lot. She walked with full confidence like she owned the school, her hips swayed side to side.

"You! Yes you! What do you think of yourself, huh?!" she barked at me, pointing her perfectly french-manicured nails at me. I didn't know what to say. I was at a total loss of words. What was she here for now? Probably to bitch-slap the crap outta me since I was the reason her beloved boyfriend dumped her.

"What do you want?" I demanded back.

"You must be thinking you're oh-so-awesome since you apparently got him! But you know what? You can keep him. In fact I'm better off without him. Who would want him anyway?"

"Oh yeah? Well, I remember you wanting him" I shot back.

"I was stupid, so what?! You can have him for all I care. but just know, I'm here to warn you."

"You here to warn me?!" I chuckled. "Very funny"

"Remember Alex, I've known him for much longer than you have. I know how he is. He's a manipulative player who only knows how to break hearts. I don't know what has got into him, but sooner or later he'll realize what he's doing is so not him and then he'll dump you and break your fragile little heart" she said icily. "I know him, okay? I've seen what he's done to numerous girls and to me too now, as you see. He'll do it to you too. So just beware." she said.

No profanities were thrown my way, no bitch-slaps, no harsh words, no rude comments. She just turned around flipping her blonde hair in the process and walked away, swaying her hips in her usual manner.

I stood there dumb-struck. 

If nothing, Stacey had just got me more confused.

Would Dylan really do what he had done to all these girls to me as well? Would he break my heart too? Would he grow tired and bored out of this relationship and drop me and move on to some other girl?

I mean, he's a player. How can all this change in just a day? Does he have it in him?

Is he worth it?

_________________________________________

A/N- So....did you guys like it? (hope you did) Just an epilogue left now. I didn't want to drag this anymore. I hope you guys liked it. PLEASE VOTE for as many chapters as you can as this story is in the Watty Awards 2012! It would mean the world to me. I may put up a new story called 'A Flirtationship' but no promises, and I'm going to un-hold my other stories as soon as I'm done with the epilogue.

Love you all 

xoxo