Chapter 6

Mr. Player Meets My Mom

ALEX 

I glance at my reflection in the mirror one last time, just to be safe. I just have to know if I look okay. In fact, not just okay, but good. I’m not sure though why I’m trying so hard. I’ve been in front of the mirror for the past hour. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not one of those girls who don’t care about her appearance. I’m sorry, but I’m not. But that doesn’t mean I’m one of those girls who obsesses about it either. Appearance is important to me, but it’s not the most important thing.

I analyze my choice of outfit—black skin-fit jeans, a cute white tank-top and a black leather jacket topped with some black boots. My hair is hanging down my shoulders today and I’ve just applied a bit of kohl and lip-gloss. But do I look good? Will this do?

Oh god, it won't do!

Whatever, who cares? It's not as if anyone would notice me anyway. Sometimes I feel invisible, like no one sees me, like no one knows I even exist. Even the nerds get noticed. They are teased, and envied for their intelligence. The popular kids are obviously the center of attention. I’m the average kid; the one lying smack dab in the middle of these two. I’m not utterly boring, but then there’s nothing special about me either. I’m just average.

But it’s not that I couldn’t have made it to the top. I’d had many chances to get noticed. But I didn’t grab them. All I saw were girls around me grabbing these chances as quickly as they came, doing things they were sure to regret at some point in their lives. They all gave in to the thirst to be noticed, to be popular, to be admired, forgetting their dignity in the process. At least I can proudly say that I never did something that would make me lose my dignity.

You're wrong! Remember what happened last night?

The scenes from the party last night flash through my mind. The party, the truth and dare game, the kiss and…Dylan.

Oh man, what the hell was I thinking last night? I shouldn’t have given in so easily, I shouldn’t have let his harsh, mocking words get to me. I shouldn’t have let them effect to me to the point that I gave up my very first kiss to him. And what’s more? I don’t even know him. He was just this random guy who goes to my school and I let him kiss me. Wait, cut that, I didn’t let him kiss me—I kissed him.

And with that kiss has gone all the self-respect and dignity I’d preserved throughout my stay in High school. I used to be proud that I was one of the few girls in this school who hadn’t been involved in any kind of drama or with the wrong people. You might be thinking that I’ve over reacting here a bit. It’s just a kiss, right? Why am I worried?

 Wrong. It’s not just a kiss. I bet by the end of today, every single person in the school would be talking about it. It shouldn’t be a big deal; players kiss all the time right? But our high school, like many others, loves to gossip. They just love to discuss other people’s lives. But don’t we all, at some point of time? Discussing about other people’s dramas and problems help us forget our own, even for a little while. 

I grab my school bag, stuff my cell phone inside it and head downstairs. Mr. Player will be arriving soon, to give me a ride to school. Hell, I don’t need a ride to school. I have my own car! But try telling that to my best friend Tia who considers refusing school rides from hot guys stupid, even though the person already has a car.

"Morning mum!" I greet my mother as soon as I arrive in the kitchen.

"Morning dear! All ready to school?" She says, smiling. I look at her and wonder where did all her beauty genes go? Because I don't think I got any of it. My mom's really pretty. She has beautiful mid-length dark brown hair and big hazel eyes. She's on the short side and has a lean figure. I guess people can say we look alike, but I don't think we do. While she's really pretty, I'm really plain and ordinary looking in comparison.

"Yeah, all ready for school! What's for breakfast?" I ask, sitting down on the stool propped near the kitchen island.

"Cutlet and toast" she replies.

"Okay!" I smile and go over to give her a peck on her cheek. I take my place on the stool and eat my breakfast in silence. Soon enough I'm done, and so I walk into the hall to peek through the window to see if Dylan has arrived or not. I slightly remove the lace curtains to get a peek outside. And guess what I see?

Dylan is getting out of his black sports car, with a bunch of flowers. They are roses—white, yellow, pink, orange—no red; some lilies and daffodils and orchids are in there too.

Speak of the devil…and what the hell is he doing with a bunch of flowers?!

I inwardly pray that he forgets the address or messes up and goes to the wrong house. I just pray and pray that he does not come here. But no such luck, because he starts walking straight towards here. I push back the curtains to obscure the view and angrily punch the wall.

Ow—that hurt!

I angrily mutter a string of profanities under my breath as I rub my palm. I seriously need to do something right now! I just can't agree to go to school with him—Mr. Player. What would that inflict upon my character? I don't want people to categorize me as one of those girls who are or were ever involved with him. In fact, if something like that happens, it'll be a nightmare.

 People always think lowly of those girls who are involved with guys like him—those man whores who cannot keep it in their pants. Sure, after some time, when the girl has got her heart broken the people forget about it, but that doesn’t make it any better. And right now, if I’m seen around him, people will sure as hell not think nicely of me.

I rush back upstairs and hide behind the staircase railings just enough so that nobody can see me. I hear a soft knock on the door. "Hello Mrs. Rojers! I'm Dylan. Uh...You're Alex's mother, right?" he says doubtfully. He looks so cute when he looks all hesitant and doubtful. Small creases appear on his forehead.

I can’t help but ogle him from afar. He makes those simple pair of jeans and shirt look like those expensive clothes which come straight off the ramp. Maybe they are straight from the ramp. I’d hear he was rich…

Wait, what the hell am I doing?! Focus Alex! FOCUS!

"Yes dear, Alexandra is my daughter. I suppose she's your friend?" I hear my mom's voice in the hall.

"Uh...yeah, she’s my friend. Well, I assume she hasn't told you about me dropping her off to high school from now on?"

"No. She didn't mention you at all." my mom says, sounding a little skeptical.

"Like I thought." he says, more to himself.

What the hell is mom doing? She shouldn't go on blabbering with Dylan. Why doesn't she just kick him out of here? Oh, of course she won't. Know why?

"Okay...so you're just friends? I mean..."

Oh damn! She said exactly what I had been dreading. Oh Earth please open up and swallow me.

"Oh! No…No...No...We’re just friends. We're not dating or anything." he replies instantly, shocked. He looks really embarrassed which kind of makes me cringe too. I silently pray to god for my mother to stop asking any further questions.

"Oh alright, I'll call her." my mom finally drops the subject, and I inwardly cheer. Then I hear mum calling me from the hall. “Alex! Aaaa-lex!”

Crap.

"Coming!" I shout back. I'm surprised to hear my voice coming out loud and clear because at the moment my heart is practically in my mouth. I run downstairs, all the time thinking what it would be like to come face to face with the person I kissed just last night, and not just any person, but Mr. Player himself.

"Yes mum? Why did you call me?" I say. I don’t even glance at Dylan, completely ignoring his presence, like I cannot even see him.

"Look, here is a fine boy come here to meet you. How come you never told me about him?" she gushes. She cocks her eyebrows at me as she says this and pretends to be offended.

Hearing mum gushing about Dylan like he was some celebrity made cringe inwardly. Of course my mother was excited to see a boy. Unlike other girls my age, I never showed any interest in boys. My mother sometimes thought I didn’t play for this team, if you know what I mean. But I’d assured her from time to time that such was not the case. And finally, after ages and ages, mom finally sees a boy on my doorstep, and not just any boy, but a rather good-looking one too. Of course, she’s ecstatic. She obviously thinks something is going on between us because he’s giving me a ride to school. Ha! As if.

 "Mom, I don't know him." I simply say.

Mom looks at me, passing me her I-don’t-believe-you-for-one-second look. She puts her hands firmly on her hips and cocks her eyebrows at me. Nope, she’s not falling for it. "Oh god, we met last night at Stacey's party, okay?" I say, folding my hands around my chest, annoyed. No one can fool my mom! It’s like she has this lie-detecting radar installed inside her or something.

I and my mom stare at each other continuously, for what seems like hours. I wonder what she's thinking. She’s probably analyzing everything, my expressions, me and trying to figure out what I’m thinking.

"Uh...I almost forgot!" Dylan says, interrupting our silence awkwardly. From the corner of my eyes I see him picking up the flowers he had left on the window sill.

"Cut the gentleman act. You're flowers aren't going to do you any good" I snap at him. My words come out harsh and cold. But I can’t help it, I’m just so angry right now.

"These flowers aren't for you. They're for your mom" he says pointedly to me and then turns towards my mum. "A bunch of random flowers for the beautiful lady standing in front of me" he says flashing his gorgeous smile, handing her the flowers. And at that very instant, I know he has won her heart.

"Oh, I feel so flattered!" mom gushes. "This boy here is so sweet. I think Alex you should hang around him more often"

Of course she wants me to hang around him more often.

"Whatever!" I mutter and walk off.

"Oh dear, you're really sweet. I'm so glad Alex has finally made some nice 'friends'. I'd love to see you more often!" I hear my mom's voice, and I can't help rolling my eyes. “Do keep coming now and then.”

"Yes I will Mrs. Rojers, and it was a pleasure meeting you."

"The pleasure was mine, and oh, don’t call me Mrs. Rogers, it makes me feel old. You can call me Nina." she says smiling."C'mon now Alex! Better leave now or you'll be late."

I grab my bag, kiss mum good-bye, and then head outside with Dylan right behind me. I hurriedly walk away, trying to keep as much distance as I can between me and Dylan. I don’t even want to talk to him, or see his face. As soon as we’re at some distance from the house, Dylan give

"Damn, someone's looking really sexy today, and I'm not just talking about myself" he says flashing his pearly whites. I glare at him. Why do I dislike him so much? Why does his smirk makes me burn with anger as hot as the deepest depths of hell?

"Geez, don't be mad at me because I didn't bring you flowers. I promise I'll bring them the next time we meet." I glare at him again. "Okay look, I'm sorry for what happened last night. But I swear I didn't start it. That girl decided to kiss me. She started it!"

"Well, it doesn't matter who started it. All I know is that you were kissing her! And you were supposed to be helping her out!" I say accusingly.

"I'm sorry! I really am. I shouldn't have kissed her when she was drunk...." I look at him; suddenly I can see a small ray of hope. "...I should've kissed her later!" he exclaims.

And that hope shatters as soon as it comes. I start walking away really fast; he has to do a small jog to catch up with me. "I said I'm sorry..." he mumbles.

"No, don't be. You don't need to be sorry for something you think you shouldn't be sorry for at all. I mean both of us know that you'll be kissing a random girl soon enough in about let me guess....thirty minutes?" I say, exasperated.

He smirks."You're wrong. I'll be kissing a really hot chick—now."

With that, he effortlessly pushes me up against the old oak tree next to us and traps me in between his arms. His face leans closer towards mine; his hot breath falls on my face. He starts leaning even closer, until only an inch remains. His irresistible blue-green eyes are the last thing I see before I lean towards him and smash my lips on his. And then everything and nothing makes sense. And time stops and goes too fast at the same time too. And his lips take my breath away.