Chapter 10 - The other side of the coin

ERIC'S POV

"There you are ..." She greeted, in her usual mellifluous tone, a flirtatious smile on her lips, once she reached me beneath the bleachers, where I was leaning on the wall, arms crossed, waiting exactly for her.

"To what the honor of being summoned? I thought you wanted nothing to do with me anymore." And she's damn right. I'm tired of her mean attitude. Since I didn't reply, Dana got closer and brushed my arm, quite ... sensually.

"Or should I think you've changed your mind?" She asked. To anybody, her tone would have sounded just sensual and flirtatious, to me, I knew it was more hopeful. If I can push her to do what I want, it's not because she fears me, like everybody, actually ... it's the exact opposite.

There was a time when I would have lingered in her clutches, but today ... no, if she did what I think, then there's no flirting that will make me change my mind.1

"What did you do to her?" I asked, my voice hoarse for not having been talking since a while. Dana's smile vanished, because she knew who was I talking about and, judging from her guilty countenance, she also knew I was mad at her for this. Yet, she dissimulated: "Her? I don't know what you're ..."

"Don't play dumb with me, Langley. I know you better than my pockets." She glared at me, which is fine, because she normally does that, and it doesn't really touch me. Opposite to some other frightened looks I receive, which make my heart sink every damn time ... Crossing her arms, Dana stared me down, well, tried to. I'm not that easy to intimidate, you know.

"I did nothing." She stated. I looked up at her. That was my turn to glare and she took a step back, knowing not to mess with me when I get mad. I don't hit girls, no, that'd be coward, but she knows I'm not one to play with.

"Nothing? Then why was she crying in the middle of the hall?" I spat, not really caring about keeping my anger.1

I hate seeing her weak, I hate that she doesn't even believe in herself, not enough to stand up to this haughty cheerleader that is my ex. Yes, Dana and I had a thing going, well, more than a thing ... we've kept it a secret, not even her circle knows that we've been together, although, truth be told, our together was more in the sheets than on dates, if you know what I mean.2

Dana sighed, rolling her eyes. "Always protecting her, huh? What is she to you for being so protective over her?" She wondered. I said wondered and not asked because she knows damn well what is Natalie to me.

Actually, except for Kyle, only she knows. But I haven't told Kyle, he just knows. That's because we're closer than we both like to admit, so he can read me, just like I can read through that fake façade he's been putting on since he arrived here with his swagger.2

"I thought I'd told you to let her be." I nearly barked, although in my usual low tone, ignoring her comment. She sighed, crossing her arms, her long fingers patting on her forearm.1

Sometimes I think all of her beauty goes wasted, just because she likes acting like a bitch. I know her enough to be sure she isn't truly like that, she just puts a mask on, so that people will love her and fear her at the same time.

I won't say she's weak, because she isn't, we're similar at least in that, but deep down, she's more than all the fashion clothes and cured appearance, damn more than the venomous cobra she acts as. That's why I stuck around her more than due.

Well, I'll admit that her good looks did attract me. Dana is the classic type of beauty and yet ... magnetic in her own way. Her curly blonde hair, mixed with her deep blue eyes, make her look like a Barbie, but, that's just the looks.

She bites, quite often and quite dangerously too. She's not as bad as she seems, she just acts on that, I know, but she bites. Her venom can be lethal, just like a cobra.1

And yet ... yet when she was in my arms, aside from those ... let's say passionate times, she was just a normal girl asking to be accepted.1

"Come on, Eric, I've done nothing so awful to her." Dana defended, receiving a dirty look from me she recoiled at. "Considering that once you left she crumbled down and burst out crying, nothing isn't the right word, I'd say. Don't you think?"

She rolled her eyes, clearly exasperated. "I just talked to her."1

"Saying what?" I demanded to know. "Things ..."

I pulled off the wall and took a step closer to her, so that I could seriously look down at her. Her eyes showed more need than fear, though. Need for a contact I've left her without since two months.1

Technically, we "broke up" at the beginning of last summer, but, understand me, after three months in a damn reformatory, I needed something to burn adrenaline and so, and Dana ... well, she made it clear, she's always there when I need some ... let's say work out, so we've been hooking up again since school started, but at some point I got tired, like I always do with girls, and her mean attitude started getting on my nerves. Besides, she started getting clingy, like she always does after a month or two that we're back together.3

This thing we had, it started off in sophomore year, at a party, then it got stable, because she told me she wouldn't mind being called at times to "quench my thirst". I was clear since the beginning: I don't do relationships. No exceptions. But she said she was ok with it, her offer was always valid.

Maybe I grew up in two years and started seeing the thing as it truly was, because while back then I just took it as this rich girl that had everything feeling aroused at the thought of being with one like me, one that has this fame of being so dangerous to get close to, now I know her reasons were completely different.

"Dana, I've been clear. I want you and your geese to let her be." I hissed, trying not to let myself be influenced by her glowing blue eyes.2

I said it was nothing between us, not that she's never had an effect on me. I'm human too, for fuck's sakes. Despite what people say, I am. And her eyes have burned with gloom every time I decided it was time to split.1

Honestly, I don't really know how's it possible that none at school ever noticed, but I guess that since we'd never approach each other in public, people never assumed there was something going between the bad boy and the Queen Bee.

Besides, when we started hooking up, she was dating Liam, our quarterback, so people just assumed they were the best of couples and everything was perfect. In reality, he'd play with his harem, she'd play with me. Mutual cheating.

I did ask why keep the façade, but she just smirked and asked me if I was jealous, so I let it slide. I'm never jealous. Not of her, not of anybody.1

Being jealous means that that someone is something to you and you need them, but seeing as I've never needed anyone ... well, ok, maybe there is someone I need, but that's pure utopia, so doesn't count.

"I just talked to her." Dana defended once more. I rolled my eyes.

"She was crying. You said something to her that made her cry." I remarked, recalling how Natalie looked truly distraught when, coming out of the library, I spotted her on the floor. I fought with myself to go to her and at least ask what was wrong, but I'm sure she'd have taken it the wrong way,so I didn't move. Was relieved when a girl approached her and she smiled again.

Sometimes I hate this damn act I've been playing since years,but it's necessary.1

"Why do you even care?" Dana asked. I gritted my teeth. She damn knows why I care, I'm not gonna make a fool of myself and admit it out loud.

"I just do. Promise you'll let her be." My ex pouted, her lips pressing together. I'll admit that was kind of a sexy sight.3

Dana is sexy. And she knows that. Just like she knows I'm not immune to her charm. Not always anyway. When she noticed my eyes were on her covered in red lipstick lips, she smirked and got closer, partially closing the gap between us. My nerves did alert when she brushed my arm in that sensual way only she knows, but I held it together, well, kind of ... she pulled me closer to her and bit my earlobe as she spoke in that tone I've hardly ever been able to resist to: "I'll let your precious nerd be, if ... you give me one more night."2

"That's blackmail." I argued, trying not to give away my arousal. She's mean and annoying and manipulative, but ... sexy, and hell, I've been on short since two months already. She smirked.1

"Well, how do you call your wooing me to have me far from her?" I smirked as well. I'll admit that one thing I like about her, is this ability to always get what she wants.

"Bargain?" I proposed for a name and she grinned.

"Then let's bargain again." Her tongue came in contact with the skin of my neck as her hands drew closer to my hot zone and I didn't argue, didn't push her off, neither as she gripped my belt, tugging on it, like she wanted to take it off.

"We said it was over, Dana." I argued, not really convinced, but she let her polished nails run down my abs, something she knows drives me nearly over the edge, and grinned when I let out a growl.

"A night in exchange for your precious nerd's peace." I gripped her wrists tightly, trying not to let the clear arousal in her eyes as I did that, influence me.

It might be slightly sick, but she likes it better when I get rough. Well, girls like it in general. I guess it comes with my reputation. They assume that just because I am what I am, I'm gonna be all but gentle and they crave for it.1

"I'm not a gigolo you can buy with bargains, Langley." I spat, her eyes half closing as I was so close that my breath hit her jaw. I know she craves the contact, any kind of contact, more than any girl I've ever had. And I know why.

"Don't tell me you'd turn me down just for a principle." She implied. I would have said I'd turn her down because I'm tired of all of this, but you see, I'm still a man, and she's the kind of girl you'd be a fool to turn down and ... I'm on short. I said I'd cut if off with senseless one-night-stands, but ...1

"I'm not saying I turn you down." She grinned as I said that, but my grip on her wrists tightened. "But you're gonna let her be regardless."

Her blue eyes fixed on mine and for a moment, just for a moment, I spotted joy mixed with gloom in her gaze, like she was glad I agreed, but hurt too. In the end, she grinned. "Deal." She concluded, before crushing her lips on mine.

I should have probably resisted, but what am I made of? Steel? Not at all. Besides, why should I resist? Therefore I deepened the kiss, quickly taking over it as I flipped us and pushed her on the wall, my hands reaching her hips, hers my hair, as the kiss got hungrier.

"I'm home alone." She commented when my lips reached her neck. I smirked. "Then what are we waiting for?"4