Page 22 of Dirty Roulette

Chapter fifteen

Payton

The next day goes by faster than I expected.

It’s four in the afternoon when I strut into the girl’s locker room, thirty minutes before the cheer team goes to practice.

I rummage through my makeup bag and spill the contents all over the counter.

I’ve never worn makeup at practice and my pores are gonna hate me later, but Ryder’s been at practice all afternoon and for some odd reason I want his attention.

With mascara in hand, I’m caught off guard staring at a stall door swinging back and forth through the mirror.

In Sharpie, someone wrote Brittni and Ryder’s name, enclosing it in a cliché heart, saying they would be together forever.

My brain boils into mush seeing it. I figured high school graffiti went extinct after graduation, but I’m wrong again.

Digging through the side pocket of my bag, I find my hidden stash of Sharpies and snag the Sandford king-size permanent marker at the bottom.

Gnashing my teeth on the cap, I stomp to the door and spit the top out of my mouth.

My knuckles turn white as I cross out their names with the loudest squeaks in existence.

“Screw you, Brittni!” I whisper, ensuring to scribble out every inch of the cherry red heart as if it would magically erase them from ever being together to begin with.

“Why didn’t you call me back yesterday?” Charlie asks, and I leap on my feet, twirling around.

Busted. I smile at her, clenching the marker at my side.

I’m surprised she doesn’t mention the thick smell.

It’s killing my brain cells with each inhale.

She drops her bag next to mine and gushes at herself in the mirror.

Her ebony hair spirals down her shoulders, and her cheerleading uniform encompasses her curves.

Flat and bare is all I see in my reflection.

“You weren’t at the dorm when I got back,” I say.

“And you weren’t there when I got there at ten. Where were you?”

“Nowhere fun...” I stroll over and place the marker on the counter searching for the cap.

“Right... Do your spanks give you wedgies? I swear to God, mine are too small,” Charlie complains and runs a finger along the outline of her spandex briefs to cover her thighs. I’m searching the tile floor and under the sink until I find it hidden in the corner.

“Hello, earth to Payton,” she says, and I suck in the lodge of emotions caught in my throat and clench my fingers around the cap. “Are we not talking or something?” She frowns at me through the mirror.

“I’m embarrassed about it... The whole thing.” I twist the cap back on the marker.

“I would be too.” Charlie snags the eyeliner from my makeup bag and touches up the corner of her eyes. “But the good thing is, everyone is saying Brody got his ass kicked by a girl. You’re totally cheerleading material. Have you seen the comments on the videos?”

I shrug. “No...” and I don’t care to.

She whips out her phone, finding one of the reels.

The video is blurry, but she pulls up the comments and starts pointing at them.

Reading them aloud, one by one. “Damn, I wonder what he did to piss her off that bad.” She starts off scrolling with a thumb.

“I can barely stand the girls’ locker room.

She’s got balls to break into the mens’.

” Charlie’s words start to fade with my own brain, and I’m leaving my own body, everything meshing together and I don’t know what’s going on anymore.

I’m drowning out everything she says, or it’s me getting high off the marker smelling worse than gasoline.

When the phone disappears, I’m sucked back into my body.

“Okay, so are you going to tell me where you were last night?” Charlie asks with a hand on her hip.

“Umm... I...” I’m sinking to the bottom of the sea with the words we need to talk stuck in my throat, but the thought of mentioning the neck of the bottle and pointing at her brother puts me in a chokehold.

I saw Ryder last night. Say it. It’s that easy.

We spun around on a merry-go-round next to each other, looking into a sky infected with light pollution.

He tangled my emotions up like branches in a flood.

I could tell Charlie everything right now, but I’m terrified of how she would react.

“I went for a walk...” I shrug and run a hand up my arm. “I guess I just needed to think.”

“Right... well, I have to tell you something!”

“Okay...” I say.

“I’m sure you’ll really like Noah’s music. His voice is sexy as hell,” Charlie bats her eyes in the mirror, leaning over the ceramic sink and applying a coat of mascara.

“Is he your boyfriend now?” I ask.

“Well... I dunno about that. But I do think it’s a good idea for us to meet new people. You’d love the band. I’m heading over there after practice. You should come.” She gushes with her shoulders pressed against her cheeks.

“I’ll think about it.” I lean against the metal between the stall doors and stare at all the graffiti scribbled on the peeling paint.

I spot writing in red Sharpie I didn’t catch before.

Ryder’s name is carved in cursive, and a thick ball of bricks lands right in my stomach.

“Payton is sleeping with Crab,” I mutter out loud. “Oh my god...” My heart caves in.

“What?” Charlie scrunches her brows together.

Grabbing the black marker off the counter, I race over to the writing. Charlie struts behind me and chews on the inside of her cheek.

A smug smile molds on her lips. “Brittni is such a bitch. Get over yourself!” Charlie chuckles like it’s the funniest thing in the world. “This girl is out of her mind. Give me that marker!” she snags it from my fingertips and crosses out the remark.

“Over my dead body, bitch!” she snarls as she writes it down in a fit of rage. She emphasizes the exclamation mark before snapping the cap on and handing the marker back. “I’m so over her saying Ryder cheated on her with you. She’s a jealous bitch!”

“It’s whatever. She’ll get over it eventually,” I say.

“Now, let’s fix your hair.”

I huff, with my head tilting back with a groan. “I put it up.”

“No messy buns!”

I follow Charlie over to the counter and plop myself up as she works her magic.

She partly braids my hair in pigtail buns, leaving a layer of my natural curls to flow down my back.

She adds two green bows to match the university’s colors.

Styling hair comes naturally to Charlie.

Half the time, my buns look like an abandoned bird’s nest.

We shove our stuff into a locker beside a small duffle bag with water and protein snacks. We link arms, leaving the locker room. Charlie’s ringlets sway behind her back, staying intact without the frizz that always dominates my hair when it’s humid and rainy.

We reach our spot on the football field for practice and prop ourselves on the bottom seats on the bleachers.

Ryder and the team are running laps. He’s wearing his jersey, the same as the other players, but somehow he still stands out.

Charlie chats with the squad sitting next to us, talking about our professors and hating on them with passion while I try not to think about her brother.

I glance again at Ryder, getting tugged away from his run as Brittni stops him.

His hands rest on his hips, and he dips his head back, breathing heavily.

Beads of sweat glisten and carve out the muscles of his biceps.

Even his thighs are bulging with power. When he moves the right way, his.

..oh boy...his... it pokes out of the fabric of his shorts, and I can’t stop staring.

Brittni twirls her hair around a finger, biting her lip with her two front teeth.

I want to hurl. She flips her blonde locks and wraps her arms around his neck.

The pit of my stomach twists into tight coils, gawking as she kisses him on the cheek with red lipstick.

The color is too bright for her skin tone.

He gently pushes her off, wiping his cheek of the residue.

She’s too close, breathing in his sweat, and it’s unnerving because I want to breathe it in.

The horror swallows me up. He’ll be escorting her down an altar and for whatever reason, the feeling makes me want to put a gun to her head.

A sour aftertaste builds in my mouth. My chest is raw and clawing at me to go over there to divert his attention.

“Aww, how cute.” Charlie gags herself with a middle finger and nudges me on the shoulder. “Not.”

“I hate how he’s not over her,” I mutter.

“I swear she has some voodoo doll in her closet with pictures of Ryder, and she secretly performs witchcraft on him.” Charlie swats my arm.

I roll my eyes. “Who cares, right?”

“She tries too hard, and it’s annoying.” Charlie pretends to heave like she might throw up.

It brings up a slight smile, but it washes off my face quicker than I’d like it to.

I bring a leg up to my chest and wrap my arms around it.

Half of my shoelace hangs over my soles untied, but I couldn’t give two shits right now.

I want a thousand-pound brick to land on top of Brittni and squish her.

“You could pull down your shirt a little and show off your boobs. Maybe one of the hotties on the team will notice.” Charlie wiggles her brows.

“Shut up,” I smirk.

“Last night, Ryder told me you have a nice rack, so the guys on the team are totally looking.” Charlie presses her thumbnail to her upper lip, flashing her sparkling blue nails that almost appear like claws.

“Lovely...”

“You’re shitting me. One of them has to be cute to you.” She dips her head to the side.

Yeah, your brother. But I don’t say that. I cover up my laugh and shake my head, then ask, “Does sex really suck? All the other cheerleaders rave about it or how big someone’s dick is.”

Charlie bursts into laughter. “Talk about dodging my question... and if you have to know, half the guys don’t even know what a clitoris is. Remember Brody?”

“Does it hurt? You know... when you lose your virginity?” I ask and stray my eyes back over toward Ryder. The other girls on the cheer team swarm him and leap around the other players.

“Why are you asking me? You really think I know?” Charlie asks and steps in front of me to block the view of Ryder. “I haven’t lost my v-card either.”

“I’m just curious.” I shrug.

“Do you see something interesting? Come on, you won’t quit staring at my brother.”

“I’m not staring.” I roll my eyes. The coach comes out with a notebook in his hand, calling over the players to run plays.

“You’re on edge. Do you want magic water to get you through practice? I have some in my bag.”

“No, I’m fine. I didn’t sleep much last night.

” Alcohol is that last thing on my mind.

I spot our squad leader not too far behind Coach.

She rallies us up with a whistle and I do everything possible not to turn my gaze back to Ryder as he gears up.

His helmet with the number eleven slides onto his head.

My heart throbs when Ryder glances over, and I pick up my poms. His white glove waves, and he grins with his mouth guard in.

Even looking ridiculous, he still manages to make me melt.

We start with basic cheers, our voices ring out in unison with simple choreography.

The squad dulls the roar of the football team calling out plays.

The linemen ram into blocking sleds. Other players grunt and shout, blending in with clashing pads.

The cheers come out of my mouth, but my eyes are locked on the ball as Brody throws it across the field and Ryder dives in and catches it.

Water bottles and protein bars are tossed at us at the end of practice. I’m thirsty, my tongue is dry and solidifies to the roof of my mouth.

Charlie sits down next to me on the bench.

“Hey, I’m gonna go shower and hang out with Noah for a bit.” She squirts water into her mouth. Beads of sweat melt down her flushed cheeks. “Wanna come? You said you would think about it.”

“I’m kinda tired...”

“You’re going out?” Ryder comes over, pulling off his helmet. He reeks of sweat and socks, and oddly, I’m not heaving into the bushes. I’m inhaling him, wanting more.

“Yeah, my friend is buying me food.” Charlie laces her fingers together and flutters her eyes.

“So, is cutie going with you?” He asks, running a hand through his sweaty wet hair. I think there is drool sliding down the side of my lips.

“Why do you ask? Do you want to hang out with her?” Charlie furrows her brow and gives him a sly grin.

“I’m just curious,” He shrugs.

“I think I’m gonna shower and head back to the dorm.” I clear my throat and swallow the bulge lodged in it.

“Seriously? You’re so lame.” Charlie gives me a pitiful look. “Come on, I want you to make new friends.”

“Sorry...” I say.

“Well if you change your mind, text me.” Ryder turns to me, biting his bottom lip. It does something to me because I wrap my entire mouth around the rim of the water bottle and dip my head backward. It’s the only way to avoid his eyes on me.

“Ew, you are back washing! That’s disgusting!

” Charlie crunches the plastic water bottle, pushing a mouthful down my windpipe and I choke.

With a laugh, she yanks it from my lips and I spit water like a fire hydrant and all of it is in his direction.

Ryder uses a hand to cover his face as I try to hold in my own giggles.

“Seriously!?” He finds an unopened bottle in the icy cooler, twists the cap, and douses us. Shrieks break out of our mouths as it’s bitterly cold. “Yeah, that’s what you get!” He chucks the water bottle, a wide grin on his face, while he jogs backwards toward the team.

We laugh until our stomach muscles hurt.

The girls all gather up, and I stroll with Charlie to the locker room to clean up.

Charlie gathers her towel and bag of toiletries, heading towards the steaming showers.

Once her head disappears, I jimmy my locker open and pull out my cell from the little pocket on the side of my duffle bag.

I check over my shoulders like someone is going to take a sneak peek at my phone before I click on the little Crab icon.

Payton: Hey...

Crab: Hey Cutie, it’s only been thirty seconds. Already changed your mind?

Payton: Yeah, I’m a little hungry.

Crab: How long do you need?

Payton: Can you pick me up at six?

Crab: Yeah. I’ll see you then.

Payton: Trouvez-moi

Crab: Always