Page 64 of The Wrong Game

Her voice faded then, and for some reason, my heart squeezed again — for Belle this time instead of Gemma. I didn’t know much about her, but I knew she loved Gemma fiercely.

She was the kind of friend anyone would be lucky to have.

“I like you,” she finally said when she’d taken a breath. “You’re a good guy. You’re a fighter. No one has ever fought for Gemma in her life.” She paused. “And she’s the kind of girl who deserves to be fought for.”

I rolled my lips together, swallowing down a knot of emotion at her words. Maybe it was because I was honored she saw so much in me, or maybe it was because I was sad she saw so much in her best friend that Gemma tried so desperately to hide.

“Alright,” I said, nodding. “I’m listening.”

“Are you? Because I don’t want the half-ass version of Zach Bowen. I need the full on third quarter, four points down, twenty seconds to land a hoop Zach Bowen.”

I frowned. “Literally none of that makes sense.”

“Whatever. I’m not a sports girl. What I’m asking is, do you still want her?”

My chest tightened, a flash of her smile assaulting me like the answer I already knew I had. “I want her. I want to fight for her.”

Belle let out a relieved breath, lowering her voice like she was telling me a secret. “Good. Now that we got all that out of the way, brace yourself for the crazy.”

“I’m justnowsupposed to brace for that?”

She laughed. “Well, let’s just say that I know my best friend, and while I know she has feelings for you, that doesn’t mean this is going to be easy.” Belle paused. “We might have to do something a little…drastic… to wake her up.”

Something told me I was going to regret my next question, but I was already in too deep. It really was like being in the last quarter, down by seven, coach screaming at the entire team in a huddle for us to give everything we had left to clinch the win.

Belle was right. Gemmawasworth fighting for.

And I was all in.

“What do you have in mind?”

Zach

I couldn’t stop tapping the heel of my foot as we watched the teams warm up the next afternoon.

It was an early game, kick-off at one pm, but even with the earlier start, we couldn’t escape the chill of October in Illinois. Gone were the warm days of summer, fall in full effect now, and the gray sky matched my mood and general outlook on the day.

This was a bad idea.

Belle wasn’t kidding when she said she wanted to do something drastic to get Gemma’s attention. Not only was I here at the game, knowing Gemma would be here soon, too, with her date — but Ialsobrought a date.

Belle.

“God, I would pick the first game all season that’s been cold,” she said, shivering a little as she tucked her hands in the front pocket of her hoodie. It was tight, hugging her slim frame, and her jeans had strategically ripped holes up and down her thighs. She didn’t exactly dress to be warm, but then again, she wasn’t there to be comfortable.

She was there to provoke her best friend.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked, foot still bouncing as I watched the field. “I feel like this could really piss her off.”

“That’s the point.” Belle propped her feet up on the back of the chair in front of her. “Look, this is the perfect way to call her on her bullshit. If she really just wants to be yourfriend, then it won’t matter to her that you brought another girl.”

“Even if it’s her best friend?”

“Well, yeah, okay, so it’s a little bit of a jab,” she admitted. “But she’ll be more pissed at me than she will be at you, and once she loses it and goes off on me, I can give her the reality slap.”

“This just sounds like everything she would never want us to do.” I shook my head. “I don’t know, I think we should call it. I don’t feel great about the plan.”

“Zach Bowen, listen to me,” Belle said, her little teeth chattering. “I know this is kind of crazy. I realize we are playing with fire. I am also fully aware that Gemma told us what she wanted and we are blatantly disrespecting that.” She paused, sincerity falling over her features. “But… just trust me when I say that I know my best friend. And if what I think is actually happening is true, then this will snap her out of everything. And she’ll finally talk to me. And to you.”