The Love Game by Emma Hart

phone clear out of my dorm window. It would be so, so satisfying to see it smash into a million pieces on the sidewalk. Or, of course, I could just get a new number. That's probably the better idea, but nowhere near as invigorating.
    I'm not surprised he's contacted me so soon after last time. I figured he wanted the money for rent, but I was wrong. Oh, so wrong.
    There's one big difference between Pearce and Braden that I have to acknowledge. That difference would be in the form of illegal drugs.
    Pearce turned to it when Mom was killed. It was his “escape.” There's nothing wrong with wanting an escape, but when that escape gives you a bigger down after, you have a problem. My darling brother solved that by getting more of the escape.
    And this time he's run up a bill so bad that the eight hundred dollars already transferred from my bank doesn't even cover half of it.
    Naturally, he told whoever he gets it from he'd get the money, assuming I'd hand it over like I always do, but this time I said no. I told him I wasn't going to bail him out anymore, and he went crazy.
    His text message yesterday morning was informing me he was making arrangements to be here, and I should expect to see him next week sometime.
    I click my tongue. Two different lives merging. Everyone here knows I have an older brother back in Brooklyn but they don't know the details. Besides Kay, Megan and Lila, only Braden knows about Mom being killed. No one never asked, and I've never felt like offering up that information.
    But Pearce, here? The idea scares me, because I know what he's like. After all, didn't I watch him dominate, control and drive my best friend to attempted suicide, all because of his drug addiction and inferiority complex?
    “Argh!” I rub my eyes with the heels of my hands, digging them in as if it can pull away the memories of last year. I should be so lucky.
    The bright colors of our Operation Play the Player poster catch my eye. Day ten, and I'm even more determined than ever to see this through. For what feels like the hundredth time in two days, I build a wall around my heart.
    Despite everything bad, Megan was right. Braden is caring, sweet, and thoughtful. He does have a heart, somewhere, at least.
    But, so did Pearce before he ripped out Abbi's heart.
     
    ~
     
    I walk across the lawn towards Braden's frat house. We haven't really spoken since my outburst in the cafeteria yesterday, so I know I need to 'patch things up' for the sake of the plan. All I really want to do is run away and hide somewhere Pearce can't find me.
    Lila lets me in at the door. “He's out the back, come on.”
    I smile gratefully at her, but I still sigh.
    “Hey.” She wraps an arm around my shoulders. “It'll be okay. Even if he does show, we'll all be there. Promise. You won't be alone.”
    “I know.” I drop my eyes to the ground as she opens the door.
    “Time out!” Braden calls. I look up again, and I'm met by a sweaty, shirtless Braden jogging towards me. His face breaks out into a smile, and he hops onto the small porch. “Hey, Angel.”
    “Hey,” I say quietly. “Braden-”
    “If you're gonna apologize about yesterday, then stop right there.” He steps towards me and brushes some hair away from my eye. “We're all entitled to a freak-out once in a while, right?”
    “Right.” I smile at him. “So, we're good?”
    He laughs. “Maddie, we never weren't good. I just figured you needed time to cool down.”
    I nod in agreement, and he reaches out to tuck me into his side. We rest back on the porch, our backs to the rest of the field. My hand rests on his stomach, and with my decision to finish this fresh in my mind, I take the game up another level.
    I trace the grooves in his torso with the tip of my finger, my thumb brushing the solid packs of muscle as I go. His grip on my waist tightens as I approach the subtly defined 'v' by the waistband of his shorts. I feel him shiver, and his free hand clamps down onto mine an inch