Wanna Bet? by R. S. Burnett Page A

nerves.
    “ You know, it
doesn’t matter what you think of me, but who’s the insecure one who
walked around for months hiding her body and not talking to anyone,
it wasn’t me that was you. The reason no one really wants you like
they want me is because you’re so fucked up, do you honestly think
that I haven’t seen the way you have flinched away from people when
they come too close or when they touch you in a certain place, in a
certain way? What’s the matter, bad childhood?” I narrow my eyes at
her, getting a queasy feeling in my stomach not sure I can handle
what she’s going to say next.
    “ You know last
night, Tucker spoke about you, I have to admit you made an
interesting topic for pillow talk” I’m knocked aside and notice
Tucker has joined us looking nervous.
    “ Brooke?” he
asks looking between us both. I ignore him and stare at Beth
waiting for her to continue, she learns over and whispers six words
in my ear that knock the breath out of me.
    “ Step daddy
never loved you either”
    I’m not a
violent person, after everything that has done to me I have learned
that fighting back isn’t the answer. However after hearing my
secret whispered back to me by the one person who will use it taunt
me this goes out the window. I pull my arm back to slap/punch her but its grabbed and
before I know what’s happening I’m being swirled around the dance
floor. Once we have stopped, my arms are pulled up and around a
neck, looking up I relax when I see I’m dancing with
Todd.
    “ She’s not
worth it” he assures me as his hands settle on my hips and we
automatically move to the beat surrounding us.
    “ I know,
normally I can just let it go but she really gets on my nerves
sometimes”
    “ What did she
say to make you want to hit her?”
    “ Nothing
that’s important” I shrug it off
    “ Happy
Birthday by the way”
    We settle
into the dance and are silent for the longest time and
unconsciously adapt our dancing to the songs, one of my favourite
songs off all time comes on and I smile widely until I can see him
looking around and back at me nervously, following his gaze I can
see that quite a few people are watching us.
    “ You do
realise that by tomorrow morning your name will be added to the
list of people I’ve supposedly had sex with right?” I ask him not
sure how he will like being part of my ongoing rumour.
    “ Meh ... I’ve
had worse things said about me” he smiles down at me.
    “ Well it
wouldn’t have been long until you were added to it regardless, I
wonder what they will do when they run out of names to add on it” I
ponder aloud.
    “ Can’t be
easy, having everyone say these things about you” he notes
sympathetically.
    “ Want to have
some fun with it?” I ask feeling the earlier fight not forgotten
but wanting to take my mind off it.
    “ What did you
have in mind?” he asks smiling back at me.
    “ Just work
with me and I’m probably going to kiss you, you should know which I
haven’t done to any of the other people on my list by the way so
our rumours might be extra special” he just laughs and shakes his
head at me as I press myself up closer to him, he picks it up
straight away and starts moving his hips against mine, I block out
everyone around us and don’t take my eyes from him as we continue
dancing seductively, I move my hands up and thread my fingers
through his hair, playing with the ends of it that rest on the back
of his neck, he lowers his head down to mine the same time he moves
his hands around until they meet at the bottom of my back at the
same time our lips meet. Secretly I’m impressed by the perfect
timing of this move making me smile when we pull apart. I look over
his shoulder and see Tucker coming towards us frowning, when he
catches my eye I shake my head at him with a glare he just stands
there for a few minutes watching me.
    I tear my
eyes away from his and look up at Todd, noting my expression, he
smiles sympathetically at me.
    “