Bridgette - Chapter Five: What Kind of Game Are You Playing?

 

 

My suspicions about Trent and Julie were confirmed several weeks later when they announced that they were dating.  I was happy for both of them but a part of me was starting to feel left out. Kate and Charlie were together, Carson was dating Waverly, and now Trent and Julie were dating.  Then there was me; dating no one. For the first time since we had all been friends, I felt like an outsider. It wasn’t anything that anyone was doing on purpose, it was just the fact that everyone in our group was all cuddly with someone and I was just standing there most of the time wishing I could crawl into a whole or go somewhere else

 

 

 

Then there was the whole Waverly incident. Ever since the pool party she had made it a point to cling to Carson whenever I was around. Not just a cute “we’re dating and I’m so happy” cling, more of a “he’s mine not yours obnoxious and infuriating” kind of cling. I swear, every time I saw them together I just wanted to punch her face in. Instead I thought of ways to get the little witch back.

I had every intention of following my plan of revenge. I didn’t care how long it took, how patiently I’d have to wait, how many moon cycles would pass, or even if I had to wait for peace on Earth to occur and I had to stop said peace, I was going to beat her at her own game.  When I was through with her, she wasn’t going to know what hit her and Carson would finally see her for who she really was.  Then we could go back to being friends and not have to deal with this Waverly crap.

I was standing in front of some lockers one afternoon when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I was sure it was going to be Waverly. She had spent the last several weeks taking every opportunity to shove it in my face that she had Carson and that he would believe her over me. I still wasn’t sure if that was true, but I could say one thing, Carson seemed oblivious to how Waverly was acting toward me. Even Kate, Charlie, Julie, and Trent had noticed that there was some friction between Waverly and me. Whenever they asked about it I tried to blow it off and just told them to drop it.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath fully expecting to turn around and to be face to face with Waverly. Instead, I was surprised to see Carson.  I looked around quickly to see if Waverly was around. The last thing I wanted was to add fuel to the fire and have her get all jealous that he was talking to me.

 

 

“Hey, why are you looking around like that? Are you meeting someone here?” He had a really confused look on his face.

 

 

“No. . .What’s up?” I was honestly surprised that he was there talking to me. There were few times since the pool party that Carson and I had talked alone.  Most of the time it was him just checking in to see what was up with me and to gush about Waverly.

 

 

“I’ve just been noticing that you seem a little. . .I don’t know. . .sad lately. Are you okay.”

 

 

I was shocked. For the first time in about a month and a half, Carson had finally noticed something and someone other than Waverly.  I so badly wanted to tell him everything; how I had found Waverly snooping in my room, how she had threatened to destroy Carson and my friendship, how it appeared that she was only interested in him to make me angry, and that all her affection toward him seemed fake. I knew it would do no good though. He was so infatuated with her at his point that I knew he still couldn’t see what I did. I was going to have to lie to him to protect our friends, him, and me.

“Oh, you know,  you have a girlfriend, Kate and Charlie are dating and now Julie and Trent are dating. I suppose I’m just feeling a little out of the loop.” That wasn’t a complete lie.

 

 

“I didn’t even think about that.” Of course you didn’t, you’re too obsessed with Waverly right now. “We should all be a little more sensitive toward how you’re feeling. I’ll talk to Waverly and the others and we’ll try to be a little more sensitive.”

 

 

 

When he mentioned talking to Waverly I almost jumped. I had to compose myself so he wouldn’t think I was upset. I didn’t do a good job since he caught it before I could regain my composure.

“What’s up Bridge? You act like that’s a horrible idea?”

 

 

“It’s just. . .” I had no idea how to explain that I didn’t want him to talk to his girlfriend without raising his suspicions and then having him run and tell her that I was acting all weird, which would then cause her to come to me and harass me. “Carson, I know you’re trying to be nice and do what you think would help me, but believe me when I tell you that talking to everyone is not the solution. It’s okay that all of you are dating; I’m happy for all of you. Just forget that I said anything.” I didn’t want to talk to him about it anymore so I just walked away, leaving him standing there by himself.

 

 

I made it to the end of the day and didn’t hear any more about it from Carson and Waverly hadn’t approached me so I figured I was in the clear. I got my stuff together and headed to the playground. Ever since Charlie and Kate had announced they were dating, they had started riding together in Charlie’s truck. I was still driving Jeff and we usually met on the playground after school. I was sitting on one of the swings when I noticed someone approaching me. I looked up thinking it would be Jeff but rolled my eyes when I noticed who it was. Waverly.

 

 

She was glaring at me which I knew meant that I was going to get a mouthful. I wished so badly that I could give her a  mouthful, a mouthful of my fist. I dreamt about it while she approached me.

 

 

“You don’t think I know your game? I know exactly what you’re trying to do Bridgette Hobble.” I started to wonder if she really knew what I was planning to do to her.

 

 

“What are you talking about Waverly?”

 

 

“Don’t play all innocent with me! You’re trying to make Carson feel bad for you in hopes that he’ll break up with me. Well it’s not going to work!”

 

 

I almost let out a chuckle and smile. That’s really what she thought I was doing. I had actually tried to have the reverse happen because I was smart enough to know that it wouldn’t work since he was still so into her. I stood there for several seconds trying to determine what my response should be.

“Honestly Waverly, that’s the last thing I was trying to do.”

 

 

“Don’t try to deny it! He told me that you were feeling left out and that we shouldn’t be so cuddly in front of you. Don’t deny it!”

 

 

I was relieved to know that she thought that was the game I was playing. “I did mention that I was feeling left out but not just because of you two. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, or if you’re just too selfish to notice anyone but yourself, but all of my friends are dating someone. Not just Carson. He asked what was wrong; I told him that I felt a little left out of the group. He suggested talking to you and the others and I told him to forget about it, because honestly, why would I want to hear you complaining to me about how I influenced Carson to do something. I mean, we both know that I can’t stand you so why would I do something that I knew would cause you to come up to me and bitch at me.”

 

 

She looked confused and mad. She had no idea how to respond to what I had just said and I was pretty sure I had lost her about halfway through my explanation. And to think that Carson is attracted to this bimbo.

 

 

“Well just be sure that you don’t do it again. Remember, I can make it so you and him are never friends again.” She turned around as fast as a tornado and almost ran into Jeff.

 

 

 

 

Jeff looked confusingly between her and me as he walked up to me. “What was that all about?”

 

“Nothing. And just so we’re on the same page; you didn’t see anything, you didn’t hear anything, and whole interaction never occurred.”

 

 

“But don’t you want your friends to know what a bitch she is?”

 

 

“Oh, they will; but not because I tell them, but because she reveals it to them herself.”

 

“What kind of game are you playing Bridge?”

 

 

“One where I’m going to win and Waverly isn’t going to know what hit her.”