Chapter 7.14

Zachary

I couldn’t believe it. She fucking stood me up!

And I’d played my heart out at tonight’s game thinking she was up there in the box watching.

I wasn’t imagining things, was I?

I remembered Cheyenne staring into my eyes early this morning and she said she’d be there. Yeah, okay, I had to talk her into it, but she’d finally caved. And we even had more kissing and cuddling afterwards.

Just then Vance walked up and said, “Dude, you look like we lost the game tonight. What gives? That nightmare of a girl didn’t come? I told you she wouldn’t.”

“Shut up, Vance. Just because she wasn’t into you doesn’t mean she’s a ‘nightmare’.”

He backpedaled. “Okay, okay! Sorry! But when she chews you up and spits you out like she did me last night, don’t come running to me for comfort.”

“Believe me, I won’t,” I muttered. I needed a shower. Hanging here in a cauldron of smelly guys and shower mist wasn’t making me feel better.

I was beginning to second guess myself. Usually girls would jump at the chance to get to see me in action in a cozy box with all the alcohol and food at their fingertips. I hoped nothing bad happened to her.

“What’s going on?” Kyle Wiggens, one of my best friends as well as my tight end, strolled over.

Vance laughed. “Oh, dude, you’ll never believe it. A girl stood up Hawthorne tonight and he’s moping around. Seems cupid got him good.”

“No shit?” Kyle said. “Well, well…I need to meet this hottie. And soon. If she’s capable of turning down THE Zachary Hawthorne, she sounds just my type.”

“Cut the comedy, Kyle. Just a misunderstanding, is all. I’m sure something came up.”

“Dude, did you text her?” Kyle asked.

Vance laughed. “The idiot never got her phone number!”

“You’re shitting me!” Kyle shook his head. “Are you losing your touch?”

Feeling heat rise in my neck from embarrassment, I shot back, “I just forgot. I figured I’d see her tonight and get it then.”

But that was a mistake. God, how stupid could I get?

Cheyenne

I only had sixty minutes before I was going to meet up with my grandfather at his house in Del Sol Valley. Thankfully, he’d pulled a few strings and got me this swanky intern job at his studio. He’d said I have to meet people in the business to get ahead in the industry. I really felt uneasy about using his star power to help me out, but he said everyone uses everyone to land acting gigs. In the end, it didn’t matter if you’re the granddaughter of the biggest star in Del Sol Valley, talent is what makes that star rise.

And then he told me all I’d be doing is fetching food and drinks for people on the set. No biggie.

I glanced over my lines for a play called, Something Disgusting. It was a Fakespeare spoof. I played a clueless princess who was always faking my death while the knights would stab each other in the back (literally), falling like flies. It wasn’t my favorite play in the world, but since acting Truliet back when I was a kid, I seriously didn’t like Fakespeare and jumped at the chance on this part. Luckily, I was cast!

Just then, I heard a knock at my door. My stomach jolted when I saw Zachary’s very handsome but very angry face.

Oops. Guess he didn’t like me standing him up.

He just stared at me until I couldn’t take it.

I gulped then said, “I…I’m sorry. I decided it was best if we didn’t see each other.” Lame, yeah. But he didn’t need to know the real reason.

“What changed your mind? The least you could have done was left me a message. I thought something bad happened to you.”

He wasn’t taking my excuses. “Look…to tell the truth, Kristie is my best friend. It wasn’t cool that I stole you from her like that. She’s crazy mad at me, so like, I care about her too much. This just…can’t work. I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “What? How is that fair, Cheyenne? Kristie doesn’t own me. We were never a thing. That’s just stupid. Come on. Let’s get some coffee and we can talk about this.”

Crossing my arms, I looked away from him. “She’s mad at me for it so no. And anyway, I’ve got work so I have to go.”

I said good bye to him and ushered him out the door.

Why did this seem unfair? Yeah, okay, fine, I did agree with him. Kristie getting mad at me for stealing her crush is just beyond petty. A part of me wanted to rush back and tell him I didn’t care about Kristie getting mad but the other part needed to at least make up with her.

But what did it matter? He was just some overconfident jock who always got his way with women. That much I could tell. I’d be just another notch in his jock strap. And besides, he wasn’t my type. Why fight for something that wouldn’t work anyway?

Zachary

Fucking shit! This wasn’t right. No way in hell was some catfight going to get in the way of me dating Cheyenne.

What was this? High school? Since when can a girl exert power saying she had first dibs on a guy?

I wasn’t giving up.

I had no clue where this chick Kristie was. Like I didn’t even know her last name. I knew Cheyenne’s. She was Cheyenne Day, theater and music major, with a voice that could win Sim Idol. That girl was special. And she caught me in her net somehow. I’d be the first to admit, this wasn’t like me. Usually, I’d have given up by now, but it was a quest. I could tell Cheyenne was making excuses. She wanted me as much as I wanted her. Now it was time to find Kristie and talk some sense into her.

Walking down the steps, I found one of the other dorm mates who came into the front door.

She arched an eyebrow. “Hello…can I do something for you?”

“Hi, yeah, so I was wondering if you knew where I could find Kristie. I was supposed to meet her about thirty minutes ago, but she’s not in her room.” Totally hoped that didn’t come off creepy.

“Oh, yeah, she’s at the commons. They’re having a debate championship there. It’s starting in about ten minutes.”

Bingo!

After I walked a ways, I saw the little devil sauntering down the sidewalk in front of the commons park.

She noticed me and a huge grin spread on her face.

Normally, I’d think of at least ten different lines I could fling at her to make her melt in my arms. Most pretty girls did that to me, but not now. I was so angry that I couldn’t even appreciate her beauty.

“Hi, Zachary, what brings you to Britechester?”

Throwing on a fake smile, I answered, “Yeah, um, I was looking for you, actually.”

When she looked like she’d just won the lottery, I decided to let her know why. “Listen, Cheyenne won’t speak to me because you’re mad at her. And I’m honestly having a hard time understanding why. You and me were never a thing. So, can you let her know you’re cool with it? I mean, cool with me and Cheyenne dating. She won’t see me because you’re angry.” God that sounded so fucked up coming out of my mouth. I’m sitting here begging a chick to let me date her friend. And she wasn’t even my ex!

Her demeanor instantly changed and she drew into herself. “I’m not mad about that. I mean, yeah, I am, but…it’s complicated.”

“Well, can you help me out then? If you don’t care just let her know you don’t. It’s a win win for everyone.”

“Zachary, I’ve been friends with Cheyenne for a long time and…she just seems like…she doesn’t care. She parties and gets out of control and I’m just…done. Go out with her. I really don’t care. But I’m not talking to her. Not for a while. I need a break.”

She turned and stormed off without a glance back.

This seemed hopeless. But for some reason, I wasn’t going to give up.

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