Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game (29 page)

We all stood around in reverent silence for a few
minutes. Mrs. Nelson nodded and turned to us. “Thank you all again
for coming. We love you.” She motioned for Jason and Jonathan. They
both took one of her arms and led her down the hillside to the car.
I exhaled noisily with relief.

“Tough day, huh?” Maddie questioned behind me.

When I whirled around, she once again took my breath
away. Her long dark hair cascaded in waves over her shoulders and
down her back. I had to hold back from reaching over and running my
fingers through it. Her dark eyes held a sadness that only I could
fully understand. “Yeah, it’s been a rollercoaster for sure. You
hanging in there?”

She nodded.

I smiled. “By the way, you did a great job on your
speech today.”

“Thanks. I was afraid I would choke up,” Maddie said,
with a grin.

“Nah, I knew you’d do great.”

We were interrupted by Blaine. “Hey, Noah. Hi,
Maddie,” he said.

“Hi,” we both echoed.

Blaine turned to me. “Listen man, I’m having a bon
voyage party tonight. I’d really like to see you there.”

I eyed Maddie before I said, “I don’t know. I mean,
we’re leaving for Rio on Sunday morning. I have a lot to do…”

Blaine snorted. “Yeah, I know, but that’s why you
really have to come.” He glanced over Maddie. “Duh, where are my
manners? You should come, too, Maddie.”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Really?”

Blaine grinned. “Yeah, why not? You can make up for
lost time.” When Maddie gave him a blank look, he said, “You know
for all the times Jake invited you to our parties and you never
came.”

Maddie nodded. “Thanks, Blaine.”

“So I’ll see you two at my house?” Blaine asked.

“Um, yeah, maybe,” I replied.

“Good deal, man.” He snaked his arm around Maddie’s
shoulder, and I stiffened. “Listen pretty lady. Noah doesn’t sound
too convinced, so I’m trusting you’ll work your sweet magic on him
and get his boring ass to the party.”

Maddie laughed. “Okay, Blaine. I’ll try.”

“Awesome! See you guys later!”

When Blaine was out of earshot, I threw a wary glance
at Maddie. “You aren’t serious about wanting to go, are you?”

“Yeah, I think I am.”

I sighed. “Do you even know what goes on at Blaine’s
parties? It isn’t Bible Study and worship music.”

Maddie shot me a death glare. “I didn’t think it was,
Noah.”

“I just don’t think you’d like it, that’s all.”

“Well, I think I would,” she countered. She stood
before me with her arms folded across her chest, a determined look
etched on her face.

“But why now after all these years?”

“Because I want to have a little fun, okay? Today is
graduation day. Four years of working my tail off to earn the
coveted Valedictorian spot. Doesn’t that earn me the right to party
a little?”

I scratched the back of my neck. “Well, maybe.”

Maddie barreled on. “Plus, I’m leaving for six weeks
of missionary work on Sunday, and in case you didn’t notice, I’m
standing in the cemetery where we just interred Jake’s cap and
gown. I think I could use some down time.”

“We could go for ice cream,” I suggested.

She shot me a truly heinous look. “All I’m asking for
is one time, Noah. One time to say I actually attended a high
school party.”

I groaned. “If you seriously want to go, I’ll take
you.”

She grinned. “Good. I’ll tell my dad.”

“Whoa, whoa, wait a minute! You can’t tell your dad
you’re going to a party at Blaine’s. He’ll never let you out of his
sight.”

“Duh, I realize that. I’m going to tell him you’re
taking me to the movies, and then I’m going to spend the night with
Mandy.”

My eyes widened in horror. “You’re going to
lie
to Pastor Dan about where you’re going?”

“Yeah.”

“What about that speech you gave me awhile back about
them trusting you and all?” I shook my head in disbelief. “I think
I’ve corrupted you or something.” Although a large portion of me
was doing a fist pump of pride at Maddie’s new rebellious behavior,
the other part felt horrible that it was because of me that she
wanted to do some naughty things. I mean, she’d definitely been
making an impact on me for the better, but I shouldn’t be leading
her astray.

Maddie laughed at my expression. “Noah, I don’t think
one little white lie isn’t going to kill me!”

“It’s not just a white lie. What about the other
night at karaoke?”

Her eyes widened in horror. “You promised not to ever
mention that!”

“I’m not mentioning it…I’m just reminding you,” I
replied, lamely.

Maddie shook her head. “I don’t need reminding.” She
glanced over to where her father stood. “I’ll meet you back here in
just a minute, okay?”

With a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach, I
watched her practically skip away—the virginal good girl off to lie
to her holy father. Oh, shit, this couldn’t be good.

***

The party started just after dark and
conveniently after Mr. and Mrs. Johnson left for the airport. When
I parked the Jeep, I glanced over at Maddie. “I just want to
prepare you for some of the things you’re gonna see tonight.”

“I’m not a baby, Noah,” she snapped.

“Okay, okay,” I muttered as I hopped out of the Jeep.
She may have been putting on a brave front, but she would see. I’d
just wait to see her reaction when a couple started going at it in
front of her and naked people were running around. Then she’d be
singing a different tune.

We’d barely made it to the bonfire by the pond before
Callie, the girl who I dated most of 10
^th
grade, thrust
two beers in our hands. “It’s so good to see you, Noah,” she
slurred.

“Um, yeah, good seeing you too.”

Although she was standing with her latest flame,
Callie inched closer to me. “Man, we had some good times together,
didn’t we?”

I shifted nervously on my feet—scared of what
direction the conversation might be headed in. “Yeah, we did.”

Running her finger down my chest, Callie shopped at
the waistband of my shorts. “Do you remember that camping trip when
we went skinny dipping, and we got all those splinters from
screwing on Old Man Bradford’s dock?”

Maddie squeaked beside me, and I knew it was time to
get the hell out of there. “Yeah, good seeing you,” I muttered
before taking Maddie’s arm and leading her away. Once we put enough
distance between Callie and the ghosts of my sexual past, I turned
to Maddie. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay,” she murmured. She was eying the plastic
cup in her hand suspiciously.

“You don’t have to drink anything tonight.”

She eyed me before downing half the cup.
“Refreshing,” she replied, her body shuddering as the alcohol hit
her stomach.

I rolled my eyes. “Come on,” I said. Even in their
drunken stupor, kids were shocked to see Maddie at the party. One
guy stopped us. “Hey, I know you,” he slurred. “You’re that smart
girl. What the hell are you doing here?”

Before I could say anything, Maddie stepped forward.
“I was invited.”

The guy raised his eyebrows. “Cool. Wanna another
beer?”

“Sure,” Maddie replied.

“Awesome!” he said. He glanced at me before giving
Maddie a seductive grin. “If you’re not with him, maybe we could go
somewhere and talk?”

Maddie shook her head furiously from side to side.
“No, no, we’re definitely together.” At her declaration, my brows
shot up in surprise. She smiled sweetly at the drunken asshat
before replying, “Thanks for the beer.” She quickly pulled me
away.

“So we’re together huh?” I questioned.

Tilting her head, she replied, “It’s the truth, isn’t
it? I mean, I did come here with you.”

I bobbed my head while fighting not to say,
Yeah,
but that’s not exactly what I hoped your statement meant.

After she took two long, lingering sips, I sighed.
“Uh, don’t you think you need to take it a little slow—you know
considering you’ve never had alcohol before?”

“I’ll be fine,” she snapped, shooting me an
exasperated expression.

When I saw Presley cutting through the crowd towards
me, I cringed. I’d avoided her at all costs since that night at her
house, but it looked like I wasn’t going to be able to get away
this time.

She smiled hesitantly at me. “Noah, can I talk to
you?”

The usual plastic cup was missing from her hand, and
there was an unusual sincerity in her voice. I glanced over at
Maddie. “Um, I guess so. But only for a minute.” As I started into
the brush with Presley, I turned back to Maddie. “Stay right here,
okay?”

“Fine.”

I followed Presley further into the woods. When she
deemed we were far enough from prying eyes, she stopped. She
glanced up at me through her eyelashes, and I swallowed hard.
“Presley, I came out here to talk and nothing else. Do you
understand?”

She snorted. “Believe me, I don’t want to do anything
with you but talk to you!”

“Fine, then start talking.”

Presley bit her lip momentarily before blurting. “I’m
pregnant.”

The world titled around me before spinning wildly in
a crazy mosaic of colors like Willy Wonka on crack. I knew I wasn’t
panicking because there was a possibility I was the father. It was
the realization of who the father most likely was.

“Say what?”

Presley rolled her eyes. “You heard me the first time
before you spazzed!”

“Yeah, yeah, I just wanted to hear it again to make
sure I wasn’t hallucinating or something.”

“Fine. I’m pregnant, dickweed. Can you comprehend
that now?”

“Loud and clear.”

Presley’s expression softened. “So…”

“Is it….?”

She nodded.

I’ll admit that there was a small part of me that was
pretty skeptical. I mean, we’re talking about the school mattress
here. “Um, are you absolutely sure?”

At my question, I expected her to be outraged and
haul off and knock the shit out of me. But she seemed to anticipate
it. “Yes, I’m absolutely sure. We were exclusively together the
entire month of March, which is when I got pregnant.”

I held up my hands in surrender. “Okay, excuse me for
sounding like a giant douchebag here, but considering your
reputation, do you really expect me to believe without a doubt that
Jake is your baby’s father?”

Presley narrowed her eyes at me, and I took a step
back in case she hauled off and knocked the hell out of me. “I will
be happy to do a DNA test for you and any other assholes who want
to doubt me, but there’s no way in hell that it is anyone else’s
but Jake’s.”

“Holy shit,” I murmured as I staggered back on my
feet. Jake was going to be a father. The thought made me feel
lightheaded. “So what do you want to do? I mean, do you wanna have
it or have an abortion?”

“No, I want to keep it,” she replied.

That was pretty shocking considering Presley wasn’t
exactly the maternal type. It was kinda like Paris Hilton, minus
the Chihuahua, standing before me telling me she was dropping off
the social scene to raise a kid.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Yes, I’m positive.”

“Wow…” I murmured.

“Noah, I might have had a funny way of showing it,
but I did love Jake. He’s the only guy I’ve truly loved with my
heart—not just my body.” She slowly rested her right hand on her
stomach and smiled. “Don’t you see how amazing this is? I’ve got a
little piece of immortality growing within me—a part of Jake will
live on through this baby.”

My jaw dropped open, and I stared at her in
disbelief. Seriously, had the world gone freaking crazy? The
ultimate good girl, Maddie, had just begged me to come to a keg
party and was now slightly inebriated. The ultimate man-whore and
horse’s ass, Jake, had actually had a soft side. Now the reigning
school slut had turned into a motherhood worshipper like Angelina
Jolie.