Playing the Game by Jl Paul Page B

you, Aubrey Rose.”
    I winced as though she’d smacked my
face.
    “ I know,” I whispered.
“I’m worried about you.”
    “ Do you want me to comfort
you again? Tell you everything is all right? We don’t want the
sweetheart to worry.”
    I stood, my mind swirling with anxiety. It
was like a demon had suddenly possessed her body. I tensed, waiting
for her head to begin spinning and green vomit to spew from her
mouth.
    “ I’m sorry,” was all I
could mutter.
    Sighing, she got to her feet. “No, I am.
It’s the hormones.”
    My eyes must have mirrored my confusion for
she sighed again and pushed her hair out of her face.
    “ I’m pregnant,
okay?”
    Relief washed over me followed by a second
wave of joy. “Really? This is wonderful!”
    “ No, it’s not,” she
snapped. “Don’t say a word to anyone, Aubrey, I mean it. I haven’t
even told Dane yet.”
    “ But why?” I asked as
confusion swept my other emotions under the rug. “What’s the
problem?”
    “ I don’t want to talk
about this right now, okay? Just go home and let Mom see you’re
safe so she’ll stop calling and bugging me.”
    I nodded, unsure if I should stay and
somehow try to comfort my sister or do as she wished. The steel in
her eyes made the decision for me and I escaped to my car, my mind
whirling once again.
    As I drove home I wondered what could be so
terrible about Gwen having a baby. She was in a loving, committed
relationship. Dane adored my sister and would never leave her –
especially now. And Gwen would be a terrific mother. She was loving
and smart and not overbearing. In many ways, she was like a mother
to me.
    She was also my friend –
my best friend. As I fretted over her predicament I also made a
solemn vow that I would be the one there for her this time. I would give her a
little space to cool off then I’d go over and sit her down so we
could talk. She needed me – maybe not as much as she needed Dane-
and I damn sure wouldn’t let her down.
    ***
    I got through Monday and Tuesday without
calling Jess. And I convinced my mother Kendra was a nice girl who
didn’t throw wild parties or jump into bed with random men. I
promised her I would invite Kendra over soon so they could
meet.
    Wednesday morning as I drove to the studio
for rehearsal, I brainstormed on how to approach Gwen. I'd called
her the night before and she'd been polite, thanking me for
checking on her. I would go see her Friday. I didn’t tell her that
because I knew she’d put me off and do whatever she could to avoid
me.
    When I got out of my car, I just opened the
back door to retrieve my guitar when a familiar voice greeted me. I
looked up into the smiling eyes of Troy Neal.
    “ Hi, Troy. What are you
doing here?”
    Before he could answer, Jess appeared next
to him with Derrick McKinney.
    “ What do you want, Jess?”
I groaned.
    His eyes scanned the parking garage. “In a
minute, sweetheart. I’ll get to you in a sec.”
    Derrick pointed over my shoulder. “That’s
the one, man. Kendra looked him up online last night.”
    Troy wrapped an arm around my waist and I
twisted as Jess and Derrick approached a figure getting out of a
car. I wiggled to wrench my way out of Troy’s firm grasp but he
just held tighter.
    “ It’s fine, Aubrey,” he
whispered.
    Jess grabbed Gary Lester by the lapel and
threw him against his car. “Is there some sort of video, man?”
    “ I don’t know what you
mean,” Gary stammered. His wide, frightened eyes fell on me as the
blood drained from his face.
    “ I know you and your sick
friends got Aubrey drunk and recorded it. I want the tape.” Jess’s
face was twisted in wild anger. I feared a security guard would
intercede and call the police.
    Gary trembled visibly as his hand twitched.
Finally, he reached for the bag he’d dropped on the ground. Jess
released him long enough to allow Gary to retrieve a DVD in a blue
jewel case. His hands shook as he handed it to Jess. Jess, in turn,
handed it to