"What the hell happened to you?"

I rolled my eyes for the umpteenth time for the day. I had told enough people about how I had fallen on my ass getting down the stairs and there were more than five videos posted on social media to narrate the same, yet here they were asking me what happened.

The whole school kind of knew me now and with a crape bandage, I found myself like a warrior who came back home winning all the wars. Some people threw a pity glance at me while some nodded their head at me in appreciation, but none of them made a move to talk with me.

I couldn't tell if the pain had reduced or not. After Robert had promptly dropped me to school with my brand new BMW, I hobbled down with Lily to one of our classes.

"It's nothing." I said, making my way to the third desk, my usual spot. Because of the bandage, it became very difficult to move about. My right leg had become so stiff that I could do nothing but hop at every step.

I had even called Mira to tell her about my condition and she was considerate to let me go for a few days. With the approaching weekend, I felt guilty for not able to help her out.

"It is not nothing." Brian took my bag, as I managed to put myself between the benches.

"I know you saw that video." I said, taking my bag from him. "Thank you." I motioned towards the bag. "So, you know I fell and hurt my ankle."

"Well," He said, scratching the back of his neck. "How are you?"

I smiled at him. Though with the awkward first impressions, we had built up a good friendship. Most of the girls around us were giving me their famous stink eye as I was talking to the most wanted football captain Brian Thompson. 

With every passing minute, I felt the same questions that the girls were having - what was so different about me that Brian Thompson had made an effort to like me?

"I'm better now." I said. Brian took a seat next to me and balanced his head on his palms. "I could have walked better."

He laughed. "With time."

I nodded my head.

"So," He said, looking at me as if I had sprouted two heads. He shook his head. "No, I shouldn't."

"What?" I asked.

"It's nothing, Scarlet." He said looking away. He ran his hands on his blond hair and smiled back at me as if he had said nothing. "It's not a good time anyway."

I looked at him if he had gone crazy. "Brian," I drawled. "Tell me, I promise to keep it as a secret."

"We have a match next Friday." He said slowly, watching me carefully, like I was a tiger ready to jump on him any second. "So, I was thinking if you could make it there."

"Oh," I said, not knowing what else to say to that. I knew he had attempted to ask me once before, with letters, but that had never made its way to me. This time, he was personally inviting me and I didn't know how to react to that. "I... um... I will try to come."

Though James was vice captain of the football team and Lily was his girlfriend, I didn't have a keen interest in learning the game. To be honest, I had never been interested in any sports. Dad and Lily both had their share of making me watch baseball and football at home and live respectively, but I had always managed to stick my ear to the earphones and acted as if I was never there.

I know, I should feel terrible because it's my school team and I should appreciate it at the least, but the game never settled with me. Though I had endured a lot of games than Lily had, during the cupid period of mine, making sure that James and Lily fell for each other, I had dozed of most of the times at one corner only to be woken up by James to give me a drive back home.

If I thought back, I was only interested in racing because I wanted to spite my Dad for not letting me have a car of my own and not letting me drive.

"I know you like football." Brian continued and I internally winced. "I have seen you in the grounds talking to James and his girlfriend."

"Yeah." I said, giving him a forced smile as I tucked my hair behind my ear.

"It will be fun and you can go to party with me later?" He smiled. I knew he was nervous. "Or not, you know. I'm not forcing or anything."

I snorted. "Brian, I don't know if I can understand the whole game."

"But you were there every single game." He tilted his head in confusion. I sighed. It was normal for anyone to be puzzled when I was there at every game while I did my homework or listened to a new trendy song. "I thought you liked them."

"Well," I said. "I'll come this time and try liking it."

Brian smiled. "I thought you were different, but you are complete opposite of what I thought."

"And what's that?" I asked, turning my head towards him.

"That you are not only different, but a good different." He said, without missing a beat. "I like it."

I gave a nervous laugh. I thought befriending Brian would make me feel less guilty of what happened with him, but this was leading to a destination that I dreaded.

I had made up my mind when I said that I wanted to move on. What I didn't expect was the moving on part would be shoved on my face with Brian's name on it. This was not going good.

Finally, after contemplating the whole ordeal for the whole of chemistry hour, I decided to give it a chance. After all, without going out in the dark, I wouldn't find the stars.

"What is up with you?" Lily asked, sliding two plates on the table before taking a seat next to me in the cafeteria during lunch. For the first time, I was glad that Nick was not there with us. He had said that he wanted to have a discussion with the drama teacher would have lunch there.

"Brian invited me for the game." I said, looking at her with worried eyes.

She only rolled her eyes at me. "Even if he didn't, you were going anyway. What's the big deal?"

She took a fried carrot from my plate and munched on it. I explained her about how Brian was acting with me and I told her my uncertainties of me giving him signals and misleading him.

"Brian is a playboy, we all know that." She said as a matter of faculty. "He would have said the same things to a brown plastic bag for all we care. You shouldn't be bothered about it."

"Do you think I'm giving him right signals?" I asked, holding a small piece of bread on my hand, debating if I should be eating or not.

"Scar, it's just a game." She sighed. "You are acting as if he asked you to marry you."

"No, you don't understand." I said, putting the bread back to its place. I don't like Brian like that and I didn't want to lead him on.

There was no guarantee of what might happen and I was scared. My race was not this scary! There, I could see the path on which I was riding. I could see the bumps, twists and turns, and I knew what to do, when to do and how to do. But here, everything was mushed and clouded. More importantly, I couldn't see what was in front of me and it made my mind go to a halt since I wasn't used to that environment.

"Look," Lily said. "You have just agreed to go to the game. It's not a big deal and it's not like you have agreed that you like him."

"But - " I started with my theory.

"But, you can always no. It's not like you are cheating or something, right?" She asked giving me a smile.

I nodded at her. This was making some sense. I had agreed to go to the game and maybe I was going to the party as well because James and Lily would be there, but that didn't mean that I liked him or I was leading him on, unless I confirmed it... Right?

Only time could tell.

---

"Shall I drop you home?" Nick asked as I waited for the mighty Robert to show up. "You look tired."

I was tired and I sure wanted to go home. But it was not with Nick and this time I was sure of it. I didn't want him to stick around especially when we were around alone. It was not that I didn't trust him, I didn't trust myself around him.

"No," I sighed. "Robert should be here any minute now."

There was times when I would have done anything to be alone with Nick, but now, all I wanted to do was run. Lily who had extra classes of life sciences, stayed back while I was stuck with Nick. I prayed Robert could come here faster so that I wouldn't have to do anything stupid.

"I still have my car here, just around the corer." Nick said. "You say it and I'll go get it."

I bit my lip. I had to learn new words and ways to say no to him. Though I should be telling him to stop doing whatever he's doing with my head, I knew it was not his fault.

I diverted my attention to the one in question now. Robert.

Where the hell was he? I had given him my weekly schedule to let him know at what time he should be free to pick me up. But now, with my car with him, I was starting to worry. Was he with other girls showing off my car to attract them?

If that was the case, I was sure I would be castrate him and send his body pieces to -

A loud honk, brought me back to my sense. I turned around to see the navy blue car with Robert with his smart ass goggles on. He gave a lazy smile and waved at the air.

"Thanks Nick." I said sweetly. "Robert's here. I'll text you once I get home."

Nick muttered something under his breath that I couldn't fathom. He made a swanky face at me, but he helped me to the passenger seat of the car. He stood by the door, after I was completely seated, supporting his arm by the door frame.

"You made her wait, buddy." He said directing his words to Robert. "She would have been alone if not for my company."

"Well, thanks Nick." Robert gave his dashing smile that would make anyone forgive him, but his charm was not working on me. I bet a million dollars if he thought it would. "I'll take my girl now."

Nick leaned forward. "She's not your girl, Bert." He growled.

I didn't know how to react to this. At one side there was a guy to whom I had given my whole heart to, but he was gay to reciprocate anything back. On the other side, there was another guy, who was a complete flirt and was saying that he would help me getting over the first one. I personally, didn't know who was better.

If I was given a chance, I would have run away from them all, trying to start fresh.

"Yeah, but she's not yours either." Robert said casually, shrugging his shoulders as if he didn't care.

"You know what?" I asked, trying to get down form the car. "I think I'll just take the bus and get home. I cannot sit and watch you two talk as if I don't exist."

"Babe, come on." Robert said, pulling his shades away from his eyes. "You know how I am."

"Fine, I can drop you." Nick said, helping me out.

I wanted to shout out loud and push all of them away. There was nothing I could do on my own in my own freaking life. I was constantly being pushed and pulled out of situations. For once, I felt like I needed to be alone to sort this out.

Nick was making me suffer more than he could imagine in the name of helping me. Robert, on the other hand, seemed like he was taking advantage of the position I was in. And that was clearly not helping my case.

I put my head in my hands. I wanted to cry because it was the first time in my life that I felt helpless even when I was surrounded by people telling me that they would aid.

I took a deep breath and placed my bag back on the back seat. If I was doing it, then it would have to be my way and I had to make this clear for both of them. If it was not for their benefit, it was clearly for mine.

After all, Robert said that he would be my chauffeur and it was time I utilized that well enough. I had to take control of my own life rather than letting things roll out on their own.

But I didn't know what after effects it might bring just to spice things up in my life. I dreaded the thought.

---

A/N: It's always a battle when there are two guys fighting for a girl. Their egos clanking and the jealousy burning. Hope that Scarlet survives it. **Sighs