Chapter Nine
CHICAGO WILDCATS GROUP Chat
Bowen: I’m in
Eric: me toooooo !!!!
David: I don’t do video games
Aaron: I’ll be there
Kieran: My bedtime is 8:30, cutting it awfully close
Atticus: Why are you like this
Kieran: Will your sister be there?
Bowen: HOLY SHIT
Eric: DID HE JUST
Atticus: I’m speechless
Coach Rodriguez: TEAM RELATED CONVERSATIONS ONLY PLEASE
Atticus: No worries boss, this is a team bonding activity
Atticus: Nothing brings people closer than punting each other off the map
Atticus: And yes, sammie will be there :D
Ivy: dibs on pikachu
“Fuck!”
Sammie fell back against the couch cushions, dropping her controller into her lap. Vash, the cat, gave her a glare from where she was curled up on the back of the couch, before tucking her head under her paw and going back to her nap. “Ivy, don’t let him win!”
Ivy was seated next to her, legs pulled up onto the couch. She leaned forward, laser-focused on the television and the battle playing out there.
Pikachu versus Marth.
Ivy versus Kai.
“Damn, sis.” Atticus plopped down on Sammie’s other side, a seltzer water in hand. “You actually held your own against the nerds.”
“I hate playing with these two.” Sammie glared at the screen. “This was the only game I thought I was actually good at before I met both of them.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll bask in mediocrity with you.” Atticus bumped her shoulder before handing her one of the cans he’d brought them. A round of whooping went off from the mass of bodies huddled on the floor.
“Shield, shield, shield!” Eric was practically screeching as Ivy’s Pikachu took a hard blow from Kai’s Marth.
Aaron was next to him, eyes glued to the screen.
They’d both been knocked out of the game early on, followed by Kieran, then Bowen, then Atticus, and finally Sammie.
Bowen rose from where he sat next to his teammates, raking his hands through his hair, nearly vibrating with excitement.
“Don’t let him hit you again!”
Ivy didn’t flinch, her eyes never leaving the screen, thumbs moving over her controller with a practiced ease.
“Bro, you’re so fucking sweaty, get off me!
” Eric swatted at Bowen’s hands that had landed to rest on his head, pushing the other man away from him with a sharp grin.
Bowen crouched down, wrapping his arms around Eric, pinning him in place.
“Fuck, stop!” Eric wriggled in his grip, even as Bowen’s eyes stayed glued to the screen.
“You don’t even sweat this much on the court. ”
Aaron nodded. “He’s right. It’s weird.”
“Video games are a different kind of stress.” Bowen released his hold on Eric. “A sweatier kind.”
Sammie chuckled as the final member of their party came back into the room. Kieran also took a seat on the floor, next to Aaron, but his eyes met Sammie’s before turning back to the battle playing out on the TV.
“I saw the video.”
Sammie nearly came out of her skin at her brother’s whispered confession. She whirled on him.
“What do you mean you saw the video?” Surely he was lying. Otherwise, Sammie would have to actually kill him, and she didn’t think murder really suited her.
“Not the whole thing.” Atticus was grinning, so proud of himself for making her squirm.
“I don’t want you to watch any of it!”
“Keep your voice down, you dork.” He shoved her with his shoulder. “I thought you wanted this to stay a secret.”
Sammie frowned. “Don’t watch the videos,” she hissed. “You fucking pervert.”
Atticus was still grinning, bright and shit-eating as ever.
“It was just a few seconds and I told Kai to turn it off or else I’d puke.
” A seriousness spread over his face, clouding his expression.
“I just wanted to check on you, after what he told me you’re doing.
” He nodded toward the group on the floor. “With Kieran.”
Anxiety tickled down Sammie’s spine, and she glanced at Ivy on her other side. Her friend was fully engrossed in the game, and didn’t seem to be listening to what Atticus was saying.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” He poked Sammie’s thigh, pulling her attention back.
“It’s fine,” she mumbled. “I’m fine.”
And she was fine. Mostly. When she’d watched the video back, a newfound pride had filled her, swelling in her belly.
She’d look good. They’d both looked good, especially together.
Kieran had posted it after she’d given him the go ahead, and had sent her his login information so she could keep an eye on the notifications too.
Kieran’s subscribers were feral for more.
One video, and they were already begging for another.
Kieran had posted a few stills from the video on his other socials.
Sammie in his lap. She looked like sin from the camera’s angle, the slight hourglass shape of her waist, the swell of her hips and belly, her thick thighs on full display.
His fans were eating it up and already asking for seconds.
Sammie was proud of what they had done. Of what she had done.
Never mind the fact that she wished it was all a little more… real.
“Just be careful.” Atticus leaned against her, his words just for them. “I don’t want you to get in over your head.” He paused, mulling something over, before whispering in her ear. “Does Ivy know?”
Sammie’s heart sank, and that pride morphed into guilt. “I haven’t… no, she doesn’t know.”
“Are you going to tell her?”
She shook her head. “I’m afraid it will hurt her.”
Atticus frowned. “She’s your best friend, Sammie. I think keeping something this big a secret from her will hurt her more.”
His words were an echo of the ones that had been quietly ringing in the back of her mind for days. “I’m just trying to respect her feelings!”
“Oh, come on.” Her brother rolled his eyes. “You don’t know if Kai’s right, if she actually even has feelings for you. Get over yourself.”
“You’re an ass.” Sammie shoved him off her.
“Down B!” Bowen was shouting now, and Kai had stood quietly from the chair he’d been crouched in, stepping closer to the television. “Ivy, down B before he hits you again!”
Lightning split the screen, slicing right through Marth as Pikachu fell toward the bottom of the stage. Kai slumped back into his chair as his character was shot off into the distance, just in time for Ivy to steal the win. She jumped up with a rowdy whoop, high-fiving Bowen.
“This is the first time I’ve ever seen him lose,” Atticus said wistfully. “He’s so cute when he pouts.”
“Gross.” Sammie pushed her brother further away. “Go comfort him in his defeat.”
Atticus rose with a chuckle, planting himself on the arm of Kai’s chair, ruffling his hair and earning a scowl that held no heat.
They were happy, her brother and Kai. As much as Sammie enjoyed teasing him, she was glad Atticus had found someone who loved him back just as much.
“I’m gonna sit the next one out.” Ivy sank back onto the couch, pale cheeks rosy with leftover excitement.
“You in, Sammie?” Eric asked from the floor, loading up another round. She shook her head. Watching everyone crash out as they lost to Ivy or Kai was more fun than actually playing.
“So.” Ivy leaned close, taking a long drink from her water bottle. “You. Kieran. What’s the deal?”
Sammie’s mind went blank. How the fuck did Ivy know?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The lie fell out of Sammie before she could think better of it.
Ivy shrugged. Her hair was down from her usual ponytail, dark frizzy curls that she never bothered to style fell past her shoulders, crowding around her face.
Her eyes bored into Sammie as she tucked her hair behind her ears.
“In the team chat, Kieran asked if you’d be here tonight.
The guys were giving him a hard time about it.
Just thought maybe he’d said something to you. ”
Oh. So she didn’t know know. She just thought something normal, something decidedly not porn-related, might be going on between Sammie and Kieran.
“No.” Well, now Sammie had to stick with the lie. “There’s nothing going on between us.” Fuck, she was a terrible liar. It didn’t suit her. Sammie could already feel sweat pricking the back of her neck, heat washing over her cheeks.
Ivy watched her for a long moment, and Sammie wished in those few seconds that she did believe in a god just so she’d have someone to pray to for salvation.
“Well…” Ivy let the word drag out, chewing on her thoughts.
She glanced away, toward the group of men caught up in another game.
Kieran was already out, thrown off screen by someone’s Kirby.
He was still watching the game, but occasionally he would glance Sammie’s way.
The heat of his gaze burned her, even as she tried to ignore it. “Maybe he’s going to ask you out.”
Ivy’s words were like a bucket of ice water dumped over Sammie’s head.
“That’s not happening.” That much wasn’t a lie. Kieran had made it clear that he didn’t want more than friendship with Sammie, and that what they were doing together was just business. The contract that he’d slipped to her when he’d first arrived at Atticus’ door was proof of that much.
“Never say never,” Ivy said with a shrug, reaching up to finally tie her hair back.
Sammie didn’t know what to think, what to believe. Maybe Atticus was right, maybe she really was overthinking Ivy’s feelings. Maybe she was being unfair, making assumptions. Maybe she really should just give in and confide in her friend.
It was there, on the tip of her tongue. She could just do it, just let everything that was happening with Kieran spill out of her, consequences be damned. Ivy was her friend before anything. Surely that meant more than any love lost between them?
“Ivy, please!” Bowen was suddenly there, kneeling before them. “You’re the only one who can keep Kai from killing us all, we don’t stand a chance without you.” He was giving her his best puppy dog eyes, jutting his bottom lip out in a pout. Ivy rolled her eyes, but picked up her controller.
“Okay boys,” she said, and the moment for Sammie to confess slipped away as the game’s musical score swelled.
Ivy was locked in, ready to keep playing, and Kai looked as though he could beat her by sheer force of will, his stare glued to the screen as Atticus played with his hair. “Let’s take him down.”
Bowen: Dude, why didn’t you make a move tonight
Eric: we were rooting for you !!!
Kieran: What happened to the team chat?
Aaron: It’s still there, but coach threatened Bowen and Atticus with the bench if they didn’t stop using it for… whatever this is
Kieran: I see.
Kieran: And where is Atticus?
Bowen: He said he would rather peel his skin off than talk about his sister’s sex life anymore
Bowen: Which like, yeah, valid
Eric: super valid
Aaron: I still don’t really understand why you all want to talk about anyone else’s sex life
Bowen: Drama
Bowen: It heals me
Eric: i just think cap and sammie are cute together
Kieran: Sammie and I aren’t dating.
Aaron: Yeah, because you were too chicken shit to ask her out tonight
Bowen: Seriously cap, what’s the deal
Kieran: I don’t feel that way about her.
Eric: sure…
Kieran: I will just leave the chat if you’re all going to bully me.
Bowen: NO DON’T GO WE’RE SORRY
Bowen: Say sorry boys
Eric sorry !
Aaron: Sorry man
Aaron: But we saw you stealing glances
Eric: kieran, you stole sooo many glances
Eric: like. so fucking many
Kieran: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Bowen: We’ve all been there
Bowen: A crowded room, the lights are low, the atmosphere heady
Bowen: One person, amidst the throngs of bodies
Bowen: You look at them once, and it’s over
Bowen: They become a magnet, pulling your gaze again and again
Aaron: What
Aaron: The actual fuck, Bow
Bowen: I’m thinking about taking a creative writing course
Eric: you should, that’s so fun !!
Kieran: There isn’t anything going on between Sammie and I.
Bowen: Sure
Bowen: IF YOU SAY SO