Winning Back Ryan (7 page)

             
“Hello to you, Annie. So, you wanna come over my apartment after?  Maybe clean yourself off in my shower?” He rubbed his hands over his body provocatively, his eyes rolling back in his head, as he made high pitched moaning noises.

             
“First off, I never look like that in the shower. Ever. Second, I just want to see the pictures,” I replied, scathingly. I then walked over to kiss George and Max on the cheek in greeting.

             
Ben sighed dramatically. “Very well. After the game, you can see the pictures.”

             
“Let’s get started,” Max said.

             
“Can’t,” Ben replied, “We’re waiting for one more so the teams are even.” Ben squinted his eyes into the distance. “And here comes the fat bastard now.”

             
I glanced in Ben’s direction to see Ed Rogers jogging towards us. I didn’t know Ed very well; he didn’t hang out with us often, too busy worshipping my ex-roommate, Amanda, day and night, while she was busy toying with his feelings, keeping him dangling on with hope that one day she would be with him. I knew that day would never come. He was having a hard time settling into his career after graduating college and was always in between jobs.

             
“What’s up, guys?” he asked, slightly out of breath as he ran a hand over his shaved head, a result of premature balding.

             
“Hey, Ed. It’s good to see you. It’s been a long time,” I said, stepping forward to give him a hug.

             
“Hey, Annie,” He wrapped his arms around me and I realized a little too late just how sweaty he already was. “Heard you’ve been going through a tough time lately. Nice to see you holdin’ it together.”

             
I stepped back cautiously, grimacing from my now sweat soaked shirt. “Excuse me?”

             
“The rumor’s going around that you caught Ryan with this hot blonde going at it,” he made a wild, gesturing motion with his hips, “and that you were planning on kicking Kelly’s ass after catching some text she sent Ryan about wanting him to move in with her. Just so you know, the betting pool has you winning the fight. I put my money on you. You can get a little psycho sometimes,” he said as though I was supposed to find this a compliment. The blood drained from my face. He glanced around nervously, “Um you know psycho’s hot, right?”

             
“Why on earth would I ever fight Kelly?” I asked coolly. He blinked at my response. “To fight her, wouldn’t that imply that Ryan was actually worth it?”

             
“Ohhhh,shit!” he yelled loudly. He slid his cell phone out of his pocket, clicking a side button. I was sure that I was being recorded. Men and their technology. It was annoying after awhile. It was one of the drawbacks of hanging out mostly with guys.

             
“So, are you saying that you would never fight Kelly because Ryan isn’t worth it?” he repeated. I appeared bored and nodded.

             
“Who fights over a guy who can’t even give you an orgasm? Nor does he help you around the apartment, pay the bills on time, buy groceries, cook, take you out anywhere nice, buy you flowers, or really do anything else to make you think, ‘Wow! He’s a keeper.’” I shrugged nonchalantly, trying to keep my overwhelming emotions in check. “After college, I couldn’t afford a place on my own, though, and I wasn’t going to cramp the guys’ style, living on their couches. So, I was stuck with him for the time being. If she wants his lazy ass, she is more than welcome to him.”

The guys laughed loudly.

              “Why would she be upset over Ryan? He’s a loser. Always has been.” There was a sharp note to the end of George’s statement.

             
“That’s right,” Brian said, throwing his arm over my shoulder. “And now we’ve got a soccer game to win.”

             
I smiled widely. I could fake it for a while longer. “Yes, we do.”

             
Ed flipped the phone, so that the back was facing him. “Did ya hear that, Ryan? Looks like you’ve been replaced.”

             
“Alright!” Max shouted, clapping his hands. “Let’s get this game going!”

             
“Annie, Ed, and Brian on one team. Me,George, and Max on the other,” Ben said.

             
“No fair!” Ed shouted, “You’re going to cream us! No offense, Annie.” I grit my teeth. I had never felt so resolved about anything in my life. I was going to destroy them.

             
There was a smirk on Ben’s lips. “You think that Annie’s the weakest player on your team?” He chuckled, shaking his head.

             
“Yes, but we can’t play like we usually do with her here. We can’t rough house a girl,” George said.

             
“I agree,” Brian said, “No hurting Annie.”

             
Ben met my gaze. “When I called her to come play with us; she knew what she was walking into. We play like we usually do. And I won’t disrespect her by bending the rules for her just because she was born with a vagina.”

I nodded, understanding. He thought that I was just as tough as they were. And he was right.

              “Let’s make the stakes a little more interesting,” I added. “Losing team has to buy winning team a beer.”

             
“Ah, I’m a little tight on money this week,” Ed said nervously.

             
“We’re not going to lose,” I said confidently.

             
Ben shook his head, watching me. “That’s way too tame.”

             
I placed a hand on my hip, thinking of a better bet. It hit me like lightning. “Losing team has to dress up in women’s lingerie and strut around the store, while the winning team gets to take video …in addition to buying the winning team a beer.”

             
“Wait a minute. Do you realize what you’re saying?” Brian asked me nervously. “If you lose, you’re going to have to strut around in lingerie in front of them.”

             
“And they’ll tape it...and Ryan will see it. Yes, I know exactly what I’m saying,” I replied.  A woman hell bent on revenge was a fearsome creature. Either way I looked at it, I’d win. I didn’t care if I burned in hell as so long as I watched Ryan writhe in pain as the flames consumed him.

             
Ben broke out in a wide smile, his amber colored eyes lit up. “Deal.”

             
George shook his head. “This doesn’t feel right.”

             
“And that’s your problem. Don’t ever underestimate a woman. The second you do is the first second that she’s already won. Now let’s get into position,” Ben told George.

             
“Shit, now I’m going to have to wear women’s underwear,” Ed whined.

             
I glanced over at him irritated. “Just relax and see how we do it in Ohio.”

             
“Just get me the ball,” I told Brian.

             
“You sure?” he asked me, nervously.

             
“Get me the ball. Then run up and get yourself into position for a goal. I’ll keep the guys off of you,” I told him. He nodded in agreement.

Brian and George both stepped up to the ball in the middle of the field. Ed watched Max, and I was before Ben.

              “You’re going to look so sexy in that lingerie,” he taunted me. “I was thinking a bustier, or maybe a see through nightie with nothing on underneath. I can’t decide.”

             
I kept my eyes on Brian. “Eat my dust,” I told Ben who laughed.

             
George ran with the ball and I shoved past Ben down the field. As long as Brian got the ball, he’d be fine; no one was as fast as him. He held his foot out, tripping George, and as he fell, Brian stole the ball. Max ran to Brian, a logical choice since he had the ball, but Ben stayed by my side. He seemed to have figured out the plan already as I was way down the field already.  Brian glanced at me; I nodded and as he kicked me the ball, I elbowed Ben hard in the gut. As he groaned in pain, I dribbled the ball down the field, waiting for Brian to get into place. I was not athletic by any means at all, but I grew up around men, and there was nothing in the world like an adrenaline fueled fit of rage. I was an unstoppable juggernaut.

             
I was near the goal and felt rather than saw a body near me. He received my right fist to what I thought would be his shoulder- whoever he was. No one was taking this ball from me. I heard a shout of pain. I couldn’t see Brian anywhere there. He wasn’t anywhere near the goal. I had no choice, so I made it as far up to the goal as possible and took my shot. It was a beautiful thing watching that ball smack into the back of the net.

             
“Score!” I heard a holler from behind me and found Ed cheering.

All of the other guys were trying to catch their breath. I felt like I could still run a marathon. George was massaging his shoulder, Ben his side.  I finally saw Brian standing exactly where
he was before. He hadn’t moved.

             
“What the hell was that?” I shouted at him, running over to him. “You were supposed to be by the goal!”

             
Pink colored his cheeks as he looked down, rubbing his forehead. “Sorry, I got a bit distracted.”

             
“By what?” I shouted, looking around to see if there were women around anywhere. I saw a baby, a father, and a golden retriever, but that was it.

             
“Annie’s not wearing a sports bra,” a voice sang. I recognized it as Ben’s husky singing voice. It was very distinct and easy to recognize. When I turned I found him waggling his brows at me suggestively. I realized he was right; I had not been prepared for playing soccer. I thought we were just going to the mall. I was wearing my regular, everyday bra.

             
“Is that the problem?” I asked Brian quietly.

             
He rubbed the back of his neck, still staring at the grass. “Na. I’m fine. Sorry. This…group of female runners jogged by and…Sorry.”

             
I suddenly felt very awkward. “Are you sure?”

             
He rubbed his neck harder. “No, we’re
totally
good. Sorry. Won’t happen again. No biggie, you scored anyways.”

The rage began to subside as I continued feeling awkward and suddenly self-conscious. I patted Brian on the back.

              “Come on, buddy, we gotta win. I am not wearing lingerie in front of Ben.”

Suddenly, Brian’s features changed, his eyes growing focused as he gave a curt nod. Determined, he walked off towards George.

As I walked into place, I replayed the conversation with Ed of there being a betting pool against me and Kelly, reminding me all over again of the humiliation Ryan was putting me through. And the rage burned bright again.

As we stepped into place, I kept my eyes on Brian. I could feel Ben’s eyes on me.

              “I’m thinking about making you wear a pink laced bra and thong set,” I told him.

             
“You better be careful with lace. It’s a bit see through. You might see more than you bargained for,” he taunted back. 

             
I snorted. “Assuming you even have enough to fill out those panties.”

He chuckled loudly. As Brian stole the ball, I pushed Ben to run past him. But, he dug his feet into the grass, braced his knees and didn’t budge. 

              “Hey, Ben!” I shouted. I picked up the bottom of my shirt showing him my stomach. As he waited to see the rest, I ran past him.

             
“Son of a bitch!” he shouted from behind me as I ran down the field to catch up with Brian. No one was even near Ben, though. George, Max, and Ed were all trying to catch him but weren’t anywhere near him. Brian had been born to run. As he kicked the ball into the goal, George was more than ten steps away from him. I jumped up and down on the field, excited for his goal, not thinking about the bra situation. Brian turned towards me, smiling triumphantly, until he suddenly glanced back down at the ground again, immediately making me think of the strange situation before.  I stopped jumping, and just threw my fist into the air.

             
“You’re going to be the death of him. Do you know that?” Ben said, catching his breath.

             
My brows scrunched in confusion. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I began marching across the field back into position. I refused to listen to his nonsense. I had a game to win.

              Ben, George, and Max caught up, and the score was six to five, Brian and me- Ed wasn’t doing much besides keeping Max busy. We were all pretty winded, though, and didn’t have much game left in us. We started the next play and as I ran down the field, Ben tripped me. As I started falling down, I grabbed on to his leg. If I was going down, he was coming with me. He yelled on the way down, and I made sure to stand up as fast I could and kick dirt in his face before running off.  But, as I ran down the field, an arm jetted out ramming straight into my face. I fell backwards, slamming into grass as George looked down at me. I did the only thing possible and grabbed the hairs on the back of his calf, yanking them as hard as I could. As he howled in pain, I stood up and ran. Brian was near the goal, but he was in trouble as Ed wasn’t helping him hold back Max. In one swift move, Max kicked the ball out from underneath Brian and sent it sailing into the goal. I groaned in annoyance, and George called that this would be the final goal, the winning play as we walked back into starting position.

             
“Just so you know…” Ben began, “I’d bet on you kicking that chick’s ass, too.”

The anger burned brighter as I clenched my fist, focusing on my goal.

              Instead of shoving past Ben, who was physically stronger than me, I decided to feign left, and then ran right. I flew down the field, waiting for Brian. I expected to find Ben breathing down my neck. But, he wasn’t around. I ran towards Brian to close the gap between us and he shoved George with all his might. As he fell, Brian kicked me the ball. When I turned, I found Ben standing in the goal, with a vicious smile.

             
“Do you think Ryan accidentally calls Kelly, ‘Annie,’ when he’s in bed with her?” he taunted me.

Cold fury ran through my body. I took two steps backwards for a running start, and with laser light focus, sent that ball sailing. I knew before it even hit its target that I was successful; I felt it in every fiber of my being. With a loud groan, the soccer ball hit Ben in his manly parts, and he fell to the ground.

              “Score!”  Brian yelled loudly and completely forgetting about my potential bra issue, jumped up and down repeatedly. Victory had never tasted sweeter.

             
Brian ran over, hugging me fiercely. I heard a groan from behind me. “Ah, shit, you got me right in the junk. I don’t think I can have kids now.” He laughed loudly and then groaned in pain again.

             
We all began walking towards Ben. “So, she did the world a favor is what you’re saying,” George said.

Ben groaned again, still laughing. “What are you talking about? I’m excellent dad material.”

George, Brian, Ed, and Max all laughed loudly.

             
“What I don’t understand is they issue licenses for driving a car, a jet ski, a boat, a motorcycle, and fishing. At any time, they can be revoked. Yet, any asshole born with sperm is allowed to make a kid. I don’t fucking get it,” George said.

             
“Here we go again,” Max rolled his eyes. “Why is it that whenever we play sports, there’s always some philosophical debate afterwards?”

I chuckled at that, because it was true. Whenever we all played a sport together, someone wound up in an argument with someone else over a moot point, normally involving public policy.

              Ben groaned again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m gonna be an incredible dad. And have like twenty kids. My wife will always be nice and round.”

             
“You should have hit him harder,” George said to me.

             
I laughed loudly. “So, your wife’s going to be taking care of twenty- one children. That poor woman. I pity her.”

             
He groaned loudly again. “Really? Why aren’t there licenses issued for procreating? If you fuck up and create a monster, your license is revoked,” George continued. He was hell bent on this issue.

             
“What about you? What if you got a girl pregnant?” I asked him.

             
“Me?” He laughed loudly. “No, I took care of that issue already.” The other guys gave painful looks. “The surgery wasn’t bad at all. I was in and out one day. And the painkillers they give you are
really
nice.”

             
Ed shuffled uncomfortably next to me. “How did we get on this topic exactly?  We should be talking about how I’m owed a beer now.”

             
Max looked uncomfortable. “We don’t really need to wear women’s lingerie, right? Annie’s going to be merciful and let us out of that, isn’t she?”

             
I glanced at Brian who nodded. “We could let you out of that part of the bet in exchange for one more free beer. So, you owe us two beers apiece.”

             
“Done!” Max practically shouted.

Ben groaned loudly again while he laid on the grass, his hands down his pants. I walked over.

              Squatting down next to him, he smirked up at me. “I know what your new nickname is.”

             
“What’s that?” I asked as I began pulling his body back up to a standing position.

             
“Princess.” He grunted in pain as I brought him to his feet. “ Because only royalty could bring a Hurley to his knees.” He laughed loudly as I shook my head. “The apartment’s two blocks that way…” he pointed left. “I know how you have no sense of direction and get lost in a circle.” I grit my teeth in embarrassment. He grabbed on to my waist and placed his head on my breast. “Ah, I feel better already.” I smacked his shoulder and he laughed louder.

             
“What are you doing?” George asked before placing Ben’s arm around his shoulder. “She hasn’t hurt you enough yet? You’re going to keep testing your luck?”

             
Ben shrugged. “Just tryin’ to get a little lucky.” He winked at me. I rolled my eyes, putting Ben’s other arm around my shoulder to help him walk.

             
“You can pull your car into my parking lot, Brian. Take spot fifty-two,” Ben threw the words over his shoulder.

             
I walked into the foyer of Ben’s apartment building with Ben and George. “I’d like to see those pictures…once you ice your balls.”

             
Ben just kept glancing at me curiously, but in my heart now I knew what needed to be done. Once we got onto the elevator, he slipped his hands off our shoulders, standing as casual as could be. Questioning eyes watched him as he gave a bright smile. “I had a cup on. You didn’t really hurt me.”

             
My jaw clenched as George chuckled, shaking his head. Ben waggled his brows at me before the elevator door opened, and he stepped off, walking towards his apartment. As we walked down the hallway, Brian and Max hopped off the elevator.
              “Where’s Ed?” George asked.

Brian shrugged.
“Amanda texted.” We all rolled our eyes at the same time.  Amanda texting meant that he dropped everything he was doing and ran to her. Ben opened the apartment door.

             
Glancing around absentmindedly, I realized that Ben's apartment had changed somewhat since the last time I was there. It was an open floor concept, one big rectangle. On the right was the kitchen, stainless steel appliances, everything top of the line, black granite countertops and the cabinets were all glass panels. It was very modern and chic looking.

             
On the back wall were nearly floor to ceiling windows, warm reddish brown curtains covered the windows. On the walls were framed record albums- all first editions of his favorite albums as well as art pieces he created. In the corner was a pinball machine and Pacman video game. Next to the games were two guitars on a stand- one acoustic and one electric with an amp. In front of the windows were his dining room table. The walls were lined with framed pictures of naked model women. One was cooking- that was not safe standing in front of a hot oven, holding a turkey pan with no clothes on. The other pictures were naked women doing a variety of things- washing a car, reading a book, showering. His two couches sat around the coffee table, and the adjacent wall housed his sixty-six inch plasma screen TV. His coffee table could be turned over and become a foosball table, and the legs could be raised if desired. It was an interesting custom conversion Ben had made years ago. Right now laying on the table was a sculpted woman, anatomically correct.

             
I had never been able to ask Ben who he thought of when making this piece, because I wasn't sure I wanted to know. It has always made me slightly uncomfortable, because it reminded me of myself. The woman had crazy curly hair blowing in the non-existent wind, a bit of fat in her naked lower belly, flaring hips, and a big butt. She wasn't sculpted perfect like I expected to see of a woman in my perverted friend’s apartment. She even had a strange little marking on her arm like I did from when I fell off my bike and had to get stitched at age six. But, it was her pose that reminded me the most of myself, because she was trying to cover herself up. It reminded me of the time George and Ben stole my towel from the girls’ shower room at NYU, and then made me get out and plead for my towel back. I was sure they were high on something at the time. I got them back good, though. There was a rumor going around for a while that a skanky girl both of them slept with gave them chlamydia. It took both of them a while before they got laid again by any woman on campus. They never messed with my towels again.

             
Next to the video games was a small wall with French double doors leading into his bedroom, which held his drum set. Next to the bedroom, was the bathroom- with all the bells and whistles including heated marble flooring controlled by a switch on the wall. His apartment was painted in an icy blue color, but if you took a quick glance you might think it was another color. This was Ben's 'starter apartment'. When he passed his bar and proved himself, he'd be moved to a larger apartment. I couldn’t even imagine the upgraded apartment, since this was the largest apartment I had ever seen in New York, even bigger than Max's. In real estate terms it was an easy million dollar apartment for the size, view, and location.

             
I could feel all of the men’s eyes on me. Brian glanced at the statue, and I watched his jaw clench, his eyes transfixed on the statue.

             
“Alright. Where is this so-called proof?” I asked.

             
Ben walked over, placing his hands gently on my arms. “Are you sure you want to see this?” he asked, his eyes soft. “Once you see this, Annie, you can’t unsee it.”

             
“I know.” My shoulders slumped in defeat. The fact that Ben was being serious, trying to protect me told me that Ryan’s infidelity happened more than actually seeing the evidence itself.  “Is that why you wouldn’t show me last night?”

             
His calm honey colored eyes watched me as he nodded. “You needed time to think about it.”

             
I smirked. “Oh, yeah? How was Miss Half-A-Skirt?”

             
He smiled.  “I found out that she was limber when her feet touched her head. I appreciated that talent.”

             
I scratched my head. “I don’t even know why that’s a good thing. Alright, let’s just get this over with. Then we can all have a beer.”

Ben nodded, and then walked away. He came back from his bedroom with a shoe box. He placed it down on the dining room table, and as if was a bomb, walked backwards, retreating to the couch. I had never heard a more silent room in my life as though they weren’t even breathing. I wondered if it was what a morgue felt like.

I walked over to the box, opening the lid.  Ryan’s face, the face I knew so well with that beautiful smile looked up at me. But, next to him was Kelly, his best friend.

             
“Kelly, Kelly?” I asked. “His supposed best friend Kelly. It was that Kelly?”

             
No one answered my question as I frantically went through the pictures, seeing them kiss, hold each other.  Then the pictures changed to Ryan shoving her against the wall, his body pressed into hers. They were both in professional wear. I recognized the suit, since Ryan had only purchased it four months ago. I didn’t recognize the building, though.  These pictures of seeing him just kiss Kelly was far worse than walking in on him sleeping with that woman. Far worse. Before I could tell myself that it was a simple physical thing, because I wasn’t somehow satisfying his physical needs. But, this… it was more.  This was spit in my face and made everything that I had ever given him- my time, energy, love, money- worthless.

I tossed the pictures back into the box, trying to keep it together. I was failing miserably.

              “Why didn’t you show me before now?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. 

Ben signaled for me to follow him. He walked into his bedroom and opened his laptop sitting on his bed. 
              “The pictures you saw, that happened last month.” He clicked on a file, and I watched audio and video play: