Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game by Katie Ashley

claimed.
Travis said, “Hey dumbass, you better get off Papaw’s tractor, or
he’ll wear out your hide!” But Jake just shrugged and started
firing over and over again. One nicked the barbwire, ricocheted
off, and…”
    At Sean’s hesitation, Ryan murmured forlornly, “It
happened so quick. I mean, boom, and he was gone.”
    We sat in stunned silence, staring at the sunlight
glimmering on the pool water. Jonathan chugged the rest of his
beer. Finally, in a strangled voice, he murmured, “Fuck me.”
    The sound of loud voices snapped us out of our daze.
It was Mr. and Mrs. Nelson arguing.
    “Did you think you could hide it from me?” Mrs.
Nelson shrieked.
    “Of course not. I just wanted you to get through the
funeral first before I told you.”
    “And what is that supposed to mean, Martin? Am I such
a nut job you don’t think I could handle it?”
    “No, Ev, that’s not what I thought.”
    As the voices got closer, we threw horrified glances
at each other. In a drunken stupor, we stumbled around, hiding the
evidence of our binge. Course, anyone with brains would have taken
one look or one whiff at us and known we were totally
plastered. But when you’re shitfaced, you’re not known for having
very many coherent thoughts.
    Mrs. Nelson threw open the patio with such a force I
thought she’d rip it off the hinges.
    “Noah!” she called.
    The other guys swiveled their heads toward me.
    Shit. Damn. Hell . I straightened up in my lawn
chair. “Yes, Mrs. Nelson?” I called in the most sober voice I could
conjure.
    It took me only a second to notice the velvet ring
box in her hand. Double Shit, Damn, Hell….
    “Do you know about this?” she demanded, waving the
box at me.
    Mr. Nelson joined her at the railing. I exchanged a
glance with him before I replied. “Um, yes, Mrs. Nelson. We found
it last night in Jake’s room.” Wanting to stay on her good side, I
quickly added, “Mr. Nelson thought it would be best to wait to tell
you.”
    While the Asshole shot me a death glare, Mrs. Nelson
bobbed her head. “Good. Then you’ll be willing to help me.”
    “Um, help you?”
    “Yes,” she said, as she started over to us. I
would’ve committed high crimes for a mint at that moment. I covered
my mouth with my hand, trying to appear like I was deep in thought
to mask my alcohol breath from hell.
    “Obviously, there’s a girl out there who my Jake
truly loved—enough to want to be married to her. I want to know who
she is, and I want you to find her.”
    Forgetting all about my heinous beer breath, I let my
mouth drop open in disbelief. “Y-You want me to do what?”
    “I want you to find the girl who this ring belongs
to. Even though Jake didn’t get the chance to give it to her, I
want her to have it.”
    I stopped myself from blurting, “ Are you insane,
Mrs. Nelson? I know you loved your little boy, but he was a major
panty chasing manwhore! I’d have better luck finding all the girls
he deflowered or potentially gave an STD to than the one girl he
might actually have had feelings for!”
    But at the desperate look on her face, I drew in a
resigned breath. “Sure, Mrs. Nelson. I’ll try my best.”
    She smiled. “Thank you, Noah. I appreciate that.” She
threw a wary glance at the others before she flounced back in the
house and slammed the door. Mr. Nelson rolled his eyes and followed
her.
    As soon as his parents were safely inside, Jason
punched me on the arm. Hard.
    “Ow, what the hell was that for?” I cried.
    “Man, why didn’t you tell us about the ring?” he
demanded.
    Uh, oh, I hadn’t thought about that one. Yeah the
Asshole made me promise not to tell Mrs. Nelson, but he hadn’t
mentioned anything about Jason and Jonathan. At the expectant look
on his face, I decided to fudge the truth a little. “You heard me.
Your dad said not to tell anyone.”
    Jonathan snorted. “Figures. The asshole.”
    Jason rolled his eyes. “Could we focus here for a
minute, Johnny Boy? You do