House of Goths

by Maria Bernard

  Suddenly, everything went very quiet. Then she heard a female voice calling Crispin’s name. Crispin? Really? Wow…

  Curious, Becky got up and tiptoed towards the hall. She peeked out just in time to catch Dorian and Kelley standing in her bedroom doorway, talking quietly and shaking their heads.

  Crispin was there too with his arms around the loveliest Goth girl Becky had ever seen. She was wearing his shirt and was attempting to tug him back into his room. Whereas he looked a bit torn between following her or staying in the hall with Kelley and Dorian. A moment passed and he finally gave in and followed the eager girl into his room and shut the door.

  Figuring whatever drama had taken place was over, Becky took a tentative step in their direction.

  “Kelley?”

  At the sound of her wary voice, both Dorian and Kelley snapped out of their thoughts and turned her way. Their facial expressions ranged from frustration to helplessness. Closing her bedroom door, Dorian then patted Kelley encouragingly on the shoulder before returning to his own room.

  Then it was just Kelley and her left in the hallway. He must have recognized the look of confusion on her face. He smiled thoughtfully as he came towards her. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he silently spun her around and ushered her back into his room.

  “Kelley? What’s happened? Did you see the man? Is he still in there?” she asked as he sat her down on his mattress. He continued to stare at her with his obsidian eyes, as if at a loss for words.

  Moments later, he knelt down in front of her and placed his hands on either side of her face. One day she’d be in his bed for reasons other than fear and the need for reassurances. Tonight, though, he’d keep her safe and sound.

  “Can I go back to my room now?” she asked, suddenly self-conscious.

  “No, love…” He slowly shook his head. “You’ll be sleeping in here with me tonight.”

  She played with the seam on her nightie, looking up at him with concern in her eyes. His suggestion sounded heavenly to her yet she couldn’t help but worry. The last time she snuck into his bed, he had literally recoiled from her. The memory of it still stung. She wouldn’t want to inconvenience him.

  Misunderstanding her apprehension, Kelley leaned in and pressed a reassuring kiss to her forehead. “It’ll be all right, just like old times.”

  She nodded but then hesitated. “Why can’t I go back to my room?” she asked with a pensive frown.

  “Because it’s presently unavailable to you,” he said, sitting back on his heels. “I’ll explain everything in the morning. Now scoot over, Becky.” He encouraged her further into the bed and followed her in, leaving his boxers on, wishing that he’d kept his t-shirt on too.

  Of all nights for her to wear this flimsy little nightie… Not that her pyjamas weren’t cute, but this nightie… a threadbare, well-worn, cottony knee length t-shirt type of thing was something completely irresistible. The softness of the material only served to emphasize her adorable curvy squishiness.

  He would resist, though. His heart always won out over his lusty desires when it came to Becky. As much as it killed him, he would fight the urge to seduce her. Even though he had a feeling it wouldn’t be very hard to do. As it was, the girl smiled readily as he pulled her into his chest. Not that he could actually see her face now that he’d turned off the bedside lamp, but he could feel her smiling, hear it in her cheeks. It was unmistakable, undeniable.

  If only he could keep his dick from twitching at the feel of her soft, round butt… Not a chance, though, he was only human after all. His only hope was that she was already asleep.

  Becky was in no way sleeping. In fact, she was wide awake and very much aware of him. “Kelley…” Before she could stop herself, she arched her backside into his erection, revelling in the sensations that tingled from where their bodies met. She couldn’t help but notice his body respond to her. Actually, it made her smile. She realized now why he’d recoiled from her the last time. He must have gotten excited in the same way as now. Not wanting to offend her, he’d turned his back on her. At the time, she’d misunderstood it as rejection. Now the truth of the matter became all too clear to her.

  “What are you doing, Becky?” he gasped, halting her friction seeking hips with a straining hand on her rump. “Don’t…”

  At the sound of his gruff command, she froze still. “Sorry… Kelley.”

  Oh, that husky, velvety voice of hers was going to be the death of him. Of that, he was sure. Stilling her with a heavy leg over her lower half, he nuzzled behind her ear. “Don’t apologize, love,” he warned, with a voice so filled with regret. “Just don’t push me too far.”

  She nodded and rested her hands on his arm. She wanted so much to savour this moment, to stay up all night and enjoy being in Kelley’s arms but just like times before, she felt so comfortable, so safe in his company that moments later, she was blissfully out cold.

  Chapter 27

  When she finally woke up, Becky found herself alone. From the position of the sun coming in Kelley’s window, she quickly surmised that it must be midmorning.

  Being so comfortable in Kelley’s bed, she didn’t want to get up. Unfortunately, she couldn’t shut out the shouting coming from the kitchen. Then slowly she remembered the man falling into her bed, crushing her with his big, heavy body. She couldn’t help but frown at the memory. He had been so drunk!

  The unfamiliar Goth had probably wandered into her room without realizing it. But that didn’t counter the fact that he’d caught her in the middle of such an embarrassing act. How humiliating!

  Mortified, Becky buried her head under the pillow. Hopefully, whoever it had been, was long gone from the house by now. Yes, hopefully, he would have been so drunk that he wouldn’t remember what he’d discovered her doing either.

  Keegan lounged sullenly in his chair, avoiding the glares of his disgruntled bandmates. So he’d left without a word. What could he have said at the time? That he was in love? They would have only laughed. They would have been right, though. In fact, he should have never left the House of Goths in the first place.

  This is where he belonged, not with some mundane girl with stars in her eyes. Too bad he had to get his heart ripped out of his chest before he realized it.

  “I don’t see what the big deal is,” he said, arching an eyebrow. “Why can’t I just have my room back?

  “Big deal?” Crispin gasped, clutching at his chest. “You took off without a word! You left the band high and dry! All for a freaking girl!” Suddenly, realizing that Gracie was beside him, he winced apologetically at her.

  “Don’t worry about it, stud.” She playfully punched him in the chest. “I get it.” She then turned and made her way towards the front door. “See you later. Thanks for the ride.”

  “I’ll walk you out,” Crispin said, catching up and taking her hand.

  Becky was just coming down the stairs when she stopped at the top. She quietly observed the beautiful couple on their way to the front door. Not wanting to interrupt, but feeling a bit like a voyeur, she waited unseen as Crispin tenderly kissed the beautiful girl goodbye.

  The moment they were alone, Becky came down to greet him. “Aw…” she said as he closed the front door. Becky couldn’t help but giggle when he startled at finding her there.

  “Dormouse!” he admonished, catching his breath.

  “Who would have thought you could be so romantic!” she said, clutching her hands together under her chin.

  “Oh, stop it, you little ninny,” he scoffed, obviously flustered by her comment. Finding it hard to resist, he caught her around the hips and picked the little imp up off the stairs. “Did you think all this charm was just for show?” He chuckled when she laughed heartily at his affectionate play. “Or did you think I was some heartless monster?”

  “Of course, you’re not a monster, Crispin. Are you in love with her?” she asked, looking down into his face, her hands on his shoulders. “She’s very beautiful. Is she your girlfri
end?”

  His expression turned thoughtful at her questions. “Between you and me, I wish she was.”

  “Aw…” Becky clasped his cheeks with her palms and gave him a sympathetic frown.

  “She doesn’t want me that way, though. Independent woman and all that,” he said with a wistful smile. “Better this way, I suppose.”

  “Why is it better, Crispin?”

  “Because otherwise, I wouldn’t feel right grabbing you up in my arms like this,” he said, playfully burying his nose in her neck. “And giving you a squeeze.”

  “You should have sex more often.” Becky laughed, squirming away from him. It was a funny thing for her to say, but it was the truth. He seemed so happy and lighthearted.

  “I agree,” he said, setting her down on the floor. “Now, we have important matters to discuss.” His expression turned very serious as he gazed sullenly towards the kitchen.

  “Who’s in there?” she asked, hearing an unfamiliar voice.

  “Keegan,” he said with a heavy sigh before turning and walking into the kitchen.

  With tentative steps, Becky followed him and peered in from the hall. There they were, all assembled. Dorian and Kelley leaned up against the counter with the same dour expressions on their faces as last night. Crispin sat down at the table across from the strange Goth, who she assumed was Keegan.

  He looked rather rough, one might say. Dishevelled might be a proper description and he smelled heavily of stale liquor and a bit like a wet dog. His multi-layered, shoulder-length, inky black hair was all over the place. His eyeliner was smeared in an unflattering manner.

  Worrying her lip, Becky suddenly gasped as the memory of his heavy breath in her ear, the undeniable weight of him bearing down on her.

  Her sudden intake of air alerted everyone, including the strange Goth of her presence. He immediately looked in her direction. His sorrowful expression turned rather wolfish and unnerving.

  “So, it wasn’t a wet dream after all,” he said with much amusement in his gravelly voice. “There was a girl in my bed last night, and a very lovely one, too.” He raked his eyes over her from top to bottom with a suggestive lick of his lips.

  Becky reddened at his open perusal of her. She frowned, worrying over whether he remembered what she was doing when he’d come into her room last night. Judging from the mischievous grin on his face, though, she could tell he did and that wasn’t good at all.

  “And if I’m not mistaken, I might’ve interrupted…”

  “Shut the fuck up!” Kell growled, immediately going to Becky’s side. He frowned and gazed guardedly at her flustered face. He’d already heard Keegan’s rather explicit retelling of how he’d found her touching herself. The last thing he wanted was for her to realize that they all knew about it.

  “Shit…” grumbled Dorian.

  “This isn’t going to end well,” Crispin added with a withering sigh.

  Seeing her there still in her little nightie, Kell made sure to insinuate himself in front of her, effectively blocking her irresistible curves from Keegan’s view. He’d just gotten used to Dorian and Crispin’s blatant appreciation of her loveliness. He knew they were harmless enough, but Keegan, well, he was altogether a different sort.

  “Becky, maybe you should go up and get dressed,” Kelley suggested, looking her over before ushering her away from the kitchen.

  “Oh… okay.” Becky shrugged, self-consciously smoothing her hands over her nightie. She hadn’t given it much thought. It wasn’t unusual for her to go down to breakfast in her sleepwear.

  “Why should she have to?” Crispin asked, appearing in the doorway behind them. “This is her home. She should feel perfectly comfortable walking about as she always has.”

  Straightening up to his full height, Kell gazed back and forth between Becky and Crispin. For once, Crispin had a good point. She shouldn’t be made to feel ashamed for simply being her silly sweet self. “He’s right, love. Stay as you are.” With that, he ushered her back into the kitchen. With a welcoming smile, Dorian pulled out a chair for her. “Coffee, Becky?”

  “Mmmm… yes, please,” she said as Kelley stood behind her chair.

  Chapter 28

  “Becky, is it?” Keegan smirked at her again. “So, you’re the little interloper who’s stolen my room.”

  “Your room?” she repeated, looking around for reassurances. “I don’t understand.”

  Kell pulled up a chair next to her and rested a hand on her knee. “Keegan used to live here.”

  “Keegan Fiendly, at your service, young miss.” He quirked a suggestive eyebrow at her.

  Suddenly, it all made sense. The things she’d found in the bottom drawer of the dresser in her room must have been his. Then she recalled the racy magazine and blushed.

  “What’s going to happen now?” Becky asked, realizing that obviously he would want his room back. The worry must have sounded in her voice because she felt Kelley’s hand tighten around her knee.

  “I suppose you’ll have to find other accommodations, Becks,” Keegan said flippantly.

  “No…” she gasped, looking pleadingly around the room, her eyes resting on Kelley’s pained expression. “But…” She couldn’t leave now. They were family.

  Visions of having to go back to the dorm swirled through her mind. Just the thought of leaving the House of Goths to go back to that soulless dorm made her nauseous. The very idea caused her to shudder. “Please… I don’t want to go.”

  “Becky’s not going anywhere,” Kell affirmed, gently squeezing her knee, wanting nothing more than to wipe the worry from her lovely green eyes.

  “Damn right, she isn’t!” Crispin hissed.

  “Really, Keegan? You’re dreaming if you think you’ll be moving back in here,” Dorian snickered while Crispin shook his head.

  “You took off without a word! With no thought to your portion of the rent or the fate of the band. You know I can’t sing and play lead at the same time,” Crispin challenged. “Suddenly, you show up here, hoping to take up where you left off as if nothing happened?”

  “Oh, come on. I’ve already said I was sorry,” Keegan argued. “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have left in the first place. Think of the band. With me back in, we’ll be awesome again. You can concentrate on your singing.”

  “He’s only back because he got dumped,” Dorian scoffed.

  “I was an idiot, okay? Yes, I got dumped. When Brittany asked me to move in with her, I just couldn’t say no. You guys would never have understood.”

  “Damn right, look where that got you,” Crispin spat.

  “The minute I moved into her place, she started on about me changing my hair, my clothes…”

  “Ah, yes, the classic story of Goth boy meets mundane girl, they fall in love, then suddenly Goth boy has to change because he doesn’t quite fit into her world. Blah, blah, blah,” Crispin said with a shake of his head.

  “Listen to you,” Keegan argued, pointing his finger accusingly at Becky. “My bed isn’t even cold yet, and you’ve replaced me with your own little mundane girl.”

  Becky flinched at his tone. How was any of this her fault? Instinctively she leaned in closer to Kelley.

  “Hey!” Kell shouted, glaring angrily at the dishevelled Goth. “You point your finger at her one more time and you’ll never play guitar again.”

  Fairly warned, Keegan sat up with his hands up in surrender. “Point taken, no need to get violent.”

  Taking a deep calming breath, Kell spoke next. “You can move back in if you like.” Audible gasps of disbelief sounded throughout the room. Kell held his hand up to silence his disgruntled housemates. “But you can’t have your room back.”

  “What the fuck does that mean?” Keegan balked. “Where am I supposed to sleep?”

  “Basement, garage, front porch, I don’t care. It’s your choice.”

  As relieved as she was to know the Goths had her back, Becky couldn’t help but frown at the way Crispin and Dorian laughed alon
g at Kelley’s suggestions. It wasn’t long ago when she’d come to them, looking for a home.

  As much as Keegan’s untimely return upset her, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He’d obviously made a mistake. He’d said so himself, and he had apologized.

  Although they hadn’t met in the nicest of ways, she wasn’t opposed to having him around. Even if he wasn’t as appealing as her other housemates in both personality and appearance, she could get used to having another Goth in the house as long he didn’t mind sharing it with her.

  “It’s November…” Keegan argued feebly. “I’ll freeze out in the garage.” It was true. While the place was fine for band practise, the electric heater wouldn’t be enough to keep it comfortable to sleep in.

  “Basement it is then,” Kell said resolutely.

  “Fine… I’ll take it,” Keegan said, sufficiently humbled.

  Becky frowned thoughtfully. The basement? She’d never been down there. She’d seen the stairs leading downwards from the mud room but never dared venture there.

  ***

  The balance of the day was spent with Becky watching quietly while the guys helped Keegan move into the basement. She’d even gotten up the courage to follow Kelley down there out of sheer curiosity.

  “Careful, love,” he said, pointing at her bare feet. “The floor’s quite cold and there might the odd sharp object about.”

  “I’ll just stand over here on this rug by the stairs.”

  “Okay, but don’t come any further,” the concerned Goth said, grabbing a broom and sweeping the rough cement floor.”

  “Got that, Becks?” Keegan winked as he passed her, carrying a heavy duffle bag and a lamp. “Wouldn’t want you getting pricked.”