by Toni Aleo
Looking away, she shrugs, “Actually, I am.”
“What?” I ask, confused, as everyone gathers around, popping bottles. “When was your birthday?”
“Today,” she answers, and I’m surprised by that. How did I not know that?
“Damn, Moore, couldn’t tell anyone?” Markus says before digging in the cabinet, I know, looking for shot glasses.
She shrugs. “I don’t really talk about me much.”
“You should,” Jace says. “How are we supposed to give you a good celebration?”
“It’s not a big deal,” she says, but it is. She may not think so, but some people do care.
Like me.
But I don’t say that, instead I lean against the sink, crossing my arms over my chest and watch as they set up twenty-one shot glasses. Filling each glass, Markus then stands on the counter before cupping his hands around his mouth and making a loud bird-calling noise. Baylor jumps, looking up at him like he’s crazy, while everyone gathers around.
“Today is our girl Baylor’s twenty-first birthday! So first, let’s get to singing for her!”
“Whoa, no, ha-ha,” she tries to stop him while her face turns bright red, but everyone is already singing. When a little grin comes over her face, I find myself grinning too as I sing along. She’s cute when she’s embarrassed. Since she isn’t holding the box any longer, I’m able to drink her in further. She’s wearing a tank with the words “My Cup Size is Stanley.” Her jeans sit low on her hips while a black leather jacket hangs big on her shoulders. With those lips that bright red color that I am finding I love, she looks classically retro, if that makes sense. What doesn’t make sense, though, is how quickly she turns me on.
When her hazel eyes meet mine, her teeth come out to sink into her bottom lip, and I have to stand up off the sink just to catch my breath as everyone finishes singing.
“Thanks, guys,” she says shyly, her face bright red, matching the shade of her lips.
“Sure! Now, time to do your shots.”
She laughs. “Excuse me?”
“Twenty-one shots for the big twenty-one!”
She shakes her head. “There is no way I can do all that at once!”
Markus laughs as Jace says, “No, we know, but you can’t leave this spot till you’re finished. Which means people can keep refilling your shot glasses.”
“What!” she screeches, laughing, and I hide my grin.
“Truth, get started! You have twenty-one minutes before people can start refilling.”
“You guys suck!” she complains, and Markus nods.
“True, but I’ll do one with ya,” he supplies.
“So will I,” Jace says, taking a glass too.
That isn’t the way it works. Usually the person is on their own, but I’m glad they are helping her out. She’d be shit-drunk because I know she’d finish ’em all before the twenty-one minutes were up. They all clink their glasses together and down the shots. When they slam the glasses on the counter, Baylor’s face is priceless while Jace and Markus yell out like two frat boys.
“That’s right, Moore! Get it done!” Markus says, shaking her by her shoulders.
“Hurry up, so we can do a keg stand!” Jace says, and then they both run off, leaving Baylor with her shots.
Looking up at me, she asks, “What if I dump ’em all out?”
I smile, shaking my head. “You won’t.”
She lets out a breath and nods. “I won’t, but ugh. I’m gonna be so pissy drunk.”
“For sure,” I say, coming up to the counter, it being the only thing putting space between us. If it weren’t there, I’d stand as close as I could just to enjoy her scent. I remember it being very flowery, almost fruity though. Her scent is as complex as she is. Mind-blowing really.
Taking one of the shots, I say, “Happy birthday.”
She smiles before taking another shot and clinking it against mine. We down the shots, and while she chases it with the Coke she brought, I down mine with beer.
“That’s a lot of Jack,” I say, shooting another glass as she shrugs.
“Wanted to bring enough for the team.”
“Trying to buy their vote?”
She shakes her head. “Nope, don’t need to,” she says in her snide little way.
“Hmm, I don’t know. I’m probably gonna get it without buying them off.”
“We will see,” she says before taking a shot. Laying the glass down, she says, “You know it isn’t a vote, right? My dad picks the captain.”
I didn’t know that, but I shrug. “He’ll pick who the team loves.”
“Maybe. But after tonight, I could pull ahead,” she say, leaning against the counter. “I did bring the liquor.”
A grin pulls at my mouth as I nod, picking up a glass, and she does the same. Clinking them together, I say, “You did.”
Shooting mine, I lay my glass down and say, “Nice jacket.”
She looks down and then back up at me, a small smile on her lips. “Thanks.”
“It’s old?”
She nods. “It was my mom’s.”
Biting the inside of my cheek, I nod. It’s well known that her mom is a very touchy subject—how could it not be? But still I feel really bad for what I said so long ago. Reaching for another shot, for liquid courage, I guess, I shoot it and she grins. “You’re taking all my shots.”
I shoot another and grin back at her. “I’m helping you out.”
“Thank God,” she says, laughing before shooting one. “I should have just said no.”
“They wouldn’t let you, and it’s good, you are being a team player. Good job.”
She glares playfully. “I’ve been a team player.” I look at her skeptically, and she shrugs. “I’m trying, okay?”
I laugh at that and nod. “Yeah, you are.”
“I didn’t want to come.”
“Never would have guessed that.”
Her eyes narrow a bit before she rolls them.
“Why is that?” I ask then, and she shakes her head.
“I don’t want to make friends just for them to not give two shits about me later.”
“Sounds like you have experience with that?” I note, and she nods.
“When I was in Arkansas, I made a lot of friends from my team, or who I thought were friends. And as soon as I left, they didn’t care. They were happy I was leaving.”
“They were jealous,” I say, holding a glass up to her. “They couldn’t handle your awesomeness.”
She smiles, clinking her glass to mine. “That’s what I said.”
“And you’re right,” I say before shooting the shot. The liquid burns down my throat, and soon, things are a little hazy. “Sheesh, maybe we should start dumping these,” I say when I look down to see we still have a lot left.
When I look up at her, she’s already looking at me, surprised. “Sorry, I’m still shocked you said I was right.”
I scoff. “Don’t worry. I won’t admit that often.”
She grins as she nods, shooting three more in a row. “I’m gonna be flat on my face in the morning.”
I nod just as Jace and Markus pop over. “You have ten minutes left. How many do you have? Nine? Jeez,” Jace says, and then they both reach for two, shooting them.
Making a face, Markus says, “You can do the last five.”
“Thanks, boys,” she says with a grin.
“It’s cool, but you owe me a dance,” Markus says, but when he looks at me, he makes a face before looking back at Baylor. “Never mind, I don’t want to dance with you. Like ever.”
Then he’s gone.
“Whoa, whiplash!” she laughs, and Jace rolls his eyes.
“Because Jayden just—”
I punch him again. I know, I need to stop, but the kid won’t shut his face.
“Damn it, Jay!”
“What?” I ask innocently, and finally he walks away, grumbling that I’m an asshole.
“Jeez, what was that about?” she asks
me then before taking another shot. Her eyes are glazing over, her cheeks rosy from the bitter liquid. She looks like she did that night, and man, I wanted her then and I want her now.
“He’s an idiot,” I say, taking one of her shots. Wanting to change the subject, I say, “Four more, all yours.”
“Jerk.”
“Baby.”
She glares before downing all four in a row. She looks up at me and says, “I think I’m gonna puke.”
“Probably. Need me to hold your hair?”
She swallows hard and shakes her head. “A respectable, classy girl doesn’t need her hair held.”
I raise a brow. “I don’t know about that.”
“Eh. Me either, but I’m good. I swallowed it.”
“Because that’s hot,” I joke and she smiles, her cheeks matching her lips. “So that’s the reason you don’t want friends? Because of those assholes?”
She shrugs. “One of the reasons,” she says slowly as she draws in a breath through her nose. “I mean, why make friends when I have a one-way ticket out of here?”
I pause for a moment as she takes a long pull of Coke. Looking up at me, she meets my gaze as I say, “Because it’s better than being lonely, don’t you think?”
“So what, you want to be my friend?” she asks, her eyes challenging me.
Flashing her a grin. “We can start at that.”
When Sia’s “Chandelier” starts to blare through the party, her eyes light up and she starts singing. And when I say singing, I mean screaming the words at the top of her lungs. Laughing, I watch as she slowly slides her jacket down her arms, throwing her arms up in the air. Soon everyone in the kitchen is singing and dancing along. When the chorus comes on, though, she’s on top of the counter, spinning and singing like a madman.
It’s so fucking awesome.
When Markus and Jace all of a sudden jump up there with her, dancing and being goofy, I can only sit back and grin. She’s dancing around, carefree, and I love it. When she looks at me though, her eyes are dark before she reaches for my hand, pulling me up there with her. It’s unexpected, but I would never say no to dancing with her. Moving our bodies close together, my arms around her waist loosely, she sings, badly, in my face and I can only laugh.
As the song ends, a sweet little grin on her face, I drink her in because I know I won’t get many moments like this. We dance for a while, but then I want to be closer. Pulling her in, I slide my hand down her hips as she moves against me. When she looks back at me though, her eyes go wide and she takes a step back at the end of a song, almost falling off the counter, but I pull her back to me.
She eyes me and then points at me. “This is weird.”
“Weird?” I ask as she breaks free of my arms. “I was thinking great, nice, perfect even.”
Climbing down, she looks over at me and says, “Yes, but we don’t get along.”
“But we could,” I say as I get down with her, grabbing my beer and meeting her gaze.
“I’m sure it won’t last.”
Shrugging one shoulder, I tip my beer to her. “It would if you’d forgive me.” Her brows come together, and then I hold her gaze. “You haven’t forgiven me for what I did back in Florida.”
She waves me off, looking away. “I don’t even think of it anymore.”
“You’re lying,” I say automatically.
She looks up at me and says, “I am?”
“Yeah, when you lie, you look away or chew on your lip.”
She glares at me, her eyes darkening. “So you think you know me, eh?”
“Not all of you, but some, and I know you think of it because I do every time I see you.”
Looking away, she shakes her head. “I don’t want a boyfriend, either.”
Confused, but a little intrigued as to why she said that, I ask, “And why is that?”
She moves her hands through her hair, and her eyes are glassy as she says very offhandedly, “Because I got my heart broken by this fucking douche back in Arkansas.”
Oh, I’m an asshole. She’s drunk and I need to stop talking, but this may be the only time I can get in. Find out even a little bit about her, show her she can trust me. “Oh yeah? How?”
Leaning on her hand, she looks up at me through heavy-lidded eyes. “He, Seth, fucking used me, Jeez, I’m drunk.”
“So am I,” I lie, but I’m only tipsy. “As you were saying?”
“Yeah, he used me, and get this, he forced me to have sex with him even though I didn’t want to. But I loved him, so maybe he really didn’t force me. Eh, I don’t know. I just didn’t want to have sex and he made me. So yeah, I don’t know. Ugh, I think I’m gonna be sick.”
As she hiccups, I can only stare at her. Whoa, what? “Did you kick his ass?”
She shakes her head. “No, I cried a lot but I think it’s ’cause he used me to use my dad to get into the league.”
“Who is he?”
“Seth Bracksom,” she says, leaning on the counter. She leans on her hand and looks up at me as I take a mental note to find this dickfuck and beat his ass once I’m in the league. Hell, I might even call Jude to take care of it for me. Reaching out, she takes my bicep and says, “Mandie says that I didn’t love him. That I’ve shown more emotion toward you than him. You evoke the anger in me.”
I laugh. “I’ve noticed.”
“But also, you do something else. I don’t know. It’s weird. I don’t hate you, you know? But you just get under my skin and make me feel. I don’t like that.”
“Sorry?” I say, and she starts to giggle, lying completely out on the counter. It might be time to walk her back to her dad’s. She obviously doesn’t drink much, but then again, this is how it’s supposed to be on your birthday.
“Eh, no worries,” she hiccups before covering her mouth. “I think I’m gonna throw up this time,” she says through her hand.
“Want me to take you to the bathroom? Hold your hair?”
She shakes her head, but then braces herself against the counter. Not looking at me, she says, “No, I might kiss you if you do.”
I grin. “Don’t worry, I’d tell you no. I don’t like throw-up breath.”
“Good to know,” she says and then she gags. “Be right back,” she says and walks off. Setting my beer down, I follow behind her and watch as she enters the bathroom, slamming the door shut. Leaning against the wall, I tuck my hands in my pockets as I replay our conversation.
Get her off the ice and in a chilled-out environment, and you have a different Baylor. It’s kind of crazy but nice. I don’t like what I’ve learned though. She has no luck. She already feels like no one wants her because her mom left her behind, and now she loses friends and is used by some dickfuck? It’s kind of shitty, and I can’t blame her for feeling the way she does. I think if she’d just trust me a bit though, let me in, I think she’d see that I’m insanely loyal.
But do I want her to let me in?
Do I want this?
I mean, I have my family to worry about. Do I really want to add her to that list?
When I heard her tossing her cookies, I grin.
Yeah. I do.
She’s already on the list and has been for a while.
“What are you doing?”
I look over to find Jace and Markus grinning at me, both of them holding two beers in their hands. “Waiting on Baylor. She’s puking.”
“Ha!” Jace hollers out before pushing his beers in my hand. They then slam their fists over and over again against the door.
“Jace, guys, stop,” I say as they taunt her.
“Lightweight!” Markus calls out.
“Can’t handle your Jack, girlie girl!” Jace calls, and when the door snaps open, they both take a step back.
“I will puke on you both if you don’t get the hell out of here!” She then slams the door shut, and I just laugh.
“Told ya to leave her alone.”
Taking their beers, they flutter away as I shake my head. When I h
ear her puking once more, I reach for the door, entering it despite her protest. “Let me just help.”
“Help what? I’m puking out my nose, want to plug it for me?”
I laugh as I pull her hair back, taking the rubber band from her wrist and tying it up. “Want me to get you some water?”
“No, just leave me here to die.”
“So dramatic, it’s very girlie of you,” I tease as I slide down the wall, watching as she hugs the toilet.
“Fuck off, Sinclair,” she mutters before tossing more of her cookies. Grimacing, I reach out, rubbing her back as she heaves her whole body into the toilet. We sit for a while, me yelling at people to go piss somewhere else as she heaves.
“I think it’s safe to say you won’t be drinking Jack anymore.”
She scoffs, her voice loud from speaking in the toilet. “You’re completely and utterly right.”
“Thought I’d never hear you say that,” I tease, and she nods.
“First time for everything,” she whispers, and I lean my head back to wait this out. As soon as she stops yacking everywhere, I plan to get her home. I’m sure Coach will be thrilled to see her like this. Until then though, I’ll play Flappy Bird.
“Hey, Jayden.”
I look up from my phone and say, “Yeah?”
“I forgive you.”
For some reason, I know exactly what she means, and a grin pulls at my lips as I say, “Yeah?”
She nods. “I forgave you the day we fought outside the rink.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I wish it would have gone down differently but I respect you for it.”
“Thank you.”
“Anytime,” she wheezes. “Can you please take me home?”
I stand as my grin grows. I can’t help but think that maybe we can move on from this, and maybe something can grow from it all. I mean, it’s obvious we have chemistry. It’s evident, but this was the one thing that was holding me back. Now that we have solved this, I can only hope that something can happen. What? I’m not one hundred percent sure, but I know I really like her.
“Was that the one thing you wouldn’t admit to anyone?” I ask as I flush the toilet.
She nods. “Yeah, I’m not supposed to like you.”
“Not having any luck with that, I see?”