by Anthology
She laughed and took a long pull from her beer, and I busied myself pouring my own so as to not focus on the way her throat bobbed when she swallowed, or the way she licked the foam from her lips after taking a drink.
Fucking hell. Get your shit together Jason. She’s you’re best friend.
Tony Matteo came up and slapped me on the back in his drunken state at the same time Krista showed up and pulled Lillian off in the direction of the main room of the house where people were dancing. Tony was covered in dirt from falling to the ground outside during his keg stand. He was three sheets to the wind and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Jaaaaason,” he slurred like my name had a thousand A’s in it.
“Wait, where’d Lilly go? She was pussosed to dance wif me.”
“I think Lilly likes her dance partners coherent and able to hold a conversation,” I replied.
“You are one funny fucker mother, you know Jaaaaason? Tell me you are hitting that fine ass of piece.”
Even though most of his words were backwards, I made out clear as day what he was asking me and it pissed me off.
“No,” I bit out. “But even if I were, it wouldn’t be any of your business.”
“Oh, come on man. It’s all games an fun. Well, if you ain’t tappin’ it, mind if I give it a little tap-tapperoo?” He asked as he wiggled his eyebrows up and down at me.
The rage that overcame me at the thought of Tony wanting to fuck Lilly, did funny things to my insides. The next thing I knew I was picking Tony up by the collar and walked him backwards until his back hit the refrigerator.
“You lay one hand on her and so help me God, I’ll annihilate you,” I seethed. His eyes grew wide as he looked at me, and in an instant he seemed to sober up quickly, and it made me wonder if he was pretending to be drunker than he really was.
“Whoa, Jason. Dude, chill. I was just joking.”
I let him go and gave him one last look of warning while I went off in search of Corey. I found him in the back of the house playing beer pong with Krista and another couple. Instantly, the hairs on my arms stood at attention. Lillian was just with Krista before Tony’s stupid ass came into the kitchen and got me worked up.
I tapped Krista on the shoulder and she turned to look up at me. Her blue eyes had already started to glaze over and I could tell by how she swayed slightly that she must have had a pretty good buzz going on.
“Where’s Lilly?” I asked as I leaned down to speak in her ear over the noise in the room.
“She was doing shot’s with Gail the last time I saw her. In the living room I think.”
Fuck.
I told her not to take drinks from anyone. Male or female, I didn’t care. No one was immune to the shit that often went down at frat and sorority parties. I’ve always been very protective over Lilly. When she had a boyfriend, I would question him. When she wasn’t around, I would make it perfectly clear that if they did anything to hurt her, I would remove their balls, make a smoothie with them, and make them drink it.
I pushed my way through the crowd to go and find her. Lilly was a lightweight, no matter how hard she tried to fight it. She was small in frame, her head barely coming up to my chin which meant it took less alcohol to get her drunk. I didn’t like her being drunk when I wasn’t around. She was too kind-hearted and people always took advantage of kind-hearted people.
My blood boiled in my veins when I found her sitting on the couch with none other than Tony fucking Matteo. Their backs were to me so I couldn’t see their faces, but I sure as hell could see his arm wrapped around her as he stroked her shoulder with his fingers. I had it in mind to run straight over there and break every finger on his hand if he continued to touch her like that.
It had been like this a lot recently when it came to Lillian. My protective side was in full force when it came to her, more so than normal. I’ve caught myself looking at her differently over the last few months. Even though we had known each other for so long, I felt like she was changing right before my eyes and I didn’t know how to deal with all the new thoughts, feelings, and sensations she evoked in me.
I walked around the couch and as soon as Tony saw me, he moved away from her which left me the perfect opportunity to sit right between them.
“Jason. Tony and I were talking. That was rude,” she said as she narrowed her eyes at me.
“Tony is wanted in the back of the house. Something about beer pong.”
“Right. I better go check and see what they need,” he replied and got up and left without so much as saying goodbye.
Fucker thought he could get past me.
“What the hell was that, Jase?” She asked as she slugged me in the shoulder and then pulled her arm away shaking it. I had rower’s arms. All solid muscle and I’m pretty sure she hurt herself hitting me. I reached for her hand and massaged it within my own.
“I thought I asked you not to drink anything unless it came from me or Corey?”
“It was just tequila, Jason. I saw Gail pour it straight from the bottle myself.”
“It doesn’t matter, Lilly. You promised.”
“Okay, I’m sorry. Sheesh.”
I stood up as the bass of another song played through the speakers in the room. All in front of us, couples were out on the makeshift dance floor grinding all over each other. I got an idea and I smiled down at her as she continued to scowl up at me.
“Dance with me?” I asked, as I held my hand out to her and nodded my head towards the other couples dancing. She looked at me funny. Probably more in shock than anything else. Lillian loved to dance. Me? Not so much. My mother had me take dance lessons when I was younger. Not many people knew that, because it wasn’t something I went around broadcasting to everyone. But Lillian knew, and she loved it when I danced with her.
“Okay,” She smiled and I tugged on her hand to pull her up from the couch and led her out onto the dance floor. The room was hot and I could already feel a soft sheen of sweat form on my skin as we both began to move. I held her close to me as we began to get lost in the music. I loved watching her, looking so inhibited, so free. A few tendrils of her hair had fallen loose from her bun and I itched to reach up and tuck them behind her ear. She turned to face away from me and soon her backside was grinding onto me. I groaned. I bit the inside of my cheek and began thinking about my eighty year old grandmother’s bedpan, to try to keep my dick from springing to life.
“This is so fun!” She exclaimed, as she turned around and threw her arms around my neck. I was thankful that the song changed to something a little slower so that she would quit rubbing herself up against me. It wasn’t her fault. She had no idea that I had been having these asinine thoughts about her for a while now. She had no clue that when I went to bed at night and closed my eyes, she was always there. A lot of people have PG thoughts about their best friend. Not many had the “X” rated ones I have been having.
“You know, we could show off those dance moves of yours. Give the kiddies a real show, hmm?’ She asked in my ear, the warmth of her breath caused goosebumps to form on my skin, even though my temperature was anything but cool.
“No. No fucking way. No one know about my skills as you call them.”
“Come on. I think the party would love to see the strapping rowing team captain act out a beautiful rendition of Swan Lake,” she teased.
“Just as long as I get to tell them all that it was you that farted in Chem lab a few weeks ago. You remember? The day that your gas smelled worse than the project we were working on?”
“You wouldn’t?”
“Oh I would, Assquatch.”
She slapped me on the chest feigning horror, but the gleam in her eye…the sexy fucking gleam in her eye…told me otherwise.
“Seriously, Jase. You can drop that nickname now. I’m going to be a professional now. Less than humorous nicknames about my ass made in junior high, can be let go of now.”
She was trying her best to lot laugh and instinctively, I moved my ha
nds lower to cup both of her ass cheeks in my hands.
“Brandon Storms thought this thing was huge in junior high, but it has always looked perfect to me, baby girl.”
Her eyes grew wide.
Then I froze.
I not only acknowledged that I enjoyed the look of her ass, but my hands were covering both of her round mounds. Palms spread wide in all their glory across her derriere. Quickly, I moved them back up to the small of her back and swiftly spun her around before bending her over and dipping her then up righting her again. Looks like I would have to use my dance moves after all to distract both her and I from the fact that I just thoroughly molested my best friend’s ass.
“Can I cut in?” A deep voice said over my shoulder.
Justin Parker. Quarterback for the Cavalier football team. School heartthrob, and all around douchesicle in my opinion. I wanted to tilt my nose up at him and pull Lilly closer to me, but I had no rights to her. Besides, the sparkle in her eye as she looked at Justin, was like a stabbing pain in my chest. I backed away, allowing Lilly to go willingly into his arms and stomped off in the direction of the keg before my fist found his face.
These strange feelings I have been having in regards to Lilly were foreign, strange, and yet I couldn’t say that they were bad. I watched Lilly and Justin like a hawk, as my eyes peered over the rim of my red cup each time I took a sip of the watered down, shitty beer.
“When you going to tell her, man?” Corey said, patting me on the back and nearly causing me to choke on my beer.
“Tell who what?” I asked.
“Lilly. That you’re in love with her.”
I nearly did spit my beer out at his statement. Wiping the trickle of amber liquid from my chin, I shook my head at him.
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about man. I’m not in love with her. She’s my best friend. Like a sister. An annoying, pain in my ass little sister.”
“Right, and Krista rides my cock because she’s a lesbian. Come on, dude. Everyone sees it. We watch you two dance around each other every day. Just admit it.”
“I’m not in love with her,” I repeated, getting a little irritated at him for insinuating that I was.
“Whatever, dude. Keep telling yourself that. All I know is that in two weeks, you both will be moving a shit-ton of miles apart. All of our lives are going to be turned around. Don’t let the opportunity to tell her, slip away. She might just feel the same way.”
“When did you become such a mushy fucking sap?” I asked him, taking another drink of my beer that had seriously lost its taste.
“I know I’m the jokester. The one everyone loves because I’m funny,” I looked at him, scrunching my brows together. “Don’t even try to deny it, dude. I’m a fucking riot. But I also know that we are an inch away from opening the door to real life. It’s been all fun and games in college, but it’s time to be an adult. If you don’t tell her how you feel, someone else will, and then your chance will be gone forever.”
He walked away from me and towards Krista, wrapping his arms around her neck and pulling her in for a kiss that was probably better left for the bedroom. I envied their relationship. They were more than just boyfriend and girlfriend. He was always cracking jokes, never one to be serious until our conversation just a few moments ago. Krista was just as equally quirky and funny. She didn’t take shit from anyone, much less Corey’s. They were perfect for each other.
My eyes found where Lilly was still dancing with Justin and his words began to ring in my ear at a deafening sound.
If you don’t tell her, someone else will, and then your chance will be gone forever.
Was I attracted to Lilly? Hell yes. She was fucking gorgeous. Her golden blonde hair was like the color of the sun and that accentuated the golden bronze of her skin. Her strapless pink dress showed off toned shoulders beneath a slender neck. A neck that Justin fucking Parker was nuzzling with his nose. A neck that he was now planting a kiss on with his lips.
My eyes glazed over with a red jealousy I’ve never felt before.
No. I’m not in love with her.
At least, I kept trying to tell myself.
Chapter Three
Lilly
“ATTENTION EVERYONE! It’s time to raise a toast to our graduates!” My mother said as she clanked the crystal champagne flute in her hand. The back yard was filled with tons of friends and family. Mutual acquaintances of both my family and Jason’s. If the sound of music didn’t give the party away, the balloons and streamers that were littered everywhere would.
“Lillian, your father and I couldn’t be more proud of you. Jason, you have been like a son to us since we moved in next door. You both have made us so incredibly happy and I can’t believe you won’t both be here every day.”
My mom wiped at the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. Even though my head was pounding from last night, I couldn’t help but get choked up from her words.
“And Lilly has been like a daughter to us. She is the only one who Jason would listen to when he needed his butt kicked. He has always had the softest heart when it came to you and we wouldn’t have it any other way. To watch you two both grow up and become the people you are today has been amazing.” Jason’s mother Trudy said, stepping in when she could see my mother struggling to find words.
“To Jason and Lillian!” My dad said raising his glass and everyone responded with “here, here” and “Cheers”.
I watched Jason down his champagne in one gulp before going to give both his parents and my parents a hug. I was pissed at him because it seems ever since last night he has been avoiding me. Finding a reason to engage in conversation with anyone else, but me. If I approached, he would quickly walk away.
When I saw him staring as I danced with Justin last night, I watched an entire conversation go down with him and Corey and everything seemed to change after that. I had to endure the torture of him grinding up against Wendy Higgins for the remainder of the night. I fully intended to remain sober, but when Krista and Gail began offering more tequila shots, I gladly took them. Anything to numb the awkward pain I felt in my chest at seeing Jason dancing so intimately with Wendy. I didn’t know what my problem was, I’d seen him dance with girls before. He’s had girlfriends throughout the years just like I’d had boyfriends, but they have never bothered me like they did last night.
My body trembled with jealousy and my mind wandered to all the things I wanted to do to Wendy and her perky little body to get her away from Jason. The blood boiled in my veins with foreign anger and suppressed feelings I felt for my best friend, the ones I didn’t know how to control.
So I got wasted.
I tried to vanish the thoughts from my brain in order to stop my mind from telling my body to go over to Wendy and literally rip her from his arms.
“We have a gift for you guys,” my mom said as she ran into the house quickly and returned holding an envelope. Jason came to stand next to me, the first time he had gotten even remotely close since last night, and accepted the envelope from my mom.
“We want you guys to enjoy these next few weeks before you start your jobs.”
My mom and dad as well as Jason’s parents beamed huge smiles at us while Jason opened the envelope.
“What is it?” I asked peering over his shoulder to see the piece of paper he pulled out. His eyes skimmed the piece of paper before his green eyes turned to look at me.
“A two week rental at a beach house in Virginia Beach,” he said deadpan, almost like he didn’t feel any emotion over the fact that our parents just gave us a huge gift.
“What? Let me see,” I demanded, yanking the paper out of his hands and looking at the picture on the page and reading the description.
“Wow. Really?” I asked, turning to look at our parents. Four sets of eyes shone back at me with huge smiles spread across their faces.
“Thank you! This is amazing!” I exclaimed before running to hug them, throwing my arms around each one with enthu
siasm. The paper I was holding had fallen to the ground and Jason picked it up with one hand, while rubbing the back of his neck with the other one. There was a small smile on his face, but I could tell that there was tension behind it, and for the life of me couldn’t figure out why he was so disgruntled about the gift.
“Krista and Corey will be joining you,” my mom said as she practically bounced on the spot. I could tell she was easily as excited to give the present to us as I was to accept it.
“Thank you, that sounds like fun,” Jason said shaking my father’s hand before his father and then hugging both of our mothers.
Our parents went to mingle with our other guests and that is when I chose to grab Jason and lead him into the house. Practically dragging him down the hall, I pulled him into the room and shut the door behind him.
“What’s gotten into you today?” I asked, folding my arms across my chest and tapping my foot.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t give me that, Jason. You’ve been acting like a jerk ever since you got here. You have barely said two words to me. Are you mad? Why are you acting this way? Our parents just got us a two week vacation stay at a beach house and you act like they gave you shoe insoles as a gift. Now tell me what is wrong.”
I watched him pace away from me, going over to the window on the other side of my bed and placed his hands on the sill, leaning onto it.
“I’m just feeling overwhelmed with graduation, the move, you name it. Things are going to be so different and I’m having a hard time adjusting to that.”
His words hit me like a sledgehammer to the chest. I had tried to push back the feelings of not being around my friends and family when I moved to New York. The thing that killed me the most was not getting to see Jason everyday.
“Hey,” I said, approaching him and rubbing my hand up and down his back. I felt the muscles ripple beneath my hands. “Things will be fine. You’ll go to Denver and become this hot shot engineer who everyone loves. You’ll probably forget all about me.” Even though I meant the words to be teasing, they hurt to say them and I winced, closing my eyes.