by A. E. Murphy
“Nope.” I pull my phone out and frown at my lack of messages. “Well… not like I used to.”
“You mean when you tried to kiss me?”
“Oh my god!” I cringe at the memory. “Why would you even bring that up?”
He laughs as though it’s hilarious. It really isn’t hilarious. “Don’t ever mention that again.”
“No promises,” he tells me, still laughing. “If it makes you feel any better, I had a raging boner the whole way home.”
“You did?”
“Yup.” He shifts in his seat. I hope he’s remembering it. “So why didn’t you kiss me back?”
“I didn’t know how to react. I’ve never been kissed first before and… well I didn’t like you like that.”
“Yet you got a boner.”
“You’re hot, Ty. You don’t see it, but you are.”
“If you think I’m hot, why don’t you like me like that?”
He shrugs and rubs his face with both hands. “I don’t know.”
“Why are you even telling me this?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “I don’t know.”
“You’re so screwed up, Dillan. You can’t say shit like that. You’ve got a girlfriend now and you rejected me. This isn’t fair.”
“I know. I never know what to say or how to act around you. Sometimes…” He bites on his lower lip, making me want to kiss him again, despite everything. “You’re just different, Ty. You’re not like other girls to me.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means I’d gladly kick the crap out of anyone who put their hands on you, including myself. You’re too good for shits like Leroy.”
“I’m not going to shag Leroy. Why are you so obsessed?” His eyes darken.
“He can be persuasive.”
“He can’t persuade me.”
“If you like a guy like me, you’ll like him.”
“What?” I’m not even sure what that means. “You kissed me.”
“Oh my god,” I groan, embarrassed. “Stop bringing that up.”
“I’m just saying that if you think I’m the kind of guy you should be with, then Leroy is also in with a chance and that just makes me mad.”
“Dillan,” I place my hand on his thigh, “I appreciate whatever this is you’re trying to do, but I just want to go and enjoy myself for the first time in forever. Okay? So, I’m going to climb out of the car and go into that house, see what all of the fuss is about and then leave in an hour or less with you. Okay?”
“Okay.” He nods and I open my car door and climb out.
After meeting him at the boot of his car, I elbow him gently in his side and remind him, “But I’m still mad at you.”
“I figured as much. Can you even remember why?”
“You’re a dick; that’s all I need to remember.”
I squeal a high-pitched noise when I feel the bite of his palm against my rear. “You can’t do that.”
He goes to do it again, laughing as though it’s hilarious, so I spin and shove his chest. Unfortunately, my heels don’t allow for such a move and my ankle gives way as my heel slips in the dust of the concrete.
Dillan, laughing even louder than before catches me before I fall. His arms encompass me, his body heat swarms me and if it wasn’t for my foundation, my face would glow in the dark.
“You’re hilarious, Ty,” he tells me as I right myself and try to pull free of his arms. “You good?”
“I’m fine,” I giggle. “Let me go.”
“You smell nice.”
“I’m wearing perfume.”
“You don’t usually.”
“I wanted to dress up for once. Is that okay?”
His hands are still locked around my back and mine press against his chest. His eyes search mine for something, the distance between us non-existent and entirely intimate. “I’m not saying it’s a bad thing; it’s just different. You’re different. I almost don’t recognise you.”
“What are you two loitering for?” Leroy’s voice booms over a shout of music that appeared when he opened the door to his house.
Light spills onto the large driveway as he makes his way towards us, triggering the motion light above the porch.
“The fun’s inside!”
Dillan drops me as though I’ve scorched him and I move away just as abruptly.
“Leona included.” Leroy wags his eyebrows and bumps his hips towards his friend.
“What is Leona doing here?”
“I invited her,” he states.
“Why?” Dillan hisses, leaving my side and stepping into his friend’s bubble.
“To keep you company, duh.” Leroy finally brings his eyes to me and I see them widen with surprise as he takes me in, dragging them from my head to the pointed toe of my expensive heels. “Though I’m not sure she’ll be happy knowing you’ve rolled up with such a fine piece of female candy.”
“Don’t even.” I raise my palm to ward off his assessment of me.
“You look gorgeous, as always, Tyler.” Leroy grins genuinely and holds out his arm for me. “May I escort the lady inside?”
“Certainly.” I place my hand on his arm and look at Dillan. “Go find Leona; I’m good here.”
“She’s in the living room,” Leroy calls over his shoulder as he helps me up the two steps that lead to his front door. “We’ll be in the kitchen where the drinks are at.”
We step into his house and are immediately engulfed in a plume of smoke coming from a room on the right.
“It’s just shisha,” he assures me and the scent of strawberries and cotton candy add to that assurance. “People aren’t allowed to smoke in the house.”
“Good rule.” I look back at Dillan, whose eyes I swear divert from my rear when he senses me looking. “It’s not as loud as I thought it would be.” The music is but the chatter is low.
“That’s because there’s only a few of us. I told you it wouldn’t be some raging house party,” Leroy snorts and then glances over his shoulder again. “Dill, go play with Leona in the room; we’re good here.”
I look at the same place he’s looking and nod my agreement. Dillan, with a clenched jaw and a tense body, turns to the door on our left and pulls down the handle.
“Dillan!” I hear his name cheered by at least two women and one guy. I try to separate them to see if I recognise them, but the only voice I know is Leona’s. Her cheery high voice with such a posh lilt to it winds me up.
“Vodka, whiskey, beer? Name your poison.” Leroy throws his hand out to the array of bottles scattered along the side.
“Bloody hell, Trip!” Somebody grabs my hand and spins me under their arm in the middle of the kitchen. “You clean up nicely.”
“Thank you?” My tone is questioning as I pull my hand free and steady myself.
“Back off, Simon,” Leroy snarls, taking my hand in his.
“Yeah, I always look nice,” I joke and point to the vodka.
“Need you ask my choice of poison?”
“A lady with excellent taste.” Joseph, Simon’s friend, grins and hands me a clean glass. “Are you to have it mixed or on the rocks?”
“A dash of cranberry and orange if there is any.”
“Ooh, only a step away from sex on the beach.” Joseph smiles mischievously, flashing slightly crooked teeth and tilting eyes. “I can make you one of those instead if you like?”
“Joseph’s parents own a bunch of clubs and pubs around the UK,” Leroy explains, as though I don’t know who Joseph is.
“Yeah, I know. Joseph also photoshopped my head onto the body of a sunbathing pig a couple of years ago,” I add, trying not to sound as bitter towards him as I feel.
“I did?” He drains his drink and crushes the can in one hand. “My bad. I’m a wanker sometimes.”
“Fuck,” Leroy hisses. “Really, Jo? That’s fucking sick, man.”
“I said I’m a wanker. I thought it was funny at the time. I didn’t mean for it to go as crazy as it
did.” Joseph steps to my side and hooks an arm around my neck. “I tell you what, I’ll let you get a shot in and we’ll call it even. How’s that?”
“I don’t do violence.”
“In that case…” He drops to his knees before me and clasps his hands under his chin. His brown eyes become round like a puppy’s and his bottom lips sticks out. “Please forgive me for my sins towards you and I’ll get you a VIP pass to Harvey’s club on the strip.”
“Make it two and I’ll consider it.”
His grin broadens. “Done.”
“Then you’re forgiven.” I smirk and he stands before shaking my hand. “Also, I’d love sex on the beach.”
“Here’s hoping you don’t mean the drink,” Leroy whispers in my ear, his tone full of amusement.
I bat him away and stand by the fridge, watching them make a glass jug full of my drink request. They do it in front of me without turning their backs, probably to reassure me that nothing is being spiked and because everything but the juice is on the table already.
When I receive my first glass, I drain it eagerly. It’s delicious and I can’t imagine wanting any other kind of drink ever again.
“This is amazing,” I say and Joseph refills my glass. “It doesn’t even taste like alcohol.”
“Right?” Leroy agrees and downs his own glass. “It’d be so easy to lose yourself on these.”
That’s why I’m sipping my second glass, or at least I thought I was. Joseph is refilling it again.
Leona, Dillan and a girl I don’t recognise enter the kitchen. The girls have empty glasses in their hands and when they see the orange and red mixture they squeal with delight and demand Joseph fill them up.
“Come on, ladies, lessen the noise,” Simon yells over them. “This is the chill room, seeing as your loud arses already claimed the comfy room.”
“Sorry, Simon,” Leona and her friend echo over one another.
Leona, with her perfect blue eyes, gives me a sideways look and then peruses me in the same way as everyone else has upon greeting me today. Then she wraps her bony arms around Dillan’s neck and places a kiss to the skin below his ear. My heart is jabbed with a painful spike of envy, I look away as his eyes come to me and his hands go to her waist.
She’s claiming him in front of me. I can tell. She’s threatened by me in a way she wasn’t before. Is she so shallow that she thinks I’m a threat now I’m not huge and now my body is on display more so than usual?
I was just as fabulous then as I am now, the stupid bitch.
She whispers in Dillan’s ear. I can’t hear what she says over the music and chatter but it makes his eyes go wide. When they leave the room smiling, her pulling him behind her, my heart sinks to the pit of my stomach.
“More poison?” Leroy asks, resting his chin on my shoulder.
“More poison,” I confirm.
“Don’t let it bother you. Some things just aren’t meant to be.” He wraps his arms around my middle and kisses my cheek, the stubble around his lips tickling my jaw.
“Your drink, my lady.” Joseph hands me a fresh glass as Simon lingers in the corner with Leona’s friend.
“So, other than drinking and standing around in a kitchen, what do you guys get up to?”
Leroy releases me and nods his head towards a door on the other end of the kitchen.
When he opens it, I see a long set of stairs that lead up into seemingly eternal darkness. I was expecting a basement of some kind, not a secret room.
“It was originally a priest hole,” Leroy explains and flicks on a switch on the right wall. “It was a secret staircase behind a book shelf but then they turned this into a kitchen and extended the dining room. A bookshelf just didn’t fit, hence the door.”
“Oh. What’s up there?”
“It’s a place where no girls are allowed. Understood?”
“Should I strap on a penis?”
Joseph chuckles and shoves Leroy up the first two steps.
“Why does she get to go up there?” The girl who wrapped herself around Simon asks.
They ignore her and slam the door shut behind me. This is a little bit scary; I’m not sure I thought this through. My attitude soon changes when we step into a large room at the very top of the house. It’s huge and well-lit with tiny, round windows scattered evenly across the walls.
A large snooker table rests in the middle of the room, near a couch facing a huge, wall-mounted TV, with an array of games consoles below it. A dart board is on the wall to my right near no windows or breakables and finally there are two vending machines, one for drinks and the other for snacks.
“This is mine and my dad’s man cave.” Leroy grins, checking to see my reaction. “Not even my mum comes up here to clean.”
“Is it sanitary?” I ask, laughing. My hand gently teases the felted surface of the snooker table.
“Probably not.” Joseph dives onto the couch and picks up the TV remote.
“Get up,” Leroy demands and moves to the snooker cues that are hanging on the wall by the door.
“I can’t be bothered.”
“I’ll play.” I kick off my heels and snatch a stick with a narrow head from the wall. We chalk up, eyeing each other like true opponents.
“You any good?”
“Probably not as good as you.” I grin and wait for him to set up the balls on the table. As he does, I watch his arse. It’s not Dillan’s, but it’s still a good arse. “Your favourite pastime?” I jest after a moment of ogling my friend in my tipsy state, earning me a confused look from Leroy. “Snooker?”
“Playing with balls,” I giggle and step to the side when he pretends to throw a ball at me.
“Need me to help you with your aim?” Joseph asks, leaning up from his position on the couch.
“No, but you can get me another drink if you feel so inclined.”
“Ugh,” he grunts happily. “She’s so bossy. I like it.”
“Please,” I add and laugh when he stands, bowing low.
“Would you care for something stronger?” Leroy asks as Joseph makes his way to the stairs.
Joseph stops and gives Leroy a look of excitement. “You have some?”
“I do.” Leroy grins patting his back pocket. “You game?”
“Umm…” I feel nauseous suddenly. “I’ll ask that you don’t do that shit around me please. I’m certainly not game and I don’t want to be guilty by association.”
Joseph shrugs and descends the stairs, leaving Leroy and I alone.
“Duly noted.” Leroy nods. “I’ll keep things vanilla around you.” He doesn’t look disappointed and I’m relieved. I didn’t realise he was into a heavier way of partying. Now I know, I’ll try and sway him from it. No good can come from that kind of substance abuse.
“You go first,” I demand, changing the subject, and he gladly acquiesces, breaking up the red balls and potting one. “What are the rules? I’m more of a pool player than a snooker player.”
“We’ll just do a ball point system.” A what?
He chuckles at the confused look on my face. “Whoever pots the most balls wins.”
“Oh! I like that.”
He sinks another two.
“Okay I don’t like that.” I pout. “You’re winning already.”
“Before I’ve had the chance to see you bend over the table? Never.” He side-swipes the ball and announces, “Two shots to you; I missed.”
With a tingling face and a slightly spinning head, I line up the cue and bend over the table, my breasts brushing against the soft surface as I line up the stick with the white ball.
Breathing out, I pull back the stick a few times until it’s resting on my fingers comfortably.
“Please don’t tear the table top,” Leroy chuckles, leaning by me as I take my shot.
The ball hits a red and I watch as it misses the hole by just an inch.
“Darn,” I mutter. “The holes are wider than on a pool table.”
“No shit.” Leroy
runs his finger along the skin of my back, just across the top of the base of my spine where the dress leaves me exposed.
I shiver and try to ignore it as I line up my shot again. This time I sink a red and jump for joy, high-five Leroy who is no longer touching me and dance around the table to where the ball landed.
“Is Dillan joining us?” The door opens just as I ask and Joseph enters with a tray of drinks.
“Dillan is a bit… tongue tied.” He holds the tray in front of me. I take my drink, necking half of it in a few gulps, and place it back on the tray.
I take another shot, feeling a bit wobblier than before, and curse when I miss. “I’m never going to win.”
“Probably not.” Leroy takes a pull of his beer, his throat bobbing with each swallow. Smacking his lips, he chucks the empty bottle into a nearby litter bin and opens his new one using the skin of his forearm. That’s creepy. “Should have made it a bet.”
“We still could,” I shrug, nonchalant. “I’m very competitive and my skills shine bright when there’s stuff I want on the table.”
“Really?” He steps into me, stick in hand, his chest an inch from mine. “And what is it you want?”
“An open promise.”
“An open promise?” He repeats, placing his beer bottle onto the snooker table.
“Yep, to cash in whenever I want.”
“Deal.” He smirks and steps even closer. “And I want…” He brings his cheek to mine and grips my waist with his free hand. “Five minutes in heaven with you.”
Gulp.
“That could be open to interpretation.”
“So could an open promise.”
“Phew!” Joseph cries from his space on the couch. “Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?”
Leroy nips at my lower lip with his teeth. It sends a chill right through me.
I’m drunk.
I repeat that mind statement aloud. “I’m drunk.”
“So am I,” Leroy murmurs and drops his stick on the ground.
I swallow and suck my lower lip into my mouth when his hands travel from my ribs and down to my waist.
He kisses me just as I let free my lip and I kiss him back. I kiss him not only because I’m drunk, but also because I need to get Dillan out of my head and Leroy is willing to do that for me.
I’m seventeen, I’m completely inexperienced, I still have my virginity, and I’m in love with a guy who doesn’t feel the same. This is what I need. This is a good idea.