A few moments later, she stood at the door of the patio, leading to the backyard. And like Janet had said, James stood there with a bottle of beer in his hands.
“Hey,” she cleared her throat to make her presence known. James turned around and looked happy to see her.
“Blair,” he said, droning out the last syllable, “Nice to see you here.”
Blair nodded and walked over to him, “So what you doing out here?” she said, awkwardly trying to make conversation.
James looked back at, taking a swig out of his beer, “You know,” he hinted, flashing her a wide smile, “just waiting for you,” he said with a wink.
“Oh god, stop,” Blair replied, rolling her eyes slightly.
“I’m serious,” he said and then checked her out, giving her a once over with his eyes, “you look great – could have put more effort on the outfit though,” he said, leaning in closer and hovering his face over hers.
“Your breath reeks of beer,” she said, pushing him away.
“Hey man, what’s your deal Carter?” James shot back as he stumbled backwards, “why do you have to be so uptight all the time?”
Blair pressed her lips together in a tight line, “I am not uptight,” she said, her tone had taken an edge of defensiveness.
“Yeah, sure,” he scoffed, taking another swig of beer, “you’re like the most prissy too-good-for-everyone chick in our batch. That’s really rich coming from you,” he let out a hiccup-y laugh towards the end.
“Shut up, James,” Blair replied, feeling annoyed at both him and herself for agreeing to come out and see him in the first place.
“See, this is why you don’t have a boyfriend,” James continued, “and barely any other friends besides Janet. Geez, I wonder how she puts up with you man. You should be happy I even give you the time of day, instead of-“
He was cut off abruptly by Blair turning to her heel to leave but he quickly grabbed her by the hand.
“Hey, no, okay stop,” he said, sounding apologetic now, “I did not mean it like that okay?” he said, sounding sincere.
“Right,” she replied back, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Sure you didn’t.”
He flashed her his cheeky grin once again, “So what do you say, huh?” he asked, his face leaning in closer again, “how about we ditch this lame party and get out of here?” he proposed, suggestively wiggling his eyebrows at him.
“Oh god, you are disgusting!” she exclaimed at once, freeing her arm away from him and stomping away to go back inside the house. Behind her, she could hear the loud roar of his laughter.
Blair was sufficiently annoyed by this point and wanted nothing more to get back home and forget what happened. The loud music was hurting her head and triggering her migraine. Plus, she did not want to see the face of James again – which she inevitably would if she stayed at the party one moment longer.
“Janet!” she called out, exasperatedly as she finally spotted her best friend – she was surrounded by a bunch of people taking part in a game of beer pong. “Janet!” she said louder when her first one returned un-responded.
“Blair?” she replied as she spotted her, “oh wait guys – I’ll be right back.”
And with that, Janet followed Blair out of the house. Once outside, Blair crossed her arms in front of her and shot her best friend an annoyed look.
“What’s eating you?” Janet asked, raising an eyebrow at her impatient antics.
“Can we leave now?” Blair said bluntly, “Please?” she added once for good measure.
“Why – the party is only started-“she stopped abruptly as she noticed the expression on her best friend’s face; she was practically shooting daggers at her, “Wait, did something happen?” she said, finally catching on.
Blair sighed, “Can we go now? I’ll tell you on the way back home.”
“Okay, let me just get my bag from inside, Bee.”
The rain had stopped its drastic assault and was not only falling in tiny harmless platters on the windscreen of the car as they sped through the highway on their way back home.
“You want to stop and get some burgers on the way?” Janet asked in a feeble attempt to lighten up the atmosphere. Of course, food was the answer to everything for her.
Blair shook her head and reached out her hand to turn up the volume of the car radio, so all noises could be droned out in the background. But Janet reached out and turned it back down.
“Hey – come on now,” she scolded lightly, “If you’re going to be all grumpy on the way back, can you at least tell me what’s wrong?” Janet demanded.
Blair heaved a sigh, “You know – it’s nothing new. Just James - he was being obnoxious,” Blair admitted, her eyes gazing out the window to avoid any possible eye contact.
Janet tightened her grip on the steering wheel enough to cause her knuckles to whiten, “What did he do?” she said, through gritted teeth.
“You know how he is.”
“Tell me, Bee.” Janet insisted, “You know I’m not letting you out of this car until I get it out of you, right?” she threatened lightly but Blair knew she only meant it out of genuine concern.
“It’s stupid - and I know I shouldn’t be affected by it but,” Blair started and then stopped feeling a loss of words. James’ words had stung more than she had liked to admit and she was only realizing that when having to repeat them, “You know? Forget it. He’s a stupid boy and I shouldn’t give it too much attention.”
“Blair,” Janet warned, her voice ringing with a resounding finality. “Tell me.” It sounded more like an order than a request.
“He called he stuck up and a prude,” Blair admitted finally, frustrated at her own reaction to the words.
“Oh - he what? He’s a moron. Don’t let him get to you okay?” Janet sounded considerably angry at this, “I’m sorry I made you go to him – I did not know he would be this way towards you.”
“It’s not your fault,” Blair replied, making a feeble attempt to smile.
“No really,” she said, “Ugh I am going to give that boy a piece of my mind when I see him next.”
“I mean – maybe he is right,” Blair said quietly.
“Oh no – not this! That bastard! He got to you,” Janet said, fuming, “I’m going to give him more than just my piece of my mind when I see him next.”
“He was right – I don’t have a boyfriend and I’m eighteen. Look at you, you have a new guy falling over you every week,” Blair said, turning her head away again to gaze out the window.
“Yes – but that is only because you are much smarter than I am,” Janet replied, “besides, you said it yourself, you never got along with these immature high school boys anyway and judging by your interaction with James today, I am really starting to see why,” she said, shaking her head in disapproval towards the end.
Blair nodded and suddenly her mind wheeled back to Daniel – how they had such a good time today and how they had connected so well, much better than she could ever with James. Still, she sighed and did not dare admit it out loud.
What was she supposed to admit? She felt a strange impending attraction towards her doctor? In a more than platonic sense? Just thinking of the words made her feel silly, let alone realize their existence in words.
“Listen, I know the perfect thing to cheer you up,” Janet said, suddenly perking up, “We’re going to go on a midnight donut run – my treat. It’ll be great, sugar solves everything.”
Blair could not help but chuckle at her best friend’s antics despite her own gloomy mood and agreed.
Chapter 4
Blair sat at the edge of her bed, tapping her foot repeatedly on the cold hardwood floor of her room. She could not dispel the gnawing feeling of anxiousness in the pit of her stomach and as much as she tried to deny it, much of it had to do with James’ words to her yesterday.
It was true that she had led most of her life very sheltered and unexposed to the crazy experiences teenagers usually had around this
age. Was it true? Was she really uptight and that was the reason why she was missing out? She had already chalked it down to the fact that she felt mentally superior to her peers and thus made better decisions than them. But she was beginning to realize for the first time, that maybe that might have been a mistake.
Goddammit. She had let him get to her, as much she did not want to. His words stuck out in her head like a sore thumb and not matter how hard she tried to shake it off, it would not go away.
Deciding she could take any more of this dreaded self-contemplation anymore, she got up and went straight for her car keys on the table – she was going to go out tonight.
Forty five minutes later she found herself at another one of those house parties. She did not really know a lot of people there, except a few familiar faces from her school but she did not care as long as the alcohol was flowing freely among the guests.
In fact, she had taken more than her fair share and the world around her was beginning to grow a little hazy.
“Yo, Blair!” a raven haired Asian girl called out to her, “Surprised to see you here.” It was Aria from her old Mathematics class.
Blair grinned, feeling her inhibitions loosened up from all the alcohol she had consumed, “Where do I get me more booze?”
Aria laughed, “Wow you’re really wasted. James Marden brought a whole flask of expensive gin though – if you’re interested,” the raven haired girl told her.
‘Oh shit – James is here?” Blair cursed under her breath, squatting a hand to her forehead. Quickly, she stumbled to her feet and mumbled a half coherent excuse to Aria and darted out the door.
By the time she had reached her car on the pavement though, she was feeling too light headed to even stand up straight, let alone drive back home. Stumbling downwards to sit down on the cold hard concrete pavement, she fished out her mobile phone from the pocket of her jean.
The first person her thumb landed on was Janet but then she considered what would happen if she called her to pick her up – they would probably drive back home, maybe she would sleep over at Blair’s house and they would call it a day.
Changing her mind almost immediately, her thumb started scrolling again. It wasn’t until she had read out loud the words on the screen until she realized she was already dialed the number.
Calling Dr. Hottie (Daniel)
Three rings and then that same deep voice filled her speakers.
“Hello? Dr. Daniel here, who am I speaking to?”
Blair giggled – an effect of her drunken stupor. “Doctor-r, h-hey,” she slurred.
“Who is this? Is this a prank call?”
“No, it’s me,” Blair said sweetly, but then realized that he probably does not recognize the sound of her voice, “Blair,” she mumbled against the mic of her phone.
There was a small pause where Daniel tried to remember but then when it clicked who he was speaking to, he replied back instantly, “Blair! What happened? Do you have a medical emergency?”
This caused another series of giggles to erupt from the brunette’s mouth; she clapped a hand against her lips.
“Hold on, Blair, are you drunk?” He sounded concerned and for some reason, hearing that made expressly happy – eliciting even more giggles and laughter on her part.
“Maybeeee,” she said in a singsong voice, “What are you g-gonna do ‘bout it?”
She could not help her words – her liquid confidence was going all the talking for her.
“Dear god, Blair. Why did you call me?”
“Cause – I’m d-drunk you know,” she slurred, “And I can’t get home – I can’t drive while drunk.”
There was another pause, possibly of contemplation, and then Daniel finally spoke again. “Okay where are you? I’ll come get you.”
A very vague and persistent telling of an address and twenty minutes later, a black car pulled up on the front of the house. Without saying a word, Blair sat up and got in.
Daniel turned on the overhead car light before driving off to examine the inebriated brunette, “You’re absolutely hammered, aren’t you?” he said after his moment of observation.
“Yuuuup,” perked up the brunette, “you know it.”
Daniel shook his head, “You’re not meant to call your doctor unless it is for a medical emergency, Blair,” he told her but by his tone, you could tell that he was not so bothered by it, rather amused even.
“Oh but I wanted to,” she replied back, clearly the alcohol had emboldened her sense of self.
“Right, okay,” Daniel said dismissively, “Let’s get you back home now, shall we?” he said as he revved up the car’s engine to start driving.
“Noooooo,”she whined in a childish voice, “I don’t want to go back home.”
Daniel raised an eyebrow at her, “You don’t? Where do you want to go then?”
She bit down her lower lip and looked at him, “I- well, I want to get a tattoo.”
“You want to get a tattoo?” Daniel replied back, incredulously, “you’re drunk out of your mind Blair, I think it would be best if I just drop you back home now.”
“No, no, no!” Blair said, she had started to stomp her feet against the floor of the car now, “please?” she tried giving him the puppy dog eyes hoping that they would make him cave.
Daniel sighed, “Why do you want a tattoo?” he asked as he took a turn off the left of the road.
“Because,” she said in a low voice as she bit down on her lip, “because the other day when you had one – it was just so, sexy, I couldn’t… I want one too.”
“Oh was it now?” Blair could tell that Daniel was amused by her antics and her blatant attempts to flirt with him. Still, he was not discouraging her and that was all she needed to go on.
“Yes,” she replied back, “Can I please get one too?”
Daniel laughed, “You’re a grown adult Blair, you do not need to ask me this.”
“Take me to the place where you got yours.”
“Is it going to hurt?” a previously okay but now suddenly nervous Blair asked from the tattoo artist chair.
“A little,” replied Daniel.
Blair gulped. “That is okay – I still want it,” she said, “Can you hold my hand though?” she asked, shyly. “I don’t like needles.”
Daniel hesitated at first but then seeing the look in her eyes, he caved. He held out his hand and she took it immediately, lacing her fingers with his.
“You need to relax, it’ll be over in a minute,” Daniel reassured her.
The tattoo she had opted for was a small butterfly on the side of her ribcage. She lied back downwards on her side while the tattoo artist lifted up her shirt.
“Is this your first time?” the artist asked.
“Yes,” Blair nodded, “ I am excited.”
The artist laughed, “Very well, I will get started on you now,” and then in the next moment, she felt the cold of the tattoo needle piercing her flesh. It was not bad – it hurt more like a pinprick than anything serious. After a few more minutes of this, the artist lifted up her gun.
“Well, you’re done,” she said.
“You can open your eyes now, Blair,” Daniel laughed.
“How is it? I’m scared to look,” the brunette replied, peeking through her hooded eyelids.
Daniel took one of his thumbs and ran it across the freshly inked skin, the movement causing a jolt to go down through her. “It’s very beautiful,” he replied in a low voice.
Blair found herself blushing deeply as she her head around to examine the art herself. Instantly, she recognized that it was exactly how she wanted it to be. And who she wanted it to be with.
“I love it!” she gushed, too running her fingertips across it.
Daniel laughed. “Well I am glad.”
They exited the tattoo parlor and Blair was feeling still a little tipsy from the drinks but more so from the adrenaline rush of getting her first ink.
“We should really head back now,” Daniel remar
ked, now glancing at his watch. “You have gotten what you want.”
“Noooo,” Blair whined instantly yet again, “I don’t want to,” she said, crossing her arms out in front of her.
“Come on, Blair,” he pressed in a no-slack-allowed kind of tone. Blair just groaned even louder.
“Except, I did not get what I reallllly wanted,” she whined, pouting at him once again.
“Blair, I’m serious,” Daniel replied, now fishing out the keys to his car out of his pockets.
“So am I,” Blair said quietly and then before he could even utter another word, she leaned over and crashed her lips to his. His initial response was one of stoic hesitance – he did not kiss her back. But when he realized the girl in his arm had no intention of stopping whatsoever, he gave in to his own urge and grabbed her hair roughly from the back and pulled her mouth deeper onto his own.
They stood there in that street corner for god knows how long, just taking their time exploring each other’s mouths. His hand even slid up under her shirt and groped the contour of her breasts, to which she groaned loudly in his mouth.
Finally, they broke free and looked each other deep into the eyes.
“Blair,” he breathed out, his breath fanning against her face.
“Daniel,” she said and right there, she passed out drunk in his arms.
Chapter 5
The sunlight broke in from the window and cast patterns on the ceilings. Blair awoke to find herself wrapped in gray sheets whose smell she was not familiar with. Wrinkling her nose as she stretched out her arms, Blair came to the startling realization that this was not her own bedroom and jolted up.
As she was examining the precincts of room, a knock was sounded on the door and then a figure walked in – it was Daniel.
“Oh thank god,” she said under her breath, a wash of relief passing over her.
“You’re finally up,” he said to her through the arch of the doorway.
Blair rubbed her eyes, “Yes,” she said, “Still a little confused about how I ended up here though.”
Romance: My Stepbrother's Plaything Page 82