by Kait Rose
Our kiss wasn’t one of those sweet romantic moments that I read in my books, but one that was full of anger and passion. Our tongues were at battle with each other with neither of us ready to surrender. I was lost in our kiss and as soon as I was about to suggest we take this into my room, he broke away. I looked at him with heat in my eyes, but his eyes stared back at me with no emotions.
“I did him a favor. If you were into him you wouldn’t have kissed me like you just did.” He whispered into my ear. When he stepped away I went to slap him, furious that he was toying with my emotions, but he caught my hand mid air.
“You asshole!” I said with anger in my voice.
“Tsk tsk.” He bopped me on the nose and continued to say, “Don’t get upset because I’m calling you out. I bet any money the entire time you were out with him you were thinking about me.”
“We’ll pay up asshole because I wasn’t.” I felt my face turn red as soon as the lie slipped from my lips.
“What a little liar you are becoming.” He said with a smirk.
I decided to play his game but even better. I stepped up to him and slowly trailed my hand from his chest to his bulge. As soon as my hand touched his hard bulge his breath caught. I moved my hand up and down while he tried his hardest to look unaffected which he failed to do. “I learned from the best.” I whispered in his ear and turned away to head to my room.
Checkmate.
Chapter Thirteen
Stella
“Good morning beautiful.” Brad said while setting a coffee and my favorite muffin down on my desk.
“You’re a lifesaver.” I grabbed the blueberry muffin and took a bite then took a sip of the hot coffee.
“Up all night thinking about me?” He joked. I gave him a small laugh, but this past week has been stressful. I swear everything Ezra could do to torment me, he has. From walking around in his boxer briefs to talking to everyone but me has been driving me crazy.
“You wish.” Declan mumbled. I was happy Brad didn’t hear him because I just can’t with these two today.
“Long night, but thank you for the breakfast.” I said politely.
“You’re welcome. Are you still….” Before he could finish what he was about to say the professor started class.
The next hour was filled with a lecture on the rights and wrongs of our decisions. Each one of us had to give a scenario while we discussed if our actions were right or wrong. I used the example of when I moved out of my dorm early without telling Lola. Most said due to her being cruel that I did it in the best non confrontational way, while others said I should have stood my ground and stuck up for myself.
Next was a Declan and his scenario surprised me. “Was it ethical for my ex best friend to stop talking to me when I was dealing with my dad dying from cancer?” I had no idea who he was talking about until Brad chimed in.
“I think it was ethical from him to stop talking to you since you slept with his sister.” Brad said while giving Declan a look that screamed don’t go there.
“I don’t think it was ethical for his best friend to jump to the conclusion that he slept with his sister.” Declan shot back.
“Ok we obviously have a misunderstanding that you two need to work out. Mr. Wagner, how about an ethical situation from you?”
“Is it ethical for me to punch my ex best friend in the face for bringing up the past in front of everyone?” Brad said fuming which had the professor rolling his eyes.
“Try it.” Declan stood up and so did Brad, both of them staring each other down while leaning over me.
Luckily class was over and our professor said, “I want a two page paper from you both due on Monday on what is unethical about your conflict and how you should solve it. Class is dismissed, enjoy your weekend.” Both Declan and Brad refused to be the one who would blink first while they stared each other down. They looked like Adonis Gods ready to battle each other, but I had no patience for that. I was able to sneak out or so I thought.
I barely made it out of the building before Brad was jogging over and calling my name. “Hey Stella! Wait up!” Within a second later, he was already caught up to me.
“Hey.” I said while walking through the court.
“Sorry about that back there.” He motioned his head back at the school.
“No problem.”
“Is Stella Ryan not asking me a question about it?” He said while highly amused and now that I think about it I can’t believe I wasn’t either.
“I guess there's a first time for everything.” I said.
“I guess so. Speaking of firsts, are you still coming to my party tonight?”
“That’s not a first.” Our first, well I guess you can call it a date, was at a frat party in the beginning of the year.
“Doesn’t count. I met you there when I should have picked up and held your hand while walking inside. I should have shown you off as my date, so I would really like a redo.” As soon as the word redo fell from his lips, my mind instantly went back to Ezra’s and I redo of a first kiss.
Right when I was about to answer him, two people I never thought I would see together were just a few feet away. Ezra was sitting on the bench talking to his friends while Lola was sitting on his lap. She was all over him while his arm was wrapped around her waist and his hand rubbing her thigh. That and the sight of her laughing at something he said made my heart sink and my mind to make a bad decision.
As soon as I saw Ezra look my way, I turned and pulled Brad in so I could kiss him. I still didn’t feel sparks, but I gave everything I had into our kiss. It must have been believable by the way Brad was grabbing my ass. By then I couldn’t fake it any longer and I pulled away. I felt so terrible that I used him, so I agreed to go tonight.
“Great! Didn’t you say you were living at Knox’s?” Brad was clearly excited while I felt the complete opposite. When I looked over to see Lola and Ezra making out, I felt even worse.
“You don’t need to pick me up just to take me back to your house.”
“I know I don’t need to, but I want to.” Brad was saying the sweetest things which just drove the guilt in deeper.
“Ok.”
“Ok. I’ll pick you up at eight.” He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before he ran into the next building he had class in.
Right before I went into the other building I could feel Ezra's stare from a mile away, but I refused to look back. Looking back just meant more heartbreak when instead I needed to look forward.
~*~
I wasn’t too excited about tonight because I knew I needed to tell Brad I only want us to be friends. I thought I could move on, but the guilt of kissing him to get back at Ezra was eating me alive. I can’t even imagine how I would feel if I really went through with sleeping with him. I needed to be myself because I wasn’t the girl who hurt or used people. I was turning into what I despised the most.
I put on a cute white mini dress with pale pink heels. I was ready to go when I heard the doorbell ring, but I was in for a surprise. Instead of Brad greeting me at the door, Declan and a huge group of people behind him were pushing their way through.
“Declan what the hell is going on?” My eyes were wide at how many people were just walking inside carrying kegs and liquor bottles.
“I asked Knox if we could throw a party here and he said it was fine.” It was not fine.
I followed him in the kitchen while saying, “Why didn’t you throw it at your frat house?”
Declan started searching my cupboards while saying, “We’re banned for the rest of the year and since that dick head was planning on having one tonight, I figured why not a little competition.” He gave me his best smile. He was definitely proud that he most likely pissed Brad off.
“You’re insane.” I couldn’t help but laugh. Declan was something, for some odd reason it was hard to get mad at him.
Right when I was about to go leave, Brad came stomping in and punched Declan straight in the face without war
ning. Declan didn’t hesitate to hit Brad back. At one point, I somehow got tangled up in their fight and ended up breaking my heel on my favorite shoes. I was ready to tell Brad to leave when I saw Ezra pulling Brad off of Declan. I couldn’t help but say,“Brad! Don't even think about sitting by me Monday. You can go fuck yourself.”
“At least somebody will.” As soon as the words left Brad’s mouth, Ezra was on top of him. Brad was no match against Ezra. It took Jude, Rem, and Declan to get Ezra off him, but when they did Jude said coldly, “Stay away from Stella. If I even hear her name come out of your mouth, I swear they won’t find your body.”
“I would listen to him or maybe some baseball scouts would like if you went viral for fighting and saying vile things to a woman.” Rem waved his phone in front of Brad’s face, which made him instantly pale. He must have known the guys weren’t lying because he nodded his head and turned to walk away.
I sunk into our couch while looking at the chaos around me. People were already drunk and littering the floor with beer cans and cups. “Hey where is Madison?” I asked Jude.
“She doesn’t feel good so she is in bed. Who the hell threw a party here?”
“Knox gave Declan permission too.” I said while rolling my eyes.
Jude shook his head and looked around at everyone packed in our house. “Well him and Declan will have a fun day tomorrow cleaning. I’m going to check on Madison, come get me if you need anything.”
“Ok thanks.”
The second Jude left, Ezra came and sat down next to me. “Are you alright?” Ezra gave me a beer while taking my broken shoes off.
“I’m ok, just annoyed.”
“What were you thinking jumping into a fight?” He went from being sweet and concerned to getting pissed.
“I didn’t for one. Two, where were you? I bet any money you probably had your tongue down Lola’s throat.” I was really getting sick of the back and forth with him. It was like his moods were constantly changing on a flip of a dime.
“Next time get out of the way.” He got up and walked away, but I wasn’t finished.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do!” He shook his head and kept walking away while I felt like I was a ticking time bomb.
Lola stepped up into my space and she was the last person I wanted to see. “You need to get a hint and go crawl back wherever you came from.”
“Well considering I live here, I think you should be the one to leave.” I was done with her bullying especially after tonight and I refuse to back down.
“I’m here with my boyfriend who also lives here, so nope.” She said with a huge smile on her face.
“Does he know that?” I accidentally said out loud which had people around us laughing. The way Lola was looking at me, it was like she rather me be dead then here. Ever since our first day as roommates back at the dorms, she never even gave me a chance. I remember introducing myself and all she did was look me up and down without saying anything. The next few months she made my life a living hell with stealing my things, turning my alarm off, and even telling everyone my secrets. It was like she was sent here on a sole mission to ruin my life.
“He knows especially when he is screaming my name in bed.” Lola bent down to hiss in my ear. It wouldn’t be hard to believe though if Ezra was with her. She may be ugly on the inside, but on the outside she was a gorgeous five foot eight woman who could be a model if she wanted to be.
“I’m not doing this with you.” There was no point in arguing with a psychotic bitch. I had enough especially after Chanel and Mrs. Montgomery, so I turned to walk away but she grabbed me by the arm. What she said next would set the rest of the night.
Chapter Fourteen
Ezra
“I see the way you’re staring at Ezra and you better stop. Do you really think a ugly little virgin like you has a chance with him?” I wanted to destroy everything in sight as soon as I heard what came out of Lola’s mouth and saw the look on Stella’s face. Right when I was going to step in and get Stella away from her, Lola poured her drink on her.
Most girls would either run away or hit the girl who just poured booze on her in front of everyone, but Stella handled it with class. “I honestly feel sorry for you. It’s sad at twenty years old you have to resort to name calling and pouring drinks on someone because you feel threatened. Take care.” With that being said, Stella stepped around an open mouth Lola and headed upstairs. I was going to follow her up, but I needed to say one last thing to Lola.
“Lola.” I said furiously.
“Baby did you hear what she said to me?” Lola grabbed on to me, but I pulled her hands off me. I couldn’t believe she was trying to play the victim in this.
“Save it. I heard everything you said and you better stay away from Stella.” I went to go leave to check on Stella, but Lola had a meltdown that had everyone staring at us.
“What does she have that I don’t!” She screamed at the top of her lungs with tears falling from her eyes. At the sight of a girl crying like she was, I would instantly feel bad but after what she said to Stella, I had no cares left to give.
“A heart.” I shook my head and went upstairs to find Stella. Her room was empty, but I noticed my door to my room was open.
When I walked into my room, the sight of a crying Stella sitting on my bed nearly broke me. She looked destroyed and I knew that feeling all too well. Instead of saying anything, I just sat next to her and held her while she cried. When her tears finally dried up, she looked up to me. “Why her?”
I wiped her tears from her face and asked, “I’m not with her and I just made it very clear that I want her to stay away from both of us.” She nodded her head like she liked what I said, but the look of sadness on her face didn’t leave.
“Did you sleep with her?” She said in a small voice. It was one question I wish she never asked because I knew even if I lied, one day the truth would come out.
Even though it was a year ago when I wasn’t even talking to Stella, I knew the truth was going to hurt her. “Yes, but it was last year when she was a freshman.”
Her sadness turned to anger in point two seconds. “Out of all the girls at this school, you slept with literally the spawn of Satan who made my life hell last year.”
Now I was starting to get angry. “How was I supposed to know that when we weren’t talking last year? Do you think for a second if I knew I would even touch her?”
“That’s the thing, you will touch her but not me. Is me being a virgin that much of a turn off?”
“No you being a virgin isn’t what turned me away. You’re worth more than any girl I ever met and I don’t want you wasting your first time on someone like me.”
“Bullshit.” She got up from the bed, even more pissed off than before.
“Excuse me?” I was surprised she didn’t believe what I had to say.
“If I was worth that much to you, you wouldn’t want anyone else to be my first. I know that’s how I would feel if the roles were reversed.”
She shook her head and tried to walk away but I couldn’t let her leave, so I grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into me.“This is what you do to me.” I put her hand above my rapid beating heart and continued to say, “Just promise me you won’t fall in love with me. I don’t want to break your heart.”
“Then don’t break it.” She said with hope in her eyes.
I sat down on my bed more confused than ever. I think Stella noticed because she said, “I need to go wash this beer off of me.” I didn’t get another word in because she ran out the door.
I needed to trust that when the day comes when she finds out about the real me that she won’t regret what I was about to do next...
Chapter Fifteen
Stella
I just couldn’t tonight. With Brad, Lola, and Ezra toying with my emotions, I just felt completely drained. I needed a fresh start and that started with me washing the smell of stale beer off of me. I cranked the shower on and let the hot water rain d
own on my body, wishing it would wash away today.
I was lost in thought and didn’t realize someone climbed into the shower with me. I could tell it was Ezra by the smell of his cologne drifting through the steam. I wanted to tell him to get out but I was frozen in my spot. My heart started beating wildly against my protest to stay calm. I couldn’t take another rejection, but my body wasn’t moving away.
“Please promise me.” Ezra said behind me while he trailed his fingers down my naked back and around to my stomach. There was a sadness to his voice and I knew in my heart he was in as deep as I was, he just wouldn’t let himself go there for some reason.
I couldn’t answer him because I knew I was already in love with him, so I lied by nodding my head while he moved closer to me. He moved my hair to the side while he kissed down my neck. His hands started moving in different directions, one on my breast and the other on my core. My legs threatened to buckle when he started playing with my nipple.“Have you ever been touched here?” He asked while trailing a finger slowly up and down my slit.
“Just by me.” As soon as the words left my mouth he plunged a finger right inside me. From the hot water hitting my naked body and running down to where his fingers were, I was ready to collapse.
“God Ezra.” I moaned while I reached behind him and started to stroke his hard cock. I was never with a man before, but I knew Ezra was impressive down there.
“I love when you say my name.” He said through his own moans. My eyes were starting to flutter and I could feel a rush of pleasure threatening to explode..
I needed more of Ezra right now. I turned around quickly and wrapped my legs around his waist. He backed me into the shower wall and kissed me deeply and quickly like he couldn’t get enough of me either. I broke away from our kiss and whispered, “Please.”
He put his forehead on me and while looking me in the eyes said, “Are you sure?”
“Positive.” His eyes never left mine and for a few seconds I feared he would pull away from me again. When he turned the water off I thought my fear was coming true, but he surprised me by still holding me and carrying me out. He opened the door to peak out into the hallway to see if anyone was there, but everyone still remained downstairs. With the coast clear, he carried me out and into his room.
