by A. J. Moran
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We pulled up to the after party with a few extra girls in tow. They sat on each other's laps, and it looked almost like a clown car as one after the other piled out of my back seat. Total violation of my license that was for sure, thankfully we had taken the back roads to get out to the barn that was set up as a party tonight. It was in full swing and shouting as the football team arrived could be heard from where we had parked. I hadn't planned to come out to the after party, but somehow I had been roped into it.
As the girls from the back seat made their way across the field to the party, Quentin linked his arm into mine and started to pull me forward. "Come on Tay, we didn't come just to stare at the barn."
I let him pull me along, and before long we were in the brightness of the barn. Quentin placed a drink in my hand, and I took a long swallow to take off the edge of nerves I was feeling. I knew Wade and Marcus would be here. I wasn't sure why I was a ball of nerves about it. It wasn't typical for me. There was just electricity in the air tonight.
The music playing pulled me in, and before I knew it, I was dancing with Quentin on the hay-covered ground of the barn. We didn't really need words, and I didn't have to worry about wandering hands with Q, one of the many perks of him not going for girls. Made being friends with him easier too. I knew there were no extra expectations besides just friendship.
“So what is going on between you and the Frost brothers?” He asked over the music. Oh god, he remembered the last party. I had thought he was too drunk to remember. Trying to blow off his question I smirked and lifted the cup in my hand up and took a drink.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" I chuckled. At his stare I fidgeted a little bit, "nothing Q, I swear." The words were out of my mouth before I could take them back. So much for not lying to my friends, omitting things was one thing but lying was not good.
"Well your nothing is heading this way, and he looks like he is going to cut in." He said into my ear. I glanced in the direction he was looking, and my stomach did a backflip. Marcus was staring at me from where he was propped against the wall of the barn surrounded by cheerleaders. Wade, on the other hand, was headed this way with a wide grin on his face. Wade I could handle. I returned his smile.
“Tell me you got the picture of that last sack.” Wade beseeched me as he cut between Quentin and me and wrapped his big arms around me in a loose grip. “That move was sick. I need a record of taking down that giant.”
"I did." I laughed at his excited hoot. His personality was contagious. Quentin gave me a quick smirk, mouthed ‘Nothing,' and blended in with the growing crowd.
“I’m glad you came. It meant a lot to Marcus and me.” He said, his face growing serious.
“Right, Marcus and you.” I snorted at him. “You and I both know Marcus doesn’t care for me one bit.”
“I don’t think you’ve been paying attention to our brother.” He laughed as we moved to the music. He was a good dancer, not the best but definitely not the worst I’ve been paired with.
“Firstly, I have. Secondly, not my brother.” I told him tartly.
"Oh, yeah I can see where that would be awkward. Incest and all that stuff." He grinned down at me. Apparently trying to press my buttons. I felt my face flush with heat and I shoved him gently on the shoulder hiding my own smile.
"Pretty sure you have the wrong idea about what is going on between Marcus and me," I replied after taking another sip of my slowly warming beer.
"Ah ha, I knew something was going on between you two. Between your silence and Marcus’s brooding at being ignored, it tells a pretty big story." He chuckled. "It started that first night, right? It was pretty hot and heavy in the kitchen when I arrived. You don't have to keep it a secret anymore, well from me anyway." He put his hand on his chest, and I felt my face flush more in embarrassment. "Don't worry sis, your secret is safe with me. Cross my heart and hope to die. So what did he do? He can be a jackass you know."
"Shut up," I told him playfully and smacked his shoulder again; we both knew he was full of it. He had witnessed all the snark between us. I risked a look over to where Marcus was standing, and the wall was now empty.
Wade caught my look, and a wide grin spread across his face. He could see who I was looking for. He reached up with his hand and closed his mouth mimicking locking his lips and throwing away the key. "See you later—sis," he said before turning away from me and leaving me blushing in the middle of the barn.
Chapter 21
Marcus
The doors swung wide as I pushed them away from me. I had to find a distraction. I hadn't expected Taylor to show up at the after party. She'd only gone to the one party since we'd been living with her. I had heard the rumors that Taylor went to them all. Which was how I had even started going to them in the first place—yeah I know, stalkerish—but she never showed up.
Now she was showing up to them all, and it was driving me crazy seeing her dancing with my brother of all people. Laughing, smiling, being warm, all for my brother. We had never fought over a chick before, and I wasn't going to start now. He had said he wasn't seeing her that way and I believed him. But what about her, did she see him that way? The thought made my stomach drop.
I made a beeline to the keg and filled up a solo cup. Threw it back and downed it and repeated the steps. I felt the warm buzz starting, and I filled it one last time and wandered towards the fire already blazing in the field. Some girl slid up next to me and wrapped her arm around mine.
"Hey, Marcus!" She looked up at me through her lashes and smiled.
Distraction provided.
“Hey-“ I trailed off because I couldn’t remember her name and my head was definitely buzzing nicely.
"Wanna hang out for a while?" She giggled. Like full out giggled. It was a little annoying, but I smiled anyway.
“Sure.”
Another keg sat out by the fire, and I filled my cup again. Definitely heading to becoming very drunk. I never drank to get drunk. I pulled the girl close and handed her a drink of her own. She needed to keep up. She took it with a smile and looking at me took a long swallow, slowly licking the foam off her upper lip. Which would have been hot if I wasn't stupidly obsessed with someone else.
“Want to go for a walk?” I asked her, stumbling a little away from the fire. I had to get further away. I could still feel Taylor all the way out here. She was in my blood.
Chapter 22
Taylor
An hour or so later I was nursing a nice little buzz. I knew I had to sober up a bit before driving, so I made my way out of the now hot barn and into the cold night air. It was dark outside with the stars above shining brightly with the moon. A small bonfire had been started farther out in the field, and I made my way to it.
There was a small group of people around the fire, and it was apparent that the majority of the people were still in or around the barn. The people around the fire were paired off and whispering together. I immediately felt a little out of place, but I made my way over to an empty spot a little away from the rest of the couples. Sitting down I curled my legs beneath me and started to toy with the long pieces of grass near me. The chill of the night had already cooled them.
The fire was nice. The night was beautiful. Falling back onto my back I took in the night sky with the fire crackling nearby it was calming. I started to trace the consolations with my eyes. I started with the easy one's Big Dipper, Small Dipper, and Orion. After those, I looked for Pegasus and Andromeda.
Loud laughing broke me out of my stargazing, and I glanced in the direction of the noise. It was Marcus with his arms around some random cheerleader. They stumbled in my direction. I didn't think they could see me just outside the line of the fire and when they fell down to the ground only feet from me, I cringed and held my breath. This was not happening to me right now.
This was not going to end well.
I couldn't tear my eyes from them. The girl moaned into him, and his hands were everywhere at once. I was such a s
talker right now. No a creeper. If I hadn't been drinking I was sure that I would have looked away, I would have gotten to my feet and walked away. That was the excuse I was using for being a voyeur anyways.
“Marcus.” The girl moaned when he broke off their kiss to pull up her shirt.
Look away, Taylor.
Oh god look away, a line is about to be crossed.
I should not be feeling a heat between my legs with him all over some random girl, but my imagination was running wild, and I could easily picture myself in his arms instead. Drinking did funny things to your perception. Still, I had to get up and leave. Pulling in my will to do that, I was about to climb to my feet. Just then he looked up, and our eyes clashed into one another. It was as if he could feel my gaze on them. I cleared my throat awkwardly with being caught watching.
So not the position I wanted to be caught in. I felt the flush rush to my cheeks.
"Uh, I was, uh, I was just going." I stammered the words out. It was totally not me. "Sorry," I added lamely as I got to my feet to the shrieking of the girl and the silence of Marcus. The only thing I was thankful for was the darkness that hid my embarrassment even if my words didn't hide it at all.
"Taylor?" Marcus questioned, clearly confused and drunk. "Wait, Taylor, you can join us." He offered a lopsided grin on his lips. The girl on the ground next to him apparently did not like the idea of sharing him, and she started to swear at him and hit him on his bare chest.
“Fuck you, Marcus Frost! You will never get with me now. I’m not some kind of slut.” The girl yelled at him as she tugged her shirt back on. I continued to stand frozen in place. My feet felt like they were in cement and they would not carry me away. What the hell was I thinking?
I obviously wasn’t.
The girl pushed past me and stormed back towards the barn loudly. I watched her for a moment before looking back at him. It seemed that Marcus wasn't the only one that had too much to drink. "Well, that went well." Marcus laughed and flopped back down to the grass. He lifted his head to look at me and quirked an eyebrow, "You going to join me?" He laughed like he had made an enormous joke only he understood.
I still stood frozen in place. Frozen and mute a great combination.
“Oh come on you could keep me company. It’s the least you could do.” He said when I stood still and unmoving. I could feel my legs wanting to sit back down. And so I did. “That’s it. Who said it’d be hard to tame you?”
"Excuse me?" I asked my buzz quickly fading. I knew his words should make me mad, but I couldn't muster the feeling.
He rolled over, and his hand landed on my leg. He squeezed my thigh lightly and moved closer holding himself up with his other arm. Again I found that I was frozen. Even my breath was stuck in my lungs. His hand ghosted slowly up towards my face. Reaching up he brushed a stray hair from my forehead and then trailed his hand tenderly down the side of my face.
“That’s it.” He repeated the words softly like he was talking to a scared animal that was ready to bolt at any moment. Leaning in gradually he brought his head up towards my own. “I’m going to kiss you now.” He whispered.
My breath came out of me in a soft whoosh as his lips landed on my jawline and feathered up and across my cheek to my nose. Then I sucked in my breath again as he pulled back and his gaze fell on my lips. The heat in his eyes made my heart beat quickly, and my own temperature rise.
He was really going to kiss me. I felt it deep in my stomach. The bees battling to be released knew it too. His words already told me, and I was ready. He leaned in again, and my eyes fluttered closed awaiting his mouth on mine. Then his soft lips were brushing against the corner of mine, and I could taste the alcohol he had consumed on them. My tongue darted out to touch his lips, and he parted them meeting me with his own. His free hand snaked up and tugged me closer to him deepening the kiss.
He pulled me down with him to the grass and never broke the kiss. He was unhurried with me. His hands stayed on top of my clothing and moved slowly along my sides, avoiding my breasts entirely. A contrast to how fast he was moving with the girl that had left.
Wait a minute, the girl that had left.
What was I doing? My brain felt muddled and light. I couldn’t think clearly. It had to be the lack of oxygen.
His hand ran up my side, and his fingers brushed lightly over my bare skin beneath my hoodie as his fingers made the same path over and over. His touch was sending tingles of warmth through my blood, and I felt myself arch towards him with an unspoken plea.
What was I doing?
My body went rigid, and he paused in his kissing when I stopped responding. "What is it?" He questioned lazily. His hand still stroked up my side each pass bringing my hoodie up a little more exposing my skin to the cold night air. He nipped at my bottom lip lightly and kissed the side of my mouth.
"I can't do this." The words croaked out of me, my voice broken.
I couldn't be a second choice for him. I bolted to my feet and backed away from him like he was going to pounce on me. His eyes followed me, but he didn't move. A smirk was on his lips like the whole thing was a joke.
“Oh is this too lowly for the princess? Can’t lay with the hired help can we?” He snarled at me, his temper rising at my rejection. “It might taint your perfectness.”
"Of course not," I responded to his temper with my own. My only goal was to hurt him. "I would never lower myself that low. How many girls have you gone through since you've been here? At least 20, right? I've just had too much to drink. My perception was cloudy." His silence said I hit a nerve and I stormed away in the general direction of my car. I needed to leave. My buzz was gone. I was good to drive.
Chapter 23
Marcus
With a curse, I hit the ground with my fist. Frustration coursed through me followed quickly with burning anger. Just when I thought Taylor had accepted me into her world, she slammed the door in my face. Of course, she only kissed me because she was drunk. Of course, she didn't feel that way towards me, hadn't she been proving it all along? Being a bitch. Shooting down any attempt I've made at being nice. Leaving when I attempt to talk to her. Now, this. It told me everything I needed to know.
There was no chance for a relationship with her. I had to forget her. Climbing to my feet, I stumbled over to the keg and filled up my empty cup and downed it. The sky was spinning like a planetarium, and I somehow made my way back to the barn. Some random girl approached me, and I ended up swaying to the music as she plastered herself to me. Who was I to complain?
"Want to go somewhere more private?" She smiled up at me, and I felt like I was going to throw up. It was the beer. It was finally getting to me that was all. I shook my head no mutely at her and pushed her away before stumbling out of the now too hot barn.
Away from the girl I felt better and leaned against the cooling surface of the barn. I am not sure how long I was there. Before Wade pulled me away and back to the truck, taking the keys from me.
"Dude, if you puke in your truck you are cleaning it up. So hold it in." Wade laughed, and I leaned back and closed my eyes trying to block out the memory of having Taylor in my arms so briefly. It was torture to have her so close only to realize it was never going to happen. No amount of beer was going to make me forget the feeling. I would work on forgetting in the morning.
Chapter 24
Taylor
Vee whistled low as I did a spin in my dress. The emerald green with the small gems along the bottom part made it glitter as the light hit it. It was perfect. I had brought all of my things to Vee's to get ready because I had still not informed my friends about my very real life change. They weren’t going to take it well after all this time.
Marcus had been like ice the one and only time I had seen him that afternoon. He had apparently been hung over, and it was hard for me to not be loud just to get to him. He silently passed me in the kitchen going so far as to walk around the island to get to the fridge instead of walking the two feet behind me. Even t
he snark was missing.
Wade had witnessed the whole thing. He stayed silent and watched as we silently danced around each other. That moment we had by the fire seemed like a faraway dream, it was almost as if it had never happened. Only the feelings it had stirred up in me had made me know without a doubt I hadn't imagined it. I felt terrible about my angry words, but I wasn't the type of girl to just be a replacement just because a guy is horny. No matter how much I craved it.
“What’s the deal?” Wade had asked after Marcus left the room. “He is a bear today.”
“Maybe he had too much to drink.” I shrugged and took a sip of my water bottle.
“No, that’s not it.” He shook his head, his eyes still trained on the door Marcus had left through.
"Maybe he didn't get laid." I tried to smirk, but it felt awkward.
"Maybe-" Wade said and looked from me to the doorway one last time. I had tried not to let the guilt eat at me. I could still feel it in my chest, and it was hours later.
“So why are we getting ready here again?” Vee asked me, pulling me out of my thoughts of Marcus and the conversation I had with Wade earlier.
I shrugged and leaned back on her huge bed. “Why not?”
At my response, she paused while putting her eye makeup on and looked at me thoughtfully. "We have never gotten ready at my place twice in a row. What gives?”
“I was just ready for a change.” I lied. I could feel the cringe at the lie but held it in. I couldn’t believe I had started to lie to my friends.
