Chapter 3 Hot and Bothered

Six came and the first to come through the door was Tracy.

"Hi!" I hugged her immediately, taking a long whiff of her cinnamon and spice scent and waved my hand to signal her to come in.

"Sooo...what happened that's so amazing?" a smile curved her plump full lips. She wore red lipstick that made her lips look even more full, her crystal eyes shining at me as her hair fell in braids over her shoulders.

"Believe me it IS NOT AMAZING." We made our way upstairs and she began rolling her green sleeping bag out on the wooden floor by the bed.

"Do we have to wait for Krissy or are you gonna tell me now and put me out of my misery?" I wanted to tell her the minute I saw her at the door, to be honest, I wanted to break down in her arms and cry it all out. A part of me I can't deny is really ashamed of what happened and the longer I can put it off, the better I feel in some weird warped kinda way.

Yet I still wasn't sure if all this resent me towards myself was actually because of me or because of him.

"Sorry, T but you gotta wait" Her forehead creased with a huff as I inwardly sighed with relief. A few more hours of putting it off.

"Fine" She mumbled as I forced a laugh, my smile barely holding. Half an hour later and she officially completed her best friend duty. My mind was torn away from the night before and my stomach was hurting from all the laughter, our music blaring out my brother and his friends.

Finally, the doorbell rang, and I had to fight the urge to race down and open it. A part of me was a little surprised that Krissy was actually on time...or close to it at least. But when was she ever? Pushing the pillows from my lap, I got up and hurried towards my door opening it just a little bit, just big enough so I could see my brother opening his door.

"Hey what you doin?" Tracy mumbled over a mouthful of popcorn.

"Shh," I hissed at her so that people wouldn't hear and look up. I held my breath as my teeth dug into my lower lip.

"Hi dude"

"Hi, my bro!" I breathed out relieved and closed the door again still confused as to why if I doubted it was Krissy, would I get up to check. Seeing his douche face would just throw me off all over again.

It was Chris.

I was relieved that it wasn't him, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I somehow...wished that it was him. I shook my head and walked over to Tracy. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she wore that mocking smile as I stood there with my eyes glued to the floor.

"So, who the hell is he? Chris? Jimmy? WHO?!"

"Just wait ok?"

"No way you like someone, so tell me!"

"OH. MY. GOD. I don't have a crush on any one of them it's...I'll tell you later." She dropped her arms and walked over to lay down on her sleeping bag sulking.

Her blonde hair was tied up in a neat ponytail, her braids made into a perfect hairband when she was bothered, her blue eyes shining. Just like before an hour or so later the doorbell rang, and I jumped off the bed to run and answer it, but Dan beat me to it. "It's ok, its Jimmy!" I sighed and walked back into my bedroom. When the fuck is Krissy gonna get her ass over here?

The thing that really pisses me off about my brother's friends is that, well, Chris and Jimmy look exactly the same apart from Jimmy having green eyes and Chris having blue. They both have really short blond hair and their both skinny, but they only have muscles on their arms. It was like every time they went gym; it was solely arm day. But above they were bland as fuck agreeing to everything and anything he said.

Adrian on the other hand...

No! Bad Tess! Don't you dare go there?

Luke at least was completely different from them and my brother. My brother has short black hair and was kinda chubby but not too much that you'll notice it if anything it played right into his strength. He had brown eyes too, but Luke had brown spikey hair with almond-shaped green eyes. He's like the gangster of their group if you could even call it that. The coolest thing about him had to be his lip ring. He's cool but he ain't my type. He's the laid back 'don't give a shit' one. Whilst the rest are all 'I need to get laid' and 'wow check the boobs out on her'.

Oh, and of course Adrian...that son a bitch. He always knows what buttons to press, what to say to set me off like a firework too close to home. It was actually sad to say that he had to be one of the few people on this planet that knew me well enough for that kinda shit to work. For him it's fun. Well, I don't think he'll be as annoying anymore.

Unless he can act.

"Jesus, I bet she'll get here at like midnight."

"She better fucking well not! cause I ain't answering the door if she does. She can sleep outside until morning." We kept chatting about previous dates. not that I've been on one because I really haven't. Only because 'someone' thought it'll be fun to make my life a living hell for seventeen years!

So, all I can do is laugh along with Tracy about her embarrassing dates. Half an hour later the doorbell rang again, and it was Luke. So, we just looked at some glam mags trying to pass the time with Tracy begging to know every few minutes. I couldn't be bothered to answer the door the third time when Luke rang. "I swear if I was born with Kiley's hips I would so...well you don't need to know."

"Yeah your right I don't," I shook my head trying to get the disturbing images of what she was about to say out of my head for good. I knew exactly what she would do because damn, I would too.

'RING, RING'I jumped off my bed for the third time and ran down to the stairs ready to scream a list of slurs at her. This was a perfect Krissy hour to show up.

"I swear if you were any later I would-" I stopped dead in my words, my mouth hung open as my eyes bulged from my head, all oxygen sucked right from my lungs as the color drained from my face.

How...but...I really didn't think it would be him...

"Adrian." I breathed; my voice unrecognizable to my own ears. I went completely numb staring into his whiskey brown eyes as they moved up to look at me and finally, I got myself together, a switch finally snapping on.

"Dan! your asshole friend is here!" I left the door open and walked up the stairs to my room never turning back to look at him. God, he looked sexy in the dark with only a porch light on. Snap out of it! I told myself as I moved back onto the bed.

Why did I act so...surprised at the door? I mean so what if it was him? I swear I was prepared to see him, again wasn't I? Who am I kidding, I'd never been ready to see him again after last night. I sighed and turned to look at the clock. Eleven forty-five. Well, I think it might be safe to say she wasn't coming. She could have at least had the decency to call and say it though.

As much as I tried, my mind kept drifting off to Adrian. It felt weird knowing that he's in the same house, two rooms down from mine after what happened yesterday.

"Helloo?!" Tracy yelled, snapping her fingers in front of my face.

"Huh?" I snapped back, my head shaking the daze off.

"Well, I think it's safe to say we've been stood up." I nodded my agreement and cleared my throat.

"Do you wanna go downstairs and watch somthin? cause I'm bored half to death." I offered, needing the distraction.

She sighed and closed her mag "Sure."

Time really does just pass by and I didn't even notice! Well Duh! when I opened the door and walked out my brother and his friends (the entire crew) stood facing us as we reached the stairs.

I could feel his eyes on me, burning holes as I fought the words to come from my mouth with ease. He would never know the hell going on in my head. No way. Not because of him anyway.

"No way! Tess, we came out first!" Brother protested straight away as I rolled my eyes back. I couldn't help but pass a quick glance over at Adrian for some crazed reason but the minute our gazes met, the heat around my body turned up about ten notches forcing me to look away.

"Don't even start on me Dan, I'm not in the mood," At first his eyebrow twitched upwards, looking at me like I was crazy before bursting into laughter at me and I really couldn't help but get into a stupid argument with him.

"Hey! Go screw yourself you ass."

"Well I planned to use the tv at this time since this morning, so the only real ass standing here is you for trying to steal that from me."

"Oh yeah? Well, I planned to use the tv last...um...last night at the club!"

"You went to a club?" he asked, his voice suddenly morphing into a tone of confusion and slight anger. My eyes widened, and I straightened my back trying to come up with a believable excuse. "You know what? Forget it, I don't need to know what happened."

"Yeah you really don't," I muttered to myself under my breath.

"Fine, I'll race you down there?" I nodded, what better way to settle this? Well, you can't blame me but I had to cheat. There was no point waiting for the countdown, he'd beat me hands down so instead I did what little sisters are good at. I cheated and ran down the stairs, my brother calling after me. "Hey, that's not fair!" I reached the living room but couldn't find the remote.

SHIT.

Paused on the spot, my eyes frantically raced around the living room, their footsteps bounding down the stairs.

I looked under the pillows and my brother following suit on the other sofa. Ah, where is it?! I swear it was here yesterday.

Everyone else was looking in from the doorway as me and my brother looked desperately for the remote. I turned around and looked under books and the table. I stood up and faced them as they were laughing.

"Ya know it wouldn't hurt you to help!"

"Hey, you're the one who started it." I gave Tracy the finger as a joke.

"I really hat...AH!" I screamed as my brother lifted me in the air and swung me round from nowhere, throwing me down on a mountain of pillows. I got to my feet and looked at where he was heading. Behind the sofa on the radiator was the red remote. "Tracy! there!" she looked to her right and ran to it, jumping over the armrest and throwing herself at the radiator, the remote pressed tightly to her chest as she rolled down to the ground with her legs kicking at Dan before he could reach her. Quickly spinning around and jumping to her feet she did a little dance, her hips swaying.

"Yes!" she screamed as she held the remote in her hand above her head. My brother stopped running and slapped his knee. I placed my hands on my hips and stuck my tongue out at him as I walked over to Tracy.

"Fine, what are you lot going to watch? I beg you to make it interesting." I turned around as Tracy whispered her show.

"No way please no!" I really didn't want to watch what she did but at the end of the say, she got it fair and square.

I turned over to the guys who were now sitting on the sofa. "She wants to watch..." I gulped down and finally got the courage and said, "She wants to watch Dynasty." All their eyes looked at me than at Tracy.

"What? I like it!" they all burst out laughing, Luke looked more annoyed than anything as my brother sulked and I switched the tv on and sat down next to Tracy on the other sofa. I tucked my legs under me and grabbed the bowl of popcorn.

"I love you."

"No, you don't I was just a someone who was willing to give you everything you wanted!"

"No! you're wrong!" I swear I almost fell asleep watching this. I mean how many times does he have to cheat on her before she finally figures out that he doesn't love her?

"Oh, for god's sake, please how many times is she gonna forgive him. he only wants her cause of sex!" Tracy turned to face me with a frown. "Sorry," I mumbled looking back at the tv. You know this is actually ironic. I mean if they changed the line to 'It was only a one-night stand' then it would be properly ironic.

Even though we weren't talking, the tension in the room was at a boiling point. At least for me. He was a few feet away and all I could do was think about him. It was taking everything in me to not look over.

Just then, to my lucky rescue, the doorbell rang. I hopped down and ran to answer it.

"Jesus! Where the fuck were you?"

"Not Jesus, but defiantly better. Sorry, I had to get something done," she said winking, pushing past me and into the house as I grinned knowing what she meant.

"Go upstairs and change, then come into the living room," she nodded and made her way upstairs.

The thing she had to get done was her boyfriend. But at this point in time, I'm taking a pretty good guess that he was her Ex.

Walking back into the living room, I sat down at my spot.

"Did Jesus arrive yet?" my brother said mocking me.

"Shut up, shit head." After Krissy came down and sat next to us, I felt Adrian's gaze on me, at this moment in time he was the only person who had that effect on me. His eyes on me had the hair on my arms rising.

When the film was finally over and we went back upstairs, I knew what I was in for. We'll all be stuck here for another two days.

"So hun, what was it you wanted to tell us?" Krissy said sitting on the bed with her blue bunny pjs. She was tying up her hair and then sat cross-legged on the bed, she gets to sleep on the bed or else she wouldn't come.

"Yah tell us!" Tracy made her way and sat down cross-legged on the bed too. She wore identical pjs as Krissy but just in pink.

I walked over to them wearing only my underwear and my bro's big dark blue t-shirt that reached just above my knee, well a little higher. I sat on the floor in front of them with my legs crossed. "Well I don't know how to say this so I'm just gonna say it, I lost my..." I looked down to the floor and tried to continue, but I just couldn't. The words seemed to die in my throat and my cheeks were turning red at just the idea of having to go into it. "I lost my vir-"

"Oh shit! you lost your V card!" Tracy's eyes widened and Krissy just looked at me with her mouth wide open.

"With...with...who?" her voice was low and shaky.

"Um... you remember at the bar?"

"No way!" Krissy yelled; her eyes wider than I had ever seen them. Tracy glared from Krissy to me waiting to be filled in and a second later, she was. "NOT Adrian!"

Just like that Tracy went flying off the bed as I nodded. The tears were already stinging the back of my eyelids, my hands weakly folded in my lap as I looked down afraid to look at them.

"Oh, so what?!" Tracy yelled suddenly, straightening up and hurrying over to me. She really was an angel; it was like she could sense whatever was going in my head before anyone else.

"Huh?" I mumbled,

"Come on it doesn't matter; it was one mistake plus you were drunk. If you want, we won't bring this up again." I nodded and threw my arms over her. Lately, hugging her was the only thing getting me by.

Goddamnit, why couldn't I be gay?

My life would be so much easier, I'd be fucking her and loving on her.

Krissy was always there if you needed her but ultimately, she wasn't the kind of person you could count on, not unless it benefited her. At the same time though, we've been friends for years and that kind of connection doesn't just die out one day.

"Come on, bedtime!" Tracy announced, yanking me to my feet. I got into my sleeping bag and Tracy switched the lights off.

"Hey, I can't sleep yet why don't we play a trick on the guys?" I looked over to Krissy. Her head was resting on her hand and her elbow was resting on her pillow as she was stared at us, her lips tugged into a grin.

"Oh noo!"

"Come on Tess, it'll be fun!"

"Yeah come on Tess?" Tracy suddenly added, "Don't you wanna get back at that asshole?"

Good point. I would like some kind of revenge even if its small.

Finally nodding, we sneaked out of my room and over to my brothers. their door was open slightly and we could hear them snoring. I poked my head through and saw Chris sleeping on the floor on the right side next to Jimmy. Luke was on the right and Adrian was on the floor just a few steps from the door. I turned around and whispered the floor-plan to them.

We opened the door and slowly and tiptoed in. Krissy stood on the right side, Tracy stood on the left and I stood next to Adrian. Krissy held up her finger to signal...1...2...3.

In all honesty, it was probably the stupidest thing to do with no logical outcome but at the time, it made all the sense in the world.

"BOOOOOOOOO!" we all screamed at once as loud as we could. I looked down at Adrian and saw his eyes widen in fear as he jumped. He moved so fast, there was no time to react. Within seconds two hands smashed into each side of my shoulder with such a force that I fell back hitting my face onto the corner of Dan's table. I felt a sharp pain slash down my right cheek and then burning and something wet pouring from it. I put my fingers to the cut and looked down a dark liquid covered my fingertips.

The shock and twinge of pain increasing had the scream frozen in my throat as the rest of the room broke out into hysterics. Suddenly, I felt someone put an arm under my legs and the other behind my back lifting me up and pulling me close to their chest. I wrapped my arm around whoever's neck it was and kept the other one on the cut. The screaming was still happening in the dark and as he carried me out to the bathroom. He kicked the door closed with his foot and placed me on the toilet.

He ran to the door and the lights came on. I looked over and saw him staring at me from the bathroom door, his face contorted into worry.

Why? Why him?

Why Adrian?

But to be fair, who else was I expecting?

He walked over to me, kneeling down on the tiled floor to put his hand on my forehead slowly pushing my hair to the back behind my shoulder and up to the light was touching the cut. I didn't say a word, not because of the tingly feeling I was getting from him touching me, but because, and I can't believe I'm about to say this, but because...I kinda...trust him.

"Thank god," he whispered as he walked over to the sink and wet a purple towel. "What the fuck did you think you were doing when you walked in and scared the living shit out of us!?" I jumped back and gripped the sides of the toilet, his voice raised in a way I hadn't heard before and his eyes burned in a way they never did when we usually argued. For that second, I felt scared of him. "Do you know how much more dangerous that cut could have been if it were anywhere else!?"

I felt a surge of different emotions build up in me. "Well, why the hell did you go up and push me?!"

"Because I thought it was someone else like a robber you stupid fool!"

"Well still, you should have looked even if it was dark!"

"Look, I didn't do this on purpose! I wouldn't dare hurt you!"

"So why are you yelling at me?!" I felt tears stream down my cheeks, running over the dry sticky cut. For god's sake! Mentally cursing myself for crying in front of him, I dug my fists against my cheeks, rubbing them away quickly and keeping my eyes far from his.

"Because I could have hurt you even worse!" his voice seemed to loosen and instead of anger in his eyes, there was understanding in them instead when I looked back up.

"Look I'm sorry," he kneeled down and carefully put the towel onto the cut, I winched in pain but didn't move my head away. "I just...didn't think it was you." my tears dried and his other hand held the other side of my face so I wouldn't move.

"I'm sorry too...I should have kinda known you wouldn't take it as easily as the rest." I added, he moved his eyes to mine and I looked deep into his dark brown eyes almost losing myself in them like before. Except I wasn't drunk this time, nothing was going to happen. Not on my watch. I cleared my throat and averted my eyes, ignoring the heat rising around us.

Soon the cut was cleared, and I got up to look in the mirror. It wasn't long just a small one hardly noticeable from afar. I turned to see him staring down at the floor. "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"I know and it's ok, I would have done the same thing." If this was acting normal then boy we were sure gonna get found out.

But I just had this urge to be...kind to him? All the anger had somehow disappeared even the sadness was hard to find right now. How the hell does that even happen?

He looked up at me then his eyes traveled all the way down to my legs. OH SHIT! I just remembered what I was wearing, this shirt was showing a lot!

"We should get...back," I said, my voice uneven as I tucked a loose strand of hair back behind my ear. As I walked past him switching of the light and opening the door, he grabbed my elbow and pulled me back inside closing the door and leaving us in total darkness.

He pressed my back up against the wall as his I felt his hand lift and stroke my hair back, his forehead collapsed against mine with his breath washing down my face again. "You have no idea Tess." he breathed, his voice tight.

"A-about what?" I managed to force out.

His hands fell to my waist, his nose still pressed against mine and his lips dangerously close. All the nerves in my body came alive, every brain cell screaming to kiss him and my hands aching to feel him. I could feel my legs start to squirm as his hands traveled lower and slower, taking his time like he was trying to stop but couldn't. His breathing was ragged and mine came out in short quick waves, my teeth digging into my bottom lip.

"Jesus Christ Tess, it's so hard...seeing you today..." his words trailed off as my hands moved by themselves, resting against his chest.

I'm gonna be in so much trouble...