The One For Me(5)

I look closer and see the high school aged kids and remember Aaron Mitchell’s party. I smile. This is where Liam wanted to go. Should I go? Hell yeah.

I pull against the road behind a Jeep. The music is blaring and I flinch. It’s so loud; I can barely tell what song is playing. The house is beach front and large. Aaron is the son of a gynecologist and an attorney. They have stacks of money. He throws these kinds of parties at least once a month, when his parents are gone on conferences.

I haven’t been to a party like this in a while. Hayden and I went together to a party on the beach a few months back. They’re all the same. Swimming, drinking, eating and sex. It gets old.

I wade through the sand to the front door, its wide open. I fight the urge to knock but judging by the vast majority of my drunken piers, I’m sure no one would notice. It smells of smoke, ocean water and alcohol when I walk in. There are teenagers everywhere. I’m surprised they aren’t hanging from the very large and expensive chandeliers in each room. I see a few familiar faces, but not Liam. It looks like the zoo in here, during mating season. The kitchen is cluttered with beer cans, spilled drinks and teenagers in each other’s faces. I scan the room and narrow my eyes when I see Liam. He is leaned against a counter, his feet crossed and holding a beer.

I start toward him and he glances over at me. “Yikes,” he says. “You look scary, sweetheart. Want a beer,” he says, offering the beer he is holding.

“Do I look like I want a beer, Liam?” I ask, the guy standing beside Liam widens his eyes and makes his escape. I’ve seen him a few times around school; he seems to be Liam’s best friend. How he has friends, beats me.

He scoffs. “No, but you look like you need one. Ease up, sweetheart,” he says, bumping his arm into mine. He smiles down at me. “You scared off Billy. I will admit you are a little scary sometimes. When you go all ‘leave me alone,’ ‘do what I tell you.’”

“Are you ignorant, or just deliberately avoiding me? We were supposed to meet tonight, Liam. We have the project this weekend, ring any bells up there?” I ask, pointing toward his head.

He grabs my hand and squeezes it. I snatch my hand away. He smirks. “I told you that I had plans or you wouldn’t have known to show up here.” The song changes and he bobs his head up and down to the music. “Wanna’ dance?” he asks, wiggling his dark eyebrows. He grabs my waist and starts to sway us back and forth. He has the attention span of a Kindergartener.

I shove him away from me and grit my teeth. I feel the heat rushing toward my cheeks. Really? Is this guy serious? “No!” I yell. “I didn’t come to dance with you. I came to remind you that you’re not only throwing my grade away but yours, too!”

“Wow, you’re grouchy, is it your time of the month?” he leans in and whispers.

“Fine, Liam. I’ll do the project myself.” I start to turn away and he grabs my arm.

“Oh come on, I’m joking with ya. Get a sense of humor, will ya?” He smiles down at me. It actually looks semi genuine. Semi. He looks up, over my shoulder and stops moving. I look over my shoulder, following his glare and see Hayden and Holly walk into the room. Holly stops and starts talking to someone while Hayden scans the room. His eyes meet mine and my heart aches. His brows furrow and he sets his jaw. I want to run my finger over his brow and straighten out the wrinkle. “Looks like your ex is a little jealous, sweetheart,” Liam whispers in my ear. I keep still, watching him watch me. I want to run to him, for him to hold me tight. He doesn’t.

Hayden looks away and wraps his arm around Holly’s waist, bringing her closer to him. My body feels like there are pins and needles being poked into it. I think I’m going to throw up. She reaches up and kisses his jaw; he beams down at her with his admiring eyes.

I turn my head. I can’t see that. I can’t bear it. I glance up at Liam; he has an eyebrow cocked and a smile riding on his lips. He probably feels really bad for me. That makes me even madder. So many emotions flood my brain. I can’t let Hayden affect me like this. I can’t let him win. I reach up on my toes grab Liam’s face and kiss him. I’m so shocked I can’t make myself come to my senses. It just do it. I kiss him.

At first he is still, arms to his sides probably revolted. Then he slowly loosens, wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me to him, my feet hanging helplessly.

I’m trying to imagine the look on Hayden’s face but rather I lean into Liam’s kiss a little more than I should. His lips are soft, like they look. His mouth taste like spearmint and I seem to be lost in it. Suddenly, Liam turns me around and lifts me onto the counter he was leaning against. He presses tighter to me, in between my legs. His hands know just were to touch, his lips matching the pace with my own…I jolt out of my daze and pull back from him. No, no, no, this is not happening. What. The. Hell. Katy!