chapter seven

~ T H E N ~

“Roll, roll, roll your spliff then twist it at the end, take a puff, that's enough, now pass it to a friend,” Tommy sang something he learned off the internet before he leaned over to, quite literally, pass the joint to his mate Jackson.

“Oh my god, you did not just soil an innocent nursery rhyme,” I groaned shaking my head with a smile as Sarah laughed her ass off behind me, the first time she’d taken her attention off the attractive guy she’d been flirting with for the past hour.

“Jack and Jill went up the hill, hidin’ some marijuana, Jack got high then opened his fly and Jill said Iawanna,” Jackson grinned cheekily.

I rolled my eyes and couldn’t help but shoot one back; “Jack and Jill went up the hill and intended to do some kissing. Jack made a pass and grabbed her ass and now his teeth are missing,” I gave him a pointed look and earned laughs from the group of people around us, all either high or drunk considering we were in the room where all the “burners” went to at the party we were in – everyone in this room already having a puff of something illegal aside from me.

Tom thought it was so funny that he almost dropped his blunt, gave it back to Jack who was beside him, before he leaned over to kiss me on the cheek with his horrid breath.

“Eenie meenie miney mo, you ain't nothin’ but a hoe. You think you're cool, you think you're classy. Reality check, you're kinda trashy,” Jack threw back, a sloppy grin on his face as the effects of what he was smoking affected him.

The sounds of ‘ooh’ and ‘burn’ filled my ears and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“The dirty looks and jealous stares, the best part is you think I care. Go roll your eyes and talk your shit, you jealous bitches make me sick.” My quote of yet another thing I’ve read online probably would have been good if only I hadn’t started laughing midway but the round of ‘ooh’s and ‘burn’s that followed made me feel like I just owned him.

Jack laughed and instead of giving me another come back like I thought he would he instead sat up and tackled me, and because I was already sitting on the floor, across of him and Tom, I went tumbling straight down with him atop me.

“What a smart little bitch you are,” he said accusingly, eyes narrowed but a smile stretched across his lips.

“I know, I know; thank you thank-”

“Tom! I knew I’d find you in here!” a familiar voice called out as footsteps came down the stairs leading into the basement. “Do you know where-”

By then I’d shoved Jacks off of me and sat up, but apparently wasn’t quick enough considering the way honey coloured eyes were staring back at me in such a way that I almost – almost – felt guilty.

Why the hell am I guilty? It’s not like we’re together or even like each other! It’s not like Jacks and I were even remotely doing anything! Snap out of it, Mia.

“Uh, hi,” I grinned almost sheepishly, but whether I was embarrassed by what he walked in on or embarrassed because of the last thing we’d done together shamelessly, I wasn’t exactly sure.

The first thing I noticed was that he had a beard. A very clean-cut and well taken care of beard that told you it wasn’t the first time he’d had one.

I liked it. In fact, the first thing that flitted through my mind the second I noticed his beard was how it would feel against my skin.

“Hey,” he replied, the look disappearing and his body no longer stiff as he walked towards us a bit more. “Didn’t think you’d be the kind of girl who’d be in here,” he declared not unkindly, eyebrow raised.

I blushed and looked at Tom who looked a lot more interested in the fabric of the carpet he sat on than what we were talking about. “Yeah, well, you can blame him for that,” I shrugged leaning back against the couch behind me – Sarah suddenly gone – and jerking my chin at Tom who now ran his hands against the carpet with the most astonished look on his face.

I snorted in amusement.

So did Storm.

“Right,” he nodded no longer looking at Tom like I was, “of course.”

“So, what brings you down here?” I asked before the silence could get awkward, even though it technically wasn’t even silent since the bass of the music upstairs and the quiet hum of chatter met our ears from all around the basement.

“Well,” he drawled, eyes still drilling against mine as he leaned against the couch behind me, close enough so I could look at him without breaking my neck but far enough so we weren’t at all touching. “Truth be told I was actually looking for you,” he smirked before his eyes strayed over to where Jackson now lay face flat against the floor, rubbing his cheek against the carpet like the idiot that he was. “But I see you’re already busy.”

I ignored the remark and instead turned my head to meet his gaze again, eyebrow raising in amusement. “Sorry, but sex and all that ain't on the table tonight – I have to look after these two burners,” I smirked right back, earning an amused look from him.

Damn that drink Sarah gave me sure did a number on my confidence.

“Ah, well that’s just too bad because I was actually going to offer you a drink or two; maybe even a dance.”

My smirk widened into a grin as I cooed; “my, my, what a gentleman you’ve become over the past three weeks since I last saw you.”

His smile slipped back into a familiar smirk and he offers me a hand to help me up, as if knowing I wouldn’t refuse his offer, “what can I say, I’m a grown man now.”

“That’s hard to believe,” I scoffed, getting up on my own accord but not moving to go back upstairs with him, my arms crossed and a stubborn look undoubtedly on my face.

“Just come dance with me,” he mock-pouted as he moved towards me and slid a hand around my waist to pull me forward.

“And if I refuse?” I asked already smiling at his cockiness but not once making a move to stop him from pulling me closer.

“Then I guess I’ll just have to do something about it,” he uttered leaning forward slowly as if to kiss me, his lips tilted up teasingly and a glint in his eyes that made my stomach do somersaults.

I leaned back before our lips could meet and smirked at the frown that took over his perfect features, “don’t frown, honey; you’ll put lines on your forehead.”

But even as I said it, I eyed his lips and wondered what it would be like to kiss someone with a beard as nice as his.

He frowned deeper and this time wrapped both his arms around my waist until our lower halves were pressed against each other and we were close enough to be kissing if he wanted to – or if I wanted to; which of course I did. “I’ll stop frowning if you smooth them away for me,” he said doing his best to not smirk or grin at his own reply.

I laughed and rolled my eyes for the hundredth time tonight before doing as he said, bringing my hand up to run my fingers gently over his forehead and the crease between his eyebrows, as if it was the most casual thing ever, only to be stopped my his smile, small and teasing and a little bit adorable.

Actually, a lot adorable.

“What?” I asked frowning and pulling my hand away from him, feeling just a tad bit insecure.

Was that too intimate of a thing to have done in the open? Or in general?

His smile widened and he leaned down to instead kiss me between my eyebrows, “don’t frown, sweetheart; you’ll put lines on your forehead,” he mocked me with a smirk.

“You annoy me,” I stated as he let me go with a grin.

“That’s okay,” he tells me before pulling something out of his pocket and dangling it in front of me without a care. “By the way, you forgot this – that’s really why I was looking for you.”

“What the hell!?” I hissed grabbing it off him with flaming cheeks, “have you been carrying my bra around with you this whole time?” I asked, unsure as to whether or not I should be amused or disgusted as I shoved it into the purse I’d brought with me.

“Well, it’s not as if they’re exactly big or anything,” he shrugged as I crossed my arms over my chest with a glare.

“Are you saying I have small boobs?”

“I’m saying that your boobs are so wonderfully sized that your bra fit into my pocket perfectly,” he smiled innocently.

To be fair, it was just a cute, lace bralette that I had worn under a very thin, white shirt the last time I had seen him.

“You’re an idiot, you know that?” I retorted as his smile turned into yet another smirk and he walked me backwards until my butt hit a pool table and I couldn’t go any further.

“That’s not what you said the last time I saw you,” he murmured lowly, almost seductively in a way that should have made my knees go weak – which it kind of did, if I’m honest. To stop him from realising how much of an effect he had on me, I instead narrowed my eyes slightly.

“That’s because I didn’t say much, now did I?” I asked snippily turning around and heading for the stairs before I could become any more flustered.

“Not true,” Storm said indignantly already beside me as we reached the stairs and headed up towards the thumping music and sex-driven teenagers. “You told me you went to Werribee High, and you also asked how old I was.”

“Congrats,” I shot back with a laugh.

He went to open his mouth but by then I’d opened the door and whatever he was about to say got drowned out by the loud music, a smirk playing with my lips as I made my way toward the bar.

“Where are you going?” Storm called out over the music, not loud enough as he was not yet adjusted to it but enough so I that heard him.

“You offered to get me a drink right?” he nodded. “So get me one.”

He grinned in such a way that the eyes of every girl we passed followed him.

x x x “Okay,” I started, trying to balance a drink in both hands and another closed bottle held between my boob and arm. “So why’d you tell me you were 17 when you weren’t?” I asked frowning slightly, watching as Storm checked the bedrooms to find a free one before he finally got one open and pulled me in.

“Well, I figured that if I said I was the same age as you then you’d be more likely to have sex with me.”

“Do you lie about your age often to bed women?” I queried setting the bottles down on the bedside table before jumping on the big, queen sized bed and landing right in the middle. 

“I lie about a lot of things quite often to bed women,” he smirked, causing my frown to deepen even more. He made his way over to me after opening the furthest window to let in some light and fresh air, and then puts the unopened bottles he held onto on the bedside table next to mine.

“That’s good to know,” I muttered rolling my eyes and sitting up, legs swinging off the bed and my arms keeping me up from behind. “Why am I in here again?” I asked more to myself than to Storm who was currently pulling his shoes off.

“Relax,” he laughed rolling his eyes, “I’m not going to try and have sex with you if you don’t want to… unless of course you want to?” he raised his eyebrow with a smirk that toyed with his lips, moving towards me until he was right in front of my knees and his face was only inches away, arms on either side of me.

So close, but so damn faraway, my mind thought forlornly as I eyed his lovely pink lips.

I pretended to think about it, “If I kissed you right now, what would you do?”

“I thought we only came in here to rest our ears from that God awful music they were playing?” he asked teasingly as he leaned away and sat beside me instead, but turned his body towards me so that one leg was hanging off and the other was bent and pressed slightly against my hip.

“Well, that…” I trailed off with a smirk, turning my head to him and resting a hand against his knee closest to me, fingers drawing little patterns against his jeans, “but you know, it might get a bit boring so we might as well have some fun…”

He stopped my hand before it could slide any further up his thigh and then grinned.

“I’m sorry, but who was originally not going to even come out of the Burners’ Room with me?”

I rolled my eyes and fell back against the bed with fake annoyance. “Fine,” I mock-snapped eyeing him from the corner of my eye as he watched me with amusement. “Guess I’ll have to go and find someone else then.”

I stand and go to walk off as if I’d actually do it but before I could even take two steps, arms that were now becoming familiar to me wrapped around my waist and dragged me back, flinging me onto the bed so suddenly that I yelped.

“Oh no you don’t,” Storm growled playfully as he rolled on top and pinned me down, both my wrists captured in his big hands and half his weight atop me.

I squirmed and did my best to be annoyed as I tried to move away but my giggles give me away even as I said; “What, so now you want to-”

But I was cut off as his head swiftly ducked down to meet my lips with his, our mouths moving in a familiar sync that – surprise, surprise – I was already quite used to and enjoyed way too much for my own good.

Before things could get any more heated than it had suddenly become, he abruptly pulled away and earned a soft, disappointed noise from me – something embarrassing that I couldn’t have stopped even if I had tried. He hovered above me with that godforsaken smirk of his before allowing me one last kiss and then fully rolling off me.

“See, you can’t just leave me for someone else because then that’d be totally against the rules,” he said somewhat smugly as he watched me sit up and tug my only shirt off. “What are you doing?” he asked not seeming against it at all, of course.

I rolled my eyes.

“Shut up, it’s hot, okay? And it’s not like you haven’t seen me in my bra before – or less,” I added under my breath. He chuckled and shook his head, but I cut him off before he could say something about it. “And what the hell are you talking about?” I asked shifting backward until my bare back hit the cool backboard of the bed.

“We, like you said, are now and officially, Bedmates,” he smirked crawling closer and closer toward me with every pause, a look in his eyes that made me want to either jump him or walk out the door – half naked or not.

I stayed, a smirk playing with my own lips too, “You realise that’s like the G-rated version of ‘Friends with Benefits’ right?”

“Wrong, it’s just what we are since we’ve yet to actually have sex – your words not mine,” he pointed out stopping right before our lips could touch; face so close that I could feel his every breath and count every eyelash or gold speck in his eyes if I wanted to.

I leaned in to kiss him but he pulled away before I could, a soft chuckle falling out of his mouth at the frustrated look on my face.

“Do you enjoy teasing every girl you try to bed?” I asked with narrowed eyes as I reached out to unconsciously brush back his soft tousled hair before I hooked my hand at the nape of his neck.

“No,” he smirked kissing me on the nose rather gently, “just you.”

“Well, aren’t I special?” I asked sarcastically as he caressed my abdomen teasingly, trailing it from below my bra line down to my skirt line and then up again.

“Maybe a little,” he winked and then, before I knew it, I was laying on my back with him hovering on top again, his free hand cupping my cheek with his lips following soon after; lingering pecks going from my cheek down to my jaw, to my nose and then to, finally, my lips. 

It was gentle at first; shy almost, but the moment I started to respond it quickened and whatever hesitance that was there suddenly flew out of the window. Within moments it became rough and hurried and brash and demanding; hands in hair, through hair, under hair; under shirts and skirt and pants; against cheeks and jaws and necks and waists.

I let myself get lost in the kissing and touching for the hundredth time since I’d met him until he somehow managed to kick off his pants and pull off my skirt without me even realising, the feel of his heated skin and hard body pressing against mine enough to make any sane person do what he wanted.

"Your age, how-how old are you?” I panted as he sucked and nibbled above the lace of my bra.

“I thought I told you already,” he muttered, fingers dancing over my bra strap on the sides as he lifted his eyes enough to look at me.

“You said you were 17, and I did-didn’t believe you,” I gasped, fingers tightening against his messed-up hair as his own circled around both my breasts.

“And why not?” He asked, amusement in his voice as he reached forward to kiss me again, his tongue slipping into my mouth and almost making me forget my train of thoughts even as he yanked off his shirt – or did I pull it off?

“Because,” I mumbled distractedly, “Because-” I was trying to talk, I swear I was, but with a guy who knew exactly what he wanted and exactly how to get it, let me tell you now; it was very, very hard to do.

So, I settled on pushing him off me. Literally. With my hands against his bare chest and his heart beating erratically against my palms, the little amount of space I got was almost a relief. “I think you're older,” I forced out at last, eyes on his perfectly smooth and tanned chest my hands were on as I was too embarrassed to hold his gaze.

“Older?” he asked, sounding more amused than annoyed as he shifted back and lay atop me – most of his body between my legs and his arms folded against my lower stomach, his chin rested against his intertwined fingers. “How so?” he asked when I still hadn’t replied, too occupied in watching his agile movements and how he got comfortable against me in a way no one else has ever done before. In a way I wouldn’t let anyone else get comfortable against me.

“You just – I don’t know – you seem much too mature and way too…”

“Experienced?” he smirked smugly which in turn made me laugh and roll my eyes.

“Sure, let’s go with that,” I said sarcastically, propping myself up onto my elbows so I could see him a little better.

“Is that a yes, or a no?” he asked teasingly, drawing invisible patterns against my stomach and watching me in a way that made me somewhat nervous – the good kind.

“It’s a maybe,” I teased right back, unable to help myself as a smile I refused to let show flirted with my lips and his eyes narrowed slightly at me.

Before I knew it, he darted forward and grabbed me around the waist, flipped us over so I landed on top of him in a fit of girly giggles. His chuckles vibrated through my palms and quite literally into my body considering I was right up against him, what with his arms wrapped securely around me in the way that they were.

“I’m sorry, could you say that again? I didn’t quite catch you the first time,” he grinned cheekily up at me, honey coloured eyes sparkling with humour.

“I said-” I mumbled, a grin on my lips as my eyes lowered to his own perfectly shaped teeth and curved lips, before leaning forward until our mouths were only a breath away. “-It’s a maybe.”

His hold around me loosened slightly as he brushed his nose against the side of my cheek and his lips were by my ear. Lowly, so lowly that his voice was a mere husky growl, he asked; “Well, a boy like me can’t settle for a maybe, now can he?”

“Well, coming from a girl like me, he’s gonna have to,” I murmured in what I hoped was a sexy voice.

He chuckled then, causing me to almost die of embarrassment thinking that my “sexy” voice probably just came out stupid or manly. And yet, before I could roll away or run off, he was kissing me again, more heatedly and more passionately than ever before that whatever I’d been worried about was totally forgotten.

Even the reason why I’d stopped him in the first place and why I continuously freaked out when things were getting too heated too quickly.  

After all I was still a virgin and, even though we’ve unfalteringly met up at every party since we met, he was still a stranger.

Of course, however, on that night and during that very moment, I didn’t care about either of it. I would have given him one of the few things I cherished carelessly and without a second thought if it hadn’t been for a phone call.

“Shit, I have to go,” Storm suddenly cursed after finishing the important sounding call – something he wouldn’t have even answered if it weren't for my persistence.

“What? Why?” I asked, frowning as he got off the bed and gathered his clothing tossed around the bed and floor.

He pulled on his pants and met my gaze; eyes that were once a dark brown, now turning back to its normal honey colour as lust bled into annoyance and what I noticed was fear.

“I – uh – there’s just stuff going on.”

He didn’t elaborate.

I didn’t push.

“Oh, uh, okay,” I frowned sitting up and crossing my legs as I watched him struggle with his pants.

I sighed and leaned over to grab his shirt to flip it from outside in.

“Hey,” he said noticing my sudden change of mood as he finished zipping up his pants and button. “I’ll see you-” he stopped abruptly as if realising that neither of us will ever know, the parties that were being held around our area about as sudden and random as the Melbourne weather we grew up in.

I raised an eyebrow and handed him his shirt, “Exactly.”

He paused, awkward for a second.

“Can I have your number?” he asked almost shyly, the expression on his face something I’d never seen before and making me wonder if I should laugh or pinch his cheeks saying ‘aw’.

I smiled instead.

“No.”

“What? Why?” this time he was the one who frowned.

“Because, we’re Bedmates,” I smirked as he sat down across of me and seemed to totally forget about what he was meant to be in a hurry for. “And I don’t want you trying to call me for some Booty-Call or something.”

His frown deepened.

“Okay, then.”

“But we’ll see each other, and when we do then maybe then we can finally do the deed,” I said not yet able to say have sex out loud quite yet. “Deal?”

“Uh, sure.”

“Shake on it, then,” I smirked as I put a hand out and waited for him to grab hold of mine.

“What?” he asked instead, still confused by what I was asking of him as his honey coloured eyes ran over my features and then to where my hand stayed in the space between us.

“You want to have sex with me, right?” He nodded. “Well, you’re going to have to earn it; but you can only do it at the parties we see each other at.”

“And if I see you outside of a party?”

“Don’t talk to me,” I shrugged casually, heart fluttering at my own boldness.

He paused, looked over my near nakedness in such a way that my pulse jumped, and then planted a soft kiss against my lips. “Can we have sex now?” he asked brazenly, a familiar smirk adorning his face that left me biting my lower lip to stop a returning grin.

I shook my head.

He pouted and seemed to be genuinely miserable about it, “Why not?”

“Because, you idiot, you have to leave,” I laughed, pointing at the shirt he’d yet to put on before getting off the bed and starting to change myself.

He huffed and pulled on his shirt and socks whilst simultaneously mumbling things under his breath that sounded suspiciously like ‘no fair’ and ‘that asshole’.  

“Goodbye, Storm,” I smiled as I shook my head in amusement at his mutterings, already finished changing considering all I needed to do was put on a skirt, shirt and slide on my heels.

He got off the bed after tying his shoes and sent me an undeniably swoon-worthy smile, “Goodbye, Mia – until we meet again,” he said dramatically with a chuckle of his own before he walked over to the door. “Oh, and for the record,” he told me as he paused and glanced back at me. “I turn 19 in a few months which will make me two years older than you, I believe,” he gave me one last grin and then winked at me playfully before he finally left the room and me, who stood there a little longer with an idiotic grin on my face.

Curse this boy and his damn good looks.