B~th.

Devon drove through the wreck. Double parked cars lined the entire street, boys leaned on the trunks smoking and drinking, girls did the same - only that they were in half the clothes boys were in. The sight made me nauseous and the smell of immorality filled the air. I looked to Devon who was most probably thinking about hiding his credit card's'. As he looked for a parking space, I watched familiar girls actually stare at us. Normally, if were to be with Ryan and Charlie, I would made a silly joke about their expressions. This time it was different. Just as much as every other person may disapprove I was quite insecure about having to be the topic of a rumour. So to ease the tension, I resulted to getting engaged in a conversation with Devon. But he beat me to it.

"God. Why do these girls have to make things more complicated--" He was right. The guys cared nothing but a strand of hair, only the girls seemed interested "--wait till tomorrow and boom..I 'already' had sex with you."

I smiled. "Only if they could come up with a new gossip."

"Exactly." He pulled up at a spot and pulled out more cigarettes. This time I moved away. He smiled putting the cigarettes in his pockets before throwing his current one unto the lawn.

"You have a lighter I might borrow right?"

I nodded giving a short lived smile. I looked around with the hope of sighting either one of us when suddenly I felt closure of warmth and the smell of cologne atop of me. Crouching above me was Devon, staring down at me with a mischievous grin. Those mischievous green eyes eyed me slowly causing me to almost give in to whatever he was up to. He leaned in closer with a more serious look playing on his face. I reacted, moving back slowly to lean my head out of the car. I could feel my heartbeat increase its pace and so was his. The white strings of his hoodie was grazing on my neck, his bare chest was on display to my eyes and I could, most definitely, feel the fall and rise of his breathing. I slowly and futilely tried to push him off me. After several unsuccessful trials, we both began to laugh.

"Let's give'em a show, right?" I raised my brow playfully and he smiled. I felt my muscles relax gradually.

"I guess." His tone showed nothing of his words. He kept looking down at me - slowly. His eyes pierced through like they were trying to spell something out just like they always did. But this time, somehow, anything they meant felt genuine. He was falling for me.
Devon Spruce was falling for me, just like I was. He finally retreated slowly, biting his lower lip. And everything returned back to normal thereby causing the sound of chattering around us to come back to life.

I was expecting a punch to my face--" he said casually "--I really was."

I returned back to position and bent to pick up my phone. I felt he watched me do just that.

"Well. There's is a party waiting." I jumped out over the car.

"I never really use these doors too."

"Coming or not?"

He jumped out of the car and paused to adjust his hoodie. "Here we go."

The moment we were at the same pace, I pulled his hand around my waist. Startled at first but soon adjusted to the bliss, his hand wrapped, comfortably, around my bare skin. I looked up at him and found him lighting another cigarette. It was then I came to realize him.

Once Devon Spruce was high enough, he was something else.

I was going to give in to him, I could tell. Only that giving in at that moment meant nothing but want. A fake kind of want. In the true sense, I wanted to be in control of whatever we were going to have. Only that I wasn't bold enough to make such decision, just like I was with the others. Yet I couldn't conform to letting him tear me apart too. So I made my mind - in the split second when we both walked through the ajar front door, that whatever game 'love' was going to play with me this time, I was going to win.

Necessarily loud, the party was jam packed. It was dark and unexpectedly cold. Once a living room, all the couchs were pushed to an extreme end to form a circle and there was a shattered chandelier on the floor. We walked around it like every other person. Music blared from every corner and couples, if they were, made out everywhere. Only if I could tell that the surroundings around me spelt trouble.

"Hey, man!"

First appearing as the harmless silhouette of a muscular party junkie until he came into view under the red peep of light. Both my face and confidence fell, like they always did whenever they met the intimidating personality of Jayo Anoá. He gave me gave that look; a look that instilled defeat in me.

"One too many girls fell like you Beth, one too many girls got their hearts broken but you 'might' escape --"

I didn't escape it. I fell for 'the demon with green eyes'.

The moment he got closer, as if a pigment of my imagination, Devon's grip around my waist became uncomfortable but I leaned on his arm and looked away. Thankfully, Jayo ignored my presence and soon enough I felt Devon lips on my ear,

"I'll be back soon."

I nodded and he released me slowly before leaving with Jayo. And as they ascended the stairs, Jayo turned back to shoot a knowing smile at me.

A knowing look that would later on tear our worlds apart.