Chapter Nine

I stood there rooted on my spot. My eyes were wide as saucers and my mind was completely blank. This situation was too much for my poor brain to process.

Fortunately, when Lucas’ tongue ran across the seam of my lips – begging for entrance – I suddenly became aware once again what was happening.

Lucas Smith was kissing me.

He had his hands planted on my waist as he attempted once again to make me open my mouth so his mouth can enter. I lifted my hands and placed them on his chest and he might think I was enjoying this but boy was he wrong. With every ounce of strength I had in my body, I pushed away his muscular frame away from me, successfully tearing his lips away from mine.

“Lucas!” I screeched before licking my lips. I cringed at the familiar taste of alcohol and placed my gaze on him. He looked like he could barely stand and his eyes were hazy with both lust and an effect of being drunk.

“I like you, Celeste,” he slurred and I ignored his confession. He was drunk so maybe he had no control on whatever comes out of his mouth.

But they did say that a man’s true emotions only shows up when they’re drunk.

“You’re drunk,” I stated the obvious though he only looked hurt. He took a few steps towards me but I easily walked around him and grabbed his shoulder, guiding him to the bed. What he needed was rest then when he wakes up, he’ll forget about this whole episode.

“I like you,” he groaned stubbornly. I pushed him down effectively making him sit on the bed. I slowly made him lie down and I took off his shoes.

I hated this jerk, I honestly do and my hatred only doubled when he kissed me but I couldn’t blame him for that, he was drunk. He bullied me back then since the day we met but without him and his idiotic brother, I wouldn’t be the girl I am today.

When I securely tucked him in, I made a move to leave him to sleep but when I was just to turn around from him, he grabbed my wrist and looked me right in the eye.

“I like you, Celeste,” he said once again, “You were the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen and I hate it when you’re smiling because of him, not me.”

I already knew who he was talking about. It was Drew and when he said those words, he glared at the lamp as if it was the brown haired boy who suddenly invaded my life.

He lifted his hand and started caressing my cheek, “You look so pretty tonight but I know I’m not the reason why,” he frowned.

I lowered my head in shame. I was basically rejecting his drunk self because I won’t even try to deny it. I spent an entire hour earlier just to choose an outfit that was good enough to make Drew feel impressed but not enough for him to think that I’m a slut.

I care about Drew’s opinion… a lot.

Taking his hand and carefully removing it from my cheek, I placed it back down on the soft mattress, “You need to rest,” I muttered.

He looked at me for a full minute before speaking again, “If Everett messes up, I’ll be here to pick up the pieces,” he softly mumbled as his eyes started to droop.

I doubted it because he was the one who messed up in the first place. When I heard him snore rather loudly, I knew he was no longer with me in the world of consciousness.

Walking out of the room and carefully closing the door behind me, I went back to the party scene in a huge hunt for Drew.

When I spotted his familiar mop of brown hair, I quickly paced to where it was but I instantly froze on what I saw.

Miss Runway was currently talking animatedly to Drew about something but much to my delight, the latter seems to be nothing near interested as his eyes were constantly roaming around the room, placing attention on everywhere except for the fake blonde girl beside him.

When his green eyes found mine, his body visibly relaxed as he muttered some words to Miss Runway whose hopeful grin turned into a scowl in a matter of seconds and I resisted an urge to laugh at her face when Drew left her without much of a second glance.

Within a few glares at the horny teenagers currently bumping against him while he struggled to make his way to me, he finally found his spot right in front of me.

“Where were you?” he growled but there was already a huge hint of concern in those emerald orbs of his, “I saw your friend earlier and I presumed you were done talking but you were still nowhere to be found.”

“Sorry,” I found myself apologizing to him, “I ran into Lucas,” I shrugged off casually, purposely removing the detail about our little kiss.

“Are you okay, did he hurt you?” he gritted his teeth as his eyes scanned my body for any hint of injuries. I found his concern endearing to say the least.

“Nope, he didn’t lay a hand on me,” I lied.

“Are you sure, you look a lot paler,” he pointed out and my hands quickly flew to my cheeks. There was no mirror around so I’ll take his words when he said that I was a little whiter than my usual complexion.

 “Must be the temperature,” I told him, trying my best to sound nonchalant.

“If you say so…” he trailed off before letting a sigh escape his lips.

“Something wrong?” I inquired then he looked around us. The party was currently on full blast and the house was now containing more than half of the school.

“I hate this,” he muttered and this time, I fully agreed with him.

“Want to leave?” I asked and he nodded his head without hesitation. I gestured him to follow me and we both glided across the large amount of dancing bodies in order to reach the front door.

“So where are we going?” he asked once we were safely inside my car and I paused for a moment. My hands were sitting idly on the steering wheel and my foot has yet to press on the gas pedal.

“It’s only nine o’ clock,” I pointed out before a smile came to my lips, “Want to come to my house?”

He looked taken aback by this, “Are you sure there aren’t any angels hiding there cause I’ve heard some rumors.”

I rolled my eyes and started driving to the direction of my apartment complex. Nobody has ever seen my apartment except my friends of course so some idiot started this false rumor that there are angels hiding in my home causing me to be this perfect girl in their eyes.

“I can assure you that there are no angels,” I told him as I made a turn to the parking lot of the complex. I pulled into my usual space before pulling the keys out of the ignition and getting out of my car.

My heels clacked against the tiled floor and about every single employee greeted me or bowed their heads. Drew and I got inside the elevator and I pressed the button of the top floor.

“I remember when I brought you up here because you fell asleep,” Drew chuckled causing me to break into a smile.

The elevator doors opened and the first scene to greet me was Jazzy dusting off the furniture, “Hey Celeste,” she greeted but she quickly paused when she caught a glimpse of Drew. The feather duster in her hand fell to the floor and she all but gaped at him.

“Drew?” she blurted out and I looked at him to see he had the same baffled expression.

“Jazzy?” he asked as he couldn’t believe the girl in front of us. A huge grin broke from Jazzy’s face before she ran up to Drew and gave him a huge bear hug.

Confusingly, Drew didn’t return the hug. His arms were glued to his side and his eyes were wide as saucers as he still couldn’t believe Jazzy was hugging him. When Jazzy pulled away, she had a huge grin on her face.

“How do you guys know each other?” I blurted out and they both turned their heads to my direction as if they only remembered that I was standing there.

“Drew here is my little sister’s boyfriend,” she giggled with that huge grin still present on her face.

Wait, did she say boyfriend?

“Oh,” I breathed out and I looked back to Drew and his face seems to have paled.

“How rude of me, I’ll go get you two some refreshments,” Jazzy piped up suddenly before excusing herself to the kitchen.

When she was out of earshot, I crossed my arms over my chest and gave Drew a hard stare, “Explain. Now.”

“Jazzy’s sister had a crush on me back in middle school and I also had a crush on her so we both ended up having one of those childish dates and we kind of labeled ourselves boyfriend and girlfriend. We were so young back then and I moved to this city just before high school, I thought we didn’t need a proper break up so I just said goodbye to her. I never expected her sister to be working for you. I don’t like her sister anymore and I barely remember her,” he said all in one go. He took a deep breath after before his eyebrows scrunched together, “Please believe me.”

My gaze instantly softens. Damn he’s too cute to be mad at.

“Well, that hug must have felt awkward,” I laughed and he blew out a breath of relief once he realize I wasn’t mad.

“You have no idea,” he grumbled and I escorted him to the living room and sat him on the couch.

“Wait,” I suddenly paused, “Does this mean Jazzy thinks that you and her sister are still dating?” I asked and he nodded solemnly.

Jazzy suddenly appeared carrying a tray of hot chocolates and set it on the coffee table. She beamed at the two of us before asking for my permission for her to join us; I allowed her and sat down on the couch.

“I didn’t know you two knew each other,” she perked up as she handed both of us a mug of the steaming drink.

“We go to the same school,” I informed in a bored tone, kicking of my heels. Those were killing my feet.

“Of course,” Jazzy nodded her head formally. I was suddenly snappish and this was all because of the fact she still thought Drew was into her sister.

I’m not even going to deny it anymore. I was jealous.

“So…” Drew coughed awkwardly.

The tension was so heavy that it wasn’t funny.

Jazzy must sense this because she stood up once again and bowed her head, “I’ll be heading to my chores again.”

She didn’t wait for my reaction before she scurried out of the living room.

“That was little bit rude,” Drew chuckled as he watched Jazzy’s retreating figure.

“Whatever,” I waved off before lifting my feet up on the coffee table, letting my toes wiggle freely, “So what do you usually do on the weekend?”

“I work,” he said under his breath.

A pang of guilt ran through my body. My parents were so cruel to put his father in jail and now he had the task of being the breadwinner of the family. Judging from the time I was at their house, Ariel had no job except to take care of his Savannah.

“What’s your job?” I asked curiously.

He mumbled some things but I couldn’t quite catch it.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he grounded out, “Why do you even care?”

Is this guy bipolar or something.

“If we’re going to repeat the scene that happened on that night I had a scream fest, don’t even bother,” I snorted out. I’m actually surprised that I had the guts to make myself collectively calm after he snapped at me.

“Then why do you even bother associating yourself with me?!” he yelled out causing both of us to freeze.

I was asking myself the same question too. Why do I keep associating myself with him?

We were on the opposite sides of the social ladder. We’re defying the status quo. The queen bee shouldn’t be hanging out with the loner in school.

“I shouldn’t be,” I whispered unconsciously and I immediately regretted it when I did.

His eyes, they lost the twinkle that I love gazing at. Disbelief and hurt was the current mix that was plastered on his face.

I was expecting him to walk out or something along those lines but he didn’t. He simply stood there, his feet was planted on the carpeted floor and his eyes flickered with a hint of sadness in them.

I caused him to feel that way.

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I'm so freaking tired! School did a huge toll on me so I'm sluggish right now and my brain can barely process most things. I typed this on my laptop and I rarely typed there so there's a lot of mistakes here. Again, not proofread; I haven't even proofread the last chapter so please forgive me,

Anyways, please comment, vote and follow.