"Why were you acting so weird?" I ask Derek and he shifts uncomfortably.

"Just... some family problems, also the fact that you ignored me for two weeks." His tone is slightly accusatory.

"I- I don't want you to get hurt," I admit and he smiles.

"Don't worry about me. I know how to take care of myself... and I know you are worth it," he says and my heart instantly warms up.

If I wasn't laying down, I would have fainted right now.

The only person who thinks I'm worthy of love.

I sit up and he looks at me carefully.

"I... I like you too," I finally admit, it's probably the courage tequila and cocaine gave me but I don't care.

He smiles and I pull him in for a hug before he can even reply. I'm feeling bold which I will probably regret.

He doesn't shy away from me as he wraps his strong arms around my waist and pulls me as close as he can.

His touch feels like home, it's like I'm going back to the old good times.

I could hug him for days and never get tired.

I break the embrace abruptly and he looks at me confused. It seems like he wants to say something but he doesn't.

I stand up and I walk towards the door, I turn around to look at him and he seems filled with concern.

"A- are you leaving?" His voice is breaking and his concern is making my knees weak.

"Not really," I whisper and smile as I lock the door and he raises his eyebrows, unsure of what I'm about to do.

Honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing but I just know I want to be with him, all the cocaine and the tequila in my bloodstream makes me think unclearly and for once, I don't care about the consequences.

I walk back to him and he is sitting on the corner of the bed.

I don't even give Derek the chance to think about what I'm about to do and I don't want to change my mind so I just pull him in for a kiss.

He immediately wraps his arms around me and he pulls me on top of him while caressing my back, his hands going towards my waist.

His touch is intoxicating and I want more and more of him.

He doesn't wait much to explore my mouth, and I don't shy away from it.

I push him and he falls on the bed while I'm still on top of him. He seems surprised for a second but he keeps kissing me, without even taking any break.

It's nothing like the first time. It's full of ardor and arousal. I crave his hands exploring every inch of my body.

I almost run of breath because of how frantic and passionate it is.

Before I even realize Derek took back the control, he has already hovered over me and he pins my hands to the bed while he breaks the kiss to lock eyes with me.

"It's my turn now," he whispers in a deep tone and I get tingles in places I won't nominate.

His blue eyes are full of pent-up desire and quickly after I feel his warm breath on my chin as he leaves small pecks, going lower and lower down my neck.

Then he finally starts sucking on my skin so close to my cleavage and I let out a tiny moan and he looks up at me, pleased.

I take a deep breath in, a wave of his cologne flooding my nostrils and I always mentally thank him for picking the best perfume ever.

It's so Derek.

He smells so unbelievably good and I always miss it whenever he isn't around. I love when my clothes smell of him and I hate to admit how attracted I am to him.

He frees my hands and I let them travel to his back, pulling him closer.

He stops sucking on my neck and he looks at it as a small smirk forms on his lips. I bet he left so many hickeys but I want people to know I'm his.

And he is mine.

He breaks the kiss as we take a big breath of air from how frantic it was.

We slowly sit up again and I can't help but stare at him. I look at his beautiful features for a few seconds, his soft lips, his deep icy eyes, and the way he looks at me.

Like I'm the only one in the world.

One of his hands is on my waist and the other one is traveling to my neck, as he slowly puts pressure on it while kissing me again.

I let out a moan and he smirks while continuing to explore my mouth.

He bites my lower lip and it's enough to make me more aroused than I was before.

I don't think I have ever wanted someone more than I want him, physically, emotionally, in every possible way.

I reach the first button of his shirt and I try to unbutton it halfway.

But he suddenly stops me, breaking the kiss which leaves me confused and quite embarrassed.

"You are intoxicated, I'm not," he says and he notices me frowning so he continues, "I don't want this to happen when you can't even remember it, just like our first kiss."

"I remember our first kiss-"

"You were high and I was drunk, it's not the same." He cuts me off and I nod.

"I want to make you feel good," he whispers while staring at me.

"I want you to be aware of everything," he continues as he comes closer to me, again. I can't help but feel tingles in my body. "My touch..." he continues while he puts his hand on my thigh slightly going up. "The way I make you feel." He gives my thigh a gentle squeeze and I stare at him, too aroused to even process what he is saying.

I lick my lips to try to distract and compose myself.

"I know I will remember it either way." I take a break unsure if I should say it. "I need you," I finally mutter and he stops for a bit to take a close look at me.

I see the lust in his eyes but also uncertainty. He wants me just like I want him but he is being rational.

Ugh, rationality, not my forte.

He stands up and his chest is half bare, he buttons only one and I can't help but stare at him even though he notices me.

"Do you want to help me?" He teases me and I sit on the bed corner, I look up at him with the best bedroom eyes I could ever pull.

He comes closer to me I don't break eye contact while I slowly button his shirt.

"Good girl," Derek whispers and I almost choke on my saliva.

Oh, God. Why does it make me feel so good?

He runs his fingers through his messy hair and then he bends down giving me a quick kiss on the lips.

Derek, just fuck me already.

"I can't believe how lucky I am to be here with you right now," he finally speaks as he sits next to me.

I get quite surprised by his statement and he notices.

I take my mind off the previous thought and I slightly blush. I've gone completely insane.

"I don't think you realize how amazing you are," he continues and I stare at him, uncertain.

I puff. "I'm the lucky one. You are too good to be true," I mutter.

He smiles and he takes my hand into his, kissing it.

"Stop hurting yourself, please," he whispers and I look at my arms again as my sleeves are lifted, I almost forgot about the cigarette burns, which are covered by bandages right now.

I nod and we both get up.

"Let's go back to the party and open the presents," he says and I nod. I wonder what everyone got me.

I check the time and it's already three AM.

We get to the kitchen and I immediately notice almost everyone is gone, only people I know are left.

I also breathe a sigh of relief when I don't see Olivia and James.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, Veronica!" Louis, Dominic, Nicole, and Alexander are singing it to me and I smile, running towards them as I pull them in for a hug.

Alexander looks at my arms confused and he seems worried.

"Thank you, guys," I say and my eyes almost get watery. I can finally say I feel slightly happy, and mostly it's because of Derek.

But I don't want my happiness to depend on a person, because people are temporary.

Dominic brings out the cake and we all get excited and clap. Shanice pulls me in for a hug too, surprisingly.

He puts the cake on the table and I take Derek's hand into mine and I blow out the candles.

Everyone claps and cheers me on but I notice Louis looking down at our intertwined hands and he seems... jealous.

I never led him on, I was honest about my feelings and he has no right to complain about it.

Derek notices him too, and he squeezes my hand tighter.

"Jealous?" I whisper in his ears and I laugh, he does the same.

"I shouldn't be when I know you are mine," he whispers in my ear back, as he wraps his hands around my waist, pulling me closer.

We don't even care about other people seeing us and I bet everyone is staring right now.

"Ehm- what happened here?!" Dominic asks and almost everyone laughs.

For once, Shanice seems to be the one happy for us while Alexander and Louis look upset.

Derek lets go of me as we walk to the presents.

Shanice hands me an envelope with my full name on it and I realize it's money. It must be from the people at the party.

I thank her and I look at the presents, there are around six presents, some are just small boxes and others are present bags.

I never know how to act when someone gives me a gift but I just smile and thank them.

Dominic is the first one to hand me his gift, a medium-size blue box and I thank him by hugging him.

I open it and it feels quite awkward to do it in front of everyone. It's a mug with his face on it.

We all burst out in laughter and I look at it confused.

"What? I'm too handsome, you should be sipping hot chocolate from it." he jokes, "You know, because I'm hot." We laugh at his joke and present, nonetheless, it's cute.

Then Nicole hands me her gift and it's also a tiny jewelry box.

I open it and inside there is a nice simple silver bracelet. She knows how much I love basic jewelry, nothing too crazy.

Then along with the box, there is a note, I decided to read it aloud.

"True friends are never apart, maybe in distance, but never in heart." I smile and my eyes get watery again. It feels like we've been apart for so long but no matter what our friendship will never die.

I hug her tightly and she wipes away her tears.

Then Louis hands me his gift and it makes me quite uncomfortable.

It's a small bag with my favorite chocolate and an album in it.

I take a look at the album and it's full of pictures from our childhood together, of me, him, and Nicole. Many happy moments and some pictures we took at Kaylee's cafeteria, which don't bring the best memories of my life, sadly.

Also, the last pic is right at our first party, which was almost eight months ago.

"Thank you so much, Louis," I say as I shyly wrap my arms around him. He hesitates but quickly pulls away.

Then I look at Shanice's gift, which I'm surprised by.

"I also put some money in the envelope, you know for what," she jokes and I laugh. Is she buying my silence? However, I'd never out her, that's disgusting.

"Hello?! What? I also put money there along with my amazing mug," Dominic says and we giggle.

"He isn't the best with gifts," Derek says and we nod, but it's still cute.

There are two gifts left, one of which I assume is Derek's present.

I take the second one and it says: "from Alex, your babe." We all laugh except for Louis and Derek.

"Seriously, Alexander?!" I smile at him and I open the bag.

Inside there are two books. I haven't read in so long.

One of them is: 'How to stop doing cocaine' and Dominic laughs with Alex as soon as I see it. The other book is: 'Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone,' it was my favorite series growing up, I bet Dominic has something to do with the first gift, it's so like him.

I look at the book and I realize how I stopped reading after that morning.

I stopped doing many things I used to enjoy...

"Really? Is that what you gift me after you gave me coke tod-?" I immediately realize I revealed who gave it to me and also the fact that I snorted coke today. Everyone is looking at me and I can feel Derek's eyes piercing through my soul but I'm too embarrassed to acknowledge it.

Then I finally look at Derek when he hands me the last gift. But he is still staring at Alexander, quite irritated.

I open the tiny red box and there is also a note attached to it which I'll read later.

It's a beautiful necklace with his name on it.

Dominic comes closer to us as he reads the name on it.

"Wow, and I was the narcissistic one," Dominic jokes and Derek cracks a smile.

"Ugh, it feels like you two are dating already." Shanice laughs and I look at her a bit embarrassed.

It does feel like a very close gift, something you would give to a girlfriend.

I take the necklace and I realize it's a bit too small to clip it myself.

"Let me help you." He takes the necklace from my hand and he lifts my hair, while he puts it around my neck. I feel his fingers on the back of my neck linger for longer than necessary and I wish we were alone right now.

I need two necklaces.

Gosh, I'm a pervert.

I touch the necklace and I embrace Derek as intimately as I can, without even remembering there are other people here.

——

I had so much fun writing the first part.

Thanks for reading, don't forget to vote and comment :)