The week passes in a blink of an eye when I mostly stay in office, trying to cover up Lucy's absence. She's still sick but she assured me that she'll resume coming from monday and I'm truly glad for that.

In this week, I have already regretted saying yes to Aaron's friend's party five times but I have been calmed down by Ella that it wouldn't be such a flop. However, one good thing is that tonight Derek is throwing a party at his place. His parties are always amazing, good booze and way too good looking guys, I am hoping it will make up for tomorrow's party already. He's just an acquaintance with Ella and Connor but whenever there's a party, he always invites them over.

It's five in the evening when I get a text from my lovely best friend that she's coming over to get ready. To be honest, it's always good to have a company and I never say no to Ella.

"Heyyyyyyy!" Connor enters my bedroom and I narrow my eyes at him.

"You don't have to sing and greet me, just so you know." I roll my eyes at him and he grins.

"I know but then how will I irritate you?"

"Right! You always need to get on my nerves because you're an asshole." I cringe at him and as if on cue, Ella enters the bedroom.

"Will I ever live to witness a day where my best friend and boyfriend will get along?" She huffs and I get out of my bed to strangle her with a hug.

"I missed you!" I say loudly and Connor clears his throat and I kick his leg.

Ella laughs, "Yes, probably why you cancelled lunch on me, twice!"

Of course she will bring that up now. The thing with Ella is she at least once has to taunt you before letting go of that thing.

"I will make it up to you this week, I promise!"

She hugs me and I know that all is okay with us. Connor gets out in the living room and makes himself home as he switches between channels on the television while his girlfriend and I occupy the bedroom to ourselves to get ready.

I don't go for dark make up today, I just put on eye liner, light blush and a bit of my lip gloss. I slid into my tight black skinny jeans and a white top with lace around it's neck which goes around and then the back of the top is almost bare.

"I like your outfit, simple yet sexy!" Ella compliments and I smile at her.

"Thank you, I like yours as well." I wink at her.

She's wearing a casual blue and white strap dress. While she's busy doing her make up, I step into my stilettoes and leave my blonde hair down.

"Ready to go?" She asks and I nod after grabbing my clutch and putting my phone in it.

As we step outside in the living room, Connor is asleep on the couch while there's an episode of Law and Order running in low volume.

"I'll wake him up, yeah?" Ella looks at me and I shake my head with a smug look.

"Let me!"

She gives me a warning look but ignoring her, I tiptoe towards Connor and lean down till his ear but just as I am about to shriek, that fucking bastard opens his eyes and screams at the top of his lungs.

"Fucking hell!" I curse as I fall back on the carpet.

He starts laughing as he looks at me and I throw a cushion at him which he dodges at his side.

"Let's go party!" He stands up and I run a hand through my hair as he leans down to pinch my cheeks.

"I hate you." I swat his hands away.

"We both know that's a lie." He grins and I get up.

I ignore Connor as I make my way out of the apartment and Ella shakes her head at both of us and locks the apartment.

The drive to Derek's place is of twenty five minutes but I drive on my own while the lovely couple are left to themselves. I reach there in half an hour, given the traffic but I can already tell that the party is going in full flow. His parents own a property somewhere so twice a month they pay a visit there and Derek has the home to himself which of course leads to a party.

Connor and Ella join me on the porch of his house and I ring the bell, though I doubt he could hear it over such loud music. I'm surprised when a minute later Georgina opens the door and I step in. I wasn't expecting her to be here, I know her and Ashton from college and I never knew Derek was going to invite her.

"Everyone's crashing his living room!" She says and I smile.

"I can see that," I reply as my eyes roam around the room.

Four of us make our way towards the couch which is occupied by the rest of the group and as soon as my presence is sensed, Shane gets to his feet and from the corner of my eye I can see Derek rolling his eyes.

Just as I'm about to turn my attention to Shane, I catch Lizzy and Aaron engrossed deep in conversation.

"Do you want a drink?" Shane asks, diverting my attention.

"Yes, vodka for me and beer for these two." I tell him and he nods before disappearing into the kitchen.

I take a seat in the small space between the arm rest and Derek and he smiles at me, "Heyy,"

"Hi asshole!" I smirk at him and he laughs.

"I cannot even pretend to be your boyfriend because you won't let me."

At his words, I give him a cold look, "No strings attached, remember?"

"Yeah yeah, I remember." He says as he puts his hand on my upper thigh and I smile.

"Hey Diana!" I hear Aaron's voice and I turn towards him.

He's sitting just a feet away from me on the other couch. "Hey," I give him a small smile.

I have tried to snap at him less and so far, I've been unsuccessful. Yes, I am still a bitch to him and honestly, I see no end to it. Lizzy greets me as well and I pass her the fakest smile ever and Derek chuckles beside me.

Not even fifteen minutes later, the table in front of us is filled with tequila shots and I am already down on one cup of vodka. "Let's do this," I say excitedly as I rub my palms together in easiness.

"Anyone wants to compete?" I challenge and Shane shoots up his hand.

"Only if we bet money." He suggests and I laugh.

"Sure. This is going to be fun."

In next five minutes, five tequila shots are set in front of me and five in front of Shane. The one who finishes it first gets thirty dollars.

Everyone in a chorus does a countdown till three and I look into Shane's eyes. I blow him a kiss and as soon as they say 'three', I start gulping down the tequila. The first one burns my throat but I ignore the irritating sensation as I move to second, then third and before I know, I'm licking the lemon on my hand and Shane is still on his fifth shot.

"Loser!" I scream and everyone laughs except Aaron. He's been looking at me curiously and I'm trying my best to keep calm.

My head starts to feel light but I put my demanding hand in front of Shane and with a pouty face, he hands over the money.

"Diana?" I hear Ella's voice and look back at her.

"Yes babe?"

She looks mad at me and I pout at her furrowed eyebrows.

"Don't drink again for at least another hour or I am leaving this party right now." She says in a stern voice and I smile.

"Okay, Grandma, I promise I won't drink for another hour." I say and she looks at Derek and gives him a look, as if asking him to take care of me.

"C'mon Diana, let's go have some water." He wraps an arm around me and I lean into him.

He leads me to the kitchen and I sit on the counter while he pours me a glass of water and I observe his moves. He comes and stands in between my legs as he offers me the glass and I gulp it down in one go. Yes, water does help with the burning throat.

"You've been ignoring me." He says quietly and I sigh.

"Really?" I retort back, thoughtfully.

"Yes, you refused to talk to me when I asked Aaron to let you know I called when I couldn't reach your phone." He moves his hand to my thighs and I lean forward.

I don't reply to him as I catch his lips in between mine and just go with the flow. I am better at kissing than telling people to mind there own fucking business. If I didn't want to talk, I just didn't - you don't have to think more of it.

He moans and pulls me towards the edge of the counter, pressing himself against me as I wrap my arms around his neck. Well, this is how it goes between us, or rather me or any guy. Derek is better than everyone else at least, he didn't want commitment and I liked that - no feelings involved. When I part from him, I wink and he shakes his head with a smile on his face.

"Did you invite Lizzy?" I ask out of nowhere and he frowns.

"Yes, why?"

I smirk at his answer and he gives me a knowing look, "Nothing, just wondering." I laugh a little, patting his back as I step down on the floor and make my way back to the party.

Ella and Connor are dancing or rather grinding against each other when I enter the living room and some random people in the corner are playing the game of truth and dare. I remember the time when I met Derek for the first time few months back through one such game. He was dared to kiss me and that's just how things started between us.

While I'm lost in my thoughts, a voice snaps me out of it, "Do you want some?" Aaron offers me a pizza slice and I take it from him.

"Thanks! How is office treating you by the way? I haven't been able to talk to you properly since lunch that day." I ask him as I sit beside him and Lizzy.

She frowns at my words, "You guys went out for lunch?"

I give out a mischievous smile at her question, Aaron didn't tell her about it. I wonder if he told her about the time I kissed him or party tomorrow night. Well, it definitely seems like a good idea to ask right now.

"Yes, we did. And hey, Aaron, at what time are we meeting tomorrow for the party?" I question him, trying to hide back my smirk and I see as he glares at me, expecting me to shut up.

"What party?" His best friend pouts.

Yes, this sure is fun.

"Oh, you aren't coming? I was expecting to see you there." I fake a pout and Aaron very cautiously puts his hand on my knee to stop me from talking.

"Office is treating me good Diana, thanks for your concern." He says in a cold tone, his orbs almost turning to the color of icy blue.

Well, that's my cue to leave them alone but I just shrug and start with another slice of pizza. I don't take shit from anyone, in case Aaron was forgetting it. I feel a hand on my bare back and I jump a little but then Shane comes in my view and leans down to whisper in my ear.

"Meet me upstairs in five minutes?"

I scowl at him, "How about a no?"

"Don't worry, I ain't going to ask you to fuck me. It's just something else." He tells and I nod.

When he disappears, I reach for the red cup in front of me, filled with vodka and I turn to Aaron, "Is this yours?"

"Well, I ain't drinking so you can have it if you want."

I nod before finishing the drink in another two minutes. Lizzy leaves the couch and Aaron and I are left alone so I decide to make my way upstairs.

"Where are you going?" He asks as I stand up and I feel a little tipsy.

"Somewhere I don't have to bore myself to death." I snap.

"You're rude when you're drunk." He states the obvious and I grin at him.

I lean down till my face is hovering over his, I look into his eyes and I don't miss the slight flickering of his gaze to my lips. My hands reach his cheeks and I softly caress it.

"I know Aaron, but unlike you, I'm not ashamed of my actions and fear my best friend's judgement." I look straight into his eyes and he pouts a little.

"I didn't tell her because it slipped from my mind," he tries to argue.

"Did our kiss slip from your mind as well?" I ask with a straight face and he gulps. When he doesn't responds to me, I just give him a small smile and place a peck on his cheeks before whispering, "Start living your life Aaron, people are always going to judge. No matter if it's your best friend or your family."

After saying that, I leave Aaron alone and keep my clutch in a drawer in his kitchen, where I know I'll be able to find it in the morning. When I make my way upstairs, I don't bother checking rooms and go straight to the guest room and to my surprise, the door is locked so I knock.

"Who's there?" I hear a stranger's voice which makes me believe that I'm probably disturbing someone's sex.

But then Shane opens the door and there's way too much smoke in the room for my liking but I adjust my eyes and I see Georgina, Ashton, two others girls I don't know and a friend of Shane.

"Are you guys smoking pot? Derek is going to kill you guys if he figures this out." I almost yell and then Shane puts a hand on my back.

"Shh.. no one needs to know, okay?" Shane whispers with his eyes bloodshot and puts a joint between my lips.

I try to resist it but as soon as I take one drag, I know I'm in for hell. Few things flashes in front of my eyes and I try to back down but I forget about them as soon as I take another drag and then another and then one more.

Honestly, I lose the track of time and how many joints I smoke during that. I finally get up and make my way towards the door. My head is clouded and I feel light on my feet as I open the door.

"Do you need help there?" Shane asks and I shake my head which turns out to be the wrong thing to do.

"I'm going to go downstairs and I'm going to keep my mouth shut, just as I said," I say and laugh and everyone else shakes their head because it's clear by now that I'm fucking stoned.

I step out of the guest room and start making my way towards the stairs but I bump into someone and almost trip down.

"Fuck! Are you okay?" I hear a familiar voice and I stand straight on my feet, clearing my throat.

"The right question is, does it concern you?"

He scowls like a baby as he examines my face and then finally looks into my eyes and I frown as I look into his.

"Did you get drunk, Aaron?" I laugh as I notice his bloodshot eyes.

He smiles, "Yes, I took someone's advice to live a little."

"I took my own advice and got stoned!" I whisper and his eyes widen.

"Are you fucking crazy?" He yells as he wraps his arm my waist and leads me to a room and locks it behind himself.

"You aren't going to take advantage of me because I'm vulnerable, are you?" I pout and he runs a hand through his hair.

"Diana, I'm not going to do anything with you. But you need to stay away from Derek and especially Ella, they'll kill you if they find you like this." He makes a point to which I agree.

"Is this your room?" I ask, trying to observe the details but my head is too clouded for such task right now.

"Yes, it is. You can sleep in here, I'll crash the couch or go to Lizzy's place." He says and that's enough to get me on my feet.

Her name annoys me for some strange reason I cannot yet figure out, "I'm going to go home." I tell him as I take steps towards the door and he catches my wrist.

"No, you're not Diana, it's not safe for you to drive like this." He looks into my eyes.

"Do you genuinely care about me or is this just something you do with every girl who fucks your brother?" He cringes at my words and I take a step towards him, "Or maybe the girls you've kissed?" I whisper.

What the hell am I really doing right now? I need to get away from him as far as possible but Derek's words sometimes never leave my mind and this is that kind of situation right now.

"Are you really going to bring that up right now?" He glares at me and I smile at him.

I like when he's not all vulnerable, tempting me to snap at him. He can stand up for himself when he wants, he just lacks confidence for that. Like, right now, he's drunk and doesn't gives a shit about anything in the world, that's the kind of power alcohol gives you.

"Why, you don't want to talk about it? We never discussed it after all."

"What's there to discuss about a kiss that was against my will?" He retorts back and I close the distance between us as I stand right in front of him.

"Against your will? You kissed me back."

He blinks at me and I am well aware of his alcohol and my smoke laced breath mixing together because of the proximity we share.

"It was in the moment thing Diana, let go of it." He stares in my eyes.

"So you're telling me that if I kiss you again, you won't kiss me back?" I challenge him with a smile and as if on instinct, he glances down on my lips.

Smooth Diana, real smooth.

"Yes, that's actually what I'm telling you," he lies.

I nod and lean down and place a peck on his lips and then I turn around and begin to make my way towards the door but then I feel his hand snake around my waist and on the bare skin of my back. He twirls me around and I'm not surprised when his lips crash down on mine in a haste and he starts kissing me. I smile against his lips as I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back.