As the day went on, stomachs got fuller and Dean got drunker. It was a sight to see. He'd down the tequila, then pretend it wouldn't affect him to seem tougher.

But the drunker he got, the less he cared.

"You know why I like eating your food?" he asked, grabbing another piece of chicken from my takeout box.

"Why?" Amusement easily slipped into my tone.

He slowly chewed and swallowed before answering. "Because I like seeing you annoyed. You look cute when you're annoyed."

A faint blush spread through my face at the compliment.

He dramatically held up his fork. "No... not cute. You look hot when you're annoyed. Like hotter than this chicken."

I bit back a laugh. He was so drunk right now. "You have some weird kinks."

He hummed in agreement and continued to steal out of my box. His inebriated state only slowed down his coordination, but I let him take it anyway. It was only fair that I stole his chicken too. He hardly noticed when I did. Thank God for alcohol.

We finished our food as we watched TV. The Bachelor reruns were playing and I took it upon myself to watch without context. It was one of the final episodes and there were only two girls left. I was super confused about their backstories, but I made up pasts for each of the girls to spice things up.

"I can't believe Peter is a pilot... Should I be a pilot?" Dean asked, laying his head down on my lap. I smiled down at him and ran my hand through his hair. His eyes fluttered closed and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

I pinched his flushed cheeks, making his eyes open again. "I don't like Peter."

He sat up and looked at me with wild eyes. "You don't? Then who do you like?"

"You," I laughed.

He beamed at my answer, but his lips formed a frown. "But what about Reece? Or Andrew? Do you like them more?"

I furrowed my brows and patted my lap. He took the hint and laid his head there again. I massaged his scalp but he didn't close his eyes this time. Even drunk, I could sense the apprehension behind them.

"Where is this coming from?" I softly asked.

He closed his eyes, avoiding my intense gaze. "It's been a long time since we've seen each other. I don't know what you've been doing all this time."

"No Dean, I didn't fall in love with anyone else if that's what you're wondering," I reassuringly smiled, even though his eyes were squeezed shut.

He visibly relaxed. "So you don't like them?"

"Only as friends."

He flashed me a lazy grin. "Good, because I don't like to share."

"Clearly," I snorted, eyeing our now empty takeout boxes. "You sure are insecure when you're drunk."

"I'm insecure when I'm sober too, I just don't show it," he sang, totally unaware of how vulnerable he was. A pang of guilt hit me as I realized he probably hid so many emotions from me every day. I just wished he was more open about his feelings.

"So, what should we do now?" I asked, shifting the topic.

His eyes darkened. "I have a couple of things in mind," he huskily whispered. My breath hitched in my throat under his intense gaze. He smirked, knowing exactly what he was doing to me.

We hadn't really had sex yet. I was a virgin. Dean was not. I was inexperienced. Dean was not.

You catch my drift?

I wasn't really waiting for anything, but I also didn't want to lose it to someone who wouldn't appreciate me after. I had always imagined losing it to Andrew, but the thought made me gag now. So I was just waiting for the right guy. Dean was a potential candidate, but I really didn't want to do it while either of us was drunk.

Still, butterflies erupted thinking about doing with him soon.

"Did I scare you?" he whispered, now sitting up and inches away from me. Not trusting my voice, I could only shake my head. He didn't scare me, he excited me, and that scared me. "Good," he mumbled before brushing his lips against mine.

I slowly leaned back on the couch and he hovered above. His eyes raked over my body, sending shivers down my spine.

He lowered himself so he was inches away from my lips. His green eyes were shades darker, looking at me with a mix of love and lust. I was sure my eyes looked the same as I hungrily scanned his face.

Then he closed the distance. My eyes fluttered closed as his lips molded with mine. I could taste the bitter alcohol on his lips.

The guilt came rushing back, hitting me like a truck. I kissed someone else.

Before we could go on, I softly pushed at his chest. He took the hint and lifted his head, looking at me with a curious expression. His dilated pupils and warm cheeks were a reminder of his inebriated state and I wondered if this was the right time to tell him.

Yes, it was, and I was obviously stalling.

"Dean, I need to tell you something," I whispered quietly, hoping he wouldn't hear me. If he didn't, then he couldn't blame me for not telling him earlier. At least I tried.

But he did hear me. He completely pushed off of me and sat on the opposite side of the couch, against the armrest. His hands waved through his hair as he focused on the ground, almost glaring at it.

When he didn't question me, I figured it was better to rip the bandaid off. "I kissed that Ben kid." At first, I wasn't sure if he heard me. He sat there silently, burning holes into the ground. "It's really not what you think though."

"Please explain," he pleaded, looking at me with soft eyes. He sounded so vulnerable. It was then that I realized it was smarter to tell him while he was drunk than sober. If he was in his right mind, he wouldn't hear my side of the argument and probably go straight to Ben's house to kill him.

Not that I'd mind.

I nodded and sat up, staying on my end of the couch. "Look, so you know Ben and I had our... differences. Well, he grabbed me in the hall-"

"He grabbed you?!" He was fuming. Oops.

"-he grabbed me in the hall but I was running away from Dylan, so I had to go, right? But the bastard wasn't letting go so I did the next best thing and kissed him so my face would be hidden." As I retold the story, I realized that maybe my actions weren't the most logical. "Okay, that does sound a little dumb, but you know me! I'm dumb when I'm impulsive. Plus I wasn't really thinking about the consequences. It seemed like a good idea at the time. And it worked. Dylan didn't see me."

He stared at me, like he was trying to determine whether I was really telling the truth.

"Look, I know it was a super stupid instinct to have, but you wouldn't love me if I were smart. I add spice to your life," I added, hoping to convince him. It truly had no other intentions behind it. Ben was the last person I'd want to kiss.

The corners of his lips slightly quirked and I knew I broke him. He dramatically sighed and scooted closer. "You really do."

I jutted my lip into a pout. "I'm so sorry, forgive me?" I folded my hands in a pleading manner.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed my hands, pushing them down. "I forgave you five minutes ago."

I squealed and threw my arms around his neck. He wavered, almost losing his balance, before hugging me back. His chuckles rumbled through his body, warming my heart.

Not being able to hold off on my teasing nature, I pulled back and looked at him. "Man, you're really whipped."

He playfully rolled his eyes and pushed a palm to my forehead, making me fall on my back. "I am."

I ignored the butterflies and grinned like an idiot.

I sat up and gave him a serious look. "Now, what should we do? I can sense you sobering up."

He accusingly narrowed his eyes at me. "Are you trying to take advantage of me?"

"No!" I gasped, even though I knew he was joking. "Shut up."

"Make me," he smirked. What a cliche line! When he saw I made no movements, he deadpanned. "This is when you kiss me."

I thoughtfully tapped my chin. "Hm... nope. I'm not trying to take advantage of you."

His eyes widened as he realized his words backfired. "Wait, no! You can take advantage of me! I'm giving you permission!" I looked up at his boyish face. He was genuinely panicked that I was over him.

Oh, how he thought it was that easy. I couldn't get over him for eight freaking months, what made him think I wanted to stop now?

"You know, you're really pretty when you're thinking," he said, the panic being taken over by lust. He slowly inched forward and I took that as my cue to escape. I jumped off the couch as he got a faceful of the couch cushion.

I manically laughed and ran away from him. Once he came to, he hopped off and chased me. His long legs gave him an advantage and he quickly snaked an arm around my waist. Flush against his chest, I felt his rapid heartbeat.

Sometimes I forgot that he felt the same way I did. Having these little reminders helped me realize he was a human too.

I turned in his arms to face him. The hungry look on his face hadn't faltered yet.

Enjoying the chase, I took a step back. He took one forward, decreasing the distance between us. Once again, I stepped back and continued until I was against the wall. He put one hand on each side of my head, trapping me.

He ducked his head down to my ear. "You have no idea how much I've missed you." His hot breath fanned against my skin. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up from the intimate act.

His lips nibbled on my earlobe, making me unexpectedly moan. I had never thought my ears could get such a reaction out of me. It felt weird to think about, but I also wanted him to do it again.

He slowly trailed his mouth down my jaw to my collar bone. He pushed into me, trying to eliminate any space we had between us. My hands, which were firmly resting on his chest, decided to slip under his shirt and feel up his abs. They were definitely more defined. His muscles tightened under my touch and I tried not to triumphantly smirk. I felt smug to know I had an effect on him.

I continued tracing the outline of his six-pack as he got to the curve on my neck. I shuddered as he lightly bit down, sure to leave a mark. I didn't care though. I wanted everyone to know I was his.

He kissed across the exposed skin on my chest, then followed the same path up to my other ear. I moaned as his lips planted hot kisses on every inch of my skin. His lips found mine again and I didn't waste any time opening my mouth to give him full access. My hips grinded against his and he stiffened, releasing a moan from the back of his throat.

God, I missed him.

He took this as a chance to intensify the kiss. He brought his hands to the back of my thighs, pushing them up so I could wrap my legs around him. I circled my arms around his neck and jumped. He carried me, releasing another throaty groan.

Then, he did the unexpected. I thought he'd lead me upstairs and we'd have to stop before it got too far. I wasn't about to have sex with him while he was drunk, no matter how coherent he was. But instead, he spun me around.

"Dean," I giggled as I pulled away. My heart was doing gymnastics in my chest, in the best way possible.

I looked down to see his lazy smile. "Arabella, you make me so happy."

My heart wanted to explode from the cuteness. Never had I thought I'd find someone who was so closed-off with the world, yet had a soft spot for me. He never failed to let me know how important I was to him, no matter how vulnerable it made him seem. I mentally smacked myself for pushing him away when I felt insecure.

"You make me happy, too," I smiled, cupping his cheeks. He gently let me down until I was on my own two feet, but his hold didn't loosen. I softly kissed him, hoping he'd feel all the emotions I was feeling. "I missed you so much. I'm sorry for being distant lately."

"I missed you more."

~~~

After hours of making out, snacking, and a short nap, Dean was finally sober. Since we had just napped, neither of us were tired enough to sleep. We did a couple of laps around the block with Ryder to tucker him out, then came back inside before it got too dark.

"You wanna get ready for bed?" I asked, even though I knew we wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon. He nodded and I grabbed his hand, tugging him toward my room. I casually opened the door and went inside, straight to my closet.

I didn't realize Dean wasn't next to me until I heard him gasp. I poked my head out of the closet and saw him standing in the doorway, looking at the sight.

My room was completely redecorated. I figured it wasn't a big deal, but he obviously thought differently.

"Arabella... this is... wow," he said. His eyes were soaking in every detail. I went back into my closet and picked out a pair of shorts and tank top to sleep in. After changing, I went back out to him eyeing my picture wall. I hung every single polaroid I've taken on a single wall with the intent to fill it up. I was only halfway done.

I quietly took a seat on my bed and pulled out my laptop to watch Netflix or something.

He turned around and looked at me, pointing to a specific picture. "When was this? How did I not notice this?" I got off my bed and walked up to him. The picture he was talking about was of him and I at Mel's diner. It was one of the last days we hung out, where I made him spill all of his secrets. The picture is of when Dylan had pushed him against me and we both fell to the floor. He was looking down at me with a loving smile and I had the same expression.

Dylan. I was missing him so much. If it was only about the fact that he threw those hurtful words around, I would have forgiven him by now. But all this new Emma drama was still fresh in my mind and I wasn't sure I could forgive him for this.

"Jaz took it." I smiled at the distinct memory.

Dean was looking at me. His gaze swept over my face. "You're sad."

"I miss Dylan," I admitted. "Do you want something to change into? I think I have a pair of your sweatpants somewhere."

His brows furrowed in confusion. "Why do you...?"

For some reason, I felt embarrassed that I kept his clothes, even if it wasn't that weird. Ignoring the blush creeping up my neck, I explained. "Um, there was that one time where I came over after a rainstorm and you gave me your clothes to borrow. I never had the chance to return them so they're sitting in the bottom of my drawer." The last part was a lie. I often pulled out his clothes to get a whiff of him, so they weren't actually at the bottom of my drawer. In fact, they were hanging somewhere in the closet so my scent wouldn't taint his. Sure, it was a little creepy, but he didn't need to know that.

His eyes widened as he recalled the day. "Right! I totally remember that day. Man, that was fun," he softly chuckled.

I felt the opposite. "Fun? It was tense as hell," I reminded him.

Something flashed through his eyes, but he didn't comment. Instead, he simply headed toward the bed. I furrowed my brows, realizing he never answered my question about clothing. But all thoughts were lost as he shrugged off his jacket and tossed it on the small couch that sat in the corner of my room. Then he pulled his shirt over his head, flexing his biceps as he did.

My eyes immensely wandered to his distinct abs. For some crazy reason, I had the urge to lick the crevices on his well-defined torse.

Is it getting hot in here?

I subtly wiped the corners of my mouth to ensure no drool escaped.

"I'll take the sweatpants," he finally said, dropping his shirt where his jacket laid. I tried to hide my disappointment as I went to grab his clothes. In the confines of my closet, I openly scowled at the fact that he'd be wearing pants. I wouldn't mind if he slept in only his boxers.

Okay, perv.

Rolling my eyes at myself, I grabbed the pants and brought them out, chucking them at his head. His instincts were quick and he grabbed it before they could touch his pretty face. Then, he raised his brows at me.

"What?"

He gave me a flat look. "Turn around."

I rolled my eyes. "If you're that worried, change in the bathroom." I was aware I was being a little hypocritical, especially considering I didn't change in front of him. At least I had the decency to change in the closet instead of demanding him to leave.

"Oh, I don't mind. I was just warning you for your sake," he smirked before playing with the waistband of his pants.

I brought my gaze back to my laptop. "Don't let me stop you," I distractedly mumbled, scanning through the possible movies to watch. When I heard a zipper, my eyes snapped up to him. I wasn't about to miss out on a live version of Magic Mike.

"Aha!" Dean exclaimed, meeting my eyes. Busted. "I knew you'd look."

In order to save my honor, I defended myself even though it was exactly what I was doing. "Well, actually, I was looking up to see the clock behind you." I pointed to the decor on my wall to add to my point.

He wasn't convinced. "Clock? Or cock?" With the amusement twinkling in his eyes, I could tell he was proud of that one. "And there's a clock on your laptop. You know, you should at least think of believable lies."

My face slightly reddened. I disguised my embarrassment with annoyance and chucked a pillow at him. "Shut up."

He barked out a laugh and caught the pillow. "You know, maybe I will change in the bathroom." He tossed the pillow back on the bed and made his way to my en-suite.

"Good!" I lamely called out before he closed the door.

Clock? Out of all the things I could say, that's what I went with? What an idiot.

The door clicked open and Dean walked out in his half-naked glory. The gray sweatpants laid low on his waist, showing his v-line and the beginnings of his happy trail. My eyes almost wandered a little lower, but a pair of slim fingers snapped in my face. "My eyes are up here."

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled, avoiding his eyes. I was a little surprised at my horny thoughts. Maybe it was because I was so sure I wouldn't be a virgin by now, or maybe Dean's presence just made me want to catch up on the past months. Either way, my dirty mind was surprising me more and more each day.

I felt the bed dip as he got in on the other side. Before I could put on a movie, he gently shut off the laptop and set it on the bedside table. I gave him a curious look. He replied by holding his arm out for me to cuddle.

Shrugging, I snuggled into him. We were both sitting upright with the blanket pooling around our waists. I rested my head on his chest, subtly breathing in his scent.

"Now, talk to me. What's going on?" he asked, stroking my hair.

And then I went into a full-on rant. I knew I could trust Dean. He wouldn't be forced to pick a side in all the drama. "Well, first of all, Andrew and Jasmine forgave Dylan, so I'm left with fewer people on my side."

"Hold on, shouldn't you be happy they forgave him?"

"No, because I need them on my side for this next thing. At the party, I went upstairs and found Emma and Dylan making out, sober. That implies they've been doing it for a while. It makes sense because she was acting a little weird, but I didn't think too much of it."

"Okay, so Dylan and Emma are a thing now. What's the problem?"

I sighed. "Well, first of all, Will is still hopelessly in love with her, even if they're fighting. He only does it to get some type of reaction from her. Emma... well she seems hurt about the 'cheating' incident. She isn't letting it go so easily, but I can tell she still has feelings for Will too."

He nodded, processing all the information.

"But I know Dylan and I have warned him countless times to stay away from her. He's slept with her before and he's a little obsessed. Now, if I knew it was romantic, I would have supported him. But I know it's pure lust. When Will finds out about this, it's going to strain everyone's relationship in the group. And I can't tell him. I can't tell him that his lover is screwing his best friend. Yet, the guilt of not telling him is eating me alive."

"So that's why you're mad at Dylan?"

"Dylan and Emma, yes. I've been avoiding both of them, but it's only time until the guilt kills me or they will."

"Geez Bella, that's a lot to deal with alone. Why didn't you tell me?"

I couldn't meet him in the eyes. The guilt for not coming to him was piling on, only adding to the list of things I felt shitty about. "I'm sorry. You just seemed out of it this week." With Skylar.

He didn't question it, thankfully. "So, basically, if Dylan openly pursues Emma, the whole group will collapse?"

I nodded. "Yes. Will will be mad at Dylan, Emma, and maybe even me for keeping it a secret. Jasmine will be forced to choose sides with Emma or Will, and I'll be alone."

"You'll have me," he whispered, playing with my fingers.

My heart glowed at the reassurance. "Thank you," I whispered. "So that's why I'm pissed at Dylan."

"I think you should talk to him about it," he mumbled as if he was afraid of my reaction. But he was only saying what I already knew.

I sadly sighed and leaned more into him. "I know, but I don't think he really knows about the consequences of his actions and I don't want to argue with him if it's futile. I can't be friends with him if he constantly sabotages the people around him."

With the arm around me, Dean pulled me closer. I comfortably shifted so I was nuzzled into his chest.

"I know you miss him."

"I do," I whispered, almost tearing up. "I miss him so much."