Song for chapter thirty four: Crowded Room by Selena Gomez

|Skyler|

"I can't believe you're here!" the girl giggled when she finally let go of Aden. "I mean it's been like two years since I last saw you."

She flipped her wavy blonde hair over her shoulders, just about whacking Ryan in the face —who took a step back, irritated. Josie looked just as confused as I did. I looked at Aden, who just seemed perplexed before his face broke out into a smile that matched hers.

"McKenna?" Aden's eyes lit up in recognition. "I didn't know you came back."

"Yeah, just got back last night. My exchange program ended about a month ago," she explained and I didn't miss how Ryan rolled his eyes all the way to the back of his head. "You're looking great, it's really been way too long." She placed her hand on Aden's arm.

I looked past McKenna to Josie, who was staring at me with both confusion and irritation. Yeah, same.

She turned around her back facing Aden and her smile immediately dropped from her face, "Ryan, nice to see you too." Ryan only returned with a smile, that came out more like a grimace. She failed to even acknowledge Josie.

McKenna eyes trailed down to where Aden's hand was still connected to mine and I could've sworn I saw a flash of emotion across her eyes. It lasted only a split second before a large Cheshire smile spread over her lips again.

She looked at me, "I don't think we've ever met before."

"This is my girlfriend, Skyler. Skyler this is Mckenna, an old friend of mine," Aden looked between McKenna and I. He pulled me closer to him with an arm around my waist.

"Oh yeah we go way back," she emphasized, sliding her hand down Aden's arm again. "It's so nice to meet you, we should all get a drink together."

"Yeah that'd be great," Aden agreed as we made our way to the kitchen. Ryan had already disappeared with Josie, and I was bummed that they didn't stick around. For once I needed their company.

McKenna poured herself a drink, mixing in vodka and coke in her cup. She glanced over at Aden. "Don't worry, I know you don't drink," she smirked at him. "What about you?" she turned to me, holding out a cup.

I shook my head, "No, I'm good too."

"Suit yourself, I know how to have fun," she shrugged as she gulped down her drink.

"Don't worry, I'll keep my promise," I smirked at Aden. "That was me from another time, I'm more responsible now."

"I'll believe it when I see it Clumsy," Aden held in his laughter as he handed me a water bottle. I took it in my hands, turning around to see McKenna eyeing us over her cup.

She placed it onto the table, "Seriously though, it's so weird seeing you again Aden, it feels like forever ago when I left, and even longer the last time we went out together." She turned her attention to Aden, her backside just about facing me.

"Oh yeah, I remember, we went to get ice cream the day before you left," Aden nodded.

McKenna bursted out laughing as if going to get ice cream was the funniest thing ever, "And you ordered three scoops that fell over to the ground immediately after you licked it once. You never change Aden." She brushed her hand over Aden's as she giggled. "Oh or that one time on the playground when I twisted my ankle, and you had to carry me home."

"All because you tried to stick your landing jumping from a swing mid air, just to prove you could do it," he chuckled, shaking his head at her. "And you really couldn't do it."

"Oh what can I say, maybe I am just clumsy. I know you've got a thing for that," she brushed her shoulders against his.

"Yeah maybe I do," Aden looked at me, his lips spreading into a crooked smile that I returned with a sheepish one, feeling my cheeks warm yet again. Nate, who stood in the living room waved to Aden, calling out his name. "I'll be right back." he planted a quick kiss onto my temple as I nodded and walked out of the kitchen.

When he disappeared from view, I turned to see McKenna watching me intently, her face was flushed, her lips flat. In a flash, her lips twitched upwards in a grin again as she propped herself against the table behind us. She snatched her cup again.

"So how long have you and Aden been together?" she asked, raising the cup to her lips.

"Not long, just a week," I responded, clutching the water bottle tighter in my hands. There was something about McKenna that had me on edge, even though I couldn't quite out my finger on it.

"Oh, how cute," she cooed, even though her tone disagreed with the statement.

"Yeah, Aden and I go waaay back," she leaned in closer towards me, so close I could just about smell the vodka in her breath. "I know everything about him."

Yes, I know you both do. You've said it just about a thousand times.

"We had some fun times together, especially in eighth grade, if you know what I mean," she giggled. I blinked at her for a short moment, before forcing a chuckle out of myself.

"Yeah, totally. I get it," I swallowed hard, glancing around the living room. By gods grace, I spotted Ryan and Josie near the couch, dancing with each other. "You'll have to excuse me for a second." I gave McKenna one last forced smile before making a beeline towards Ryan and Josie, weaving past dancing teenagers who were already tipsy.

Josie stopped dancing and turned to look at me right as I approached them.

"Where's Aden?" Ryan asked, swishing a can of beer in his hand.

"With Nate," I nodded across the living room where he was standing with Nate some other guys from the soccer team who I didn't know.

"Who's McKenna?" I turned back to Ryan. "I mean, other than the fact that they go way back." I wanted to roll my eyes at that statement. I'd heard it like three times in the past fifteen minutes.

"Some girl out for your man that's who," Josie said lowly and I gave her a look. "What? It's true, if it's one thing a girl can tell it's that."

"No, definitely not," Ryan butted in, also shooting Josie a look. "Aden and McKenna are old friends. She went away to Spain as an exchange student. Can you imagine being rich? It's all her grandfathers money though I heard and God knows what they did to get that rich—"

"Ryan, we don't care about her assets. Whats with her and Aden?" Josie interrupted him, eyebrows raised.

Ryan shrugged, "She used to be in love with Aden, but I'm sure she isn't anymore. Like come on, she's been away for two years and he was clear that he only liked her as a friend, though she never actually got the hint about that. She doesn't even go to Cypress High."

"Buddy," Josie placed a hand on Ryan's shoulder, her lips pouting slightly. "You really are clueless," she sounded like she pitied him. "Now, go grab some more drinks for us," she shoved him a little.

"Okay fine. Jeez," Ryan rolled his eyes, disappearing behind the crowd on the way to the kitchen. Josie looked at me, an eyebrow raised as soon as Ryan was out of the earshot.

"It's really not a big deal. I trust Aden," I told her.

"Yeah I know you do," she said it as if it were the most obvious thing ever. "But do you trust her?"

I opened my mouth and shut it again, my mind completely blank at that thought. I didn't know because I didn't even know McKenna.

"Hey," Aden appeared next to me, pushing McKenna completely out of my mind. He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and pulled me closer to him.

Ryan appeared a moment later, holding two cups in his hands. He handed one to Josie. "Mostly vodka, but I added some coke so it doesn't taste as bad."

Josie took it in her hands and dumped the liquid within her mouth, downing it all in one go along with Ryan. She tossed the empty cup aside moments later. "Come on let's dance."

She dragged Ryan to the centre of the living room. He stumbled behind her, choking on the drink he was still pouring into his mouth.

They disappeared behind the large crowds of kids as I watched as their lips connected, all dancing to a rap song I'd never heard of.

"Drinking really does bring the fun in parties," Aden sighed, probably feeling burdened by the fact that he was the designated driver.

"We do not need alcohol to have fun," I countered, pulling on his arm as I dragged him deeper to the living room, where the music was on full blast. The rap music blasted from the speakers, and I moved my body with it even though I was completely off beat, twisting, turning, switching hands and changing sides with Aden.

"Come on Aden, dance with me," I laughed as I swung our hands back and forth.

"I don't dance," he shouted through the music and I pretended not to hear it. He stood there at first as I moved around him, before he sighed, finally giving in.

He danced along with me, with less enthusiasm. "I feel really stupid," he hung his head back, smiling, but contrary to his words I knew from his laughs and grins that he was enjoying it. We must have looked like idiots considering the fact that we were both completely sober with no skills at all in dancing, but at least everyone else was too drunk to notice or care.

As we got more comfortable, all sense of insecurity and judgement was thrown away. Aden's hands began moving along my body, trailing down to my backside and back up along my spine, leaving a trail of heated tingles wherever he touched. With a sudden burst of confidence, I reached under his shirt, tracing my fingers over his toned body and his muscles clenched from my touch.

"Let's get out of the living room," I stepped onto my tip toes and whispered into his ear. There was really no point in telling him because I wrapped my hand over his arm, dragging him with me as I weaved around the crowds and opened the door into a random bedroom without waiting for an answer.

"Wait not this one, this is Nate's sister's room," Aden pulled me to the room across the hall, shutting the door behind him.

I didn't even have time to take in my surroundings or adjust my eyes to the darkness because without warning, he pressed his lips onto mine, muffling my surprised cry. A surge of scalding heat coursed through my body. I sighed into his mouth, mimicking his gentle motions.

"Wait, how's your bruise?" he breathed as he skimmed his fingers lightly over my abdomen. The bruise throbbed faintly from his touch, but it was easily ignorable.

"It's fine," I panted.

"Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you by accident," his eyebrows creased together and I felt my heart turn to mush.

"I'm sure," I responded in a soft tone as I got onto my tip of my toes, pressing a light kiss on his cheek.

"Good," he murmured. In an instant, he crashed his lips into mine again as he picked me up. My legs wrapped around his waist as he set us down onto the bed, him on top of me.

His hands travelled up my leg and brushed against my inner thighs, stopping at my backside; I suppressed a moan. I brought my hand around his neck, toying with the hair on the nape of his neck. His mouth parted slightly and I lightly touched his tongue with mine, a low groan escaping from his mouth. Heated chills raced through my veins from the contact and I felt the warmth all the way down to my stomach.

My hands disappeared slightly underneath the waistband of his boxers. Crackles of electricity spread between us and within the tiny space between our bodies as Aden moved his lips roughly against mine. He slipped his hand under my bra strap and all of my senses disappeared.

I tugged at the waistband of his pants, annoyed that he was still wearing it. I fumbled with the belt over his waist, trying to loosen it when Aden broke away from the kiss, his hand on mine.

"Not now, Clumsy," he breathed, panting.

"Why not? I've done this before, it's not that big of a deal for me," I almost groaned out in annoyance.

"Yeah and so have I, but not at a party," he gazed deep in my eyes, his own eyes glazed over, cheeks flushed.

"Did I do something wrong?" I sat up. bracing myself with my elbows on the bed.

Aden smiled, planting a long kiss onto my forehead. "Of course not."

"You don't want me like that?" I looked away from Aden, suddenly embarrassed that I'd been so forward without asking him what he wanted. Aden took my hand in one of his and placed it on his chest and I could feel the rapid pumping of his heart, and the heat that emanated from there underneath my hand.

"Trust me, I want you like that more than anything," he squeezed my hand tighter, a soft expression plastered on his face. "Believe me I've wanted it with you for a long time. This is just not the right place. Our first time together will be more special."

I melted into his words, feeling my heart turn into mush and my lips twitched upwards a little. "You're right. I'm just being crazy."

"I tend to have that effect on you," I could see his smirk, faintly in the dark. I giggled, shaking my head.

"No—"

He leaned down, his lips cutting off my words as they cupped mine. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer, and that was enough to send me into oblivion again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hope you liked this chapter! No smut!! Please do vote, comment and share if you liked this!

And McKenna, what a handful.

Also, I do have another storyline in mind for a new book, but it won't be released until about May of 2021. It'll be more original and in the New Adult genre (of course its romance as well). Would you guys be interested?

~SweetnessInTheSalt