“Why are you sitting over here like a social outcast?”
The sound of Ashlyn’s voice caused me to crack a smile. My arms shot out and she yelped as I pulled her onto my lap, and she immediately wrapped her arms around my neck and fell into my chest. To an outsider we would look like a couple simply snuggling on the couch together but this was just us. The closeness that we shared was what kept us together, it kept the strength of our friendship alive, a friendship that had been built on heartbreak that we both suffered and heartbreak that we helped each other get through.
“I am trying to stay away from Eden,” I admitted sheepishly.
“It’s not working though?”
“I just told her that I preferred brunettes and that if she dyed her hair blond, I’d make a fucking exception for her.” I groaned at the stupidity of my statement.
Ashlyn’s laughter spun around us grabbing everyone’s attention. My eyes instantly fled to the kitchen where Josh and Eden both stood watching us. Josh knew all about my friendship with Ashlyn and simply shook his head dismissively at the scene and turned back to his conversation with a guy I recognized from college while Eden continued watching Ashlyn and I closely.
“I never thought I’d be in this position again,” I admitted still locked on Eden’s eyes. She broke contact and turned back toward Josh and his friend and I turned back to Ashlyn. “It’s killing me Ash. The words are sitting on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t risk saying everything I want to because I know what would happen.”
Ashlyn’s face fell at my words, and she was hit by a storm of her own emotions as she glanced over at Eden. “I fucking hate secrets.”
“Me too Ash, me too,” I replied with all sincerity.
Ashlyn climbed off my lap, kissed my forehead and disappeared back into the kitchen. I kept to myself, talking to those who came to me but wanting to sit on my own while the party continued around me. Later that night, I stood in the bathroom looking at my reflection in the mirror. I had just escaped the craziness of the party for a couple of minutes of peace and now as I stared back at myself I tried to think of a scenario that would allow me to disappear to my apartment.
The door burst open breaking my peace. I shot a furious look into the mirror directed squarely at the intruder who dared to shatter my solitude, but the moment my eyes met Ashlyn’s panicked washed face in the mirror, my fury floated away, only to be replaced with unease. I knew immediately that something wasn’t right, and it unleashed panic within me. She rushed into the room completely oblivious to what she could actually be walking in to and grabbed my arm, tugging me toward the door in desperation. “Chris just turned up completely uninvited, and he’s found Eden.”
Hearing his name fall from Ashlyn’s lips pissed me off. Why the fuck was he here? Actually I knew why he was here, and it had everything to do with Eden and everything to do with fucking with my head. I didn’t get hesitate for a second. I stormed out of the bathroom with Ashlyn in tow and rushed through Josh’s apartment in search of Eden.
Chris had her body pinned up against the bar by his and his hands were cupping her face, forcing her to look at him. Eden’s eyes met mine over his shoulder as I sprinted across the room toward her and safety flashed within them. The moment I reached him my protective instincts took over. I tore at the back of his shirt, ripping his body away from hers. My hand encased his throat as I pushed him violently up against the wall, with such force that one of Josh’s pieces of art rattled against the grey wall and fell to the ground below.
“How many fucking times do I have to warn you? Stay the fuck away from her and keep your hands to yourself. When will you understand that she is mine?” I hissed with stern warning, pushing harder against his throat until his face started flaming red and his attempts at breath were cut off.
The smirk that crossed his face wasn’t missed. His eyes glided between me and Eden with such intrigue and intent to shock and destroy. I witnessed the exact moment realization hit him. If wickedness had a face it was now taunting me and loving every single fucking part of it. “Does she know?” Chris choked out with a spiteful tongue.
My body froze, but the pressure of my hand on his throat didn’t diminish. He and I were both aware that he was holding all the power in the palm of his hands, but I refused to give him the opportunity to speak any further.
“Shut your fucking mouth,” Josh warned beside me. “Who the fuck invited you here? You are not welcome here or anywhere near me, Ky, Eden, or Ashlyn, do you fucking hear me? Get the fuck out of here before you regret stepping foot into my house.”
“Ky,” Eden’s soft, pleading voice hit my ears full force. I had completely forgotten anyone else was in the room. I tore my eyes from Chris’s reddening face and found Eden’s apprehensive gaze looking back at me.
I released my grip on his throat, and he gasped for a much needed breath. My arm found Eden’s waist, and I pulled her close to my body, and she came willingly. “Come with me,” I breathed into her ear.
I pulled her away from Chris who was still spitting insults and with my arm still firmly placed around her waist I headed toward the opposite side of Josh’s apartment. I knew I had grabbed every single person’s attention with my outburst but right now I didn’t give a fuck. My attention was completely on the girl who now stood in front of me, her back up against the grey painted walls. Her eyes widened as I stepped into her space and wrapped my arms around her waist resting my hands on her lower back.
“We are acting remember. This is simply chapter two of me being a knight in shining armor.”
“Okay Ky.” She inhaled sharply and her hands gripped the front of my shirt.
I leaned toward her until my forehead rested against hers. My arms tightened so she fell against my chest, my arms cocooning her tightly. Our breath bounced of each other’s lips and even though our lips weren’t touching it was the most intense moment I had shared with someone and I knew all eyes were on us.
“I never imagined our first kiss would be because we had to pretend,” I whispered hoarsely. “There is not going to be anything perfect, spectacular, or spontaneous about this, and I fucking hate that.”
She opened her blue eyes and looked directly at me without an ounce of fear swimming before me. It made me breathe a sigh of relief but it also unleashed a torrent of confusion.
“This is the second time I’ve pulled you away like a caveman stating that you are mine so I need to make it realistic Eden. You have about ten seconds to say no before I kiss you.”
“I…..Yes.”
“Come with me,” I said for the second time in the space of five minutes. My hands fell from her waist and grabbed her hand. She didn’t falter. We fell into silence as I clutched her hand obsessively and headed toward the large sliding door that led to Josh’s balcony. It was freezing cold, but I didn’t want our first kiss to be up against a wall in my brother’s apartment while strangers watched on with gawking eyes. I knew we were now only being watched by three people; Josh, Ashlyn, and Chris. I slid open the door and nodded out onto the tiled floor which housed a BBQ, two lounging chairs, and a glass table.
“It’s freezing,” she hissed, her teeth chattering and her arms going protectively around her waist to try and gain some much needed warmth as I followed her out and shut the glass door behind us.