“Rosa, I was upfront with you. I told you that I would never want anything serious. You knew that.”
“I didn’t know that at all! Just because you’ve said it, doesn’t make it real. We have a connection…”
“No, Rosa. We don’t. I’ve had an actual connection with someone before and it doesn’t feel like this.”
I clutch my hands to my chest, allowing happiness to circle me. He has to mean me with that one because I haven’t ever felt anything like that before. I know I’m not as experienced as him, but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand what’s going on. There’s no way that chemical bond isn’t real. It’s everything.
Finally, after a while the shouting dies down and I get the sense that Rosa is finally leaving. I think Brandon has called her a cab and he’s sending her away. Thank God! I hope that means Zane isn’t going with her.
I scoot back from the door, press my back by the wall at the bottom of the stairs, and I wait. It takes a while, by the time the door swings open again my heart is in my mouth. I can barely control myself. I feel like it might just burst out of my throat at any given moment. I see Brandon, then Zane… and he looks incredible.
Zane’s eyes are drawn towards me, it’s almost as if the magnetic force is at work again. I give him a weak smile but I feel all strange inside. I want to grab onto him, I want to hold him and beg him to be mine, but I can’t. I need to try and be patient just a little while longer. Right now, he’s with Brandon.
Right, I tell myself decisively. Get back to the party. Act normally. Just wait.
The thing is, I know that Zane is worth waiting for. I’ve spent my whole life waiting for him, ever since my hormones came into play, and now that I’ve had a little piece of the pie I can continue to wait. I just need to hold it together. I suck in a couple of deep breaths, I do what I can to get my head on straight, and I wonder back into the living room where everyone is gathered. The room is full, but still, all I can feel is him.
I make my way over to the drinks table, needing something to calm me down. I definitely don’t want a beer this time, I want something cool and non-alcoholic to sort me out. Zane and Brandon are over by the table, but it’s okay, I can just avoid them as much as possible. I’m not concerned about them…
“Hey, Leah,” Brandon calls out to me, making my eyes fall to the ground. “How’s it going?”
“Yeah, good.” My tone is strained, my whole body is tense. I have the funny feeling that mine and Brandon’s relationship will get even worse after this. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Oh yeah, I am. This is the best party ever.” If I’m honest, he sounds drunk but I can’t look at him. I can’t meet Zane’s eyes in front of him. “Where’s your friend?”
I could tell him the truth, but it’s my get out clause. “I’m going to find her now. You… continue to have some fun and I’ll see you later.”
“You don’t want to stay and have a drink with us? Come on, little sis, it’ll be fun.”
I shake my head and force myself to get sucked in by the crowd a little bit. “I’ll see you later on. Mandi is waiting. I’ll see you in a bit, okay?”
Zane might know that I’m lying, but he’ll also understand why. Surely, he knows that I can’t just act normally in front of my brother. Not after what just happened. Everything is different now. I just hope it’s different in a good way…
Chapter Ten – Zane
It takes a long time before I can get Leah alone again. Unfortunately, the party and Brandon’s need for me means I don’t get a moment alone to seek her out again. Damn Rosa ruined things for me. But she’s there all the time, I can sense her everywhere. It’s almost as if everyone else isn’t in the room at all, they’re all just noise. It’s only Leah and me. The magnets are dragging us towards one another all over again.
By the time I get Brandon rolled into bed, knowing that he’s going to have a terrible hangover in the morning, and I wander back down to survey the mess and the stragglers left behind. The house isn’t pleasant, there is mess everywhere, but nothing seems to be broken on first sight and I’ll take that as a good sign.
“Right, everyone, you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here,” I call out in a determined tone of voice. “The birthday boy is in bed so unless you want to help with the clean-up then I suggest you go.”
“Aww, but it’s only two AM,” Sally moans in a dramatic fashion. “I’m not nearly done yet.”
“Well then get a bin liner and help pick up the mess.” I give her a very fake smile. “Or get out.”
“I don’t even clean up at my own parties. Can’t you just get a cleaner in or something?”
She’s so out of touch with the world. Would I be like that if I didn’t have Brandon? I would like to think not, but I’m not totally convinced. I don’t know myself if I could trust myself not to be a brat.
“No, Sally, we can’t. So, like I said, help or leave. That’s my final suggestion. Go or help.”
With a huff and a grumble under her breath, she takes her friends and she goes. I’m sure she’ll be bitching about me later, which isn’t surprising since I’m usually the one who wants the party all night long. But not today. Today I actually care about the house, and I also want to see if I can sneak one more moment alone with Leah. I haven’t seen her for a while but I don’t think she’s snuck off to be just yet. I hope not anyway.
Once everyone leaves, I grab a bin liner and I start picking up empty cups that are left all around the place. It’s almost an overwhelming amount, but I have to put a dent in it. I know Brandon’s mom might not like me, but I know that she works her ass off and I don’t want her to come back to this.
“Oh… you’re still here.” As I hear Leah’s voice, my heart leaps up into my throat. “You okay, Zane?”
I turn to look at her, smiling wildly as I see her. She’s gorgeous, even in her slightly tired, slightly just sexed look. All I want to do is wrap my arms around her and hold her tight. Finally, there isn’t anyone around us, and we can just be again for a little while longer. Tonight, would have been better if it was like this all the time.