Hearing a scoff coming from Shoshanna and the words, “Of course,” I find myself beaming now.
Nina picks up a little bottle of liquor and smiles at me, her eyes somehow both coy and bold. “I dare you to drink the rest of this vodka.”
“Vodka?” I say with a smirk. Glancing at the white liquor, I try not to cringe, not being a vodka guy really. Whiskey is what I was brought up on. I spare a glance at Shoshanna, who looks five shades of red; I love those colours on her cheeks. “Where are your folks again?”
“They are out of town, but don’t get any ideas. Akila is upstairs with her boyfriend.”
“Out of town a lot, aren’t they?” I ask, tilting my head, catching her eyes in mine, wanting to study all the different colours of orange and amber in them. A flame. I see embers and sparks and she’s just. . .fuck.Beautiful. I think about the first time we met, two weeks ago. Remembering her house party, a chaotic collection of morons and adolescents, and then her. . . young and alone. Trying to study.
My jaw tics.
I suddenly don’t like that she is alone here despite the access it gives me to her. Actually, the thought seems to torch something in my guts, a deep internal boiling. It is just bubbling right now, but it’s enough for her to shuffle on the carpet, so she must see my agitation. With my stare still locked on hers, I study her expression. She glances away as if holding my gaze is hard or uncomfortable. Am I scowling? I know I’m only fourteen; that fact is drilled into me on the daily. What do I know about responsibility? But I do know this. . . I know that a man needs to be present.
I know this to the depths of my marrow.
He needs to look after his family. Watch them. That is a fucking truth. If I had a sister, she’d never be left alone. I barely want to leave my little brothers in that fucking house without me. Something dark wraps around me and I feel uncomfortable, like I’m on the edge of losing time. . ."Your daddy leaves you alone a lot, baby."
She blinks a few times, as if considering her response.
Reaching for the vodka bottle, I chug it down. As the liquor slides down my throat, it leaves a scorching trail in its wake, but I’m intent on getting my turn.
I place the empty glass bottle down beside me. The girls are all staring at me wide-eyed, as if I did something more impressive than just down the remaining third of a bottle.
“My turn,” I say with a grin, focusing on the prettiest girl in the room. She still hasn’t sat down, standing and staring at me as if I’m the thing causing her discomfort. I suppose I am. That’s not my intention. “Shoshanna. Truth or dare?”
Her eyes stay locked on mine, challenging me with their unwavering attention. “Dare.”
“Kiss me.”
“Truth then.”
“Are your folks gone a lot?”
She breathes out fast.
“I don’t want to play,” she states, still holding my gaze but letting a bit of confidence slip away like a leaf in autumn, unable to fight the effect nature has on it.
“I’ll kiss you,” I hear someone say from beside me, but I can’t pull my eyes from Shoshanna as she shifts her glare to her friend.
I can feel the girl’s eyes on my profile.
See Shoshanna’s on her’s.
Quickly and without further thought, I turn to the redhead and mash our mouths together. She squeals in excitement as I cup her cheeks and deepen our kiss. Her lips fumble on mine in her inexperience, and it’s adorable. She tastes like lollies. Just when I close my eyes, I’m dragged off her by someone not nearly as strong as they think they are. They pull at my collar, a fistful of my shirt in their hand.
I crack up laughing as my girl drags me from the room with an admonishing growl. I follow willingly, of course, letting her pull me by the shirt to the room at the end of the hallway, unable to stop laughing.
“Someone playing with your toy, baby?” I say, still laughing so hard. She slams her bedroom door, closing us both inside. Her room is decorated in purples and greys and, as I expected, it’s tidy to the point of perfection. She has a light grey bedspread with silver, glittery flower patterns all over it. A floor to ceiling window beside her desk looks out over the pool that I first kissed her beside. . . Oh, and that I nearly drowned in. Good times. When she turns to face me, my sides stitch up at the sight of her brat-like scowl.
“Kiss me!” she bites out.
My smile falls.
With quick strides, I’m upon her with my lips on her lips and my tongue demanding entry into her mouth. I’ve already kissed a lot of girls, but never for anything more than fun. Never a girl I wanted to date. When she doesn’t push away but instead brings her dainty hands up to my chest, stroking the spot where my heart shudders like a bird in a cage, I groan through the sensation her affection gives me. I walk her backwards.
The backs of her knees hit the mattress, buckling her legs and breaking our kiss for a brief moment. Eager and desperate, I’m on her again before she can take a breath, manoeuvring us both up the bed until we are comfortably lying beside each other. I slow our kiss down, enjoying the gentleness of her lips as they learn how to move against mine.
She is sweet. In my arms. Not sure where that brat has gone, but she’s not nervously stroking my chest and kissing me willingly with her eyes closed. Her lips are good. Really good. I hope she hasn’t had much practise at this with other guys. The thought alone makes my insides boil again.