He chuckled casually and leaned against my counter, hand in his casual pant pocket and a beer in his hand, looking back at my brothers and barely matching their smiles. He looked like a different man and I was dead frozen, then the outside breeze shoved me and I shut the door, startling everyone, and causing him to look at me. Just as frozen as I was a second ago.
"Hey Dye." James smiled to me and that's when Mr. Grant's eyes scanned me as if trying to figure out if I was really there or not.
"Full house, I see." I said plainly. Normally.
"How was school?" Bailey asked with a full mouth.
I didn't look at Mr. Grant or the guys and hung my bag up while I said, "Good."
Austin leaned forward on the counter and glared at me. "Well it sure did last a while."
"Leave her alone, Dye come meet a friend of ours." Chris said, nodding over to Mr. Grant.
I learned how to once again move my legs and Chris was really casual about everything, proving they knew nothing. "Diana this is Chance. Chance this is our sister, Diana."
Mr. Grant or Chance or Charlie, I was going to stick with Charlie, extended his large but gentle hand and squeezed mine in his. "Hi." I said while looking into his sizzling hot eyes and he returned my greeting in his low and mysterious voice.
But I didn't know how to feel since he lied to me. And then lied about lying. Then I learned he was friends with my brothers, and it was just so overwhelming. I didn't even know he had friends, he said he didn't hangout, so what else could he been lying to me about?
When that was quickly finished they all began another conversation. Charlie, of course, was very aware that I backed away slowly and tried to take the opportunity to sneak up the stairs and when halfway up Bailey called me down. "Ah- ah- ah!" He said. "You're not finished with punishment, remember?"
"I'm busy." I said, heading up the stairs.
"No you're not." Tyler said in monotone while bringing a beer to his lips.
"Why's that?" Austin asked, walking over to look at me from the bottom of the stair case.
"I have plans." I said passively then I turned around and I walked up the stairs.
"With who?" He asked, then I heard as he talked to James and demanded for him to talk to me.
"Why me?" James asked.
"Because she's mostly comfortable around you."
I scoffed to myself and shut out their conversation and my door, taking the book with a brown bagged cover and sitting at my desk to read, trying to do anything to get that man out of my head. It still hadn't exactly hit me that he was in my house.
There was eventually a knock at my door and I allowed him access and heard James' voice. "So D." He began, plopping onto my bed.
"So James." I said, pretending that I was distracted with a book when really my mind drove off to his warm touch. This was not the man who hated me in the beginning of the year, and I was not the same girl who only ever had urges around Andy Carl.
"Where are you going tonight?" He asked curiously.
"I'm going to a party." I said in monotone.
I heard as he sat up and propped his elbow on my bed and I turned to look at him, but then seeing James wasn't alone. My calculus teacher was standing there in my door way, then I watched as he stepped in my room. My god, it tore my nerves apart. Now that man was in my room and looked around curiously, and so casually. I actually started to believe it wasn't even him.
"Where?"
"At a friend's house." I tried my best trying to sound normal and not affected at how this brilliantly attractive man leaned against my wall and stared at me with something I couldn't comprehend. It was almost like his casualty slowly faded away, and I wanted it to come back.
"What friend?"
"Tell Austin to go home." I said and turned my face back to my book.
James sighed and flipped over on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. "He's paranoid now. Like Tyler said, you've got a rich business man wrapped around your finger."
I blushed and turned further away from him. "Oh Diana, don't be embarrassed," He chuckled and pinched my thigh like I usually did to him and I slapped his hand away, once again pretending to be distracted with my book and hoped he would go away. But part of me wanted Mr. Grant to stay and I didn't know why.
"You can sit down." I heard James casually tell him, motioning towards my bed.
He was sitting on my bed.
"What are you reading" James asked and I pretended like I didn't hear him, giving myself time to bring up a random book name.
I attempted to hurry up and say something, but two arms appeared on either side of me, making me slam the book shut from sudden fear. James' brows furrowed curiously, then he looked at me funny when I tried to casually move it to the corner of my white desk. "What are you hiding?" He then asked.
"Nothing why-"
He reached over to grab it but I immediately took it before it did, hiding it behind my back. "What the hell, Dye?" He grumbled trying to reach around me.
I shushed him, praying Austin and the others wouldn't be able to hear him. James tried reaching around again but I hopped up on my chair and held it up and away from him.
I barely noticed when Mr. Grant snatched the book from my hands and threw it to James, making my face go red in fear and my heart stop.
James stared at the brown cover for a second and I hopped down the chair as he swiftly tore off the cover and closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose for a second. "Well my god." He shook his head and I reached for it again, making him hold me back with an extended arm. He actually began to laugh, though he still looked incredably uncomfortable. "Really?" He laughed again and tossed it to Mr. Grant.
I took a long sigh and sat down on my chair and let the embarrassment come and when he looked at the book his eyes widened and he looked away awkwardly. Honestly, it wasn't that big of a deal. I was eighteen, so it shouldn't matter at all, and it was only a book.
"Well go on down, now. Big Brother is waiting." James said, heading to the door and going to the bathroom.
"Uh- James?" I said slowly and he turned around.
"Don't worry, I won't tell him." And he walked out, leaving Mr. Grant and I alone.
I turned around and looked at him. He looked right back at me with narrowed eyes. "How was your meeting?" I asked in monotone, for a second feeling like my old self who didn't show negative feelings.
Mr. Grant stopped with his stares and sighed. "I'm sorry." Was all he said and said it so meaningly, it actually took me by surprise.
But I shook it off and took a step toward him. "Can I have my book back?"
He raised a sexy eyebrow and stuffed it in his back pocket.
"That's a library book." I grumbled.
"What are you doing reading that book anyway?"
I got closer to him and reached around to his pocket. "I like to read." I said as he reached around and grabbed my hands that almost had the book. It was the closest I'd ever been to him and he looked right down at me. The light from the window showing his warm caramel colored eyes.
"What's your reason for reading this one?" He asked, just a tad lower than before, but I heard it and I caught it quickly.
The proximity heating my face and making me speechless. What was I supposed to say to that? I was eighteen and men like him gave me a reason to want to read it. Oh god that made things worse...
I wanted to say I found my words, but the person, the woman, who spoke was not me. It was some seductive and husky person who sounded as if she knew exactly what she was doing. "You tell me."
His face went back in shock and lowered his face to my level. "What are you trying to do?" He hissed in almost a whisper. It was filled with anger but I looked into his hot eyes and read them, detecting not anger, but something else.
When I didn't answer he let go of my hands and turned around, covering the book so I couldn't take it from him. "This is weird." I said simply, coming back to my regular self. He turned his head to face me in a questioning way as if to ask why. "You're in my house. You're in my room."
"You're reading a sex book." He suddenly said.
I rolled my eyes and was done being embarrassed by such a stupid thing. "What did I tell you about rolling your eyes at me?" He grumbled.
"Charlie, we're not in school anymore."
"Stop calling me that."
We heard the toilet flush and I decided to take that chance and casually headed down the stairs to my brothers and Tyler. Nothing helped it escape my mind though, he was friends with my brothers and I guess it made sense considering Austin was about eight years older than me, but how did they meet eachother anyway?
"I'm leaving at ten." I informed them boredly and they quieted down, probably also knowing I was exhausted and frustrated all the sudden. I know the guys were thankful we'd been... getting along, mostly that I had been communicating with them and allowing them in my life, but I just wanted some hold to assure me I was the same person. I felt I was loosing that.
"We trust you. You're not stupid." Chris said, sounding understanding.
About a second later Mr.- Charlie and James came down together and suddenly he was all casual again and not dark and mysteriously mean.
I went into the garage that was once used as an art studio with paint stains everywhere on the concrete floor and mirals on the wall. I hadn't visited in a while, but I only went in for the outside fridge to grab more water.
In the living room I watched him bring the bottle of alcohal to his lips and I was lost in a world of change. Who was this man?
...
"Bye Diana!" I heard Tyler shout as I tried to sneak out the door.
"Woah! Woah wooah!" Austin and Chris rushed over and shook their heads.
"Nope. Nuh uh." Chris said.
"What?-" I began.
"You're not wearing that out." He said.
I stared at him in shock. He had been way too over protective lately and I guess it had come clear to only Bailey then. He saw it because he also noticed Austin's sudden over-protection. Where was that protection when I wasn't an adult? When I was sad and lonely because I missed my father and needed him there to tell me he loved me. They gave me enough protection, so I adapted to the loneliness and no longer noticed it.
But now that they suddenly were in on my life it only made me confused and frustrated.
"I can look after myself. I always have, what makes you think you can suddenly become brother bear?" I asked him boldly and he realized his mistake. Austin did too and then that was probably when he must've realized how differently he'd been treating me. "Don't trash the house." I told them carelessly, the same old tone as usual and turned around to go to Erin's party.
When I got there Erin embraced me tightly. "I can't believe you actually came!" She laughed and looked at me. "I love the shorts, where'd you get them?" She asked cluelessly.
"You're stupid." I told her but couldn't resist the smile when she laughed back at me. "There's already a lot of people here, Erin." I admired, but at the same time felt uncomfortable. I just didn't want to show it so I looked around like I enjoyed being in a house filled with crazy teenagers who were desperate to get drunk.
"Oh god, I know. Everyone else had to park on the land."
"Your daddy is not gonna be happy about that." I told her.
"Yeah I know, but you did notice the parking spot I saved for you."
"Yes I did, thank you." I said knowingly with a polite smile.
"Wanna dance? Or drink? Or mingle?"
"Uh I'll just linger around here for a bit..." I said.
"Alright, I'll be around. Have fun, okay? Thanks again for coming, you don't know how happy it makes me to see you here!" She shouted over the music and laughter and teens, walking back, disappearing into the crowd of people. "I love you!" And she was gone.
For a split second as I looked out in the crowd of people and got many surprised looks, I forgot about him. Most people were approaching me and asking if I was really there. It then brought me back to my teacher. Maybe he wasn't really at my house. Maybe I was going crazy. Part of me hoped that was the case, but the other part wanted it to be more than true. I just wanted him all the sudden. And for some terribly odd reason, remembering his demon-jerk self made me want him more.
But who was I kidding? Andy Carl liked me, and that was more than enough. I'd be a fool to suddenly change all because of a teacher's face and hands. And voice, but that would be foolish.
I spotted Connor in the crowd and called his name. He didn't hear me at first so I went after him, tugging on his sleeve as he walked along into the garage with a pool table and mostly drinking border-line-drunk jocks.
"Hey, Connor." I greeted him.
He turned around and smiled. "You're actually here?!" He said and gave me a friendly hug.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I chuckled lightly, smelling the beer that was barely on him.
"Because you never come to parties or gatherings or all these things you could crash and be more than welcomed at."
I shook my head and stayed close to him, secretly fearing all the sudden obnoxious people causing a riot. "Where were you going?" I asked him.
"I was going to the garage, but we can go somewhere else if you want."
"No, it's fine, you go have fun with some guys for once." I smiled. "Thanks though."
"Wait, come with me." He suggested.
Did I really want to be in a room full of big-headed althetes who try to get drunk? "Uh...-"
"Diana, what are you gonna do if you don't come?" He asked.
I sighed and he walked in with a friendly arm over my shoulders. "That is not Diana Apollo." One guy said, standing up.
"That's her-"
"What's she doing here?"
"Diana!" Cole stood up and ran over to me and attacking with a big bear hug that spun me around. "Oh you're actually here! You look good." He grinned, setting me down.
"Thank you, you look..." I observed him and sighed. "You're drunk already?"
"Me and the guys spent some time playing shots." He said, emphasizing the 's' at the end of 'shots.'
"Don't do anything stupid." I warned him.
"Yes, Ma'am." He saluted and walked back over to his friends.
Connor was already in a corner talking to some guys and I was about to just leave, remembering why I hated parties so much but he looked at me and nodded me over.
"You know Greyson." Connor said, talking about the red head who sat in front of me.
There I was once more, reminded of Mr. Grant's face when he saw my book, looking into my eyes. He grabbed me and practically allowed me against him, so I wasn't the only one to blame.
"Yeah, hi." I said and Greyson nodded to me politely.
"Alright, lets-"
A crowd of boy's impressed 'ooh''s interrupted everyone's conversation and I looked over to see Cole doubled over and some guy in a fighting stance. "He's such an idiot." I muttered, watching as Cole stood up and slap-boxed with the other guy.
Cole's opponent eventually got annoyed at how easily Cole was beaten and walked away, having someone else go against him. Cole's nose began to leak blood and I sighed and turned away having Connor pull me close.
"Oh you and your caring." He laughed.
"You're awfully touchy tonight," I observed. "How much have you had to drink?"
His face sort of fell and he let go of me, instead crossing his arms like the others guys and subconciously looking tough.
Back and forth we watched as Cole got slapped around, and that idiot seemed to be enjoying it. It was actually interesting when Cole stopped and the other guys started, turning it into a real game.
Cole came over and saw me. "Did you like to watch me get my ass kicked?" He slurred, holding his nose.
"Commere'." I told him and took him to the bathroom while Connor followed close behind and watched as I cleaned the blood up off Cole. "You're an idiot." I told him.
"You're so pretty, Diana. Have I ever told you I had the biggest crush on you?"
I wet a towel and leaned his head forward to wipe it all off as it came. "I know, Cole. I liked you too."
"You did?" Both Connor and Cole asked at the same time.
"Oh it's perfect, let's have sex." He leaned in and I easily pushed him back where he was standing to wipe the blood off his shirt. "Okay, okay, let's at least make out. Yeah?"
"You need to go home soon, Cole."
"Tyler said I needed to find a ride home because he was busy."
"I'll take you back then." I sighed and turned back around with Connor grabbing me.
"Diana, I don't want to be that friend, but I'm a guy and I'm a teenager with raging hormones and I really want to have sex." He said plainly, his hands slowly sliding from my arms to my hands.
"Uh-"
"And I just want you right now."
"Connor, how much did you drink?"
"Can you just-" He groaned and slipped his hands down to my waist and I felt very uncomfortable. "If this is a no then tell me so I can just tell that redhead back in the kitchen I'm up for it."
I tried to laugh a little and lighten to mood, "Go for it." I told him and he looked disappointed.
But quicker than I realized, because I wasn't looking at him, he smacked his lips into mine and I leaned away as far as I could. "Connor, stop." I told him after he placed his lips on my neck.
He froze, as if realizing what he was doing and to who. "I'm sorry, Dye." He said. "I've had a couple more than I should to drink and-"
"I forgive you." I cut him off as he removed himself from me. "Go get that redhead."
He went back to his usual boyish side grin and then lit up remembering something. "Oh! Condoms?"
"Yes, just for you." I said and stuffed a few in his hands.
"You're the best." He said about to hug me, but stopped and backed up. "Drive carefully." He said as goodbye and ran to the kitchen.
"So you'll make out with him and not me?" I heard Cole behind me slur.
I turned around and pulled him next to me. "I need to find Erin and then we'll leave."
Through the large crowds of people I asked Cole to see if he could see her, since he was much taller than me. "Uh, no." He said, and with him being drunk I didn't trust his judgement, so I ended up shoving past people who tried to make conversation with me and I was too irritated to stop to speak with them. I began to get anxiety as I pushed through the crowd and decided to go upstairs instead and see if she was in her room. "Erin?" I shouted, beginning to get worried and knew that, even though I never go to her parties, she always hung around either her game room or her bedroom.
She wasn't anywhere to be seen and I sat on her bed, trying to calm my beating and nervous heart.
"What are we doing in here?" Cole asked, plopping himself down next to me.
"I don't want to-" I shoved him back immediately after he slammed his sloppy and drunken lips into mine. "Cole!" I groaned in frustration and stood up, pulling him along with me down the stairs and out of the house to my jeep. "Put on your seatbelt." I commanded and he did so.
I ended up having to drive him back to my place since when we got to his no one was home and he didn't have a key. When I drove back I parked in front of my house and pressed my forhead against wheel and took a dreep breath, becoming worried over Erin.
After my short meditation, I walked around the other side and noticed the guys' cars were still there, meaning everyone was in my house. I looked around and spotted a shiny black car parked behind Austin's truck, one I hadn't noticed before, but knew it was there then, too.
I stared at the house with loopy and weak Cole at my side. "Come on, let's get you inside."