30. Beautiful

Olivia

''Don't open your eyes!'' I yell at Andy.

"I'm not!''

We're taking Andy to the party, and he won't shut up about asking where the party is being held.

He's sitting on the back seat and Lucy is driving her car.

''Are we there yet?" he asks.

"Well, we weren't five seconds ago, what do you think?"  I roll my eyes.

He sighs and Lucy chuckles.

''You're going to like it, I promise.'' I speak.

''I don't like it right now.'' he huffs, ''Also why do I need to keep my eyes closed if we're not there yet?"

Because you're going to recognize the road and find out where we are heading.

''Just because.'' I respond and he groans.

''Are we there yet?" he asks again.

"No!" me and my sister answer at the same time.

We arrive at the party thirteen minutes later.

''Careful, there are stairs.'' I say to Andy who is blindfolded.

''If I fall, you're going to say hi to God.'' he threats, and I laugh.

''Okay, we're here.'' I say and Lucy unties his blindfold.

''Happy Birthday!" everyone shouts.

''Oh my God the whole school is here?" his eyes widen, ''Wait, this is the school.'' he looks around the cafeteria, now covered on balloons and decorations.

"Surprse!" I shout.

"You organized the party on school?" he asks.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it.'' he hugs me.

''How did you do this?" he asks.

''Well firstly I asked principal Nova for permission, and she said yes. Then I made a post on Instagram about your birthday and the party being held on school where everyone can come and that they should keep it a secret from you. I hided my post from you by the way, '' I wink, ''And I wrote there the exact time they should be here and other information about this party. As about the decoration, Lucy helped me too.''

''I love you girls so much.'' he hugs us.

''Let's party then!'' he shouts and people cheer.

Music bursts louder and everyone start dancing and getting drinks.

''There is no alcohol in the drinks, right?" Lucy asks me.

''The drinks I brought don't have alcohol, but I'm sure the other students brought alcohol with them.'' I say and she sighs.

''You're looking fire today!'' I tease and she blushes.

She is wearing a sparkly white dress that reaches her knees.

It has loose sleeves that fall below her shoulders, exposing her beautiful collarbone.

Her hair is up in a bun and only two strains of hair are let free to fall on her face.

She looks like a princess.

The heels are black with white sparkless, matching the vibe of her dress.

''I can say the same about you.'' she says, and I smile.

My outfit is completely the opposite of Lucy. I'm wearing a short navy-blue dress that has sparkles on it and navy high heels. The dress is really tight and hugs my body.

I left my long hair fall free from my shoulders and added some little waves to it. My hair naturally is straight, but I love waves to much.

''The Cullens arrived.'' Lucy whispers.

"I thought they wouldn't come.'' I search the room for them.

My eyes end up on him and my breath hitches.

I avoided him today at school as much as I could.

Well, stealing glances toward him and looking at him at all the chances I got doesn't count, right?

He's wearing a white t-shirt with a black jacket on and a pair of black jeans.

There is a silver chain necklace hanging on his neck.

That's hot.

Shut up.

His blonde hair is messy falling on his forehead, as if he didn't have time to style it.

Why the fuck is he so beautiful?  You hate him, remember that.

Seeing him in his casual outfits beside the school's uniform is really weird.

And he looks so hot like this. Okay I need to stop.

He looks around the room and his eyes land on me.

He travels his gaze from my head to my toe and looks at my eyes.

His eyes darken and he licks his lips.

Luke calls him, but he doesn't look away from me.

He's watching me like a predator to his pray.

Soon he averts his gaze and turns to Luke.

I feel my breath return to my lungs.

Andy comes and tugs me by my shoulder, ''Let's dance Liv!''

I laugh and follow him.

''Everyone is having fun, except of the Cullens who are sitting on the corner looking very grumpy.'' he says and twirls me around.  I look at their direction and see Joel who is looking at me with his eyes narrowed.  What did I do to him now?

Avril and Luke are sitting there too, their faces bored.

Avril is wearing a red dress and Luke is wearing a black shirt that is all buttoned up and black trousers.

It looks like Joel is the only one who is wearing casual clothes.

''They are jealous because my party is bigger than theirs.'' he grins.

"Of course they are. Look at them all moody.'' I laugh.

''Come here ma cherie.'' he calls Lucy, and she approaches us.

We start dancing around her and she rolls her eyes.

"Come on, don't be shy.'' I grab her hands, ''Move your body.''

We dance and dance until we get tired.

Lucy danced with us too, it's a thing that rarely happens.  Once in a blue moon, Lucy dances in public.

The Cullens didn't do anything, which is surprising.

I thought they would sabotage the party. But they just stayed in their place.

Every time I turned my head at them, Joel was watching me.

The crazy thing is that he doesn't drop the eye contact even when I catch him watching me.

Psychotic bastard.

''Hi Olivia!'' Ben approaches me.

"Hi!'' I smile up at him.

''Wanna dance with me?" he asks with a hint of insecurity.

''Sure.'' I take his hand.

We start dancing and he puts his hands on my waist.

''You look very beautiful today.'' he whispers on my ear.

"Thank you.'' I try to put some space between me and him.

I turn my head and look at Joel who is looking at us his jaw clenched.

You know what? I actually changed my mind of putting space between me and Ben.

I put my arms around his neck, and he tugs me closer at him by me waist.

Joel's eyes darken and he really looks like he would kill someone.

I look at his hands and they are clenched in a fist.

''Hey Olivia?" Ben asks and I turn my attention to him.

"Yeah?"

"I really want to kiss you right now.''

''Oh. '' I try to keep my smile on my face.

What the hell will I do now?

He leans in and I place a hand in his chest.

''Sorry, but I can't do this.'' I say.

''Why not?" he asks coming closer to my face.

''I-''

Suddenly someone pours a drink all over the back of Ben.

''What the fuck?" Ben lets go of me.

''Oh my, how clumsy I am.'' Joel speaks and my eyes widen. ''I'm really sorry.''

''What are you doing man?" Ben yells looking at his wet shirt.

''I'm so sorry. Here let me clean it.'' he says and then spills the rest of the glass all over his shirt.

''Oh my God, someone take this drink away from me.'' he gives the glass to a waiter. 'My hands are really clumsy.''

''You did this on purpose.'' Ben yells.

''Of course not.'' Joel pouts. ''Why would I do that?"

Everyone around is gathered to watch what is happening.

''You're going to pay for this.'' Ben shouts and goes toward the bathroom.

Joel rolls his eyes and leaves without looking at me.

What. The. Fuck. Happened?

''Hey are you okay?" Lucy calls.

"Yeah, I'm fine.'' I answer.

"What happened?''

"I don't know.'' I really don't.

It's time for the cake.

The magnificent cake that took away all my brain cells while ordering its design.

It's dark blue with a gold crown on the top.

I go to the school's kitchen where the cake stands on the fridge. I putted it there in case it melts.

I take it out of it and place it on a counter. Placing the candles on top of the cake I dance around with the music.

I hope I don't drop this cake. If I do, I will never forgive myself.

Just imagine how embarrassing it will be if I really drop this.

I twirl around and I'm faced with Joel Cullen leaning on the doorframe looking at me.

For how long was he standing there?

''Oh, don't stop on my company.'' he smirks, ''How do you do that thing with your hips?"

I think I just blushed.

Oh, for the sweet strawberries, I can't blush because of his words!

He looks at me like he has never seen me before.

''Stop looking at me like that, creep.'' I say.

"Like what?" he lets go of the doorframe and starts walking closer at me.

''Like that.'' I whisper.

''Well, you have to be more specific.'' he smirks.

''Fuck off Cullen, okay?" I walk backward as he gets closer to me.

''That attitude will get you in trouble.'' he says.

"Oh yeah?'' my back hits the counter.

Shit.

''Yeah.'' his eyes darken.

I put my hands up and sit on the counter.

This way I won't feel like a prey to the lion's den.

''What trouble?'' I ask and he chuckles.

He puts his hands on my thighs and draws circles with his thumb.

My breath stuck on my throat.

I was wrong. I'm more than a prey up here.

''You want to find out?'' he whispers close to my face and goosebumps erupt in my body.

He opens my legs with his hands and stands between them.

Joel Cullen. Between my legs.

Just a few inches up of my dress and my underwear would reveal.

''What are you doing?" I swallow.

"What am I doing?" he questions me and pushes my hair behind my shoulder, revealing my neck.

He leans his nose close to my neck and inhales.

Is he smelling me?

''Do you know that you smell really good?" he asks against my skin.

''Hm?'' I ask confused.

''You smell really good.'' he repeats. ''It's addictive.''

He places a light kiss on my neck, and I bite my lip.

''I don't like candies, but you're making me love them.'' he whispers.

What candies?

He kisses my neck again, but it isn't a light one. It's a full open-mouthed kiss.

He continues kissing the same spot over and over again.

''Joel.'' I whisper, but I don't even know why I am calling him.

I'm not doing anything to stop him, to stop this.

He touches my thigh with his hand and kisses my jaw, my cheek, my nose, my eyes, my neck.

He kisses me everywhere except on my lips.

He grabs my hips and pulls me closer to him and continues his journey of kisses up to my jaw and down my neck.

I have to bite my lips to stop any sound from escaping.

My hands end up around his neck and I play with the ends of his hair.

''What are you doing to me Olivia Meyer?" he whispers at my ear.

What are You doing to me Joel Cullen.

He looks at my eyes and then his eyes travel down on my lips.

He licks his lips and my gaze shifts at them.

I want to kiss him.

His scent is intoxicating as he towers over me.

I can't think straight, all I feel, and smell is him and all I want to do right now is kiss him.

He shifts closer at me, his lips inches from mine.

I lean close to him, my hands gripping his neck.

As soon as our lips were going to meet, someone comes in.

''Joel baby?" Alexa's voice comes in my ear and the magic bubble surrounding us breaks.

Shit.

I push Joel away and get off the counter.

He looks at me confused as if he doesn't know what is happening.

I get the cake from the counter and get out.

''Where were you?" I meet Lucy at the hallway.

"Take this, I have to go to the bathroom.'' I give her the cake.

"But-''

"Don't start without me.'' I yell and run toward the bathroom.

Oh my God what did just happened?

I enter the bathroom and lock the door. I take a deep breath and go to the mirror.

My eyes widen.

''Oh, for the grandma's potatoes chips, what is that?" I look at the purple mark on my neck.

There is another one above my collar bone. Did he just leave a fucking hickey on me?

''Oh my God!''

What am I going to do now?

I go to the mirror and watch them closely.

The one on my neck is bigger than the one on my collar bone and way more purple. Oh God this is so embarrassing.

I stare at them in the mirror as if it is going to fade soon.

''Can it go away with water?" I open the water tap. ''What the hell am I saying.'' I close it.

How can I make this disappear?  I clench my hair and pace around the bathroom.

''Ugh, Joel Cullen you motherfucking bastard!'' I curse.

How did I let this happen? How the fuck did I forget what he did to me just yesterday?

I almost ruined the bet too.

I can't believe that I wanted to kiss him.

What the hell was I thinking?

''Just wait till I get out of this bathroom and I'm going to kill you.'' I look at myself on the mirror.

''Uff!'' I cry out.

This is a disaster.

I put my hair around my neck like a scarf trying to cover the hickeys. ''I look dump.'' I put my hair back at its place.

After a little bit overthinking in panic, I pull all my hair in front of me. The hickeys are hidden, and I look less stupid.

I get out of the bathroom and head to the party with my hand to my hair in case they move and reveal the disaster.

''What took you so long?" Lucy says.

"Sorry."

''Why are you keeping your hair like that?" she looks at my ridiculous choice of styling.

''I like it this way.'' I smile and she shrugs.

We sang happy birthday to Andy and the party is toward the end.

Some people are leaving, and some are still dancing around.

I can tell that some of them are drunk.

I look around for Andy and Lucy, but they are nowhere in sight.

They both disappeared.

I go outside to see if they are in the back garden, but nope.

Noone in here.

At the moment I turned to leave a noise came from behind a wall.

''Is anyone here?" I call, ''Lucy?"

My breath leaves my lungs when I saw the one that caused the noise.

Joel is sitting on the ground with his back against the wall and a beer is on his hands.

''You!'' I say and he looks up at me in confusion.

"Do you know what you did?" I ask.

"What?'' he drinks from his beer.

''Look at this.'' I push my hair away and show him the hickeys.

He looks at them and smirks.

''How dare you smirk!'' I kick his feet, ''You're proud of this?"

"Very.'' he says, and I kick his feet again.

''That will keep that fucking Len away.'' he leans his head at the wall.

''His name is Ben.'' I roll my eyes.

''Whatever.'' he closes his eyes.

''What are you doing here?" I ask him and he doesn't answer.

''Joel?"

"Hm, princess?'' my stomach did the thing at the moment he called me that.

"What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted some fresh air.'' he looks at me.

He tries to get up, but his feet stumble and he falls again.

''Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, I'm fine.'' he tries to get up again but fails.

''Are you drunk?" I ask him.

''No.''

"Of course you are, you can't even get up.''

"I'm just stuck here.'' he rolls his eyes, ''Maybe if you weren't that busy staring at me you would've helped me.''

Even drunk he's an asshole.

I go closer at him and try to get him up.

But it's impossible, he's like a rock.

''How much do you weigh?" I ask struggling to breathe.

"Are you body shaming me?" he narrows his eyes at me.

We are too close.

Man, I can't survive this shit again.

I catch him by his arms and try to lift him up, but that leads to me stumbling and falling on top of him.

He groans.

''Sorry. I'm so sorry.'' I try to lift myself away from him.

He catches me by my waist and sits me in his lap.

My eyes widen.

I'm sitting on Joel Cullen's lap.

Oh God, I can hear my heartbeat on my ear.

His eyes darken on me, and he runs his hands up and down my thighs.

''You know this dress is making me crazy.'' he says looking at my legs. ''You're killing me with this.''

I swallow and try to lift myself from his lap, but he holds me in place.

''Joel.'' I breath, ''We have to get up. You're drunk and you have to get home.''

''I don't want to go home.'' he says and pushes me hair behind my shoulders.

He looks at the hickeys and smiles.

''Did I really do that?" he asks, and I nod.

''I'm sorry.'' he says and places a soft kiss on the hickey on my neck.

It's too soft it almost tickles me.

Sometime what Joel Cullen says and does makes me wonder who the real he is.

''Okay, let's go now.'' I say and try to move from his lap.

To my surprise he actually lets me go and I get up.

I kneel in front of him and help him to get up.

''Hey Olivia?" he says his face close to mine.

"Mmm?" I look at his ocean blue eyes.

''You're the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my entire seventeen years of life.'' he says and my breath hitches, ''You are so beautiful. Why are you this beautiful? Do you need to be this beautiful and ruin my life?''

I stare at him in shock.

Joel Cullen is calling me beautiful?

Drunk Joel is calling me beautiful.

''You have beautiful eyes.'' he touches my eye with his finger.

''And a beautiful smile.'' he touches my lips and I hold my breath.

''Your hair is beautiful.'' he touches my hair.

''Your body is beautiful.'' he touches my arm and slides his hand down my leg.

Goosebumps erupt to the skin he touched.

''You're perfect. Just perfect.'' he whispers.

I stare at him unable to say anything.

Remember Olivia, he's drunk.

He doesn't really mean it.

But I want him to.

''I want to kiss you so bad.'' he says his voice is quiet as he's afraid to say it.

''Kiss me then.'' I say.

I really want him to kiss me. My lips are itching to touch his, to feel their tenderness one more time.

''I can't.'' he breaths out.