Chapter 7 #2
Feeling my gaze, he turned toward me, and his diamond-like eyes pinned me to the place. He had to look away when a group of girls dragged him to take shots. I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding. It looked like he would be busy all night.
I looked for a drink that was not spiked after meeting the party host, Ryan.
The shot of tequila left a burn in my throat as I chugged it down and wiped my lips.
I was talking with Carter, who was Ryan’s best mate with handsome looks and dimpled smile when some of them announced they wanted to play a game.
Even though I could feel his eyes on me every second, I found Ethan’s smile to be more panty-dropping. What the hell am I thinking?
“Hey, Kiara, you playing the game?”
I held my breath and looked at the blond guy with gray eyes. Of course he would be here. Katherine mentioned that our whole school was here because she had told Alice to invite everyone.
“Kiara.” I gulped nervously when Ethan appeared beside me. “Are you okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I asked and looked at Liam, who had taken a sudden interest in the red cup. “I am fine.”
Ryan’s friend, Carter, spoke up when we all sat in the circle in one of the guest rooms and explained that the game would be the truth, dare and seven minutes in heaven.
If the person didn’t want to answer the truth or complete the dare, then they had to go with the chosen person in a room for seven minutes.
I was interested, but Ethan wasn’t, so he sat behind me on the couch and observed the game.
I had one more glass of beer and laughed when Ryan had to kiss his girlfriend, Katherine, without hands for two minutes.
It was awkward to watch while others cheered for them.
Within a few rounds, almost half of the people had either gone to seven minutes in heaven with their ex or jumped in the pool with their clothes on.
This time the beer bottle landed facing me and I smiled when the other end faced Ryan.
“Truth.”
“Have you ever been naked with a guy?” he asked, grinning mischievously, because he thought I was a virgin, which I was.
“Of course I have,” I answered and someone coughed behind me.
Three guesses who?
I laughed at the surprised expression of him and Katherine as she mouthed ‘I want details.’ I spun the bottle and watched when others got their round.
Liam had to remove his shirt for a dare and let Laura, one of Ryan’s friends, do tequila shots from his abs.
I laughed and nudged Ethan’s leg, pointing at his ex-best-friend. We could do that sometime.
This time, the bottle landed on me and I decided to say, “Dare.”
Carter was on the other end and he smirked when he said, “Kiss me for one minute straight.”
I could feel Ethan tense behind me and as much as I liked hanging out with Carter, I didn’t want to kiss him. His brown eyes looked over my shoulder and his smirk widened. Jerk.
I shook my head. “Sorry, Carter. I would rather choose seven minutes in heaven.”
His smirk dropped, and he stared at me when others laughed at the scene. He pursed his lips and my breath hitched when he said, “Fine, it’s either kissing me or seven minutes in heaven with Liam.”
Uh-oh.
From the corner of my eye, I knew Liam was tense and even though Katherine and Ryan tried to talk with Carter to give another dare or Ethan for seven minutes in heaven—I love Katherine—he didn’t budge.
I sighed and stood up. “Fine, fine, I will go with Liam, come on.”
I could feel the hair on my neck rising feeling Ethan’s scorching gaze when Liam followed me to another room and shut the door behind us.
There was an awkward silence between us, so I cleared my throat and sat down on the chair because I was sure as hell not going to sit on the bed, which looked like it had been occupied for two weeks straight without the sheets ever being washed.
“Why didn’t you kiss Carter?” was Liam’s first question when he sat down on the bean bag, which was quite smaller compared to his broad frame.
“All he wants is to get in my pants, and I don’t want to kiss the guy who had his tongue down someone else’s throat moments ago.”
He looked away, a red blush creeping up his neck, and I wanted to know what he was thinking. I shuffled in my seat and crossed my arms.
“But you’d rather be with the guy who pushed you in the pool?” he asked, his gray eyes fixing on me.
A lump formed in my throat. “D-don’t say that, Liam.”
He knew he had me when my voice cracked. He stood up, walking toward me, and I wanted to get out of this room as fast as I could. Get away from his piercing gaze. His frame loomed over me and I held my breath when he leaned down, looking straight at me.
He clenched his jaw. “I pushed you in the pool, Kiara. You should hate me.”
“I do hate you . . . but for other reasons.”
Liam curled his hands in a fist, his eyes thundering with brewing storm. “Don’t say that. You—I . . . just don’t say that. You should talk to Ethan about it.”
A humorless chuckle escaped my lips. “And tell him what, Liam? I can’t hurt him like that. It would be much better if he didn’t know. And you know what will happen if you tell him.”
He held my hands, the callouses of his palm brushing over my knuckles. “Please, Kiara. What do you want me to do, beg you? You have to tell him, or I am standing up right now to go and tell him about it.”
My heart dropped down to my stomach and I snatched away my hands and walked away from him. “You wouldn’t,” a whisper left my lips and I forced my hands from trembling.
I turned to watch him stand, a cold expression masking his face. “I will, Kiara. I will tell him everything, and I don’t care what happens after that. He deserves to know that.”
I hated myself when a warm tear escaped my eye, my heart thundering wildly against my ribs and my lips quivering. “Please don’t, Liam. I-it’s not your place to tell him.”
His eyes trailed down my cheek, following the path of the tear, and met my glassy eyes. “You promised me that day in the car. You told me you will tell him.”
I shook my head, wiping the tears. “I promised you I’d tell him. Not when. You can’t do that.”
“Always the smart one, aren’t you, Kiara?” he asked, anger lacing his voice. “I am telling him.”
I blinked and watched him walk toward the door.
A sob tore out from my lips and I rushed to the bathroom, locking myself in when I thought what would happen if Ethan knew everything about me.
He would hate me. He would never trust me and call me a liar.
Another sob heaved out of me, and I watched myself crumble in front of the mirror, streaks of mascara trailing down my cheeks.
I didn’t want anyone to hear me cry, so I turned on the water tap, washing away any streaks of makeup and the burning tears.
I could hear the muffled and angry voices and continued washing away my tears. My eyes turned red and my skin turned a light shade of pink as I wiped away the last streaks of any makeup. My face was dull and devoid of any emotion when the loud knock on the bathroom door made me jump.
“Kiara!” Ethan shouted over the music. “Are you in there? Let me see you.”
Did Liam tell Ethan about it? Does he know everything now? Will he hate me?
I unlocked the door to see Ethan. His eyes had turned dark and angry, his face etched with worry. “Ethan,” I whispered meekly, “I can explain.”
My eyes widened when he hugged me, his hands tightening around me, and I heard him say, “I am sorry. I thought he did something to you.”
I looked at Liam, who was looming in the doorway of the room, clenching his jaw and glaring at me. I closed my eyes and sighed in relief. “He didn’t. It’s Liam you are talking about. He once cried when he stepped on an ant.”
Ethan pulled away and said, “But he did push you in the pool.” He paused, his eyes zeroing on my face, and I held my breath when he cupped my face in his warm hands, his eyes swirling with anger. “He made you cry.”
“Ethan.” I tried to stop him, but he marched toward Liam and I watched in horror when he punched him in the face.
I rushed toward them, but everyone saw it and stood up, not knowing what to do. “Ethan, don’t. Stop!” I yelled over the music, but it got muffled when the drunk people started cheering them with ‘fight, fight, fight.’
People were filming them fight and curses flew from them. I nudged away sweaty bodies with my elbows and gasped when Liam punched Ethan in the face. Oh my God.
Katherine rushed beside me. “Holy shit, Kiara. We have to stop them.”
I nodded and before she could stop me, I launched myself between them, “I AM NAKED!”
Music and the shouting stopped, and people whispered to each other when Ethan and Liam paused their brawl, looking at me and my clothes in confusion.
“Well,” I breathed. “This got your attention.”
They both blushed and Ethan scratched his head, and even though he had a busted lip and a cut on his jaw, he looked adorable.
“Liar!” one of the drunk girls said, “Show me your ti—”
Rio hushed her and I gave him a thankful nod. I turned to them. “What will you both achieve after breaking each other’s faces and having bruises all over your bodies?”
They stayed silent, still fuming and waiting for me to get out of there so they could start it all over again. But I wasn’t going to move.
“You won’t achieve anything but wounds. Stop fighting an—”
Ethan said, “He pushed you in the fucking pool and you almost died.” My heart stopped for a flicker of the moment, and I looked at his pained face. “He was fucking my girlfriend behind my back, and he made you cry.”
“And you are nothing but—”
I interrupted him, “Liam! Stop it.”
His face hardened. He had a black eye and a few cuts on his face. He looked more damaged than Ethan but kept his mouth shut.
I turned to Ethan. “You are coming with me.”