10. Chapter 10
Beth
“ K eg is out back!” the man guarding the front door said when he handed us a couple plastic red cups. Loud music bumped through the speakers stationed around the room and drowned out my nerves. Amy and Isabella skipped ahead of me, lifting their arms and dancing as they weaved through the crowd.
I followed, turning to slide between groups of people dancing or yelling over the tune. I ducked behind a tall man wearing a denim jacket to avoid the stares from girls I had seen at the library before—girls that knew this wasn’t my usual scene.
When we turned into the kitchen, a group of guys shuffled past me, separating me from Amy and Isabella, who wasted no time making their way into the small group of people surrounding the keg.
They held their hands up, shaking their cups to get the next pour.
I looked at my empty cup, less interested in filling it the more people bumped into me with slurred apologies.
I scanned the party. What was I doing here?
The neon lights, sticky floor, and crowd that smelled like cheap beer were hardly my scene.
Tonight it is. By the time I saw Benny standing off to the side with his friends, I had almost convinced myself to change my mind and go home.
Then I made eye contact with Carter, and he lifted a brow just before he narrowed his eyes.
He knew I didn’t belong here too. Maybe he even looked disappointed.
Amy and Isabella returned with full cups, cheering as they slipped past me to get to the makeshift living-room-turned-dance floor.
At first my eyes followed, tempted to join them until I felt the stare.
I looked up, glancing past Carter’s glare and making eye contact with Benny.
He smirked, and stubbornness caused me to straighten my spine, holding my head up.
If they were going to stare, I was going to give them something to stare at.
The familiar frustration I felt earlier returned when the song changed, getting louder.
I hear you give great head. I took a deep breath, setting my sights on a tall, blonde man standing off to the side alone.
I recognized him—I had seen him walking through campus before.
The letters on his jacket matched the ones Benny wore. Perfect.
I stepped with the beat, strolling through the party toward him, constantly aware of the way Benny’s eyes followed me.
My hips swayed when the music changed and when I slid up next to my target, he looked down at me.
“Uh, hey there,” I said, relieved when the man smirked and turned his attention in my direction.
“I don’t believe we’ve met.” He looked over my shoulder in the direction of the stares I could still feel on my back. “I’m Ethan. And you are…?”
“The girl you won’t forget anytime soon.
” I winked, surprised by my own sudden confidence.
Where had this girl come from? Then I remembered the stares likely still drilling into my back, and I took a deep breath.
“I’m Beth.” He took my hand when I offered it to him, and near-recognition crossed his face.
“Ah,” he said, giving me a slow once over and pausing on my empty cup. “So you’re the Beth I’ve heard so much about.” Jackpot.
I giggled, running my tongue along my bottom lip. “Well, I guess that depends on what you’ve heard.”
“Fair point.” Ethan pointed to the never-been-filled cup in my hand.
“It looks like you need a drink. Can I get you one?” He leaned casually against the wall, nodding toward the crowd still gathered around the keg.
“Or maybe you want to get to know each other somewhere a little quieter?” he added when I didn’t immediately agree.
“I was hoping you’d ask.” I looked briefly around the room to see if Amy and Isabella were going to be concerned when I walked away with Ethan. The last thing I needed was for them to interrupt my plan. When I saw Benny glaring, I knew the plan to get his friend alone was going to work perfectly.
“Let’s go.” Ethan put his arm around my waist, nodding his head at the friend he was standing next to before he gently led me through the crowd.
We walked up the stairs to the second floor, and the music was quieter when we got into the hallway. It was easy to hear the lips smacking from couples kissing against the wall. At the end of the hall, Ethan opened one of the doors. “We can go in here.”
The room glowed with pink mood lighting that could only be caused by a thin scarf draped over a cheap lamp. “Whose room is this?” I asked, looking at the lava lamp that drew attention to a collection of posters behind it.
“It’s mine.” Ethan put his hand on my hip, and he scowled when I took a step back. “Where are you going? Come here.” When he grabbed my other hip and tugged me more forcefully, I tripped forward. My chest crashed against his, and a quiet huff fell from my lips.
“Wait a second,” I said, flattening my hands against his chest. His hold on my hips was stronger and when he leaned in to kiss me, I arched my back.
Ethan pulled me closer to him, bending down to try again to kiss me. I turned my head at the last second, so his lips pressed against my cheek instead. He tried again, huffing when I pushed harder on his chest. “Ethan, wait.”
“What are we waiting for, baby?” He wrapped his arm around my waist and yanked me toward him, catching me when I lost my balance. I was trapped between his arms and the determination in his chest. “We both know what you want, don’t we?”
Panic flooded my veins. When I had decided to bring Ethan into this room, I was imagining that we’d just be talking.
I didn’t think about him actually expecting more than that.
I closed my eyes when he grabbed my chin and forced his lips to mine.
Then I shook my head. “It’s not like that,” I pleaded.
Ethan ignored me. He was more interested in the involuntary whining that came with his tightened grip.
“It is now. Just relax.” His lips made their way to my neck; when he traced his tongue along the side of my neck, an uncomfortable chill traveled my spine.
“We’re going to have some fun. I can’t wait to feel that mouth of yours. ”
I gasped. “I can’t.” Ethan took a step forward, forcing me back a step toward the bed. Then he did it again, repeating the action until the backs of my legs hit the mattress.
“From what I’ve heard, you can.” He put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a nudge, knocking me back onto the bed. My stomach dropped to the floor. “Don’t get shy on me now.”
When Ethan climbed on top of me, my heart beat erratically against my chest. It felt like I couldn’t breathe. The pressure of his expectation weighed too heavily on my chest for me to catch my breath. “I don’t want to do this.” I pushed against him, thrashing against the bed. “Please.”
“You came up to me, you can’t change your mind now.
” What was I going to do? The music was still loud enough I could hear it through the floor and over the heavy breathing that accompanied our struggle.
If I yelled, would anyone hear me? I pushed harder against him and when he didn’t budge, I knew I wasn’t going to get out of it. I closed my eyes.
“Please don’t do this.”