Chapter 7 After Party Delights
-Annie-
The ride to Steph’s isn’t so bad, but then it’s time for me to get in the back.
Daniel opens his door, and at first I think he is going to just scoot over.
Then he pulls himself out of the back seat of the car, giving me an indication that I should just get in.
I look into the car and see Drew looking back at me.
He gives me a reassuring smile as I slide into the middle seat, with Daniel sliding in next to me and closing the door.
Daniel and Drew aren’t small guys; I can feel both of them against my hips and legs.
I try to sit as still as I can, but Daniel is bouncing his leg against mine.
Before I can look at him or react, Drew asks me about my sideline reporting job and if I liked it.
I forget that I’m trying to be impressive and launch into how great it is getting to be on the sidelines.
Drew asks me a few more questions about it and if I’ll get to do the same thing during the baseball season.
I let him know that I will, but it will be a little more limited during the season, as I’ll also be in season for soccer.
As if he doesn’t want me to forget about him, Daniel starts to rub his hands on his leg, which also causes his fingers to run along the edge of my legs.
The goosebumps run over my skin with every pass of his fingers.
I turn to him, and he doesn’t say a word—he just gives me a sly smile and what I’ve started to think of as his signature wink.
***
Daniel still has my hand in his, and I’m not sure what to think about it other than that I like it.
We all follow in the direction that Miles and Steph have gone through the cars until we get to the fire pit surrounded by our classmates.
Meg runs over and gives me a side eye, going from my joined hand with Daniel and back to my face.
Then she slides over to Drew and wraps her arm around his elbow.
She becomes the ringleader of our little group, weaving her way through the crowd to the backside of the fire and a few empty foldout chairs.
By a few, I mean two chairs. She must have forgotten to tell me that we should bring something.
I start to wonder if Miles brought any, but I have no idea where he and Steph have disappeared to.
I know that I’m not going to try and find him; I have no interest in interrupting whatever they are doing.
A few of the other junior football players are giving out beers.
The guy looks reluctant to hand it over when he knows I’m Miles’s little sister.
Eventually, he gives me one along with the rest of our group.
Daniel releases my hand, and I feel the loss of it, but only momentarily, because he sits down in the chair and then pulls me into his lap, and I’m completely unprepared for this move.
I know my face is on fire as he is so publicly displaying whatever is going on between us.
Drew looks at Daniel and glares at his brother before taking a long drag of his beer and sitting down in the other open chair.
He looks up at Meg and then pats his leg.
Meg being Meg does the whole look around finger point thing into her chest before smiling and taking the seat offered in his lap.
As we settle in, the beer I’m sipping is starting to give me a little buzz.
We start joking and laughing, Luke and Craig adding to the dynamic as always.
I know that I’m also distracted from the crowd by Daniel.
He is tracing little circles on my back as people come and go from our little group.
It looks like other people got the memo about bringing chairs as a little circle forms on this side of the fire.
At some point, Miles and Steph join our group.
I’m curious where the chair he is sitting on has come from, but I’m not getting up to find out.
Miles doesn’t look all that impressed with me on Daniel’s lap, but he doesn’t call me out on it.
I’m not going to call myself out on it either.
This has been a great night, from the game to getting to sit here on Daniel’s lap: there is no point in trying to ruin it by opening my big mouth.
Then Drew asks, “Does anyone want to play Truth or Dare?” Meg giggles in his lap and says, “I’m in.
” She looks over from Drew. “Annie, you never turn down a challenge, you’re in right?
” “Yeah, I’m game,” I respond. Then, before anyone else can respond if they want to play, I hear Daniel say, “Truth or Dare, Annie?” I know I should say truth but I am a new Annie, so I say, “dare.” Daniel spins me to straddle his waist, looking directly into my eyes, and says, “I dare you to kiss me.” I hear my brother starting to speak, and I tune him out.
I lean down with my lips meeting Daniel’s in a kiss.
I can feel his hands on my hip tighten as he kisses me back, upping the tempo with a slide of his tongue against my bottom lip.
I am jerked out of the moment when I hear a very loud and far too close, “Annie Marie Campbell, what the fuck do you think you are doing?”
Miles sounds absolutely, positively pissed.
I pull back from Daniel, making eye contact with Meg.
She is smiling while giving me a thumbs-up motion, but I know my brother is furious and standing in the other direction.
I turn in his direction—he isn’t sitting with Steph on his lap anymore, he is standing.
His hands are balled into fists like he is going to punch Daniel.
I scurry off Daniel’s lap before making my way to my brother.
Steph is trying to get my brother to relax.
“Miles, it was a dare, calm down already,” I hear her saying.
But I know that look. Miles isn’t going to calm down…
He is going to get into a fight. “Annie: to the car NOW,” Miles says in a tone so much like our father’s that I’d laugh if it were under different circumstances.
If I don’t follow his directions, this is going to get ugly.
I look back at Daniel, but he just looks amused by Miles's reaction. He makes like he is going to follow me, but I shake my head no. We don’t need to add fuel to this fire.
Instead, I tell him, “Be right back, save my spot.” “Don’t take too long to get back Annie—I can’t wait forever,” is Daniel’s reply.
I follow my brother and his girlfriend back to our car.
Miles isn’t the only Campbell that is pissed.
***
As soon as we have cleared the first row of cars, my brother starts in.
“What the actual fuck Annie?” I don’t stop walking until we reach the car.
I am not a child, and he doesn’t get to embarrass me in front of a large group of our classmates.
When I get to the car, I turn on him, and now he gets to see my anger.
How dare he think he can embarrass me like that?
He isn’t my father, and he doesn’t get to decide what I do or who I do it with.
“Who the hell do you think you are Miles?” I shout, stepping towards him.
I don’t give him time to answer. “You aren’t my father: you are my brother.
I deal with you and Steph all the time making out in front of me, and you don’t hear me calling you out.
I already know about your stupid off-limits policy with the football team, so I was just as surprised as you that Daniel was making a move, but I wanted him to make a move.
” I take a breath and look at my brother.
He is still mad but not as puffed up as he was before.
Steph beside him looks proud of me for saying my piece and gives me a little nod.
“He isn’t the right guy, Annie,” my brother says, sounding more like himself.
“How do you know that, Miles?” I ask. He doesn’t reply.
I look at my brother until he looks up at me.
“You don’t know him well enough to know if he is the right guy or not, and, to be honest, I don’t either.
But I want a chance to try, so give me that chance.
” Steph lays her hand on my brother's arm, and a moment is shared between them without any words being spoken. Then he responds, “Ok, Annie, I’ll try, but I swear if he hurts you, I’ll end him.
” I can’t help but smile as that is my brother, my Miles.
He is going to let this go for now, let me get my way, but if this goes sideways, he is going to get the last word with Daniel.
I walk over to my brother and hug him. “I’m going back to the party.
Why don’t you and Steph take a minute to cool down before you go back?
” He gives me a side hug. I head back to the party, back to see if that kiss was just a dare or if maybe it could turn into something more.