24. Simone #2
Tyler laughs. “Actually, no. I’ve always been a lot calmer than Simone. She’s the party girl everyone wants around, and I’m usually the one pulling her off of tables.”
I smack his arm lightly, embarrassed.
“I’ve been having to do that too,” Mason says, smirking at me. “I guess someone had to take the baton while you’re away.”
Tyler gives me a questioning look. “How hard are you partying around here?”
I smile, waving him off. “That’s happened like…once.”
“We all watch out for her, man, don’t worry,” Tank says. “We’re pretty close to the whole Gamma house and are normally paired up together, so the guys always have an eye on them, keeping ‘em safe.”
Tyler nods at him. “Good to know.”
I scoff at all of them. “I can take care of myself, you know?”
Mason chuckles from the seat directly in front of me. “Everyone knows, Ms. Independent. But the guys will still always have your back.”
I put a hand on Tyler’s thigh, squeezing it, making sure he’s not bothered. He places a hand over mine, squeezing back, but when I look over at him and give him a reassuring smile, he doesn’t return it.
Tyler has never been the jealous type before. I’ve never given him a reason to be. I’ve always been extremely loyal, and he knows that.
When everyone is done eating, Mason and I get stuck on dish duty together while everyone else is either cleaning or setting up for the rest of the night.
I bump Mason’s shoulder, smiling. “I don’t think we even need to wash your plate; you basically licked it clean.”
He looks over at me, offended, hands fully covered in soap bubbles, and bumps me with his hip. “Excuse me for being a growing boy. Where else are these gains gonna come from?”
I can’t hold in my laugh. “What gains?” I reach over and squeeze his bicep. “Maybe you should get a second plate.”
“Oh, that’s fucked up, Simone. I work really hard for this body to be able to throw around 250lb men and catch balls.”
My hand flies to my mouth as I snort.
He realizes his mistake quickly. “You know what I meant, get your head out of the gutter.”
He takes his hand and blows the bubbles into my face.
“Mason!” I squeal. “Please! We do not need a repeat of movie night.”
“You loved it,” he says in a low voice as he turns back to finish washing the plate in his hand.
I turn around to see if Tyler is enjoying himself with the other guys when I see he’s already looking at me. His expression is stone. I smile and blow him a kiss, and that gets me a small smirk from him.
After we clean up, the real fun starts.
It wouldn’t be a Greek event if alcohol weren’t involved.
A football game is playing on the big TV, and most of us are hanging out in the main area, talking, watching the TV, or playing party games while other kids fill the rest of the house. It’s not technically a party, but we can always turn any occasion into a good time.
“You want another drink, babe?” I ask, looking to Tyler as I’m cuddled up in his arms.
He shakes the beer he has in his hand, gauging how empty it is before nodding and kissing my head.
“Lani? Lyd? Y’all need anything?”
“I’m good, thanks,” Lani says, smiling.
Lydia lifts her cup, grinning in that way that tells me she’s starting to finally loosen up. “I’m good, thanks. I actually need to…go grab something.”
She gets up and walks down the hall, disappearing into the main bathroom.
I get up and walk into the kitchen to grab a drink when I see a girl from the Zeta house propped up on the counter and Mason standing in front of her with his hands on either side of her, resting on the counter.
I chuckle to myself. “Don’t contaminate the counters I make my breakfast on with your cooties,” I tease.
Mason looks up, seeing me, and stands back from the girl. I give him a confused look as I move past them to grab two drinks—one for me and one for Tyler.
“Don’t stop because of me,” I say, laughing. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”
“You didn’t,” Mason says, walking backwards to lean against the opposite counter.
I walk back to the couch and hand Tyler the drink before sitting back down beside him. He pulls me closer, moving my hair behind my shoulder and kissing my neck, making me giggle.
“Tyler,” I laugh out as his hands start to roam over my upper thigh.
He leans back and tucks me under his arm, then nudges my cheek, turning me to kiss him. It feels like maybe a little too heavy for in public, but I don’t really want to stop him. It’s the first time since he got here that I’ve felt like his attention was actually on me.
I pull back, a little breathless, and put my hand on his chest. “What’s gotten into you?”
He lets out a chuckle that seems a little forced.
Maybe it’s just the alcohol?
“I can’t kiss my girlfriend?” he asks.
I watch as he stares off past me and turn my head to see Mason still in the kitchen…watching us.
Is Tyler actually jealous? Of Mason?
Is that why he’s being territorial all of a sudden? I’ve never seen him jealous before…I kind of like it. He has nothing to worry about, but at least he cares enough to worry.
Lydia walks back in, swaying, which tells me the alcohol is hitting her fast tonight.
I don’t know how many drinks she’s had, but it’s gotta be more than just the ones I’ve seen her drink.
I watch her closely, letting her have a good time, but trying to gauge where she is on the fun-drinking-to-sad-drinking scale.
The night goes on, and once the fun, playful drunk side of hers switches to the overly sexual and not being able to hold herself up anymore side, I know it’s time to wrap this night up…
before she ends up leaving with someone who doesn’t have the decency to see she’s too intoxicated to be consenting to anything or be alone with anyone.
Ever since the assault attempt, I haven’t seen her out partying much or trying to hook up with guys like before. I know it had to mess with her head. I want her to feel safe again and be able to protect herself, but I also want to be there to do it when she can’t.
She throws herself over Tanner’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, right next to Chase—another guy she’s hooked up with a couple of months ago. He tries to ignore them, but I can see that it kind of bothers him.
I’ve never looked at Lydia differently or judged her for any of her hookups.
I only worry about the reasoning behind them, whether it’s to have fun and explore or to cope and forget.
I feel this duty to take care of her, even when she won’t take care of herself.
She never had anyone looking out for her…
not since her sister died, and I just feel like I owe it to Camilla and to Lydia to be that person now.
As soon as I see her eyes start to glass over, and the Lydia I know leaves, that signals that we’ve crossed into the danger zone, and it’s time to go.