Chapter 3 #2
I open the fridge and grab a seltzer from the top shelf. Sienna goes straight for a handle of vodka on the counter. So that’s how tonight is going to go. Hell, who knows, she might not be my ride home – she might be going home with someone else.
“You’ll drive if I can’t?” I nod right away.
“Or we can Uber. I’ve got you. That is if you even need a ride home. Who knows whose bed you’ll end up in tonight.”
She pours herself a shot, and downs it like a champ. She jumps up and down, shaking herself out. I watch her hair bounce as she prepares to talk to Lawson.
“How do I look?” She asks.
She’s taller than me by a few inches. She’s wearing a baby tee that’s tight on her body and tight jeans. She’s certifiably hot.
“Like you could conquer the world.”
She nods once swiftly before brushing past me toward the lean football player.
He’s got a bright smile on his face. He’s with Griff, and I think Griff’s girlfriend. Her name is Jade if I’m not mistaken.
Lawson’s blondish brown hair is parted to the side and it’s long, reaching right at his eyes.
He has a single strand that hangs in the front.
He’s hot. She’s got good taste, to say the least. I smirk as Sienna approaches him and all the attention turns to her.
I don’t miss the look he gives her, his eyes bright as he watches the pretty girl in front of him.
He immediately engages in conversation, Griff and Jade seemingly disappearing into thin air.
My job is done, not that I really did anything.
I walk through the crowded space, greeted by plenty of familiar faces.
I engage in some small talk, despite trying to avoid it.
The truth of it is, Sienna is the only true friend I have here.
I have acquaintances. Bellamy is one of them, same with his roommates.
There are familiar faces everywhere I turn, but no one knows me like Sienna.
Honestly, I prefer it that way. My mom was my best friend growing up, and she still is despite the hours between us now that I’m in college.
She always told me to keep my circle small.
To be nice to everyone, but not to trust all of them.
Sienna and I aren’t the type of people to go out of our way to make friends, I guess that’s why we gravitated toward each other freshman year.
I remember it like it was yesterday, I was helping out on the sidelines, wanting to be a part of any team that would take me, and she was yelling at the captain of the team calling her choice of play idiotic.
She was right too, Sienna became team captain the next year.
I scan the party and I see Jayden. Images of last night begin replaying in my head.
I ignore him at all costs. Not that I’m opposed to speaking to people I hook up with.
I’m mostly avoiding him because I don’t want to go through the awkward conversation about me wearing the man’s pants to a party he’s attending.
He was also subpar in bed, and I’ve never been the type to spare a man’s ego.
If he suggests another hookup it’s going to be shot down right away.
I continue to scan the crowd, and my eyes catch on pretty light eyes.
I notice they belong to Bellamy right away.
He’s wearing a Van Halen shirt, cut into a muscle tank to show off his arms. He has on black pants again, and high top Converse.
A normal outfit for Bellamy. My eyes slowly move over his arms, and my mouth starts to water.
The most infuriating part about Bellamy is that he knows just how good he looks. Everyone does.
I feel his gaze, and I see it too. I raise my eyebrows at him.
I raise my drink, and his lips pull into a smirk, that devilish dimple noticeable even when it’s dark.
There’s a deep warmth that erupts in my lower abdomen when I see a smile as attractive as Bellamy’s.
It’s a shock that my cheeks aren’t flame red as we stare at each other.
I sip my drink, and out of nowhere, I see a soft slap connect to Bellamy’s chest. I can’t tell if it’s playful or not, but I watch the scene play out in front of me from afar.
Bellamy’s brows furrow as he looks at the culprit of the slap.
I see Leah Ashley say something to him, seemingly unhappy.
I narrow my eyes at the two of them. He argues with her, and she shoots me small looks as she gets angry. I scrunch my nose and move away.
I’ve never been this annoyed at a conversation I’m not a part of, but there’s a first time for everything.
That’s something about Bellamy. He’s definitely the dating type.
Anyone can see that. I know the two of them dated but I’m almost positive they broke up months ago.
The nosy part of me wonders why he still comes around her, but the other side of me knows it’s not my business.
Maybe there’s still something there. Maybe they’re trying to work through it. Who knows.
I walk back toward the front of the apartment and see someone I wish I hadn’t.
I try to turn before he makes eye contact, but it feels like slow motion as he looks directly at me.
I’ve never wanted to vanish into thin air more than I do right now.
I regret every choice I’ve ever made to lead up to this.
I’ve never wished I wasn’t born, but at this moment I do.
That way I could have never met Dylan Brody.
“Kamryn!” Dylan yells over the music and chatter.
The only boyfriend I have ever had in my life that I would actually count. I should also add the ”biggest regret” to that list. We broke up a little under a year ago. I don’t miss him in the slightest.
“No,” I shake my head, but he steps up to the plate despite my initial disgust with the thought of a conversation.
“Oh come on, it’s been a while. We can catch up, let bygones be bygones.”
I shake my head dramatically in his direction, “I would agree, but I hate you. So I would rather grab a blanket and pillow and take a nap on the freeway than talk to you right now… If I’m being honest.”
I watch his smile turn to a frown.
“You’re being dramatic. You know I love you, and I know you care about me. I hate that you have to lie in such graphic detail to convince yourself-”
“You’re boring me… And I don’t love you. I actually never loved you, at all. You were horrible in bed… And you also cheated on me. So I’m not sure where the love you’re talking about is coming from,” We’ve had this conversation before.
I wonder if he somehow forgot it from the last three times.
“I never cheated on you... She was like my work wife…”
I choke on laughter, and lies, my eyes wide as I glare at him, “Do you let all your work wives give you head or just her?”
“She didn’t give me head.”
“Why are you telling me a story I already know?” I question.
“Because you never let me tell it,” He raises his voice over the music.
I don’t let him tell me because I have proof. Vivid, camera footage proof. Sienna and I might have hacked into the security footage when I was speculating that he was cheating. I won’t incriminate myself because that was in fact very illegal. But I know he cheated.
“Yes, because I like my version better… Because it’s the truth. Because I’m truthful, and you are a lying piece of shit that wasted my time,” I can tell the insults dig in deep.
His short stature almost shrinks even more. His eyes scan me and shoot straight back to my own eyes. He looks like he’s about to piss me off even more.
“Those aren’t your pants,” He reaches toward me, his fingers starting to grip the belt loops of the pants I wear.
I slap his hand and take an exaggerated step away from him.
“Ew,” I shiver at the thought of his hands touching me again.
There’s shock on his face as he stares back at me, “Who’s jeans are those?”
He steps toward me again.
“Mine,” I step back.
“That’s not true,” He tells me as if he truly knows.
I don’t know why he thinks for a second he has any right to know. But I think his reaction to my honesty would be far more entertaining than this conversation altogether.
“They belong to Jayden. He left them in my bedroom after I fucked him last night. They look good on me don’t they?” I ask him, posing, and turning.
There’s blatant disapproval of his features.
Dylan is around 5’9. He plays lacrosse. He’s got patchy facial hair that fits him. He’s not ugly, but he’s not the greatest-looking guy I’ve ever been with. He was just a sweet talker, and I fell for that. Stupid of me.
“Do you put out for anyone who wants you?” I’m assuming he thought that would sting, but coming from him, it doesn’t in the slightest.
“I dated you, didn’t I?”
His jaw clenches, “I just thought you had a lot more respect for yourself than to let just anyone in your pants.”
I nod my head at his words. “Fair point, but these actually aren’t my pants as we established a few seconds ago… They’re his.”
I point to Jayden who isn’t paying attention.
“You’re so embarrassing.”
“And you are making me feel like manslaughter is an option in the near future. Stop telling people we dated, and you can forget about it like I’m trying to,” I turn away from him, walking in the opposite direction.
“Kamryn-” He calls out.
“Go fuck yourself, Dylan!”
I find Sienna, still talking to Lawson who seems completely infatuated with her right now. I smile at the interaction, both of them alone now. I find myself migrating toward the couch.
Bellamy Archer... I see him once again but he’s alone this time, his hands on his large thighs as he sits. I approach, and he sees me, nodding at the incredibly small spot next to him. I plop myself down, angling myself to him, my legs dangling over his as I lean back into the plush sofa.
“Dylan Brody?” Hearing Bellamy speak my ex's name makes me cringe. I also hate the thought of Bellamy seeing the interaction I just had. “Did he just try to grab you? You look like you had it handled, but still.”
I sigh, hating how perceptive this man is.
“Yeah, but it’s not a big deal. He was trying to see my… You know what it doesn’t matter. Are you watching me?” The football player looks at me, his eyes are captivatingly blue.
I could swim in them, that's how bright they are.
“I was actually, yeah.”
My eyes flip down to his smirking lips. I can’t go home with Bellamy Archer tonight. He’s dangerous, and that’s putting it lightly.
“Weird,” I joke.
His hand is resting on my leg right under my knee, he squeezes, and looks at me, his hand slipping from my body. Instantly, I want it back on me, and I have to fight myself to not say it out loud.
“You okay?” The sentiment in his voice is prominent.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I shrug my shoulders.
“Because you two dated, didn't you?”
“If I decide to count it then sure…” I sigh.
“Decide to count it?” He repeats my words for an explanation.
“You’re one to ask questions. I saw that little moment with you and Leah,” I deflect, hating the attention.
“It’s not my fault. She was talking to me. I was distracted.”
I roll my eyes, “You’re going to make me lose my invite to these things if you don’t stop pissing her off.”
I hold back laughter.
“She doesn’t know you were the one distracting me,” He says.
I sit up partially so I can really look at him.
“You might need tutoring in women if you don’t think she knew what you were looking at. Don’t be stupid,” It’s hard to keep myself from rolling my eyes at him.
“I mean I can look at anyone I want, can’t I? Considering she’s not my girlfriend?”
I watch his lips move, and do everything in my power not to let myself look at the rest of him right now.
“I don’t care who you look at. She seems to think that you two are still dating though, doesn't she?”
He brings the red cup to his lips, and his teeth peek out from behind his lips as they curl into a subtle smile. My chest erupts against my will. He’s just so hot.
“Are you jealous?” He asks, and I can hear just how amused he is by the thought.
I give him a testy look, and he slowly nods his head.
“Not the jealous type. Got it.”
“You’re so smart,” I reach forward, and pat the top of his head in approval.
“I have a wonderful teacher, her name is-”
“You are the cheesiest, most corny, sarcastic-”
“You’re doing such a good job boosting my ego Ryn, keep going,” He fans himself, and I shut my mouth right away. “Oh come on, I was about to start writing them down for my resume.”
I push myself off of the couch now. “I need another drink.”
“Get me one?” He has a hopeful look in his eyes that I know I’m about to crush.
“Who said I was coming back?” I turn away from him, knowing and hoping for my sake and his own that he stays on the couch. He looks far too good tonight to be following me around. If he keeps it up I might find myself leaving with him, and that cannot happen.