A/U: Alessia Cara's song Here and my ability to let go of the idea of what if Steph met Ranger at a party instead of Rachel, is the accumulation of this story.
SPOV
How in the hell did I get talked into this, I can't believe I'm at this party, in Newark of all places. But MaryLou just had to come because her boyfriend Lenny was coming, but she didn't want to not know anyone at the party. How Lenny knew about it was a little sketchy, but was a friend of a friend off of the football team. We walked through the door, we walked around trying to find that friend of Lenny's. Somehow I got separated from them so I looked around and it was just like any other high school party I've been to. The jocks drinking like frat boy wanna be's in the dining room, the stoners at the kitchen table lighting up and doing the toke toke pass routine next to the catty girls gossiping about everyone. I hear a cry of girl and see her running towards the bathroom, either because of some drama or because she couldn't keep her alcohol down. As I walk back to the living room I see the typical "in-love" couples going at in on the couches, Where I see my best friend playing tonsil hockey with Lenny. UGH, I am so not going near the bedrooms, that is just asking for more information than I ever need.
Since MaryLou seems to over her "not knowing anyone" worries and Lenny isn't looking for his friend, I made my way out to the car. This is so not my scene in the 'Burg and it definitely isn't my scene here in Newark. Thankfully I drove so I can just put some music on in my car to chill and wait them out. On the way to the car I notice a couple of new arrivals and decided to ask for a favor from these strangers. "Hi, um I was wondering if I can ask you all a favor. My friends have decided to start going at it on the couch in there and seeing as I'm their third wheel I am hoping you might be able to tell them that the girl with the beanie went to the car. And once they got their hormonal urges under control I'll drive them home. Thanks!" I try not to stare at these guys they were all pretty good looking but one guy stood out, not because he was taller. But because he was H.O.T., then of all my crappy luck this gorgeous man starts talking to me. How am I supposed to keep my wits about me? "Sure Babe, but knowing this group of people how will we know which hormonal couple is your friends?"
"Oh, I guess I can point them out to you all and then I can go back to my car and be out of everyone's way." I turned back to the house and started walking when I felt a hand on my lower back and a tingle run up my spine. I whipped around to see who touched me and I'll be damn it was Mr HOTTIE.
One of the other guys opened the front door and held the door for us to walk through, when we made it all into the foyer I was trying to find MaryLou & Lenny, but again they disappeared I wouldn't be surprised if they made to one of the bedrooms that I was stay far far away from. I sighed then the hand at my back wrapped around my waist in a reassuring squeeze. I looked up into those death by chocolate eyes "I guess they decided to follow the hormonal brick road to the land of orgasm." Oh shit I can't believe I said that out loud, I blushed then looked down at my feet and mumbled out a sorry. As soon as I said something totally inappropriate to a bunch of guys I don't know they all busted out laughing.
The guy who held door opened threw his arm around my shoulders to give me a odd hug while saying "Beautiful you are hilarious, we're gonna have to keep you around." All of a sudden I hear a bunch of loud squeals, with a pack of girls running towards us like they just had a Justin Bieber sighting. Seriously they were fangirling all over the place. As soon as the screeching started Tall-Dark-and-Melt in your mouth threw door guys arm off me and he wrapped his arm back around my waist to pull me in front of him. Like he was using me as a shield, he whispered in my ear and the goose bumps ran all over my body. "Please help keep the pack of lunatics away from me." he sounded so desperate, how could I not help him after all he was willing to help me escape this party the least I can do his help him escape the catty girls.
"Carlos, you came I was hoping you would show up. Oh and who did you bring with you?" A blonde girl wearing a next to nothing club outfit on was gushing at first until she saw his arm around me then I got the dirtiest once over like I just rolled around in garbage. But hey now I know this handsome man's name, that's gotta help in getting us away from this fiasco and her friends.
"Rachel, this here is my Babe and some friends from the Army, you already know my cousin Lester." He nodded his head towards Door Guy, holy shit ton of information in just one sentence.
"Babe, what kind of name is that? Your parents didn't name you after that movie with the pig in it did they?" She said in such a snide way.
"Well Rachel, to the rest of the world my name is Stephanie, except to Carlos' I'm his Babe. I believe to most people it's called a term of endearment or even to those with simpler brains it's called a nickname. But since you're having problems with it you can just call me Carlos'." I used all of my Jersey Girl attitude that I could muster and wrapped my arms on top of his cementing his hold of me. She just huffed and walked away at our display of affection, with her gaggle of giggling girls following her wake.
I stepped out of his embrace not wanting to get too use to being that comfortable in his arms. "Sorry for her, we weren't going to come but my cousin wanted us to talk to his friend about what it's like in the Army since he and his friend Lenny are interested in joining."
"Holy shit small world, you all are the friend of a friend that Lenny wanted to meet up with, he brought his girlfriend MaryLou with him. Since she wouldn't know anyone she begged me to come with her. Being the best friend I couldn't say no, so when we got here and couldn't find you all they got distracted and I became the third wheel. Now here we are, and I bet they are fueling each other's hormones with more lust."
I shook my head then I heard the bellow of any 'burg Mom, "Stephanie Michelle Plum, where in the hell are you?" Seriously MaryLou has been watch her siblings too many afternoons, she's got the Mom voice down pat.
"I'm right here Lou, I would ask where in the hell you've been but I forgot my brain bleach in my other jeans so don't tell me as I don't want that visual in my brain without a way of scrubbing it out." I gave her a big smile and a bit of eyebrow wiggle.
She laughed and walked up to me while Lenny was following her and fixing his clothes at the same time. "Hey Steph, I see you found the guys I was talking about." He extended his hand towards Door Guy aka Lester. "Hey Man, how's it goin'?"
"Good Lenny, this is my cousin Carlos and his Army buddies, Tank and Bobby."
Now I knew all their names and if the Bieberettes came back I would have more info to deflect them. MaryLou being the awesome 'burg girl that she is suggested the guys go out back to talk while she and I went to the restroom. UGH, I hate the girl code that says we have to go pee together, I wanted to hear about the Army. While I'm sure the physical conditioning of it I have no interest in, I still wanted the inside scoop.
After a thirty minute wait for the bathroom, and me filling Lou in on how I met the group of Lenny's friends the she-devil came out of the bathroom and walked up to us to start her shit talking again. "So Babe, how did you meet Carlos?" she started interrogating me.
I thought I'd chanel a bit of that Army talk, "Well Rachel, if I tell you I'd have to kill you, now if you'll excuse us the bathroom just became free."
"This is my house," She screeched, seriously does this chick not know how to talk with an inside voice. "And you're not welcome here, you and your little friend will need to leave."
Before I can counter her eviction, I hear Carlos's baritone voice. "No problem, I just came to check on the girls so we could go. Babe, MaryLou are you ready?" He extends his hand to me, I take it without another thought. He pulls me to his side like he's done a million times.
"Sure, since we aren't welcome here, we can use the restroom somewhere else."
"Carlos, you don't have to go, we haven't gotten a chance to catch up with each other." Rachel started grasping to get this very handsome man's attention.
"And we won't since you kicked out my Babe, you kicked us all out." He motioned for MaryLou to walk in front of us, he guided me with his hand at my lower back again. And just like the first time I felt the tingles run up and down my spine. We headed out of the house and meet up with the guys at the cars.
Carlos turned me, "there's a dinner on the corner of Bush and 5th, will you meet us, me there?"
I looked into his eye's and saw his uncertainty there, "Sure, I've got mapquest. What's the place called?"
"Someday." was his answer.
A/N: Again, possibilities of a multi-chapter but I think it could stand alone just as a one shot without the guilt of having to finish this story. I pinky swear I will write on one of my other works in progress before I start another one-shot :) Also, if I offended any Bieberettes or whatever major fans of Justin' Bieber fans call themselves with this story I'm sorry it was a personal slam. Characters belong to Janet, the plot is mine, the crappy editing is also mine… sorry!