Chapter Four: It's Not Safe But I Don't Care

I was standing in Matt's kitchen with Shannon, Matt, Shane and his girlfriend Talia. They were all drinking but Matt wasn't letting me because I was under-age so I settled for a diet Pepsi. I couldn't believe how easy it was to get along with everyone, they were all so laid back and nice even though they were wrestlers, well maybe all of them but one...

Jeff hadn't even come back into the house since I stepped foot inside. I knew he was trying to avoid me but I couldn't understand why? I mean I didn't even do anything!

"Where's Jeff?" Shannon asked.

And as though to answer his question we heard yelling and the sound of beer bottles smashing. Everyone headed outside to see what was going.

We found Jeff and his friend Johnny running around and throwing beer bottles at each other.

"What the hell are you doin'?" Matt asked.

Jeff turned around and grinned, "We're jus' throwin' beer bottles at each other man"

"Why?" Matt asked.

Jeff shrugged. "Cuz it's fun man. Lotta adrenaline when you're dodgin' beer bottles man" Johnny said coming up beside Jeff, soaked in beer.

"Really?" Shannon asked and then he threw his beer bottle at Jeff hitting him on the back which prompted Jeff to throw a bottle at Shannon which hit Matt causing Matt to throw one back at Jeff which hit Johnny which then started a beer bottle brawl.

Talia and I hurried inside and watched from the safety of the doorway as the boys ran around pelting each other with beer and bottles.

10 minutes later all the beer was gone and the five of them; Matt, Jeff, Shannon, Johnny and Shane were soaked and reeked of beer.

"I better get him home" Talia said indicating Shane who was sitting on the porch wringing his shirt out a few minutes later. "It was nice meeting you Riley. I'll text you soon and we can hang out, do something girly"

I smiled, "Yeah that'd be great. See you later"

I watched them head to their car and pull away leaving me sitting on the porch steps alone. Everyone else was inside drinking and nursing their 'battle wounds'.

I was kind of jealous of Talia and Shane. They looked so good together and I could tell they really loved each other, it kind of made me think...

"Where'd Shane go?"

I spun around to see Jeff standing there, my jaw almost dropped to the ground when I noticed he was shirtless. Oh. My. Gawd. I quickly spun back around before my face exploded from the blood rush. "Um, he just...left" I said finding it difficult to formulate a sentence.

A shiver ran threw my body when he chuckled behind me, and then he flopped down beside me, the glass in his hand clinked as the ice hit the side.

"Nice night" he murmured before bringing the glass up to his lips and draining it. I could smell the trace of vodka as he put the now empty glass down on the step in front of us. He was drunk, or on his way.

"Yeah" I replied trying to keep my heart from beating out of my chest as he shifted beside me and his bare arm brushed against mine. I wandered if he felt the electricity that surged through my body when we touched. "It's really beautiful" I said looking up into the sky where the moon was shining, surrounded by millions of stars, illuminating the inky, black sky.

"You're too"

I looked at him. He was looking at me intently, his eyes mesmerizing, lulling me into a trance. Was my mind playing tricks on me? Did he really say that? He actually complimented me?

But I knew it was the alcohol talking though, so that temporary buzz it gave me fizzled out pretty fast. "You're drunk" I sighed.

"No I ain't. I'm buzzed" he stated matter of factly as he leaned back, his feet out stretched in front of him and his hands cradling his head. "Slightly intoxicated ya know?" he drawled.

I decided not to argue with him but then an awkward silence fell. I hate those moments and I usually take it upon myself to break it. "So, you're a wrestler"

"Yupp" he stated.

I rolled my eyes, he was so infuriating. "Are you good?"

He shrugged, "Decent"

"You're Liam's favourite"

"Cool"

I decided to just shut up and head inside, this wasn't going anywhere.

Slowly I rose and headed up the step. "Where ya goin'?"

I turned my head slightly to see Jeff looking back at me. I shrugged, "You don't seem in the talking mood. Why waste your time?"

"You ain't wastin' my time. I'm just thinkin' is all"

At this I turned back around and sat back down beside him. "About what?"

He shook his head. "It ain't the righ' time" and then he stood up and I felt my heart drop to my feet. Now he was leaving because I annoyed him, and just when I thought we were going somewhere.

But instead he turned back around and looked down at me. "Wanna go for a walk?"

I couldn't contain my smile, I smiled so hard that it hurt, but it also felt good. "Sure" and I stood up and we began to head around to the back of the house.

A light breeze was blowing around us, the only sound was the crickets chirping and our breathing. It felt almost magical.

"Jus' watch yer step. There's some holes 'round here" Jeff said as we headed further away from the house toward something large and square looking in the distance.

"Where are we going?" I asked trying to keep up with Jeff while looking down on the ground to avoid any holes.

"The ring" he said. "We made it back when we were kids"

-

I imagined the ring was set up to look like that of a wrestling ring. I had to admit it was pretty impressive looking but also slightly dangerous looking.

Jeff jumped up and slid into the middle as I stood on the ground. "Come on" he said jumping up and down on what I now noticed was a tampoline.

"Is it safe?" I asked noting that the ropes were hoses.

He shook his head and smirked, "Probably not. But it hasn't stopped us. Come on" he said and came over to where I was standing, holding his hand out for me.

Slowly I slipped my hand into his much larger one and once again felt the jolt. He pulled me up as though I weighed nothing and then dropped my hand and stepped down on the rope so I could get in.

I held myself up by holding onto the hoses, er ropes, as Jeff jumped around testing it out. "Yupp. This is where it all started" he drawled and then he stopped jumping and looked at me.

"What?" I asked as he was just staring at me, kinda making me feel uneasy.

He held out his hand to me. "Don't be scared"

"I'm not scared!" I snapped. It wasn't really a lie, I was more nervous and jittery, and it was caused more by just being close to a shirtless Jeff then it was the unsafe ring.

He grinned, "Well you won't be afraid to try some moves then"

I straightened up and let go of the ropes trying to seem brave. "No. Bring it" I said.

"Okay, just watch" Jeff said as he jumped up onto one of the four poles that marked the corners. "This is called a Swanton Bomb" and then I watched, a little shocked but intrigued, as he proceeded to jump into the air, flip and land on his butt in the middle of the ring. When he stood up he was grinning. "Okay, your turn"

"Are you crazy!? I can't do that. I'd break my friggen neck!" I snapped.

He burst out laughing. "I was jokin'. I just wanted to see yer reaction and man was it funny!"

"Haha very funny. Not everyone is as crazy as you"

He stopped laughing and brushed his hair out of his face. "I ain't complainin'. It makes me more unique"

"Well no one is going to argue with that"

He just chuckled before pointing to the post he had just jumped from. "Think you can jump offa that? Or are you too scared?"

He was egging me on, almost daring me to do it. And I never, ever back down from a dare, even if it means breaking my neck. But then for some reason I trusted Jeff. I knew that he wasn't going to set me up to do anything that could hurt me. "Yeah, no problem"

Okay so jumping off probably wasn't going to be the hard part, balancing, yeah that was the problem. "Here lemme help ya" Jeff said and he steadied me as I stepped on to the pole. "Lemme know when you're steady" he said as he held my ankles.

I put my arms out and stood straight, I nodded when I felt comfortable. "Okay you can let go" I told him.

He nodded and stepped back. "Alright now just do a simple jump and land on your butt, or else you could fuck up yer leg if you land wrong"

I raised a brow, "Well that really makes me feel safe" I said sarcastically.

"Jus' chill. Jump when yer ready"

I closed my eyes and took a big breath but because I couldn't see I mis-judged my footing and stepped back. Instantly my eyes popped open as I teetered backwards, losing my balance.

"Jeff!" I cried as I felt myself falling back.

With quick reflexes Jeff had leapt forward and grabbed the front of my shirt pulling me down on top of him, but saving me from falling to the ground outside the ring. He lost his footing though and we both went crashing to the mat.

-

Slowly I opened my eyes wondering if I was dead. My heart was pounding so hard against my chest that it hurt. And then I realized that I was lying on a bare, chiseled chest and glanced up to see that I was lying on Jeff who was holding me secure against him. I could hear his heart beating under my head.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice vibrating through my body.

I nodded tentatively, "Are you?"

He grinned and then rolled over so I was now lying down on the mat as he hovered over me. "I'm fine darlin'. It's parta my job"

Once again our eyes connected, we both stared intently at each other, neither one of us willing to back down. Jeff then reached up and brushed the hair out of my face before placing his hands on either side of my head. We were almost nose to nose, so close yet so far.

And then it happened.

It seemed everything was on a stand still. No wind, no crickets, no nothing except me and Jeff. Kind of like those romance movies where everything around the couple disappears, yeah that's exactly how it felt. It felt like my body was on fire as our bare skin brushed. I kept feeling electric jolts shooting through my body.

And then Jeff closed his eyes and began to inch toward my lips. I closed my eyes, feeling as though I had been waiting for this moment for along time and then I leaned forward to close the distance...

I bet you are all cursing me right now! haha

But suspense makes it fun, and all the more delicious when you finally find out what's going to happen.

The title of this chapter kind of has two meanings, one is more obvious then the other. I wonder if anyone can figure it out?

I would have had this posted last night but as soon as I went to save it the site kicked me off saying I had to log in and of course I lost the ending which was slightly different then this. I was mad that I just gave up and left it for this morning.

Anyone want me to continue?

You know what to do...

-Sheba16