Chapter Twenty Five
On Friday, after her evening classes Victoria stormed into her apartment, changed into her most waterproof exercise gear then just as dramatically left her flat with a slammed door and stomped down the building stairs two at a time. Twice she thought she was going to slip to her death but that didn't stop her in her volatile tantrum. She'd decided that she needed to go for a run, a fast paced angry sweaty run. It was Victoria's first time ever going out for a run during the day in Cambridge but she had no mind to care. She was angry, frustrated and needed to run it off or she'd say, or worse, do something she'd regret. For a moment Victoria wished that the wild weather from early in the week was still around to fuel her mood but it wasn't, it was one of the first calm days in a long while and it seemed like everyone was taking advantage of it.
She jogged to the closest park, did a few half assed stretches before she shoved her ear phones in and started a choppy run with her music blasting, possible damaging her ear drums. Running was a rhythm and it drove her mind into a state of absence as she side stepped baby strollers, elderly groups, loud laughing teenagers and revolting couples. It was crazy busy in the park, filled with all sorts of life.
Victoria was half an hour into her run when she seen Haley's long brown hair, she was walking in brightly colored exercise gear with an other girl that looked familiar. Victoria presumed she knew the other girl from the several nights out she spent with Haley, her old drinking buddy, at the beginning of last semester. Victoria slowed down to jog aside the girls.
"Hey," she greeted in a pant catching Haley off guard, who gave out a blasting shout before she laughed and shoved Victoria playfully, knocking Victoria's ear buds out, they fell to her chest and bobbed with every bounce in her jog as the group laughed.
"Vicky!" Haley greeted brightly flicking her hair out of her face. "It's been an absolute age!" She explained dramatically as she playfully glaring at her foreign friend.
Haley and Victoria shared the same classes but Haley had taking to bringing her laptop to class after she failed a big project last term, so they didn't chat as often, and Victoria didn't go out as much anymore choosing to hang with Teddy or her closer friends instead. "What do you say to a night out? This evening? The whole football team is going to be hitting the sports bar!" Haley pointed out excitedly, Victoria noticed that Haley's gaze held something like a scolding. But Victoria just requited an easy smile through her pants, maybe she'd been distancing herself from the party crowd for no reason, sure they failed more of their test than they should and you wouldn't usually have a deep conversation over a couples shots tequila but they were easy, fun and always entertaining.
"Yeah?" Victoria asked, and the second girl nodded enthusiastically. "Sorry I've completely blanked on your name." Victoria admitted embarrassed, hating to sound rude but hating it more to be out of the loop.
"Annabelle," she giggled and flicked her pony tail over her shoulder. "You should tots come out, I think it was Nicky who was just saying that he missed your wicked dance moves." She grinned, Victoria sent her a weak smile not being familiar with 'Nicky' enough to put a face on his name but she guessed he was one of the huge group of people Haley surrounded herself with.
"Or are our drinking antics too wild for the old marriage couple now?" Haley teased and Victoria burst out in cheerful laughter she'd almost forgotten how quick her drinking buddy was. "We heard all about Puerto Rico you lucky bitch." Haley grinned playfully, nudged her again then Victoria beamed at her, trust Haley to spit out what she was thinking and never harbor thoughts from her friends. "It's someone birthday tonight too, Becca's or Lorraine's or someone's either way I'm hitting the club after the bar, and if I know my Irish friend at all she'll be up for a night on the town!"
"You know what," Victoria paused for dramatic effect holding Haley and Annabelle's gaze. "Fuck it, I'll be there." She grinned at both girls cheered as the three picked up their walking pace, or in Victoria's case jogging pace. "Come to mine later for pre-drinks?" Victoria asked, it was almost expected, her and Haley had done pre's at her several times before, Haley smirked and reached out quickly to hugged her gleefully. Victoria felt guilty for not chatting to Haley more, she obviously had missed her.
"Can we invited a few more people?" Annabelle asked brightly, "I know a few people who's in dorms who wont be able to make as much racket as they could in your place." She explained, "Not to mention they have to be out of their building before ten or they'll get a fine."
"Sure thing." Victoria grinned easily, having pre-drinks with a group of girls reminded her of home, "I'll invite my gang too, make it a pre-party."
"Oh god that sounds like a blast, you know what why don't we side track the sports bar and just do pre-drinks at yours, we three could send a few shout-outs we'd get a good bunch of people to come, drinks not provided obviously." Haley giggled as she pulled out her banged up phone, then she caught Victoria's surprised gaze. "Yeah this is what happens when you go out with the home crew over winter break." Haley explained with an eye roll, "A few too many tequilas." She sighed as she repetitively had to click the screen to get it to start up.
"This will be thee party of the spring term," Annabelle grinned fetchingly. "Mind if we invite under-agers?" Victoria laughed out an unconcerned shrug, after all she was technically an underage person in this country herself, Annabelle beamed. "We're going to have people from all over Harvard; business, literature, science and you know the football team might even redirect from the sports bar if we snag enough people."
"We should just make it a non-footballers party, they'll show up that way." Victoria explained with a laugh, "Or even better invite the baseball and Basketball teams." She grinned jokingly and Haley grinned wider than ever.
"Think you could handle that amount of people?" She asked lightly, Victoria blanked the question having only meant it what she said about the teams as a joke. "I've slept in your apartment it's big but not baseball, basketball and football team big." Haley pointed out pensively.
Victoria shrugged unsure about how big this party seemed to be growing already, "Steven from down the hall is always having pre-drinks on the weekend, I'll just let him know that I'm having a pre-party and he might be getting some strays."
"Fourth floor right?" Haley asked and Victoria nodded almost fearfully, the pair of colorful girls giggled at a names they were deciding to send the memo out too and Victoria started to get fidgety in their slow pace.
"Look I better start running again or I'll cool down, see you two later 'kay?" The girls waved Victoria off as she ran on dodging a group of eleven year old boys reenacting some cowboy shoot down in the park.
On Victoria's jog home she sent out a generic message about the pre-party to all her Harvard contacts and for good measure stuck a message in Derek's online group chat, after all Teddy was her boyfriend now and Derek gang was one of his closer friends.
Victoria was only out of a long shower when her phone started ringing and she answered it dripping wet and her towel barely on.
"You're holding a spring party?" Teddy tone was dry, she didn't admire his attitude after all he was the reason she was so irked earlier. "Victoria what are you doing?" Teddy snapped, she glanced at her glowing clock face, it was close to seven and she needed to start getting ready. Annoyed with his tone and dropping her full name Victoria went through what clothes she could wear in her mind distractedly.
"I wanted to go out, and I offered my flat for pre-drinks." Victoria explained towel drying her hair awkward as she pulled out her 'going out' make-up bag from the drawer, "Haley was the one who said we should skip the sports bar completely and have pre-party at mine before we all move along to the club. I've told you before that my home ended up the designated hang out house, I don't mind hosting."
"Haley?" Teddy asked and his tone was even colder, "Isn't Haley who failed the project and gossips more than listens to anyone she's with?" Victoria wondered how much she'd complained about Haley over the last few months. She knew hadn't got as good as grade as she had expected on one of their in-class tests and blamed it on Haley's selfish chatter, but that easily forgotten easily when the William drama ballooned.
"Haley who happens to be one of my drinking buddies, yes." Victoria laughed lightly, deciding that she hadn't complained about Haley that much and that Teddy was still in his stubborn mood from earlier. "Look everyone's coming over to mine, why don't you and Luke come?"
"It's Friday night, the Sport Bar is like a tradition for the football team." Teddy stated seriously, Victoria gritted her teeth as she glared at her towel clad reflection in her vanity. Out of everyone she thought he, her boyfriend, would come, even if they had an argument.
"Okay, fine. Do whatever Teddy." And Victoria hung up and he didn't ring her back.
Half eight snuck up on Victoria but luckily she'd managed to get dressed, she'd decided to wear the pretty violet dress from Puerto Rico with comfy black boot heels and her blond hair was straighter and shinier than ever. Victoria was quick to decide to lock her bedroom door when she was having streams of people in an and out all night. Natalie and Haley were the first to burst threw her front door buzzing with excitement both bouncing off each other's energy, Natalie had managed to last minute get off work and was humming with elation.
"Let's get ready to party," Haley laughed dumping a six pack of beer and two bottles of vodka on the kitchen counter. Victoria had l left anything of any value in her bedroom which included all her expensive cutlery and breakables, Charlotte had advised to do that early. "You talk to Stewart?" Haley asked thumbing in the direction of the other side of the apartment building.
"You mean Steven?" Natalie asked laughing thinking of Victoria's seldom seen neighbor while she dropped her own range of drinks on the table. Both girls brought extra for everyone. Victoria expected that most people would since pre-parties had a bring your own alcohol notion about them, running out of drink was alway a student's worst nightmare at a house party.
"Yeah, he's going to pop by around nine," Victoria explained as the buzzer rag out form down stairs and Damien, Charlotte, Daniel's voices rang out happily throughout the intercom but when they made it up to the apartment there were extra people in tow. Damien had brought Kevin and two extra friends, both of which Victoria presumed were gay also. Charlotte brought Paige, Leah and two cute guys which was strange for her usually anti-men character and Daniel brought up three other muscular men from the Harvard training squad.
Haley panted beside Natalie and Victoria as she pretended to fanned herself as she gaze after Daniel and his rugged friends. "Keep your panties on," Victoria warned through her laugher when she noticed who Haley's eyes were scanning over. "Just so you're warned, I've got the well-to-do crowd coming later too," Natalia snorted into her readily filled plastic cup. "How would you describe the Derek, Bev, Michelle and Sam crew?" Victoria demanded solemnly.
Natalie shrugged, "The Wealthy Wanna-be's? I never give their sort much thought." The kitchen bar was the centre point and the girls parted to chat to their separate friends, Natalie was quick to latch herself to Damien and Kevin to find out if he had spilled the beans about hooking up with Kevin's Ex yet.
"The buzzer just went again," Charlotte pointed out when Victoria poured herself her first drink of the night ten minutes later, Kevin was glued to Damien's side and there seemed to be no cracks in their relationship so Victoria lost interest in trying to figure out the drama from afar and left Natalie on the job.
Victoria realized that although she wanted nothing more than to freely chat to her close friends all night and bash college, people and Teddy. Instead she was going be on party duty for the majority of the night, she was already wishing for someone to call out for taxi's to the night club but it was wishful thinking. Cold drink in hand she let the next flow of people into the building, the 'wealthily wanna-be's' where making their fashionable appearance, and with them came some of the frequent users of Derek's online chat.
Victoria hugged Sam and Derek when they approached her with open arms, "We've brought some of the good stuff" Derek grinned showing her an old bottle of whiskey, she assumed that the boys were upping their friendliness for Teddy. "You'll have to have a drink with us."
"Yeah," Sam grinned nudging her shoulder, Victoria laughed as she eye'd Beverly flirty outfit, it looked like it would be better suited on a classy stripper than at a house party. "We wanna see if that centuries old Irish drinking can tell the difference between a cheap bottle of whiskey and an expensive one."
"You challenging me Sam?" Victoria laughed closing her front door.
"Hey Clark!" Derek called as he walked over to the kitchen bar and grabbed four plastic cups, Victoria eye'd them curiously, someone must have brought them with them. "Do you have ice?"
Victoria laughed and walked over to the friend to fetch some, "You think I'd half ass whiskey drinking with no ice?"
"You like it with ice?" Sam asked, preferring his watered down. Derek sneakily hid the bottle form Victoria the whole time to keep the surprise.
"I rather it hot, with lemon. But I don't know what type of poison you're providing me with and is the self acclaimed expert want ice, we're getting ice." Victoria teased, Derek chuckle good heartedly and made up the drinks.
Victoria took a sip and laughed, "You know it's almost cheeky to turn up to my party with an irish whiskey, what was the shop all out of Guinness or something?"
The boys chuckled, the intercom buzzed and Victoria departed their group with a shaking head and a large chilled whiskey. It was Steven from down the hall with Annabelle and several of her friends.
"They were banging on my door looking for your apartment Victoria" Steven explained as the group pushed into the open plan room, "Like lunatics, and I think a few of them may have already started on the liquor"
"It's going to be a seriously messy pre-party if people are indulging pre drinks for it," Victoria laughed, her limbs feeling loose form the two strong drinks, Steven laughed along side her. They weren't very close neighbors but they could ride the lift to their floor without feeling awkward, and Steven had often helped her with her trash and grocers over the few months she'd lived in the building. "Want to come in for a few?" Victoria asked.
"I think I may have to" Steven explained pointing to a girl at the kitchen bar, "she'd actually one of my friends."
Victoria laughed, "Bound to happen." Steven walked off as she grabbed a six pack and propping the door open. She was just about to find Charlotte when the intercom buzz and Victoria spun and let who ever it was into the building before racing away from the door.
Charlotte was by the stereo looking lost, "Hey" Victoria grinned and started pressing buttons until music started up loudly through the room and there was a mini cheer from the crowd. Charlotte beamed at Victoria, "I should have thought of music earlier huh?" Victoria mused.
"I was just getting sick of listening to Leah's phone collect, I swear there is only so much of the same songs I can deal with."
Natalie appeared with Paige, "Move over, I'm taking control of this bad boy." She declared pulling open a draw and searching through Victoria's CD collection, pulling out one of Victoria's favorite CD Natalie grinned at the short blonde, "Have I ever told you how much I appreciated your music taste?" Charlotte scoffed.
"I think it may be how we met?" Victoria exclaimed with a playful smile, Natalie grinned.
"Strange I thought you were on a murder mission when you met me?" she countered as she swopped out the CDs.
"I was blinded by your beauty." Victoria explained left her and Charlotte to the stereo. Spotting a guy from her management accounting class looking slightly lost she went to him and they ventured into the crowded kitchen area for a drink.
The flat slowly grew more and more crowded, people she vaguely recognized came and some people left for the club or nosily down to Steven's flat which was the mirror opposite of Victoria's. It was closer to ten when Victor, Natalie's boyfriend arrived, calling out a 'Yo' goofily after he pressed on the intercom and then appeared at the door with a keg of beer and a few guys and girls who introduce them selves as Victor's fellow band members or groupies holding several different bottles of liquor. Victoria smiled goofily as each member of the band kissed Victoria cheek when Victor introduced her it was surprising but when Victor wink over at her as he tugged in the keg she realized that he was trying to get into her good book, little did he know he was all ready in it.
"A Keg? Really Victor," Victoria claimed breathed out as she help tugged it closer to the kitchen while Steven who was finally making his way out of her appeared froze and laughed at the novelty.
"When we run drink dry you should be prepared for us," Steven explained pointing to the silver keg impressed and he pated Victoria's back as he made a move to leave, "dude you got a tap?" But Victor prepared, presented a tap from his back pocket of his jeans with a triumph smirk just Natalie rushed over just after catching a happy glance of him. The party was getting bigger and the room was getting hotter and Victoria decided she needed an even stronger drink to deal with it all.
"Babe!" Natalie smiled but then spotted the keg shoved next to the kitchen counter, "I thought you had a gig tonight?" She asked as she fixed her bright red hair into place shocked to see her man at the college pre-party when he had said he couldn't make it.
"It was an early one, finished ten minutes ago, we had this stashed in the van incase we made it here." Victor explained leaning over the keg to kiss her, then turned back to figure out how to attach the tap to the keg. Victoria busied herself aside the couple making up a new drink. "Thought that little miss Irish here would be embarrassed if her party ran dry." His dark eyes twinkled as he gazed at Victoria as she dumped a cube of ice into her drink from the large bowl in the centre of the breakfast bar.
Victoria smiled brightly as she nudged Natalie playfully before said very loudly. "You've got a keeper there," then Victoria made her quick escape the couple laughing behind her.
She caught her reflection in her living area's mirror and found that her once straight hair had slightly curled at the tips from the heat of the overly filled apartment, so she swiftly opened the rooms windows and reminded a few people who smoked to do it in the bathroom with the door closed and the window wide open, it was a smoking apartment but she didn't want the smell of stale smoke lingering in the flat for days.
Victoria was half tempted to ask Sam if she could bum a cigarette off him in her haze but decided against it when she surprisingly spotted Charlotte standing with Lucius. Lucius had managed to sneak in without Victoria noticing a while ago and she wondered if Teddy was lingering around somewhere, so she made her way over to say hello. But got side tracked when Zayne and Benny caged her in, with their tall football player forms and wide shoulders, in the middle of the room. Victoria knew that they were first sting Harvard Crimson players, but more importantly Williams' friends, she hadn't really spoken to them in weeks, month nearly. They weren't bad people, Victoria had spent enough evening with them in William's flat or at the Sports Bar to know that they were more harmless than hurtful.
"Great party Irish," Benny smirked his tone louder than the rock music that the band members were playing with on her stereo, Natalie no where to be seen. "Just spotted that twin sister of mine is suppling this gig with the alcohol," He grinned as he glanced behind Victoria to Natalie across the room, Victoria and Zayne looked too. She wondered briefly if Benny seriously thought that she was using Natalie's legal age to buy everyone drink. "Who's the bloke?" Benny's tone sounded protective and Victoria laughed nudging his hard side breaking his tense stance to gaze down the short quirky blond with a warm half smile.
"He's the new boyfriend. And the one who brought a keg, so he's in the good books" Zayne glanced over again and noticed the large keg for the first time impressed. "What happened to the sports bar?" Victoria asked curiously, she had hoped that the long standing tradition for the football players and many of the other Harvard teams, to go to the Sports Bar would stand and maybe her Flat would be spared.
"Strangely empty," Zayne explained with his wide handsome grin. Zayne had italian or greek grandparents and was far too handsome and strong for his own good. He had enough female attention that it couldn't be good for his already enlarged ego, it used to make Victoria's knees wobble whenever he sent her that wide smile, his self confidence really did burst through his skin and it was incredibly sexy, but she'd long found herself immune to his stunts. "You wouldn't know anything about that would you?" Zayne teased, leaning to her level with a grin.
"SHOTS!" Someone shouted, saving Victoria and people swiftly started to migrate to the kitchen area. "Come on Vicky you're starting us off!" The voice called out and Victoria sent the two large football players an apologetic smile as they stepped back to let her pass.
"Just a heads up girl, Wilke's making an appearance later." Zayne stated as she walked past him, she paused and lifted her gaze to his eyes, Benny wasn't paying attention to them but Zayne was staring at her rigidly, "There's nothing we can say to keep him away." He added, and Victoria was suddenly angry at Zayne. But wasn't given time to voice it because she was suddenly being dragged away by a giggling Annabelle.
Victoria downed five shots, that was four more than she usually did and soon she was in a nice tipsy-drunk state and it helped keep her calm in check. She realized that Zayne was both kind and cruel to mention William would be coming, so when the handsome texan appeared with a few more of his team members and some scarcely dressed girls it wasn't much of a shock but it still sent a shoot of electricity down her spine when his solemn eye caught hers and his lips stretched into a smirk.
"Let's dance," Charlotte declared seeing the exchange and Natalie agreed brightly, so they danced, lots of people danced, which surprised Victoria knowing how small the area to move around was. When Haley spotted someone practically giving a football player a lap dance on her couch she was quick to instruct Kevin and Damien to do damage control.
It was past twelve and the substantial crowd that was left didn't seem interested in calling any taxis so they all could move locations to the club, instead several of the guests were migrating between Steven and Victoria's apartments. The doors being propped open in both flats now. Steven was living the dream apparently as many of the younger student asked him question about his course and his swim team.
Victoria, wasn't as impressed with the sudden popularity since she was already quiet well known around campus thanks to her parting last semester, the radical relations with one of the Harvard Crimson's star players, overall friendliness to everyone she met and now the new unexpected relationship Teddy. Still she was being handed around Steven's junior and senior friends as the 'Feisty Irish,' which was a great distraction from William's heavy stares.
It was decided at two a.m through a loud shout by a Harvard line backer, that was so loud it echoed down the hall into Steven's apartment, that Victoria's pre-party was going to updated to an all nighter. To make it more ceremonial Zayne lifted Victoria up onto her coffee table for three cheers, where she just drunken chuckled at everyone. Seemingly it was an achievement in it self to have enough alcohol to even attempt the challenge of an all nighter.
It wasn't until she was gulping down a much needed bottle of water to settle her stomach and thirst that Luke found her in the kitchen, "Hey," she smiled her face very flushed. "I tried to catch you earlier, but Zayne caught me off guard, Charlotte's been keeping you company right?" She winked, Victoria didn't know why she winked but it happened.
Lucius nodded slowly with a low chuckle. "Yeah, I take back anything I've ever said about her, she's cool," Victoria beamed at him, happy that he was getting along with her friends.
"This is why you have to trust my judgement." Victoria smirked wittingly and Lucius chuckled as he moved to tug his hair out of its band. "Leave it down," Victoria advised enjoying the way his locks sways around his jaw, "seriously."
"Listen Vicky," Lucius started but then Annabelle appeared giggling with a drunk Clark, he held her waist tightly and kissed her neck sloppily as Annabelle searched the counters for something to drink, giggling her ass off.
"Holy shit," Victoria breathed distracted by the frightful view. "Annie I want to introduce you to someone," she started as tugged her away from Clark who almost managed to glare at her through his drunken stupor. Victoria handed Annabelle off to Lucius as she leaned into Clark who pulled his head back shocked from her closeness. "You want to start trouble? Don't do it in my house Clark, you know Michelle is here." Clark flicked his eyes to the Annabelle who was slouched on Lucius's side obviously wasted.
"I thought," Clark slurred his eyes flashing in recognition and Victoria realized that Clark thought Annabelle had been Michelle. They both had brown hair was were tall but that was pretty much it, Annabelle's chest was practically bursting form her top and Beverly had barely a B-cup. "Fuck" Clark hissed.
"Just find Michelle and don't make a mess," Victoria ordered before turning to face Annabelle who was quickly falling asleep on Lucius's shoulder, but thankfully after Victoria managed to get some water into the drunken girl one of her friends turned up.
"I'll bringer home," the new girl explained tugging on a coat, and two more appeared dressed to leave. "We were just about to go," she added taking Annabelle's dead weight off Lucius with a grateful smile. "There was no way in hell we were going to be able to survive all night anyway and Haley ditched with some guy a while ago." She added with a testy smile, as Victoria walked with the girls to the door she realized that this girl was stone cold sober, the only one she'd met all night. "Great party Vicky, see you in business law next week." And then the four girls were gone and Victoria hadn't a notion who they were.
"Hey," a deep voice greeted and for a second Victoria froze anxiously worried it was William approaching her at last. She turned slowly and smiled relieved to find Derek who seemed moderately sober compared to many of the other subjects of the pre-party. "Got time to talk?" Derek asked, when she nodded easily he pulled her gently into the hall where it was quiet apart from the girlish giggling echoing from the stair well.
"What's up Derek," Victoria smiled sipping her bottle of water, he glanced at it shocked.
"Are you admitting defeat Irish?" Derek asked his tone amused, Victoria grasped at her heart, which caused her breast to be pushed up in her dress, she didn't notice but Derek sure did.
"Never, I'm just hydrating for the second half," Victoria smirked leaning back against the cool wall. "So what did you wanna talk about?"
"The group project, I take it you've seen the e-mail?" Victoria nodded stiffly, it had been part of the reason she'd had such a bad day before meeting Haley at the park. "It says we can change partners if we want, and I got Jackie and I seen that you got Paul. The lecturer said we could only swop partners if it was fine between both groups. And I get that Paul is ideal Partner and so is Jackie, really." Derek scratched the back of his neck nervously, "But Jackie mentioned to me how much she liked working with Paul and she was hoping to work with him again, so I thought I'd ask you if you wanted to swap?"
"So then we'd be working together?" Victoria asked pointing the half full bottle of water between them slightly confused from his rant.
"Yeah," Derek grinned with a quick nod his fridge flopping over his forehead as he did. "Unless have you and Teddy found away around it so you two could get together?" Victoria frowned angrily at the presumption, "Who'd he get anyway?" Derek asked purposefully.
"Beverly" Victoria bit out, Derek smiled at her obviously irked tone.
"At least he got someone who wont mind mixing the groups around so you two can be together" Derek explained lazily leaning against the wall, enjoying the mess he was making. "Jackie'll have to do then."
"He wont even ask her!" Victoria declared unhappily. "Teddy doesn't want us to partner up since we're together now," Victoria revealed and Derek cocked an eyebrow at her puzzled, she hadn't told anyone about their argument after they read through their e-mails together this morning in Starbucks. "Bev sent him a text saying how excited she was to be working with him, how she new she was defiantly going to pass this time round because she got paired with him." Victoria all put spat out as he eyes glared at her hands, "He's being an arse." She concluded in a drunken growl.
"I'm sure he's just wants to make sure Bev passes," Derek mused softly and Victoria didn't respond, she was angry at Teddy all over again and she knew the moment she walked into her flat Beverly would be there, looking vexingly catwalk ready. "What do you say to our partnership then?"
Victoria glanced at him confused, then she remembered his proposition. "Monday evening after classes suit you?" She asked contented, working with Paul wasn't something she had looked forward to, she only justified being at ease with Paul because she knew she'd get a good grade with him. Derek nodded delighted, "Good, I'll book us a room in the library, we'll get the books we need from there and then we'll move between here and your place."
"I've got three room mates" Derek pointed out dully, "it can get loud."
"Well, we'll go to a cafe then or something." Victoria shrugged curling her hair behind her ear, Derek beamed and held out his hand.
"To the beginning of a great partnership," he explained brightly, and they shook hands laughing. "Now let's get the host a big girl drink before she sobers up and kicks us all out," Derek chuckled. The pair of them started on some of the overflowing bottles of beer as they chatted about the school gossip and random things that peeked their interest until Sam showed up with one of Annabelle's remaining friends.
It was closing in on four when Lucius very drunk and laughing found Victoria who'd just appeared back from her visit quick to Steven's apartment, where his party was still as active as her own. "Vicky!" Lucius hushed as he tugged her into his warm side. "Teddy isn't very happy…"
"Yeah? He hurt my feelings," Victoria muttered feeling the sharp sting of rejection again from when he choose Beverly this afternoon. Teddy was aware how Victoria felt about the silly stuck up girl, but he had been stubborn.
"No," Lucius shook his head loosely and the pair stumbled down her hallway towards her bedroom's door, Victoria paused for a moment when she heard pornographic noises sneaking out of her main bathroom, Victoria frowned and kicked the door loudly. "It's Mrs Grey." Lucius finally slurred out as he propped himself up against the wall.
"Ana?" Victoria chirped loudly her heart jumped, Lucius shook his head again with a heavy sigh as he ran finger through his long shaggy hair.
"Its Grace Trevelyne-Grey, she fell on some ice in Seattle after some meeting or lunch or something, the weather is bad over there." He added with serious eyes as he stumbled over his words and thoughts, "She's been emitted to the university of Washington Medical Centre." Victoria sucked in a sharp breath she felt horrible. Her boyfriends grandmother was in hospital and here she was throwing a party. "She's broken nothing just a fracture, but Teddy's Dad is demanding she be kept in for a few days to make sure everything is okay."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier," Victoria snapped suddenly annoyed at herself and him, she tugged her hair behind her shoulders feeling sickened and Lucius shrugged.
"Teddy texted me a while after I got here, and I thought when you disappeared for a bit you'd got the message too." Lucius pointed out tugging at the bright, faded yellow, tee he was wearing, "I should have found you and made sure you knew," he slurred slightly.
Victoria started to panic, her apartment was filled with strangers that were attempting an all night booze fest, the TV played a recording of some rugby match and the boys where huddle around it as they tried to decipher the rules while Charlotte danced rather closely, for someone who was so prudish, with one of the seniors from Steven's party. Victoria decided she couldn't just leave the party, god knows what would happen to her flat but she supposed her friends could keep the place standing if Teddy really needed her.
Victoria slipped into her bedroom her hands not working with the lock for a few long moments. She picked up her abandoned iPhone and found three missed calls and several texts from Teddy, Phoebe and even one from Ava. "Fuck" she cursed under her breath and rang Teddy, he didn't answer until the phone was close to his voicemail, although she'd closed over her door the sound of music and laughter still echoed into her bedroom, "Hi" she greeted but on Teddy's end their was silent.
"I'm so sorry Ted," She tried to make her voice sound sober she didn't really succeed, "I didn't have my phone, and Lucius's been distracted, he didn't tell me till just now."
"How drunk are you?" Teddy asked shortly his tone dark and Victoria could tell he was still very irritated at her.
"How is your granny?" Victoria asked quickly not wanting to quarrel with Teddy, her voice somehow steadier that time, Teddy sighed deeply into the phone.
"She Skyped me a few minutes ago and she was complaining about Dad." Teddy explained Victoria felt the room turn slightly on to the left and she quickly leaned on the bedside table for balance. "He's not happy, he's looking into ways to sue the restaurant for neglect, it was the steps in front of it that caused her fall." Victoria hummed to show him she was paying attention to him and not the bizarre rotating gravity in her room. "Listen Victoria you're drunk, you aren't not going to remember this in the morning." Teddy declared and her stomach fell, he'd seen through her even though a phone call.
"I'm not that drunk," Victoria declared loudly and unhappily as she swooped off the table and stumbled quickly back into the hall way. "Look I'll come over," Victoria decided not caring about her flat or the people in it, after all Teddy sounded terrible moody and concerned for his grandmother. She should be there as his girlfriend to comfort him. "I just need to find a ride over, I can't drive right now and the taxi service would take ages…" She mumbled more to herself than to Teddy.
"You need a ride Baby?" A low sensual voice questioned that sent a shiver right down her core, Victoria glanced up from her shoes to find William as he smiled down at her while he causally leaned in between the bedroom and bathroom doors. "Benny is just about to head home, he's got a taxi."
"Were you listening to my conversation?" Victoria snapped her green eyes trained to his cocky face while his eyes trailed her body in the expensive dress, she wished he'd stop staring at her and disappear.
"Is that Wilke?" Teddy's tone was low and dangerous in Victoria's ear, and she involuntarily sucked in a worried breath at the realization that she was talking to both her boyfriend and ex right now. "What the fuck is he doing there?" Teddy's voice was so loud on the phone it caused William's lips to curl into a smug knowing smirk.
"I was just coming to get you so you could explain the rules of Rugby to the boys, I'm doing a bad job at remembering everything you told me." William explained affectionately as he pushed off the wall. Victoria couldn't help her drunkenly gaze from falling to his bulging muscles down his arms; he really was something to look at. "And Zayne is telling everyone that Italy's got a fantastic team, you need to put him in his place." Victoria was about to disagree feverishly at that obscure fact but Teddy's voice broke her concentration.
"I'm coming over right now," Teddy snapped and the line went dead, Victoria pulled the phone from her ear and stared at William dazed, realizing all of a sudden that he knew that Rugby was her weak point, she'd talk to the devil about it because she missed the sport so much, she frowned deeply at his satisfied grin as he watched her lower her arm.
"The boyfriend going to make an appearance huh?" William grinned cracking stepping closer to her for a moment. "Might want to warn him not to start anything with me, after all I'm here by invitation." He explained unperturbed rolling back on the balls of his feet when he noticed how agitated Victoria grew at his closeness. "Football, baseball and basket ball team were all welcome right?"
"I never…"
"That Haley girl still has a loud mouth on her, huh?" William explained with a small devious smile as he shifted closer to her again.
"Why are you stirring trouble?" Victoria snapped irritatedly as she stomped past him, refusing to be in his presents any longer.
Concern flooded Victoria as she gazed into the clustered open plan living space until she found Charlotte first who quickly broke away from the man she was dancing with to go to Victoria noticing the worry etched into her freckled friend's face.
"Who's died?" Charlotte asked jokingly as she tried to make a joke.
Victoria pulled her to the kitchen behind the breakfast bar, Natalie spotted the strange attempt at concealment and came over to investigate nosily. "I was on the phone to Teddy…"
"I was wondering why he wasn't here? Did he get hurt at practice?" Natalie asked in her way of announcing she had joined them. Charlotte sent the red head a tired glance, she'd spent a lot of the night trying not to turn and find a heinous view Natalie sucking face with Victor.
"We were in a fight," Victoria admitted, Charlotte cocked an eyebrow at that surprised, "I know it's not a great way to start the weekend."
"Or a relationship, two weeks in and he's not going to parties because you're having an argument." Charlotte debated as she shook her head unimpressed, Natalie handed out much needed drinks, but Victoria just sat her back on the counter too worried to drink.
"His Grandmother slipped on some ice in Seattle, that's why he didn't come. But Lucius didn't tell me until just like now. So I rang Teddy back, and I was in my room talking to him and he didn't sound like himself so I wanted to go see him, but when I left my room still on the phone, William fucking offered me a lift with your brother; Benny."
"Benny's wasted," Natalie pointed out humorlessly, as she flicked her hair out of her eyes confused.
Victoria sent her a well obviously look, "No, Benny's got a taxi coming." Victoria explained more clearly, just echoing what William had just told her.
"No, Benny's asleep in the armchair," Natalie pointed out and the three of them looked over the room to the dark haired footballer snoring in the couch as the boys argued over rules of Rugby.
"William was playing Teddy like a fiddle," Charlotte blurted out and swayed to the right into the breakfast bar before she caught herself and giggled. Victoria and Natalie stared momentarily at her for her weird wording."Bet Teddy's on his way over." Charlotte added while she carefully fixed her hair, apart form the random statement and sway Charlotte looked completely sober, but she wasn't fooling the girls.
"Yeah, he is." Victoria confessed her eyes flickered from her phone to the door and then back to Natalie who seemed the soberest of the trio.
"Victor and I will go down stairs and try to calm him down." Natalie explained earnestly her own anxiety growing for her friend, "I'll grab Daniel too. He'll be able to explain better to him that if he fights an other team member he wont see playing time for a year." She paused her eyes trailed something across the room. "That's not even mentioning, yet again, how huge your fucking Ex is, Vicky. Wilke could knock Teddy out with two punches." Natalie whispered like it was obscenity.
Victoria frowned at Natalie's comment, Teddy was pretty strong too and just a lot less bulky than William. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Send him a text, look I'll grab the boys and head down, there's no traffic and he'll be here in a few minutes." Natalie breathed she was gone.
Victoria took the drink Charlotte held out to her, "So who's he?" Victoria asked pointing to the cute senior as she tried to distract her self from the current crisis.
"That," Charlotte smirked as she followed her friends gaze. "Is the next valedictorian," she whispered as if it was a huge secret it, but properly wasn't as valedictorians had a perfect 4.0 which was hard to hide. "And he's interested in me!" Victoria laughed at Charlotte's shocked tone, when every straight man with a pulse usually fell head over heels for Charlotte the moment they seen her, "What should I do?"
"Well a kiss goodbye is a starting point," Victoria laughed glad for the distraction, "that'll tell him you like him for sure, make sure you exchange numbers too" she explained easily. "Just stick to your standards and morals and you wont regret anything." Victoria advised as Charlotte nodded and made her way over to the two seniors and Victoria went to tell Damien what was going down.
"Shit," Damien hissed when the story was over. "You know I thought it strange when William came back from the restroom looking like he just found a leprechaun in the bathtub." Victoria smacked her hand against his toned chest displeased.
"This is no time to be teasing my native land, I didn't throw something stupid from Hollywood in your face when you confided in us about Kevin's Ex." Victoria hissed while her eyes scanned the busy room, Damien felt throughly chastised. "Teddy is going to be here any minute and I have no plan."
"Well, maybe you should just take him to your room, have your way with him. That'll calm him down right?" Victoria irritation flared.
"We're taking it slow," she countered and immediately regretted it from the wide eye'd gaze he sent her in return. "That's in the vault." She snapped her gaze hard.
"The vault?" Damien held in a chuckled as he ran a hand through his styled black hair.
"Like it's a secret," Victoria explained tiredly but Damien actually laughed at her now as he reached to pat her shoulder. "Shall I go find Kevin instead?" She threatened.
"Look just breath, Teddy just pissed that your Ex is at your party and he's not, simple." Victoria sent him a doubtful frown, her phone buzzed in her hand and she found a message from Natalie with too many emoticons to count.
'On our way up, He wont say a word to us, Be ready for anything honey'
Victoria's heart jolted in her chest, she ignored Damian's curious questions and just made her way to the door, she tried not to shove too many people out of her way on her get there. Victoria only reached the crowd breakfast bar when Natalie rushed into the apartment her hair drawn behind her ears. A habit Victoria had learnt was practiced when Natalie had when she was anxious, that wasn't a good sign.
Teddy appeared next, his eyes dark and his shoulders stiff, his gaze landed on her quickly and she let a heavy breath as he stepped into the room. He was wearing snug black jeans and a white tee that clung to his chest in a delicious way under his winter coat, Victoria stood by the back of an arch chair frozen as Teddy stomped towards her.
"Oh look the boyfriends arrived!" Someone called and Teddy glanced towards the couches were Victoria knew half the football team and William were engaged with the television, she watched concerned as his hands formed into fists at his side and he paused in his path.
Lucius called out, "Hey Teddy!" from somewhere behind Victoria, and Teddy quickly turned his attention back to her, his eyes a shade close to midnight blue as he closed in on her.
"Ted…" Victoria breathed but Teddy only closed the space even further forcing his dominating lips onto hers in an un-passionate and very public kiss. Victoria's hands pushed at Teddy's shoulders when she heard cheers and hollers grow around her. Teddy ignored her lame attempts and nudged her into the back of the armchair before he forced his tongue into her hot mouth, his passion growing. The kiss itself was toe tingling and sensational but the general exposure of it upset Victoria more than anything, and when Teddy finally did break the kiss she couldn't look him in the eye.
Lucius appeared quickly, Teddy wrapped his heavy arm around Victoria's shoulders and turned to face him, "How's Grace?" Lucius asked swiftly and sent a concerned gaze at Victoria who looked quiet ruffled.
"She's fine," Teddy explained with a tight smile since he could still see Wilke in his gaze, Victoria stepped out from under Teddy's arm quickly.
"Would you like a drink?" Victoria asked quickly, her gaze flickered between he pair of them.
"I'm drinking Captain Morgan," Lucius explained happily then glanced at Teddy, "you drinking or driving?"
"I'm staying the night," Teddy pointed out obviously as he shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. "Just a beer." He added when Victoria made no move to leave until he gave her a request.
She swiftly maneuvered around familiar and strange people who she smiled and chatted to while she quickly got the two drinks and then when she gave the now chuckling childhood friends their cups she excused herself for the bathroom. While she maneuvered through the room to the hallway she tried to hold it together.
Just as Victoria snapped her bedroom door shut and kicked off her heels she finally let herself cry, her way into her private bathroom and locked the door. The sobs took over her short form in waves as the thoughts of people's chants, cheers and the awareness of being watched so keenly, being used for others amusement.
Even as someone started bang on the door she couldn't get her tears to stop their trail down her cheeks. It was her phone that brought her out of her despair, it started ring relentlessly so she reached out and unlocked the door, it was pulled opened almost immediately and Natalie pushed into the room with Charlotte and Damien standing close by the door.
"Sweetie," Damien gushed and pulled her from the floor and into his strong tanned arms, Victoria cried out. "You need to give me the name of your mascara, you look a pretty as you did at the beginning of the night." He gasped jokingly as he thumbed the tears from her cheeks and Victoria cracked a smile as the shivers from her sobs trickled away.
"It's not a great party unless theirs a fight or a blubber." Natalie smiled softly. "Now come on let's get you a bit of foundation, bronzer and blush and kick this all night parties ass, you know as host you need to survive the whole night." She challenged cocking an eyebrow at the younger girl.
"And I've hidden a bottle of prosecco for the four of us under the sink that's screaming to be drank." Charlotte smiled while she tugged her make-up from a handbag. Victoria let her friends doll her up while Natalie found her favorite pair of battered converse that Damien quickly stuck his nose up, at which made Victoria laugh and return to herself,
"Do you know what the healthy length of time any piece clothing should be kept in a normal person's wardrobe?" Damien lectured as she slid them the old pair of shoes. "It's not a fucking decade I'll tell you that." He snapped, Victoria just laughed led the way to the kitchen where Charlotte produced the prosecco bottle from under the sink and beamed brightly before quickly popping the cork in a loud burst which earned a cheer from a few of the lingering crowd.
"What will we toast too?" Charlotte asked all of a sudden when the four of them held the cold plastic cups of sparkling wine, the glasses were once again safely locked up in her bedroom.
"To happiness?" Damien asked.
"Over rated" Natalie laughed as she popped her hip against Victoria's hoping to brighten the forlorn teen. "To good sex?" She asked with a big wink at Charlotte's way.
"Damn it, Natalie no!" Charlotte chastised her cheek flushed but she stilled gazed across the room to the valedictorian-to-be.
"Here's to the nights we'll never remember with the friends we'll never forget," Victoria toasted loudly and the three of them and a few tag alongs in the kitchen cheered and drank.
"That's a good one," Damien smiled as he licked his lips impressed with the sparkling drink, "I'll have to remember that one."
"One of my Irish friends was brilliant at them, some of the good ones stuck," Victoria shrugged as she drank some more of the prosecco eagerly. There was a loud cheer from the couches and Victoria peaked over to see Ireland's score against France, she was amazed the group of men were still watching rugby, surely late night TV was better than that. "Now if you excuse me I have a date with an Italian who needs to be put in his place." Victoria smiled and made her way over to Zayne who was cheering for France rather than Ireland, in the group of boys who seemed to be entertained by the rugby game.
"Hey," William greeted as he smirked wildly and watched her fall tipsily into the couch aside Paige and Danielle, who were too busy exchanging good gossip to greet her. "Good you can knock Zayne down a peg or two." He explained shifting on the edge of the armchair as he clutched his hardly touched beer tightly in his palm.
"Now I'm not going to start arguing with the host of such a great party over something so trivial as who's a better rugby team but Italy is up there on the top," Zayne declared pointing to the ceiling as he sent one of his pantie dropping grins Victoria's way, but she was immune.
"If by on the top you mean under the rest of the European teams getting bitch fucked, then sure Italy's up there." Victoria dismissed and sipped her drink but her eye twinkled as Zayne's gaze flickered between her and the group of men who had burst out in low laughter. "I know you've missed me Zayne but I still look the same" Victoria teased flicking her hair narcissistically, Zayne laughed and Benny muttered something in his sleep. The mood didn't last very long as Victoria vaulted out of the seat when William moved to sit on her arm's chair. "See ya," Victoria smiled at Zayne then swiftly stepped away from them and over to the dining table where Derek's crowd, some strangers, Lucius and Teddy sat around drinking beers and playing with a deck of cards.
"Look who decided to return," Beverly taunted as Victoria stepped up behind Teddy. Beverly was the reason why she hadn't join any people at the dining table during the night, she sat at the head of it like the Queen Bee. "Get locked in your own bedroom Vicky?"
"I was checking up on some of the drunks who left earlier actually," Victoria replied just as drily as Beverly.
"That's real thoughtful of you." One of the random girls complemented, "I remember last year after the homecoming rally I was so wasted at this house party I could barely walk and the lad who was holding the party got one of his friends to stick me in some random car out front and left me there all night alone, I passed out, the girls who owned it got a shock in the morning." She chuckled as she returned to playing with her drinks straw.
"God GiGi, I didn't know you were such a wild child." Beverly commented slightly disturbed as she fingered her hand of cards. Victoria noticed that the group was playing some game involving money.
"We're from the South babe, that's a normal weekend occurrence." The second random girl responded, and Victoria picked up on the drawl in their accents now that she mentioned it.
"What's up?" Teddy asked Victoria as he dropped his cards to the middle of the table as he gave up his hand distractedly. "Did everyone get home alright?" he asked and he reached out to curl his hand around Victoria's hip, his eyes flickered to where she knew William was. "What was all that laughing about?" He added as his eyes hardened on what ever he was staring at.
"Just making sure Zayne knew where his place was," Victoria explained lightly, as she sent a smile to Daniel who eyed the pair of them thoughtfully. "Actually it's nearly morning," Victoria pointed out as she indicated towards the window where the dark sky was brightening factionally, "I thought in a while I could grab a jacket and we could go up to the roof and watch the sunrise."
"Awe," Beverly laughed as she stared at Victoria pathetically. "That's so adorable."
"The roof, is that even safe?" Lucius asked concerned, Victoria noticed how he's exchanged his captain Morgan in for a bottle of water.
"Lance wont care," Victoria declared thinking of her creepy landlord, he'd even told her as long as nothing happens to his precious building he could care less about the amount of parties it held, "Steven was telling me earlier than his friend's band practices up there sometimes, there's an old couch up there and it has a barrier around the edge that makes it impossible to fall of it and apparently it's a great place for getting high during the summer."
Derek and Sam shared a look and dropped their cards. "And when were you thinking about visiting this roof did you say?" Sam asked smoothly as sent her a charming wink.
"Sunrise is at seven, so we could head up in fifteen minutes. We should be armed with alcohol cause it'll be cold." Victoria smiled at the pair of them, at least they seemed enthusiastic, Beverly pouted her lips. "I'm just going to ask Natalie and Charlotte if they want to join, grab me before you lot head up." Victoria smiled and glanced at Teddy who turned from his staring competition to catch her glance and swiftly stood up.
"I'll come collect your friends with you," He smiled but Victoria didn't return the gesture, instead she led the way to the kitchen. The apartment had emptied out a lot, which left only Victoria's close friends, the football team and the trust fund babies to claim the night long session. "Vicky," Teddy started but Charlotte suddenly appeared out of no where.
"We kissed," She declared happily to Victoria enthusiastically, bouncing in her heels. "All the way down in the lift, he's gone home now with my digits," she explained excitedly as she flicked her long hair over her shoulder. "Can you imagine! The cutest senior valedictorian ever has my number and he kissed me!" She laughed delighted. "Now where's Natalie at I want to see her face when I tell her I actually gave my number to a guy." Charlotte grinned almost evilly as her gaze flickered away from Victoria.
"Why don't you wait a bit, I'm gathering up a bunch of us to bring up to the roof for a bit of sight seeing," Victoria explained her lips twitched into a smile when Charlotte noticed Teddy and sent the MIA boyfriend a cold stare, Teddy stiffened shocked, Victoria had a sneaky suspicion she hadn't noticed him their before. "Want to come?"
"I'll come, I'll go find the others. You just go get a coat or something from your room." Charlotte stated and she sent Teddy a scowl as she scurried off. Victoria picked up on Charlotte's message and led Teddy down the messy hall into her bedroom and closed the door.
"Why'd you go over to William?" Teddy asked after some long silent moment when Victoria said nothing as she searched her wardrobe for a jacket. "The four of you hid in here for ages and then when you come back to the party you went straight over to the TV," Teddy pointed out, she still said nothing, so he sighed and tried to side step the Wilke situation. "You know you didn't have to check up on people it's not your job to make sure adults get ho…"
"I wasn't," Victoria broke over him and glanced at him hotly, the sensation of being drunk had long since passed and no matter how much prosecco she drank she felt no closer to intoxication. "I was hiding in there crying Teddy," she snapped pointing to the bathroom door, his eyebrows crinkled in confusion and his eyes filled with concern.
"You were fine, you were chatting and laughing with everyone before you went to the bathroom," Teddy pointed out carefully, "I watched you, you were fine." Teddy declared somberly.
"Anyone with half a brain and half the room staring at them can pretend to be fine for a while." Victoria responded weakly and they fell silent.
"What happened? Did someone say something?" Teddy asked stepped closer, Victoria's mind immediately concurred up the image of Beverly's face. "I was going to go fetch you from the bathroom when Victor told us that Natalie had already gone to find you."
"You know I can't deal with PDA," Victoria explained pathetically and Teddy's mouth formed a thin line as he stared at her, they'd gotten over this hurdle already. "And you took advantage of that, you know I was concerned about you, and I was drunk, and you looked so angry, and then you were suddenly kissing me. Right there in front of everyone. I can understand that you wanted to make your claim on me in front of William but you didn't have to do it so dramatically, and you didn't stop when I pushed you away." Her voice trembled slightly as she locked her eyes with Teddy's, neither of them spoke for a long time. "How am I supposed to trust you?" she asked finally.
Teddy sucked in a deep breath, "What?" he asked his mind reeled all of a sudden, "Of course you can trust me…"
"Can I? Can I trust you not to make me uncomfortable in front of everyone like you did tonight? Like you did on purpose?" Victoria argued she knew she was only bringing this all up tonight rather than tomorrow because she had been drinking and was overly tired from her early lecture, mid-day jog and now this ridicules party. "William always done that, pushing me in public, I hate it. PDA is a hard limit for me Teddy."
Victoria watched panicked as Teddy's eyes flared up and his fist clenched by his sides. "We aren't a fucking couple that is following the guidelines of BDSM Victoria, we're not going to start a list of fucking limits."
"What?" Victoria blanched her face paled, and Teddy realized he said something stupid, something she didn't understand. "That's not what I meant at all, I just meant that PDA is really hard for me to do without feeling a flood of emotions and usually none of them are good."
"You were able to kiss me outside the lecture building and all over Puerto Rico." Teddy pointed out softly, his mind raced and spun on it's axis. He'd made her actually cry from something he enjoyed doing, guilt and confusion etched into him. "What's the difference?" He asked stupidly, his blue eyes traced her face.
"Well, to start with, I was the one kissing you." Victoria explained quickly as she licked her lips. "And they were premeditated if not completely private." Teddy sucked in a shaky breath and he rubbed his eyes. "We've been through this before."
Teddy tried to save the situation he didn't want to loose Victoria over a thoughtless kiss. "I wasn't thinking, and you being drunk made me so frustrated with you."
"I think it was the drunkenness that make me sad rather than angry about the kiss."
"Why'd you get drunk? You knew William was there, you know he's a fucking creep." Teddy turned the tables remembering why he had kissed her in the first place.
"Luke, Daniel, Victor, Damien, Kevin... I had several knights in shining armour waiting to save me."
"I should have been here." Teddy explained and he reached out and pulled her into his arms and swiftly kissed her forehead tenderly. "I should have come over straight after you hung up on me earlier."
"You mightn't have been there for your family then," Victoria explained softly, "Maybe it was for the better you stayed at home."
Teddy scoffed into her straightened hair, "You cried because of me, that's the last thing I want to do." He murmured into her hair, "I'll talk to Bev, ask her to fuck off so I can be your partner." It warmed Victoria heart to hear Teddy say that, but that fight was long over.
"You'll have to ask Derek if he's willing to give me up then." She murmured into his chest and Teddy tipped her head back to see her pretty green eyes, "He kind of caught me at the right time earlier and we swapped me with his partner so that Jackie and Paul could be reunited. Derek didn't fail last term so I found that reassuring."
"So you're ditching me?" Teddy teased lightly, Victoria rolled her eyes quickly and scoffed, he smirked at her response. "I'll talk to him too." He murmured and he leant down a pressed a chaste kiss to her lips before he broke away when he heard the sounds of someone coming too close to her bedroom door.
Victoria jumped when the door burst open, "It's getting bright out guys we're going to miss it!" Charlotte snapped before grabbing her winter coat and leaving with a quick smile at the pair.
The majority of the group reached the roof in minutes and the sun slowly creeped across the sky. The lot laughed and drank together, and it wasn't until Beverly offered Victoria a swig of her whiskey she noticed how strange the crowd of people she was surrounded with was, there were trust fund babies, scholarship kids, nerds, pot heads, artsy folk, flirty girls, you name it they were laughing and chattering on her apartments' roof as they all completed the all night challenge and made new connections.
Victoria and Teddy spilt away from the roady crowd to stand to watch the sun rise together. Teddy stood behind Victoria his arms wrapped around her middled so he could pull her back flush against his front as the admired the sky that held an arch of colorful light rising from the eastern sky. "It's so pretty," Victoria sighed content.
"Do you want to kiss me now?" Teddy whispered into her ear from courage taken from Derek's whiskey, after she sighed at the prettiness of the sky. Victoria laughed quickly at his perfect timing before she shifted so she could see his handsome face and crooked grin, "Because you can you know." Teddy explained his lips twitching into a sincere smile. "Anytime, anywhere." He declared.
"Yeah?" Victoria asked as she shifted some more so she was in front of Teddy a tiny valley of space between them as Teddy kept his arms tightly wrapped around her while he gazed down, his blue eyes soft and littered with grief, he nodded his answer.
"So do you want to kiss me?" Teddy asked again when they hadn't done anything but stare at each other for a few moments. Victoria was distracted by a loud yelp from one of the girls on the opposite side of the roof and her eyes trailed over to the others, some of them were sending them skeptical or curious glances while most of them weren't even aware they'd slipped away. "Its up to you." Teddy whispered is hold tightened to pull her closer, his nose trailed her hair line for a second before pulling back and smiling down at her.
Victoria slid close to him and wrapped her arms around his hips, an easy smile growing on her face. "Just kiss me Teddy." Victoria whispered, he lowered his lips to hers in a slow cautious kiss that sent warm waves through their bodies but Victoria eventually broke away from his slow kisses and unlike earlier when Teddy wouldn't let her he just smiled down at her and moved to kiss her forehead mindfully wanted to push her limits, most of the people on the roof were her friends since much of the football crowd had diverted to Williams flat. Victoria felt like could trust them enough to try and break this stupid fear of PDA for Teddy. "Kiss me the way you want to." She challenged and Teddy eyes twinkled as his eyes trailed her tiny form in front of him his hands lowered to her ass and squeezed sharply, which emitted a low hiss from Victoria's mouth.
"I'm not sure we're ready for that yet." Teddy whispered seductively and kissed her again before she could question him, but much to her excitement he did change the fervour of kiss and Victoria's heart bounded in her chest.
Teddy woke up in Victoria's bed with a start, being one of the few that hadn't gone to bed drunk he had made sure to wedge himself beside Victoria, both Charlotte and Damien were also in the bed, thankfully it was a large double bed. The freakishly tidy room was littered with people on the floor covered with blankets and sleeping bags. Teddy chuckled and it disturbed Victoria who shifted slightly before she stiffened in her position curled into his side.
"Oh gods!" She muttered painfully, Teddy slowly lifted his palm from where it lay on her hip to her back and he rubbed her soothingly under the bed blankets, he knew she must be dying from a hangover. "Tell me this is a nightmare," she whispered hopefully, but Teddy shook his head and bent slightly to kiss the top of her head, her once straight hair was curled again.
"I'm going to get up and do damage control," Teddy murmured, Victoria moaned into his neck, "but you're going to have to let me out of the bed." She made a grumble of disapproval. "Vicky its past noon" He chuckled rubbing her back comfortingly.
"Fine," Victoria snapped and detected herself from his side, Teddy grinned at her refusal to open her eyes and she twisted to lay belly down on the bed, crawling over his girlfriend Teddy managed to get out of bed without waking anyone else. Teddy side stepped two girls who snored in their sleep and left the bedroom, only dressed in his boxers, without looking back as he closed over the door as quietly as he could.
The house didn't hold that make left over people, Natalie and Victor snoozed awkwardly on the couch with some of Victor's band members took over the other armchairs. Some people hauled ass up to Wilke's or Steven's flats after they all watched the sunrise, other called taxies or walked the shame back to the dorms. Teddy winced when he looked at the kitchen.
"Oh if it isn't lover boy," Natalie teased from the couch, Victor chuckled at his girlfriends cheeky greeting.
"Do you think I should call a cleaner?" Teddy asked softly as he walked over to the living room eyeing the sticky remains of spilled drinks on the floor and dining table. "Do you think anything got broken?"
"Apart from the bottles that we got cleaned up last night?" Natalie asked as she shifted to a seated position on the couch, Victor remain covered under the blanket. "I don't think so, Charlotte did a once over before she went to sleep."
"That's good I suppose" Teddy mused eyeing the ash stains by the window.
"Do you have the time?" Victor asked groggily.
"Its half one" Teddy chuckled, "Thank God its Saturday." He mused thinking about football practice.
"Oh fuck," One of the band members muttered, "dude, we've five hours till we've got a gig."
"I've the night shift later," Natalie pointed out zestfully, "you don't see me complaining, at least you can have a few sneaky shots."
"How bad is the bathroom?" Teddy asked nervously glancing back down the hall.
"Apart from being overly used by horny teens, I don't think anyone vomited in there last night."
"I'm calling a cleaner," Teddy decided wondering where he left his phone last night, Natalie laughed. "What do you want to clean this up?" He asked confused.
"No," She laughed moving to stand, Teddy noticed that under her dress she wore a pair of what must have been Victoria's pyjamas. "But I will for Victoria. I'll do the bathroom as much as I'd like to hand that off to you, while you start stashing all the unopened beers and liquor into the fridge and presses, then get some garbage bags and start the damage control."
"Vicky recycles." Teddy pointed out.
"Oh yeah" Natalie mused, "Well then you don't need my help out here, get to it," and she smacked his ass as she passed with a light laugh.
Teddy was just finished stashing away the last of the unopened bottles and quietly gathering the rest into the recycle bins when Lucius appeared from the bedroom, dressed in a very creased version of last night's outfit. "Tell me there is water!" He whispered opening the fridge to find it over flowing with the extra alcoholic drinks, people were more keen on the keg last night then the bottles. "Fuck," Lucius muttered amazed.
"Yeah, I know." Teddy chuckled running a hand through his stiff hair, "Look get some water in you and start helping me."
"Pfft," Lucius scoffed grabbing a clean glass and pouring some orange juice for himself, "just ring our cleaner, offer to pay triple."
"Natalie's already started on the bathroom," Teddy explained starting to gather up empty packets of food and junk food that lay about the house, "just get a cloth and start cleaning."
"Teddy, I've never cleaned in my whole life," Lucius chuckled sitting on the kitchen bar stool and sipped his cold drink satisfied. "And I'm not going to start shit that now."
Natalie reappeared with an armful of bottles with comical large yellow cleaning gloves on her hands,Victor actually laughed from across the room where he started to stir and roughly fold up the blankets he and his friends had borrowed. Teddy held open large recycling bin for her, but hadn't expected her to drop them all in together causing a serious clatter and possibly waking up the whole house and scaring the shit out of Lucius who swore loudly and rubbed his temples as he glared after her.
"Fuck them," Natalie hissed moodily her short red hair spiking up in all directions, "I just found a condom in the bath and some bitch threw up in the bin." Teddy winced. "Yeah, next time you offer to pay for a cleaner you can overrule me."
"Noted." Teddy smiled, he found a cloth and dampened before he went to the dining table and whipped it down before swiftly moving to the kitchen bar and the rest of the kitchen counters.
Damien appeared with Kevin, both in boxers and tee-shirts and the two snoring a girls from Victoria's floor were dressed in their less than appropriate dresses from the pre-party. "Well," Damien grinned staring at Teddy's bare chest and legs, "I didn't knew we were getting a morning show, I would have hauled ass out of bed earlier." Teddy glanced up to Damien and found him staring, he just chuckled.
"I didn't want to go moving people to find my clothes," Teddy explained unbothered, the girls shared an impressed look as he dumped the cloth into the sink.
"Did you just use a dish towel to clean the counters?" One of the girls asked amused, Teddy knew she was one of Charlotte's friends but her name escaped him, the other was also Charlotte's friend, but he remembered her. Paige the girl who accused Victoria of being pregnant when she'd vomited on campus.
"Hey now!" Lucius jumped to Teddy's defence, "We're not especially skilled when it comes to cleaning. We're men after all." Lucius chuckled.
"Yeah," Damien agreed sarcastically, "I see you're mastering polishing that stool, with your butt cheeks." Teddy chuckled happily at Damien's taunting. "I think it has less to do with being men and more to do with over pampered children."
"Will you tell Vicky we enjoyed the party?" Paige smiled at Teddy jumping in to diffuse any tensions, but there wasn't, Lucius sent Damien a concurring grin. The pair of underdressed girls moved across the room to the stray band members who were also making their escape too. "See you around!" They all waved and left quickly.
"Bye!" Damien smiled and heard to the group spark up a conversation before the door closed behind them, before he turned back to Teddy, "You know were she keeps the floor brushes?"
"In here," Teddy explained opened the tall press full of all sort of cleaning applications.
Charlotte and Victoria appeared looking worst for wear, Damien chuckled and got to work giving the floor a quick clean worried about glass and gum. "Coffee!" Victoria declared as she fell into Teddy's open arms, her hair wilder than ever. "Please before I die!" he chuckled along with everyone at her antics. "I don't appreciate that, I'm actually dying here." Victoria mumbled unhappily, glancing at Victor and wondering why Natalie wasn't at his side.
"Nothing could beat my headache," Charlotte defended as she slid into the stool aside Lucius, dressed in one of Victoria's overly large hoody's over her dress, and stealing the end of his drink.
"I'm going to check up on Natalie." Kevin stated as he spun on his foot and went to the main bathroom, Victoria watched him curiously. He didn't look like a man who was furious at his best friend for sleeping with his ex, so she assumed the cat was still in the bag.
"Is Derek and Sam still here?" Teddy asked confused, as he rubbed Victoria's back, she'd changed into sweats and a hoody and managed to rewashed her face. "I thought they came in here when we came down from the roof?"
"The roof!" Victoria exclaimed worried, "Did we leave anyone up there last night?"
Charlotte hissed and glared at the loud mouth blond, "If we did it's their own problem, besides Wilke and Steven have just as much responsibility as you do for anyone who was in the building last night."
"I heard there was a party on the first floor too," Victor mused jumping up and sitting on the kitchen counter beside the sink.
"Thanks for cleaning," Victoria told them as Damien dumped the dirt into the trash can, Natalie and Kevin reappeared with a white bag and quickly dumped that too into the trash can. "Honestly, I was just going to call a cleaner."
Natalie, now gloveless, pointed her finger threateningly at Victoria as she stepped across the kitchen to be in between Victor's legs. "Don't dare utter them words in my presence."
"Natalie had a hard start today," Teddy murmured to Victoria, she sent him a confused glance. "Vomit and condoms" he explained and she winced.
The group was chattering easily as Damien and Kevin took coffee and tea orders, it wasn't until Victoria had a white coffee in her palms and a fair amount of caffeine in her body that noticed what was amiss. "Teddy, did I say you were allowed to flaunt the goods in front of everyone?" She asked quiet seriously and Natalie snorted out a laugh.
"The goods?" Teddy repeated confused from his spot leaning against the kitchen counter.
"Honey we've all gotten a good gawk at you, you can cover yourself up now, or we're going to have to start paying you." Kevin teased and Teddy chuckled understanding.
"What can I say, I'm not insecure about my body." Teddy grinned wolfishly at Victoria who just flushed slightly and shook her head at him.
"You have no reason to be," Damien agreed leering at him, which made Teddy slightly awkward as he drank the end of his coffee.
"Does anyone want to go order-in for lunch?" Victoria asked hopefully, "The thoughts of getting dressed to got to a restaurant," She faux shivered and grinned at her friends optimistically.
"Have I ever told you I love you?" Charlotte laughed her appraisal, "I'd kill for a burger, or a pizza or Thai." She hummed at her daydreams.
"Burgers sounds good to me." Lucius agreed.
"The Seahawks are playing today," Teddy mused glancing at the TV, "maybe you can help me school that european how a real manly sport is played so she up to scratch for my first game next weekend," he teased pointing to Victoria.
"You playing?" Victor asked impressed, Teddy nodded as he dropped his mug into the sink, "What position?"
"You have to ask?" Natalie asked teasingly her eyes brightening as she glanced back at Teddy, "Like Teddy bear would play any other position than QB."
"What's QB?" Victoria asked curiously.
"The quarter back babe," Teddy smirked stepping over and kissing her temple without thinking, but she just laughed a patted his chest affectionately. "Don't worry we'll get you well learned before next week." He promised.
"I don't see why I need to be," Victoria mused, "if you got the ball in your hands I cheer, other than that I'll follow Natalie or Charlotte's lead."
"Yeah?" Teddy chuckled his eyes sparkling with humor.
"Eh sweetie, no. I told you I'm watching with my folks and cousins this time. Benny's grades are slipping so someone's getting a ass kicking." She grinned happily, seemly excited for the show.
"Sorry hungover forgetfulness kicking in," Victoria mused rubbing her forehead. "You said you'd have tickets for us all right?" She asked Teddy, Charlotte was getting antsy at this new revolution, she didn't want to have to try and get home tickets to the game.
"Yeah, want to know who your are joining up with?" Teddy asked with a wide smirk.
"Oh for fuck sakes Teddy, I don't know? That Alex guys friends?" Victoria asked moodily trying to remember any names Teddy drops when he talks football to her.
"Try my parents and Phoebe," Teddy grins and side stepped out of the kitchen.
"I'm going to be sitting next to Christian Grey at a football match" Charlotte declared astonished, Teddy chuckled happily to himself as he walked down the hall, "Vic, who's Phoebe?"
"Teddy!" Victoria called noisily "Are you for real?"
"As real as you and me," Teddy called back, he heard Natalie awe before he closed the bedroom door behind him.
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