Chapter 29: Stop It
The music volume increased, pumping the whole house up as teenagers started to dance and actually get their party on. The music was so loud, even I was able to hear it from Cory's den.
I sang along to the song, moving my hips to the rhythm as I sat in my stool. I looked up at Jason to see him staring amusingly at me.
"And you say I don't like parties," I retorted with an eye roll as I continued to sing along.
"You don't though," Jason argued with a chuckle, looking at me incredulously.
"Yes I do," I corrected him.
"Right," he said unconvinced as he leaned his arms on the bar. He turned his face towards mine as he smirked.
I continued to sing along, nodding my head side to side—knowing I was entertaining Jason. I spotted Pateel making her way over to us with of course Adam by her side. I smiled.
"There you guys are!" Pateel greeted with a grin.
"Hey Pateel," Jason greeted with a smile. "I see that Loverboy found you." Jason cast a glance towards his best friend, Adam.
Pateel glared at Jason, blushing all the while. I rolled my eyes as I smacked Jason in the chest with the back of my hand as Adam punched him in the shoulder.
"What?" Jason asked innocently though there was a grin on his face.
"Oh, look who's talking Secret Loverboy," Adam retorted with a smug look at his clever comeback.
However Jason wasn't at all embarrassed and he just gave Adam an "are you kidding me" look.
Unfortunately, Adam noticed me blushing and looking away. He quickly regretted what he said as he realized his "clever" comeback attacked me and not Jason.
"Great! Look at what you did," Jason playfully exclaimed as he punched his friend in the shoulder. "You're getting Jacks all embarrassed."
I narrowed my eyes at Jason to see a very amused expression on his face. And I actually liked this doofball?
I hit Jason in the shoulder and stuck my tongue out at him.
"That's sexy," Jason whispered into my ear, his breath tickling my neck as he leaned in towards me.
I couldn't help but cover my face with my hands in disbelief as I began laughing. I've got to admit, the laughter was coming from either because he hit a sensitive spot on my neck or because of the butterflies in my tummy.
"Alright, well we'll leave you two alone," I heard Adam suggest with a laugh.
"Yeah, get out of here Adam," Jason laughed as he called after Adam who was already walking away with Pateel.
"You're impossible you know that?" I asked as I turned towards Jason, finding ourselves alone in a basement full of people.
"What?" he asked innocently with a grin on his face. I rolled my brown eyes.
"I'm going upstairs," I stated as I hopped off my stool, ready to walk past Jason but he quickly grabbed my wrist, pulling me towards him.
"Jason," I gritted my teeth. "People are around."
"Does it look like people are watching?" he asked as he made a show of looking around the room. My eyes followed to see that people were too busy dancing, socializing, drinking, dancing, and kissing.
"Fine, but don't overdo it!" I demanded as I yanked my hand out of Jason's hold.
"I'll go with you," Jason offered as he started to follow behind me as I made my way up the basement stairs towards the first level of Cory's house.
I weaved my way through the groups of teenagers, sometimes feeling Jason's hand on my lower back as he followed me up into the main level of the house.
"Did it get more crowded in here or is it just me?" I practically shouted to Jason in order to be heard over the loud music and chatter and partying once we hit the living room.
"What?" Jason asked.
I frowned. I stood on my tiptoes as I spoke into his ear and repeated my question.
"Well, I think it's just you since you're crazy," he answered back.
I frowned at him, narrowing my eyes. I hit him in the chest with the back of my hand.
"Just watch! You're going to get a bruise right there," I pointed to the spot on his chest that I just hit, "because I keep hitting you there."
"Then stop hitting me!" Jason resolved as a solution.
"Then stop being such a….stupid!" I retorted back, obviously flustered.
"Such a…stupid," Jason repeated, clearly holding back in his laughter at my choice of words.
I glared up at him, silently asking him to mock me one more time. And if he did…my hand was ready to hit him.
"I'm not saying anything!" he informed with a grin on his face.
"You're so full of it!" I stated before stalking off to anywhere but there. I didn't even know where I was walking until I found out that Jason was following me.
"I'm so full of what?" Jason asked, not letting the stupid subject go. I rolled my eyes and noticed that Jason and I were alone in a hallway.
I then burst out into laughter as I glanced up at Jason through laughing eyes. I just loved at that moment what I was feeling. I was actually happy even though I was pointlessly yet flirtatiously bickering with Jason, the goofball.
Jason inched closer and closer to me until I was standing against the wall.
"Jason, stop!"
"Stop what?" Jason groaned, finally tired of constantly hearing me telling him to stop.
"Jason…" I trailed off in somewhat of a defeat as Jason trapped me against the wall with his hands finding their way onto my hips.
"You've got to admit this is fun," Jason said with a light laugh, his face in front of mine.
"You mean that feeling of getting caught doing something that you're not supposed to be doing?" I asked rhetorically. "No it's not fun. It's like me saying it's fun if I throw a party at my house when my parents aren't even gone."
"That's not funny," Jason stated as he straightened up with his hands to himself.
"It's not supposed to be funny. But that's how I feel right now with people just around the corner," I informed him, glancing around him towards the corner I was just mentioning.
"You feel that way? You feel that we're not supposed to be together? And even though we are together, you feel it's wrong?" Jason asked, clearly not playing anymore.
My heart skipped a beat in nervousness, knowing Jason wasn't…Jason. His eyebrows were creased, his lips in a straight line, his jaw locked. It honestly wasn't a good look on him considering he rarely had this look on him.
Hello? Jason was the perfect example of the boy next door. Guys like Jason didn't get…mad. Well, not necessarily.
"I didn't mean it like that," I quickly corrected myself. "We just agreed that we'll keep it low profile—"
"But that's what you said," he argued, talking over me. "You said it feels like you're doing something that you're not supposed to be doing."
"Don't get the wrong idea," I stated.
Jason stared at me, no emotion in his facial expression. The look on his face made me want to crumble.
I frowned, finding myself grab onto his hands as I practically begged with my eyes for him to understand.
"I do want to be with you okay?" I said vulnerably as I stared up into his eyes, forcing him to look at only me.
"I just don't want people to see us and start talking about us and ruin everything okay?" I continued, wanting him to understand.
Jason just stayed silent. But I was glad when he didn't pull away when I desperately wrapped my arms around his torso into a hug.
Although I was glad he didn't pull away, it hurt when I noticed that Jason didn't wrap his arms around me. All he did was just stand there as I hugged him pathetically. I felt like crap at that moment. And we haven't even been together for more than a day!
But relationship aside, Jason was my best friend.
I pulled away from him, keeping my arms around his torso. I desperately looked up at him and pouted.
Jason glanced down at me and his eyebrow twitched. I knew I wasn't playing fair but I knew that he couldn't stand seeing me sad, yet alone pout. He hated it when I pouted.
Well, of course there was the instance the other night when I did try the puppy dog look and pout on him but he didn't buy it.
But tonight, he definitely did considering I wasn't playing and that I was seriously sad. And considering he didn't like seeing me sad—girlfriend or not, we were still close friends.
"Don't pout," he muttered, knowing he was slowly giving in. He glanced away from me knowing that if he continued to look at me, he'd be defeated.
"Look at me," I said confidantely.
It took a few seconds but Jason finally looked down and I saw through his eyes that he was grateful I wasn't pouting anymore.
"See? I'm not pouting," I stated with a grin.
"You're full of it too, you know that?" Jason asked with a slight smirk.
"I'm not full of anything." I smiled innocently, secretly happy inside that Jason was himself again. He was his happy, playful self.
I stood on my tiptoes as I brought my face to his. My lips were centimeters away from his. As I felt his hands finally wrap themselves around my waist, I closed the distance between our lips.
He happily kissed me back as he enveloped me into his arms and strong embrace. I knew it was going to get him annoyed but before the kiss could go anywhere I pulled my lips away from his.
"Already?" he groaned with his eyes still closed as he kept me close to him.
"Sorry," I stated though I wasn't really apologetic.
"You're teasing me on purpose," he accused as he opened his eyes to glare at me.
"Sure," I stated with a giggle as I shrugged.
Jason groaned as he buried his face into the crook of my neck, nuzzling his nose.
"Jason," I let out a quiet laugh, "Stop. It tickles."
He let out a laugh against my skin making butterflies go crazy inside me. He started to walk forward, forcing me to walk backwards into the wall.
"You trapped me, happy?" I stated as he continued to nuzzle my neck, his hands on my waist. His soft lips brushed the skin of my neck.
"Jason," I whimpered.
If he continued this, I wouldn't be able to hold back my desire to kiss him right then and there…and never stop.
He slightly pulled away to look into my eyes and I took the opportunity to push him off me.
"What was that?" he asked, taken off guard as he stood a good distance in front of me.
"I'm going to head back to the party you hormonal teenager," I answered innocently with a smile.
Jason let out a chuckle as he shook his head in disbelief.
"You did not just say that," he voiced as I walked past him.
"Hormonal teenager," I repeated again. I playfully stuck my tongue out at him.
"That's sexy," Jason commented with a laugh in his voice knowing my reaction.
I turned back towards him and stepped in front of him. I narrowed my eyes at the grinning Jason in front of me.
"Stop it," was all I said before I hit him in the chest. And Jason had all the decency to crack a grin at me.
"I have no idea why I like you so much," I muttered as I stood in front of him. I just couldn't bring myself to leave his side…I enjoyed his presence.
"Is that so?" Jason asked with a raised eyebrow, leaning against the wall. "Then come over here."
He motioned me to close the distance between us and I hesitantly agreed as I approached him.
"Am I poisonous or something?" Jason asked with a humorless laugh as I stood in front of him, keeping a distance.
"You're definitely teasing me," he accused as he reached over to grab my hands, pulling me towards him.
I willingly went as he pulled me into his embrace. He leaned against the wall again as I wrapped my arms around his torso, tilting my head to look up at him.
Before we could even open our mouths to say anything a drunken teenager turned the corner and entered the hallway. It happened so fast I didn't even have time to pull back from Jason.
"Hey," the teenager approached both Jason and me; his drunken eyes trying to focus. "Do you guys know where the bathroom is?" he stuttered.
I removed my arms from Jason and pointed down the hallway.
"Down there on the right," I directed him.
"Thanks man," he said over his shoulder before leaving Jason and me.
I turned back towards Jason and stated, "I guess I'm a man now."
Jason let out a chuckle as he shook his head.
"Do you think I'm a man?" I asked with a joking look on my face.
"I actually think you're the cutest thing in the world," he complimented with a smile on his face.
"Oh, so I'm a thing now?" I teased as I stepped into his arms, placing my hands on his chest.
"Fine, you're the cutest girl," he corrected himself as he bent his head, lowering his forehead onto mine.
"Jackie!" I heard my name called.
I practically sprung myself apart from Jason and looked around the empty hallway.
"Was that just me or was my name called?"
"Jackie!"
I turned around, turning my back towards Jason to see Pateel and Hannah turn the corner and into the hallway.
"There you are!" Hannah stated excitedly with a grin on her face.
"Hey, I didn't know you were here," I stated, caught off guard to see Hannah.
Though I was obviously happy to see my friend there.
"I didn't know you were here either until I ran into Pateel," she stated with a smile. "We looked almost everywhere for you."
"Oh, sorry," I apologized. I felt Jason's presence as he came up from behind me.
"Oh," Hannah said surprised, finally noticing Jason, "Hey Jason. I didn't see you there."
"Hey Hannah," he greeted back with a warm smile before turning his attention towards Pateel.
"You know where Adam went?"
"In the basement playing pool," Pateel answered with a smile.
"Well, I'll see you ladies later," Jason said as he left us there in the hallway.
"We have some crazy news to tell you," Hannah sang under her breath.
I cast a glance between her and Pateel, instantly becoming curious.
"What is it?"
"You know Cam?" Hannah asked rhetorically. Of course I knew him. "Well, there were these two girls fighting over him in the living room."
"Really?" I asked with disbelief at the gossip I was hearing. I let out a scoff. I couldn't believe I actually liked that guy.
"Apparently," Pateel confirmed with a nod, giving me a look.
"C'mon! Let's go see if it'll turn into a cat fight," Hannah suggested with a laugh as she took my wrist and gently pulled me towards the party in the living room.
I honestly didn't give a care about Cam or the fighting girls but Hannah was already pulling me into the living room.
"You just love cat fights don't you?" I laughed.
"You know I do," Hannah confirmed. "As long as it's not me or us in the cat fight," she added as she genuinely smiled over at me and Pateel.
I was greeted by a crazy mob of teenagers as they danced to the music blaring through the stereos.
"What now?" I asked as I roamed the surroundings.
"Eh, I guess they're gone," Hannah said as she looked around. She shrugged and just like that she was over the cat fight.
"But…I have to tell you something," Hannah stated a bit nervously as she turned her attention towards me. I glanced at her wearily. I noticed Pateel taking a deep breath as she sent me a look letting me know it was bad news.
"What is it?" I asked hesitantly as my mind started to think of crazy things that she could be telling me. My heart raced. I became very nervous as Hannah looked at me wearily, taking a shaky breath.
"I like Jason," Hannah admitted with a shy smile. "Do you know if he's seeing anyone right now?"
But before my brain could even think of a thought, somebody pushed me in the back, making me stumble into Hannah.
"Sorry," I quickly apologized to Hannah before turning around to see Cory trying to pry off a girl from another girl.
"Why were you flirting with him?" the girl screeched as Cory desperately tried to distance the two screeching girls. I couldn't help but crack a grin at Cory's flustered expression.
"Is that the catfight you were talking about?" I asked as my eyes were too distracted with watching the two girls go crazy at each other.
"Yup," Hannah answered, too busy watching also.
"Crazy girls. Look at their hair," Pateel noted with a laugh.
I couldn't help but laugh along with her at the sight of the two girls' mess hair and rumpled, skimpy clothes.
As I observed the girls screeching at each other I noticed the girl Cory was trying to handle, was the exact girl that was giving a lap dance to Cam earlier.
Within a blink of an eye, more people crowded into the living room trying to catch sight of the catfight that was grabbing everyone's attention. And it surprised me to suddenly see Adam and Jason appear as they held back the other girl from the lap dance girl Cory was holding back.
And before I knew it, people blocked my view of the cat fight and teenagers returned to their partying ways as the catfight turned to an end.
"Did I imagine things or was that Jason and Adam trying to help break up the catfight?" Pateel asked from beside me.
"Nope, I saw them too."
"You want to make sure they're okay?" Pateel asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
I let out a laugh as I turned to Pateel.
"You think the guys got hurt while trying to pry off two girls off of each other?"
"What?" Pateel asked offended. "You never know."
"But you're talking about macho Jason and Adam here," I pointed out with a laugh.
"Hey, I think I saw Jason and Adam go that way," Hannah noted as she pointed towards the kitchen.
And before I knew it, Hannah and Pateel made their way into the kitchen to find the boys as they left me standing alone; obviously too caught up in the fact that their crush was in there.
I stood there, suddenly remembering what Hannah admitted to me. I let out a shaky breath, suddenly getting a horrible feeling inside. She liked Jason…My friend liked Jason…
But I was instantly snapped out of my thoughts and the bad feeling inside me when I was greeted by no other than Cam.
Author's Note:
Thank you so much for your patience and reviews! I'm horrible I know. But I've been caught up in some problems that have occurred in my life.
And also the fact that I wanted to make sure this chapter was decent for my amazing reviewers and readers!
So, I hope you like this chapter and don't forget to let me know what you think.
What do you think about Jackie and Jason? Cam? Adam and Pateel?
And how can I forget Hannah's confession to Jason?
Please review! And shout out to nygirl4eva! Thanks for always reviewing and pestering me about updating. (It's okay. I like the pestering.) I really need that and reminders to not keep you guys hanging!
