I promise I have not forgotten any of my stories. I write in my free time which hasn't been very plentiful lately (working 50-72 hours a week will do that to you).
Fav, follow and review. Tell me what you think and please keep the comments coming they ground me!
AVA
"Ava" Phoebe calls me calmly. "Are you ready to go in yet?"
We are standing in Johnathan's driveway. Phoebe, Eliza, Joni and I are freezing hiding behind the SUV. Teddy has James on the other side distracting him from my freak out.
"There aren't that many people out here, but this is still embarrassing" Phoebe urges attempting to pry my hands off of the car door handle.
"I just need a moment" I say holding on for dear life.
"We have been out here for ten minutes" Eliza says hopping from foot to foot.
"I am in a skirt" Phoebe argues back.
"What are you so afraid of?" Joni asks.
"The crippling humiliation that tends to accompany rejection" I answer honestly.
"What happened to the girl that was going to beat up Brittney in the dressing room?" Eliza whispers incredulously.
"She means nothing to me, I don't care about her opinion" I rebut. We decided not to tell Teddy about our run in with her or Tara because we knew he wouldn't want to come to the party. Phoebe is convinced that Tara will not be here which is the only reason Joni agreed.
"And what does Johnathan mean to you?" Joni asks.
"I don't know he just makes me feel different" I say rubbing my chest. Phoebe takes advantage of my distraction and pulls me away from the car.
"Oh thank goodness, let's go in now" Eliza says heading towards the house.
"Wait" I all, but yell. "I just need a minute."
"You need to walk in your greatness" Joni says grabbing my hand and pulling me around the car. "We are ready" she says happily as we approach Teddy and James.
"It is about damn time" Teddy says pushing away from the passenger door. "We will call you when we are ready to go home."
"Your father made it very clear that we are supposed to keep a close eye on all of you" James says following us inside.
"You can't honestly think we will get in trouble at a high school party?" Phoebe tries. He arches his eyebrow at her. "We promise not to?"
"There will be nothing, but high schoolers here, there isn't any threats" Phoebe implores. "Keep an eye on the perimeter with Tyson (Phoebe's CPO)."
"You have been watching me from a distance for months so this is nothing new" Teddy says.
"I will keep an eye on them in there" Teddy vows. They reluctantly agree.
"See one obstacle overcame" Joni encourages. "One more to go."
"Argh" I groan allowing her to drag me in to the party.
I wave my hand in front of my face trying to disperse the thick cloud of weed smoke I have walked through. I have been searching for Johnathan for the past thirty minutes in hopes of making our meeting look natural or better yet accidental. I don't see anyone else in the room and make my way out as another puff of smoke hits my face forcing me to cough. I look up just in time to see Kevin Harris the school stoner purposefully blowing clouds of smoke in to my face.
He is perched on the corner of the mantel next to the door taking long drags from his blunt. He looks like a king sitting on a throne looking over his empty cathedral room. His brown eyes still appear soulful in spite the large quantities of weed I know is in his system. His shoulder length dark brown hair falling in unruly waves from the leather strap he uses as a ponytail holder. It tempts me to reach up and tuck it behind his ear. He could be one of the most handsome boys in school if he wasn't a pill popping stoner. He laughs openly as I glare at him.
"Looking for someone in particular?" He smirks.
"No" I say bristling. "It is very rude to do drugs in someone else's house."
"I have a prescription" he laughs. "Besides Johnathan got his share."
"Johnathan doesn't do drugs" I argue.
"No, he doesn't do drugs around you" he grins finishing off his joint. Jumping down from the mantel I am surprised when he stands to his full height. He has to be at least six-five. "Who would want to smoke the devil's lettuce in front of the princess."
"I am not a princess" I grumble.
"Of course not" he taunts moving closer. I take a step back as he invades my space. It isn't until my back is pressed against the wall that I realize I am trapped in a room with a boy I barely know far away from the loud music filled party area. The combination of his cologne and the thick smell of weed invades my senses making me feel light headed.
"A word of advice, just because I like your outfit" he says as he runs a finger down my side. "I would be cautious of the drinks he gives you. I know our connect has a lot of flavors for him to sample and word on the street is you have a few inhibitions that could be loosened."
I slap his hand away. Putting my hand on his chest I try to push him away, but he won't budge. I move to slap him and he grabs my hand.
"Not the face princess" he tuts. Bringing my hand to his lips kissing each of my fingers. I stand there stunned and more turned on then I have ever been in my life. Wait… I like Johnathan…
"Get off me" I whisper convincing no one, but he drops my hand immediately and takes a step back. He looks at me intensely before stuffing his hand in his pockets pulling out another joint.
"I mean it about the drinks" he warns.
"Johnathan wouldn't do that" I argue. "He is captain of the football team and homecoming king. He could get any girl he wants he doesn't have to resort to drugging them."
"Some knees are harder to unlock than others" he says shaking his head. "You should know that better than anyone princess."
"Do not call me that" I growl pushing off from the wall to shove him. I can tell he wasn't expecting that because this time he stumbles back with a surprised look on his face. "I have better things to do than listen to some lying pill popper all night."
I turn around and make my way back down the hall. I pass through the living room and see Teddy holding Joni in a vice grip as she sways to the music. I try hard to look unbothered as I walk over to them.
"I can't find him" I tell Joni over the music.
"It's his house he is probably trying to make sure you people aren't trashing it" she offers as an excuse.
"Or maybe he is trying to avoid me" I refute.
"Are you talking about Johnathan?" Teddy asks glaring at every guy who walks past.
"Maybe" I say vaguely.
"What do you want with that high school ass hat?" he asks looking me in the eye.
"You were them not too long ago" I remind him. "And Joni was us."
"Nope, at your age I was wandering through Europe" Joni contests finishing off her drink.
"They have some unfinished business" Joni says turning in his arms. "Are you going to glare at high schoolers all night or will you get me another drink?"
"I don't want to leave you here alone" he argues shaking his head.
"We are two feet from the kitchen, I promise to stay right here and Ava will keep me company" Joni says. "Please?"
"Alright, but drink this one slower it's already your third" he says kissing her forehead.
"I will take one also" I say on a wing.
"You will take a soda, watch Phoebe and Liza on the couch" he orders making his way in to the kitchen.
"You need to pull it together I can see all of your emotions on your face and you smell like pot" she says digging through her purse and pulling out a spray.
"What scent is that?" I ask letting her spray me.
"It is an odor eliminator some of my friend's smoke and Teddy hates the odor transfer" she explains. "Pull your breast up and push them together." I stare at her in shock.
"Don't look at me like that, half of these girls got way more than cleavage on display" she says reaching over to adjust me herself.
"Hey, hey, hey" I say batting her hands away. "I can do it. What happened to the 'Men Explain Things to Me' feminist?"
"We have moved to the novel "They Want Your Man Don't Let Them Have Him" she says spraying me one more time. "If he is what you want then don't let anything or anyone stop you."
"Look at Phoebe and Liza trying to pretend they aren't madly in love" she says leaning in. I look over at them and roll my eyes at the way they are trying to keep a respectable distance from each other.
"I hate how they can't be themselves" I say honestly.
"Do you really think your family will care that much?"
"My dad jokes all the time about how before Uncle Christian met Aunt Ana the whole family thought he was gay and how relieved they were when they found out he wasn't" I say skeptically. "Our family has gay friends, but no gay members. I don't know how they will react to Phoebe."
"I don't know your family" Joni says staring at them. "But I know Teddy and I know he won't care."
"I won't care about what?" Teddy asks coming back.
"About Ava getting a sip of my drink" Joni covers taking the cup from him and handing it to me.
"Hell yes I do care" Teddy says grabbing back the drink replacing it with an orange soda. "If Uncle Elliot finds out I let you drink he will kill me."
"You are no fun" I pout sipping my soda.
"By the way Johnathan is in the kitchen holding court with all the other douche bags" Teddy says rolling his eyes. I perk up, but try to relax and act unbothered.
"So?" I ask shrugging.
"Stop acting like you don't want to go in the kitchen" Joni says shooing me away.
I make my way into the kitchen where I see Johnathan perched on the counter surrounded by his friends. I take a second to compose myself before walking straight past them to the refrigerator putting a little extra sway in my step.
"Ava?" he asks. I take my time looking over my shoulder at him.
"Oh hi Johnathan nice party."
"I didn't know Mary could be out this late" his friend Tyler says to the amusement of their cronies. Ever since the incident he and his flunkies have taken to calling me Mary as in the Virgin Mary.
"Really funny Tyler" I say continuing to the refrigerator. I open the door and peer inside.
"Shut up Ty" Johnathan says appearing beside me. "Need help finding something?"
"Just looking for a soda" I say keeping my face hidden.
"You have a soda in your hand" he laughs.
"I…I um it's flat" I stutter.
"It doesn't look flat" he says grabbing the can out of my hand and taking a sip. "Doesn't taste flat."
"It's flat to me" I sigh.
"What are you doing here?" he asks looking at me up and down. It doesn't have the same effect that Kevin's did.
"Surprised I would come even though you didn't invite me?"
"I didn't think you would come" he says looking at his friends before pulling me into the pantry. "After what happened last time…"
"You mean when you told all of your friends that I ran away like lunatic?"
"You ran screaming from my room" he argues. "I called Tyler panicked because you wouldn't answer my calls and he said you might say I tried to force you or something so he told everyone."
"And you didn't do anything to stop him?"
"I told him not to, but it was too late" he urges grabbing my hand. "He added all that stuff about my size scaring you off he thought it made it sound more realistic and less suspicious."
"You never spoke up against it" I accused pulling my hand away.
"I begged you to talk to me" he insists grabbing my arm tightly.
"Johnathan your hurting me" I say trying to shake off his grip.
"Because you won't listen to me" he says tightening his grip before dropping it all together.
"I am sorry" he says moving to rub my shoulders. I flinch away. "I am so sorry Ava. Listen just let me get you a drink so you can calm down, relax and we can have a good night okay?"
"You want to get me a drink?" I ask remembering Kevin's warning.
"Just a little something to take the edge off" he says smoothly. He puts his arm around my shoulder and guides me out of the pantry.
"Ooh what were you two doing in the pantry?" Tyler yells drawing attention to us.
"Nothing" Johnathan laughs wiping his lips. "Hey Tyler do you have any more of that punch?"
"Yeah man I got some right here, get a cup with some ice" he says smirking.
"Here try some its smooth" Johnathan says handing me the drink. I hesitate and he taps the bottom of the cup. "It's good I promise."
All the guys in the room eye me expectantly. I put the cup to my lips and pretend to take a sip.
"You're right it is sweet" I say offering some to him.
"No that's for you I will get a beer" he says rejecting the cup.
"I have to check in with Teddy really quick I will be right back" I say moving to leave the kitchen.
"Wait, why so fast?" he asks stopping me. "We can take our drinks up to my room and talk about us."
"Yeah" I say slowly. "We can totally do that, but if I don't check in now he will come looking for me while we are talking about us."
"Okay, just meet me upstairs when you are done" he says urgently.
"I will be right back" I say walking away with my cup. I sigh as soon as I get out of kitchen. I jump when Teddy appears out of nowhere and takes the cup out of my hand.
"This has alcohol in it" he says sniffing my cup. He sits it down glaring at me.
"Yay" Joni says picking it up and taking a gulp before I can stop her. "Oh that's sweet…" Teddy quickly takes it from her. "Give that back."
"You've had enough" he says taking a sip and grimacing. "God that's sweet."
"Give it to me and I will throw it away" I say instantly reaching for it.
"Nice try" Teddy says holding it out of my reach.
"Give it to me and I will drink it" Joni says reaching for it again.
"No" he says downing it and handing me the cup. "Now neither of you can drink it."
"Oh my God" I say looking from the now empty cup to him. "How do you feel?"
"Fine" Teddy says throwing his arm over Joni. "This isn't my first rodeo Ava. Do as I say not as I do."
"You don't feel sleepy or anything?" I ask cautiously.
"No" he says laughing.
"I got to go ask Johnathan a question" I say walking away quickly. I pass Phoebe on my way up stairs and she grabs my arm.
"Liza got ahold of some drinks and now she is throwing up" she says panicked.
"What type of drinks?" I ask panicked.
"Some of the girls on the band snuck her some beers" she says rolling her eyes. "She still takes children's Tylenol; I don't know what made her think she could handle alcohol.
"Get her some water and get her down stairs" I say looking in to the bathroom and seeing Liza slumped over the toilet. "We will leave soon."
I speed walk down the hall to Johnathan's room. I knock before letting myself in. He is sitting on his bed in only his boxer.
"Finally" he says rising from the bed. "I have been waiting for you. Did you finish your drink?"
"What was in it?" I ask him directly.
"Just some of what was around the kitchen it may have been a little too strong for you" he says stepping towards me, I move back avoiding him.
"I didn't drink it; Teddy did" I inform him.
"What? Why?" he yells
"Because he took it from me, he doesn't want me drinking" I answer.
"Did he drink all of it?" He asks. I nod and he scrubs his hands down his face and begins to pace.
"If there was nothing, but alcohol in it why are you so nervous?"
"What are you talking about?" he asks coming towards me again, but this time I stand my ground.
"I was told that you put drugs in the drinks, is it true?" I ask him directly.
"Who told you that?"
"That doesn't matter what matters is that you have not denied it" I insist.
"Do you really think I would do that to you?" he asks grabbing my shoulders.
"You still haven't denied it" I say shaking him off.
"Of course I didn't" he yells at me. The door bursts open just as he reaches for me again.
"Jo, Grey and Tyler are tearing apart your house" his friend Kyle says.
"What?" we say at the same time heading out of the room. We make it down stairs in time to see James and Tyson pulling them apart.
What the hell happened?