These Days
Chapter Four
Friends With Benefits
Even though I'm not your man and I know you're not my girl
But let's just act like it's that way tonight
Now I know u got your friends and you know I got some too
But let's just act like you're my lady tonight
Now what I like about you
Is that you're always so cool and comfortable whenever I'm around
You're some one that I can talk too
No matter what I'm going through I call on you cuz I know you'll always be down
See what we have is so incredible
That we'll never find in anyone else
This thing that we share is so unbelievable
That I want you all to myself
LAST TIME
Lily comes back to the dorm after a night out with Jackson (Gryff 5th) to find a bruised Denna and bitter Maleah. It seems that Miss Lily was supposed to be watching James, but alas, she was, umm, occupied you might say, and neglected her duties. Ok, so all in all Denna's arms beat up and Lily feels terrible about it. Lily goes to find James, they have a mini fight about the whole thing and James seeks out Denna to apologize, but Denna isn't holding a grudge… Vanessa goes to fine Sirius for a little quickie before the banquet, but DUN DUN DUN, Sirius has a girlfriend!!!! Vanessa is strangely heart broken, and seeks comfort in Dylan's (Gryff 5th) open arms… Ok, on with the show.
"Ok, so are you POSITIVE that I look ok?" Denna asked for the millionth time before her big date with Matt Jensen.
"You are almost perfect," Caydence said, holding out a paper bag.
"What's that for?" Denna asked, yanking it from Caydence's hand.
"Put it over your head and your look will be complete." Caydence smiled as Denna glared at her. She smoothed her black dress in the front and spun around in the mirror a few times to get the full effect. The spaghetti straps tied delicately into a halter-top around her long neck, her body being hugged by the sparkling fabric that plunged down in the front (not too low) to reveal Lily's star necklace perfectly. The back was nearly bare, stopping just at the small of her back before gathering into a long, flowy train.
"Oh, go to hell, Cay." She said as Maleah laughed. She then became quiet while reading the note that had suddenly appeared, attached to an owl in the window.
"Who's that from?" Denna asked, hopping over to her.
"Tyson." Maleah said while smiling, and putting the letter to her heart. She got up from her seat by the window and walked into the bathroom, a dreamy look spread across her face.
"Gag me." Caydence said as Denna laughed and nodded at her friend's lovesick spectacle.
Maleah popped her head back in the room for a second to give Denna her approval. "Scandalous Denna. You look absolutely fabulous." Denna blushed at the compliment, as the knock on the door caused her eyes to widen and her hands to become fidgety.
"That's Matt!" She whispered to Caydence and motioned for her to open the door. Caydence rolled her eyes and laughed as she got up to greet the Quidditch Captain.
"Caydence! Hey baby you are looking more beautiful than ever!" He said as he entered the room and engulfed her in a huge hug and kiss. Denna's jealousy rose from across the room, but she kept her cool while walking towards them. He was the biggest flirt in school. Everyone knew that. But Denna just didn't want to believe it. Or SEE it.
"Hey Matt." Caydence said, hugging him back and looking up at him. Damn he was good looking.
"Denna." Matt smiled at her as she walked towards him. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "you look so sexy," in her ear. Her knees became weak when she felt his breath on her neck.
"Well, you two kids be sure and have fun," Caydence said following them out of the dorm and down into the common room. She sat next to Cam as Denna and Matt walked out the portrait hole.
"How cute." Cam said sarcastically.
"Do you think he'll hurt her?" Maleah said, Caydence noticing her presence for the first time.
"It's Matt." Caydence answered while nodding. "That's like asking if Sirius is crazy."
"So then it's a definite NO!" Sirius said appearing from behind the couch, buttoning his shirt up. James and him were also to attend the quidditch banquet along with Dylan, but Dylan was nowhere to be found. The three of them had decided to go together weeks ago, because girls are "too much of a hassle."
"Sirius! Your tie!" James yelled from the top of the staircase as he threw the tie in Sirius' general direction. He caught it with ease and began to commission Caydence into tying it for him.
"You know, someday I might be dead or something and you will have no one to tie your tie." She said putting it through its last loop. "Then what will you do."
"That's why they invented clip-on ties. Thanks love." He grinned and kissed her on the cheek while beckoning for James to come follow him. "Jamie! Off to the banquet, maybe Dylan is meeting us there?!"
"Yeah, probably." James nodded as he waved to the rest of the friends and bounded out the portrait hole after Sirius.
"Where's Remus?" Caydence asked, noticing his absence.
"Visiting his great Aunt…" Cam winked, and Maleah and Caydence nodded in response.
"Speaking of Aunts, how did Lisa's decorating frenzy turn out?" Caydence asked as Cam rolled his eyes.
"I haven't seen it yet. I guess she painted McKennon's room black. I mean, come on, the girl is 8 years old. Why would she ever want her room black?" Cam laughed. (FYI: Caydence's mom is Cam's moms identical twin. Yeah, so that means they are cousins.., or half-siblings? Ask me about it in a review if you are confused.)
"Sounds, artistic…" Maleah said, trying to hold in her laugh.
The three sat silent for a minute, until Caydence broke the ice.
"This is boring." She stated in a monotone voice.
"I agree." Maleah said, staring at her nails.
"How about some Wizard's Chess?" Cam asked, trying to make the night a bit more exciting.
"Nah." Both girls said as Cam let out an exasperated noise and slouched in his seat.
"Are you sure that no one comes here?" Lily asked quietly as Jackson led her to a secluded hallway on the 5th floor.
"In all my times being up here…" He answered as he looked at her questioning face. "Which hasn't been that many of course…"
"Hmm, yeah sure," she laughed as he continued.
"I have never seen anyone else up here." They walked a little further until they stumbled upon another couple with pretty much the same intentions.
"I thought no one came up here?" Lily asked, as she eyed the couple from behind the shadow of a goblin statue.
"Well the only ones who know about it all us Gryffindor 5ths, and they should all be at the banquet?" He said confused, as he tried to figure out who it was.
"Oh my God, that's Vanessa! And Dylan!!" Lily said excitedly as Jackson looked at her. He couldn't understand how this was so exciting. All it meant is that they would have to waste even more time trying to find another place to mess around.
"Shouldn't he be at the banquet." Jackson said in an angry voice.
"I have to remember to tell Den about this! She will flip! Come on now, let's get back to the tower!"
She sprinted away as Jackson chased after her.
"Wait, Lil, the North Tower is this way!" He said pointing in the opposite direction.
"North Tower? Who said anything about the North Tower?" She said, wanting to get back to the common room to tell Caydence and Maleah the exciting news.
"What?" His grin faded as he realized that maybe she didn't like him like that.
"Oh…" Lily said figuring out what Jackson wanted. They had been 'talking' for a while now… but still haven't kissed or anything. Its not that Lily's a prude or anything… it's only been a few days, but Jackson must be getting a little impatient. "I must have forgotten where it was or something," she said to him while turning around to go in the right direction. As she passed him she grabbed his hand and led him away to the North Tower.
"This is pretty gay Jamie." Sirius said as sent a pea sailing from his spoon launch pad into the drink of some random 3rd year Hufflepuff Chaser.
"We're gone." James said in agreement as the two got up from the table and left the banquet.
"What should we do?" Sirius asked after walking a few minutes in silence through the castle.
"You tell me?" James said as he stopped and thrust is hands into the pockets of his trousers.
"Well…" Sirius said looking around, delving into the seldom used parts of his brain in hopes of finding an idea of what to do.
"Well what do we have here?" James whispered as he grabbed Sirius' shoulder in a motion to pull him behind a statue in attempts to hide from whomever it was walking towards them.
"Is that Jackson?" Sirius asked, as James squinted at the couple.
"And Lily." He stated with a drop in his heart. Why did it seem so weird to see Lily and Jackson?
"Ooo, ooo, ooo! Let's follow!" Sirius said clapping his hands (quietly) together.
"How about we give them some privacy, Padfoot. And besides, don't you have a girlfriend you are neglecting right now?"
"I don't have a girlfr… oh wait! I forgot about her! Back to the common room Prongsy my boy!" Sirius said while bolting out from behind the statue and beginning to run in the general direction of the Gryffindor Tower.
"Do you mean to sound so retarded?" James asked as he followed.
"It is completely unintentional!" Sirius bellowed as he rounded the corner.
"Alright…" James said to himself, laughing along the way.
"Do you wanna get out of here?" Matt whispered into Denna's ear, his breath sending chills throughout her body.
"Sure." She smiled as he grabbed her hand and led her away from their banquet table and back to the castle.
"So, how is your season going so far?" Denna interjected as he looked down at her and grinned.
"You're cute, you know that Denna?" His voice made her knees go weak. She just smiled and giggled in response. She was content just walking in his company, holding hands, forever. However… Matt was not.
"In here." He said as he opened a door that Denna had never seen before. He looked both ways before shutting the door.
"What is this place?" She asked as he just smiled.
"You'd be surprised with the things you get when you're Head Boy." He loosened his tie as he walked towards her. She fell onto the conveniently placed bed as he got closer and sat next to her.
"Are you scared of me Denna?" He asked her as he twirled her long blonde hair.
"Scared? Of you? No! Why would I be scared?" She said quickly, her mind wondering what was going to happen next.
"Just making sure." He said in his low, breathy voice. Denna thought maybe he talked this way to turn girls on. Oh how good it worked…
He started kissing her hard on the mouth, forcing her to lie back into the soft comforter, his hand running through her hair. His touch sent shivers down her back, as he effortlessly began to take off her dress. He untied the halter-top with one flick of his wrist and began to gently kiss her almost bare chest. He slithered the rest of her dress down past her ankles, gravity taking it all the way to the floor. By this time, Denna was finished taking off his shirt and was working on freeing his belt from the loops in his slacks. She unbuttoned his pants as she felt him feel around to unhook her bra. She quickly pushed him to the side and rolled over on top of him to distract him from what he was about to do. Messing around in your underwear is all fine and good… but she had never been naked with a boy before. And defenitly didn't want to go that far on a first date.
He was surprised at her aggressiveness, and was turned on immediately. She straddled him as they began to kiss with more passion, and his hands roamed to her back again as she sat up to free herself from his grasp. He smiled up at her as his eyes traveled downwards, studying her black and pink bra for a moment, and then smiling once again. He turned her over so she was on her back with him on top.
"You thought you had me fooled…" He said amusingly as he flicked at the front of her bra, it unclasping at once. She had forgotten that this bra was a front hook…
Shit! She smiled at him as his hands and mouth roamed about her very bare chest.
He quickly lost interest though, and began to pull down her black thong.
"Matt, no." She said quietly.
"What?"
"Stop."
"Stop what?"
"Can't we just kiss or something?" She asked timidly, his eyes staring into her.
"I guess." He said flatly as he began to kiss her again, though with not nearly as much passion as he had minutes before.
"You know what." He said, getting up from the bed. "I have to go." And without another word to her, he threw on his pants and shirt and walked out the door.
She held in her tears as she put her underwear back in its place and stepped into her wrinkled dress. She sat on the edge of the bed and wondered what she had done that was so wrong.
"What are you guys doing back so early?" Caydence asked as James and Sirius strolled in the common room.
"We got kind of bored at the banquet, so we left." Sirius answered, as he scanned the room for his girlfriend. "Anyone seen Sydney?"
"Who is Sydney?" Caydence asked him.
"My girlfriend."
"Your what?!"
"Did I stutter?" Sirius said matter-of-factly as Caydence suppressed hysterical laughter.
"Nope, I haven't seen anyone wearing an 'I'm with stupid' sign in here, so I'm sure she's somewhere else in the castle." Sirius' eyes narrowed at her.
"I will let that one slide, Caydence. But only this once. There will be consequences next time. You are forewarned." He strode past her towards a group of 4th year girls, where his girlfriend stood expectantly.
"Sirius has a girlfriend?" Cameron asked, as Maleah interrupted James' reply with a meaningless question.
"How did Tyson look at the banquet?"
The three stared at her in disbelief as she shrugged, "what?"
"Yeah her name is Sydney, and she's some slutty fourth year who wants nothing other to have sex with Sirius numerous times." He answered, ignoring Maleah's random question completely.
"Perfect for old Padfoot then, right?" Cameron said, as James nodded.
"Oh, Maleah!" James said, slapping himself in the forehead. "I forgot to tell you. Tyson wants you to meet him on the quidditch pitch."
"Ooo! When?" She asked excitedly as James looked at his muggle watch Lily had bought for him the previous Christmas.
"About 10 minutes ago."
"James!" Maleah shrilled as she tore out the portrait hole faster than anyone had ever seen her move before.
"So what do we know about this Tyson character?" Caydence asked.
"He's a good guy." James said to her honestly. "Don't worry about it Cay."
Caydence nodded in response.
"Vanessa, are you even there?" Dylan said, taking his mouth of hers for the moment.
"Huh?" She said after she noticed that he had broke away from their kiss. "Oh, yeah, of course Dylan."
"Your mind is somewhere else." He said, scooting away for a minute, his ego bruised.
"No, I don't know, its just that… I don't know." She said, shaking her head and standing up. "I think I'm just tired or something. I'm gonna go back and go to bed." She left without another word to him, as he sat alone in the dark.
"Fuck." He muttered to himself.
Wow. Quite a lot of drama we have starting here, now don't we??? Well I have to tell you that the next few chapters are going to span over a lot of time, and before we know it, it will be spring! I know you are VERY excited. A lot of things are happening to the friends… Lily likes Jackson, Jackson likes Lily, James likes Lily, Sirius is random, Vanessa likes Sirius, Dylan likes Vanessa, Caydence likes… oh you'll find out, Maleah likes Tyson! Cam, oh who knows about that CRADLE ROBBER (hint, hint.) Oh, and Denna and Matt? We will see what happens next time.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO REVIEWED FOR CHAPTER THREE!!!! I hope this story isn't forgotten. I mean, I know its confusing, but it has a future. I love you all!