Track #11: Back To You
Selena Gomez
The deafening music in the room makes it impossible for C.C. to hear what Milly is saying to her. Damn, Suzaku is really going all out with this party, huh. She heard that her co-junior student even rented a DJ just for the victory party for their football team. Well, he is from a well-off family so it isn't surprising that he can afford to throw a party as loud and as big as this for a team he isn't even a part of. Trust Suzaku to be the most loyal student of their university. Good thing that he isn't living in the dorms or else, this party would have been shut down hours ago.
"What?!" she shouts at her already intoxicated friend.
"I said, that boy has been looking at you for a while now!" The blonde girl points at a tall muscular guy who is indeed looking at C.C. with such interest. "He's hot!" Milly adds.
C.C. only snorts. "I just saw him with his girlfriend in the corridor a while ago. And I told you, I'm not here to hook up with anyone. I'm here to get drunk."
"Yes! That sounds better!" Just in time, Suzaku is passing by with two beers in his hands. Milly gets them and hands over the other to C.C.
"Hello there, ladies! I hope you're enjoying the party!"
"Best party ever!" Okay, Milly is clearly drunk. How many beers have she had since they came an hour ago? Four? C.C. is still on her second. "Will you throw another one like this if the university choir wins the regionals next week?"
"Of course! Anything for the uni! Hey, C.C.!" She raises an eyebrow. "Wanna dance?"
She just shrugs and gives Milly her beer. She lets Suzaku drags her to the dance floor where it is packed with sweaty bodies clinging to each other.
"Are you even enjoying yourself?" Suzaku asks once they found a space where two people can fit. C.C. watches how almost everyone gets lost in the loud techno music as if it is their own drug, though she is certain that some of them had a snort or two.
"I'm fine. This is not just my type of music."
Suzaku looks at her worriedly. "Oh, we can't have that now, can we? Let me talk to the DJ."
Grabbing his hand, C.C. stops him. "Don't be ridiculous! Come on, let's just dance."
And so they do.
Suzaku is a harmless frat boy who is too naïve and too carefree for his own good. He is lucky to have Euphemia as his girlfriend who does not take advantage of his personality. Speaking of the girl…
"Where is Euphy?"
"Oh, she is with her co-cheerleaders by the porch. Why? Afraid that she might get jealous of you?" the boy playfully asks while wiggling his eyebrows.
She scoffs. "Uhmm, no. If I were you, I would be more worried to leave my popular girlfriend when many boys and even girls crave for her attention."
Suzaku frowns. "She won't cheat on me."
"That's not what I mean, but whatever. You should always keep an eye on suspicious people in events like this."
"Okay."
"So… What do you really want to tell me, Suzaku?"
Shaking his head, he chuckles. "How did you know that I am going to tell you something?"
"Well, you always take me away from my friends whenever you want to talk to me. Now, what is it?"
"Hmmm… I heard he is coming."
"Who?"
"Him."
"Suzaku…"
"Lelouch. I heard he is coming," he says so fast.
C.C. stares at him. "Lelouch… is coming."
"Uh-huh."
Her eyes wander around the crowded floor and inspect each of the nameless faces. She wants to smack herself for quickly searching for him. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Well… You know… I just thought… Just giving you a heads up. Oh, Euphy's waving at me! I'll see you later!"
She watches him disappear through the crowd without catching a sight of his bubbly girlfriend. C.C. sighs. Sometimes, her friend is annoyingly clueless and dumb it's almost fascinating to watch. But tonight, she is not fascinated.
So, he is coming, huh? Lelouch is coming and so what? It has been a year since they last saw each other. She has become so good at avoiding the places he frequently go and the places she knows he will possibly go. That is why she didn't worry about coming here for the boy does not have any ounce of interest in parties that would be full of frat boys.
Whatever. There are a lot of people around. The chances of them bumping into each other is so little. She is short enough to hide behind a quarterback's back if she ever sees him. And why is she even thinking about this? She had moved on for God's sake. And for all she knows, he had, too. Particularly from the rumors she had heard about him hooking up with different girls in every party he went to.
She decides that she won't be affected by this. It isn't even confirmed if he will indeed come here. She won't let this ruin her mood. So C.C. dances her stupid worries away until she gets lost to the rhythm of the heavy bass and sweaty bodies. Milly already disappears from their corner, perhaps she had enchanted someone with her big personality. Well, hopefully, she is safe wherever she is. And of course, she hopes that she is having fun. At least one of them should go back to their dorm with a big smile on her face tonight.
Two boys dance with her for a while but when they realize that she is not interested in any of them, they both leave and move on to find some other girls.
It is so hot in the dance floor and despite her wearing a cropped tank top and jean shorts, and her emerald hair up in a messy bun, sweat has already formed on her forehead and neck. She needs to find Suzaku and tells him to fix the AC.
She is about to leave the crowd when a hand touches her exposed stomach from behind.
A whisper in her ear.
"Going somewhere?"
Fuck.
She automatically closes her eyes as his warm breath touches her neck. Turning her around, she comes face-to-face to the boy who broke her heart one year ago and goddamn, he looks freaking hot in that black leather jacket and bedroom hair. His violet eyes shine brightly in the dimly lit room and he is looking at her in a way that makes her breathless.
Get a grip, C.C. you can't show him that he still affects you like how he did before.
Composing herself, she gives him a smirk. "Actually, yes. And you are delaying me."
"Well," he grips her tiny waist and pulls her nearer. Odd, how his warm hands can give her goosebumps. "Can you delay it for a few more minutes and dance with me?"
C.C. can already feel curious eyes on them. From her peripheral vision, she sees a group of girls waiting for her response.
Why not, though? Their relationship had become infamous in campus once it was revealed. Everyone was intrigued by how a nameless transferree art student like her is able to tame the campus's serial playboy and tie him to a year-long monogamous relationship before shit went down. They had been the topic of rumors for at least once a week, waiting for Lelouch to mess up and ruin their relationship.
And their breakup did became a big news, too, with girls already flocking him not even a day after their separation.
So she has to be careful on dealing with him. If she say no now, it would look like she is running away from him therefore people will assume that she is still affected by his presence.
She looks up from under her lashes which always drove him crazy. It works for he bites his lower lip. "Well, I guess I have a minute to spare."
She wraps her arms around his neck and begins moving with the music. Lelouch is not really into dancing. He just loved accompanying her in the floor and watching her move her hips with the rhythm. She was intoxicating according to him. And she just does it tonight because goddamn it she loves dancing more than he does and she will not let his presence stop her from feeling the music that is thankfully her genre now. Suzaku must have really talked to the DJ.
She twirls and turns around enjoying herself but not forgetting the presence of a certain someone for she can feel how his eyes burn into her being.
Suddenly, a hand holds her arm and pulls her. "Are you alone tonight?"
"Milly is with me. What are you doing here anyway? Thought you hate parties like this?"
Lelouch raises an eyebrow as his right thumb begins rubbing her lower back. "Is that why you are here and never in the parties that I went to? Are you avoiding me, C.C.?"
She laughs because he is right. "You are giving yourself too much credit, Lamperouge. I barely go to parties because I am actually busy."
"Really. Well, I was hoping to see someone so I risked my sanity to go here."
"I am on your way, then. Go find them."
She is about to step back when the boy tightens his grip and puts his lips on her ear. "It's fine. I found her anyway."
Oh, double fuck.
She puts the tip of her index finger on his chest and pushes him away. "Listen, it is true that I am going somewhere. Go find another girl to waste your time with."
And with that, she leaves him in the middle of the dance floor and goes straight to the kitchen where she grabs a bottle of beer and drinks as if it is her last time to taste the beverage.
She needs to calm her fast beating heart and get herself together. Dealing with a boy as cunning and as smooth as Lamperouge is not an easy feat to do. Especially when she - okay she admits - still has lingering feelings for him. But whether it is the remnants of love or hate, she doesn't know. What she does know is she needs to get away from him for a while before she does something stupid and regretful.
Seeing him after a very long time is like a tsunami suddenly occurring in her peaceful shore - sweeping away everything she had built to protect herself in just a matter of seconds.
It's those eyes, she swears, his violet eyes should be illegal.
Breathe, C.C., breathe.
When she feels that her world is back to its orbit and a sleazy senior is making moves on her, she decides to go out and find Suzaku to finally fix the AC.
Where is Milly anyway?
"C.C.! It's nice to see you again!"
Suzaku has his arm wrapped around the shoulders of a pretty pink-haired girl who tells C.C., "He is quite drunk now."
"Suzaku, can you lower the temperature in the main room? We are going to combust in there."
The boy's unsteady eyes try to focus on her. "There is nothing wrong with the AC, C.C. It's the lust that intoxicates everyone which makes you feel hot. Believe me in this. It's not the AC, C.C."
Suddenly he is staring intently at her, so she stares back and waits for him to continue.
Then out of nowhere, he laughs hysterically, his body doubling over.
"Did... Did you catch that?" he gasps. "AC, C.C. AC and C.C.," he laughs some more. "Is your other friend B.C.?"
C.C. turns her attention to Euphy who looks unamused. "You got a handful over there. Good luck, Euphy."
The girl smiles at her brightly. "Don't worry, I'll tell Rivalz about your concern. Have fun!"
She doesn't know how, but she ends up in the main room again though she doesn't dare to trudge into the forest of bodies. She sticks her back against the wall in one unnoticed corner and settles herself with watching the scene infront of her.
Suzaku's drunk ass is right, though. Almost everyone in the room is high with pheromones as they hump against each other. She already sees some couples go upstairs where the spare rooms are.
Then a head of raven hair catches her attention.
Narrowing her eyes, she finds him dancing with the infamous heartbreaker, Kallen Stadtfeld. If Lelouch would have a girl version, it would be her. Huh, well, they suit each other.
The boy sees her staring and gives her a smirk over his partner's shoulder.
The bastard.
She watches him puts his hand on Kallen's waist and lets it stay there. She wants to look away but she wouldn't admit defeat that easily especially to him.
With the perfect timing, Mao from one of her classes appears infront of her and asks her to dance with him, which she happily accepts.
As cliché as it is, she drags him to the center, but not entirely near where her ex was, and puts her hands on Mao's neck.
"Have you done our paper in Art History? I'm still stuck with my intro," the tall boy says shyly.
C.C. tries to focus on him because Lelouch has noticed them, and the glare that he is sending their way is both amusing and thrilling.
"I'm on my sixth page, but I still need additional references to support my argument."
"Good for you. I don't think I'll make it on deadline. I'll surely fail this semester."
"Let me tell you a secret to do our assignment faster."
She stands on her tiptoes and whispers to Mao's ear all the techniques she has been taking to finish her papers faster while looking at Lelouch over his shoulder triumphantly. The latter responds by pulling Kallen against him.
C.C. raises an eyebrow. Two can play the game.
"It's that easy?" Mao says as if having an epiphany.
She nods. "And also time management is the key."
"I see. So... I believe you are a close friend of Milly..."
"What of it?"
"Well," suddenly he is all shy and blushing and C.C. finds it cute. Ah, Milly, you enchanted another innocent soul. "I wonder if you could introduce me to her."
"You like her?" she teases.
"Uhmm," he sighs, "Yeah. But please don't tell her. She might find it creepy."
His worried face makes C.C. slightly laugh. "Oh, she'll be delighted to know that you admire her. Actually, why don't you accompany me in finding her? Let's go!"
She grabs his hand and together they leave the dance floor, totally unaware of the pair of violet eyes that follow them out.
C.C. is able to deliver Mao to her boisterous friend. Thankfully, they find her with her choir mates and not with some boy. Mao is a good classmate and she wouldn't want to see his heart break without getting the chance to know Milly better.
After that C.C. decides to go upstairs and find a vacant room where she can rest for a bit since it seems like Mao would occupy her friend's time for a while and she is tired from all the dancing she had done for tonight.
Upstairs, the corridor is miraculously clear, but she can hear noises from the rooms she is passing by. She calls Suzaku hoping that he is coherent enough to answer which room is still free.
His room is off-limits so she can stay there since he will stay at Euphy's apartment tonight. Thank God. She doesn't want to accidentally see people having sex because she opens the wrong door.
Just she is about to close Suzaku's door, a hand stops it and without any word, Lelouch gets in and locks the door himself. Too surprised, C.C. freezes on her place and watches as he removes his leather jacket and throws it unceremoniously on the floor.
She shakes her head. "What are you doing here?"
"I need some fresh air."
"Well, find another room or go to the balcony." She crosses her arms. "I came here first."
"This room is too big for a single person, and Suzaku wouldn't mind. He's my best friend, remember?"
"But I do mind and I am not your best friend," C.C. says flatly.
"Oh right, you're the one who got away."
C.C. blinks at him. Did he really just say those words to her? Those cheesy words? She can't help but let out laugh. And once she starts, she cannot stop. All the emotions she had been trying to control since he arrived a while ago spill until she is breathless.
"That... is so cheesy even for you. Why don't you go back to Kallen? I bet she would be more willing to accompany you tonight."
"Where's the tall guy you were dancing with?"
"Somewhere you don't know. So please can you leave me in peace?" When he doesn't move, she starts pushing him towards the door.
Her heart is beating so fast now and she is sure she would do something stupid if he won't leave any sooner. Just being in the same room as him is making her remember all those good memories they had and that is not good for her vulnerable heart.
"Fine." Thank God. "But first..."
Everything happens so fast, C.C. does not know when he bent down and placed his lips against hers.
All she knows next is his mouth moving against hers, soft but aggressive, and her hands had possessed a mind of their own for they are currently on his head, pulling him down to her.
Oh, no, no, no. This is bad. This is so so bad. This is the most stupid thing she has ever done and it fucking feels so good.
Because goddamn it, she misses him so much.
C.C. decides right then and there to throw all the sanity left in her and let her heart leads her - her foolish heart that always leads her back to him.
She kisses him back with the same intensity and when his tongue traces her lips, she opens them and lets him in. Her fingers grip his hair eliciting a moan from him.
"Fuck, you're still the best girl," he says against her mouth.
"There should be no comparison if you didn't ruin us." She bites his lips.
"I know. I fucking know, C.C."
He lifts her up and she automatically wraps her legs around him. She feels the cool wall against her bare skin as he presses on her. His hand travels up her exposed stomach up to the edge of her bra leaving goosebumps on her already sensitive skin.
Meanwhile, his mouth moves downward and turns to torture her neck. His tongue licks her then nips on her skin.
"Are you giving me a hickey?" she says with her eyes closed.
"Something like that."
"I am not yours anymore."
"I know."
"Then what do you want from me, Lelouch?"
The boy lifts his head and stares at her with unwavering violet eyes. "I just missed you."
"You don't have the right to miss me."
"I know that, too, but I still do."
C.C. does not break eye contact and sees that he is not lying. In that year that they were together, she had known every depth of him - that he is indeed a playboy, but a playboy who respects women. But he is not just that. He is smart, caring, sweet and surprisingly very good at doing house chores. He also loves cats and an OCD. He is also family-oriented and always visits his family on the other town. She had met them and they are all nice people especially the younger sister. Those are the sides that the other women never know and see. Those were the sides that were once exclusively hers.
And as long as she stares at his pretty face, she can feel herself giving in.
"Do you miss me, too, C.C.?"
Oh God, no, he can't ask her that.
When she doesn't answer, he kisses her briefly on the lips. "Do you? Because I miss you so much I'm going crazy."
She closes her eyes and lets him kiss her gently. His lips are soft and warm and there's a hint of cigarette in his taste. His tongue sweeps the roof of her mouth before tangling with hers. Massaging her thighs, his hands begin caressing her skin. She can feel him hard against her. She is feeling warm and so is he.
She can't give in. She can't give in. She can't -
She holds his face and says, "This is just for tonight, Lelouch. Do you understand?"
The boy nods.
"Promise me. This is just for tonight."
"I can't promise you that."
"You have to. Or else..." She closes her eyes. "Just for tonight. Okay, just for tonight." She doesn't know who she is convincing anymore, him or her.
And when she opens her eyes, his soft violet ones are the first things she sees. He is giving her the look he only reserves for her and only her and she cannot say no to that anymore.
"I hate you, you know," she mumbles as she moves closer to him.
"I already know."
And when their lips meet again, all the inhibitions and conscience are thrown out of the window just like how they throw their clothes away so that they can be closer, closer, and closer to each other again.