Here's another chapter that may not be well liked. Oh well. It's all part of the story. Reviews are great.

Nessie

What does one wear to a party to a single-awareness party? Do I dress cute? Am I trying to attract any single guys? Stupid party. I have no idea why I am even going. Oh wait, I know why. I don't want to sit at home and listen to three different couples have hot Valentines Day sex.

I decide to toss on a pair of light blue jeans and a blue t-shirt. It's simple and fairly comfortable which is all I'm really looking for tonight. I'm not trying to impress anyone with my looks. I throw on a tiny bit of eyeliner and call it good.

Soon enough I am at Melissa's house. There are cars parked up and down her long driveway. Her house is tucked into the forest the same way mine is, making it a great party house. My senses have been dulled by my new diet so I can't make out what song is playing or how much liquor is around until I actually step in the house.

The house is packed with people socializing and hooking up. I guess most people here decided that since they are single they need to have drunken anonymous sex. I push past the crowds into the kitchen. I have a wide variety of choices, but the bottle of rum appeals to me the most. I grab a red cup and fill it to the top with rum and take a few big swigs. It burns as it goes down, but it's a good hurt.

"Hey Nessie," Austen says from behind me. I turn around to see him filling up his red cup with beer from the keg. "I didn't think you would be here."

"I'm single," I reply.

"Well, yeah. I guess so."

I take another few gulps and step closer to him. "Hey, I'm real sorry about they way I treated you."

"When?" he replies sounding confused.

"On our date."

"Oh, that. It was no big deal. Don't worry about it. You were into Jacob, not me." At the mention of Jake's name, I finish off my cup. I pour myself another full cup and ask Austen if he wants to go talk somewhere a little quieter. "Sure, we can do that. Let me grab another beer." I watch as he finishes his cup and refills his. "Where do you want to go?"

"Is it too cold to go outside?"

"I'll grab our coats," he replies with a smile. Soon we are walking—rather stumbling—off into the woods. We stop when we find a small cave tucked in behind a blanket of bushes. "Wanna sit?"

"Absolutely," I reply. I feel incredibly loose and jumbled. I smile, but it feels almost too big. I follow Austen into the small space and sit down on the cold rock. "This place is cool."

"Yeah. We have a small cave like this near my house too. When I was a kid I would go explore all the caves I could find."

"Did you ever find anything cool?"

"No. I think about the coolest thing I have ever seen in a cave is happening right now."

I would blush if my cheeks weren't already heated due to the alcohol. "You don't mean that," I reply as I place my hand on his leg. Austen looks down at the contact and looks back up. His blue eyes meet mine and he smiles a silly grin.

"I do mean it. You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."

"Why?"

He laughs and grabs hold of my hand. His hands are smaller than Jacob's were, but still bigger than mine. "Well you just are. You have an amazing smile and pretty hair. And you have a great body too."

"You think so?" I ask as I glance down at my pale features. "I'm not too pale?"

"Of course not."

"You're just drunk."

"Well, yes," he admits with a grin. "But I thought that about you before I ever had a drink."

"Why are you single?" I ask. I feel like maybe that was pushing a little too much so I take another sip of my rum and wait to see if he will answer.

"The girl I was interested in had a boyfriend."

"And what about now?" I question.

"They're broken up," he answers. "Why are you single, Nessie?"

I think hard about an answer to his question. Why did I break up with Jacob? "The boyfriend I had betrayed my trust."

"Did he cheat?"

"No," I respond. "He left me. And when he came back, I wouldn't have him again."

"Well he is a fool. If I had a girl like you, I would never walk away."

"Even if you thought it was for my own good?"

"Even then," Austen promises. He squeezes my hand gently and smiles shyly at me.

"So now that your girl is single, are you going to make a move?" I ask in my best flirty voice. The alcohol has impaired some of my flirtatious tones, but I get the point across regardless.

"Do you think she would be ready?"

"I think so," I reply with a wink. Austen moves his free hand to my chin and pulls me in gently for a kiss. His lips are soft and smooth. They taste a little like beer, but it's not a bad overwhelming taste. His hand slides up to my cheek and pulls me in closer. His lips push mine open some and his tongue slides gently over the edge of my teeth.

The kiss deepens. I find my hands clutching him around his head. I lace my fingers in his brown hair and tug lightly. He slips a hand under my shirt and rube the bare skin of my back. My body begins to react to his touch and my senses dull completely.

Somehow, both our jackets end up on the ground next to us. We kiss frantically. I'm shoving my tongue deep into his mouth and grinding my hips into his. His warm hands grip the bottom of my shirt and pull it up over my head. I feel a little nervous as Austen looks me up and down. The nerves disappear when he smiles and pulls me on top of his body. We kiss some more as his hands grip over my ass and bare back.

I roll off and pull him up over me. I pull on his shirt until he sits up and pulls it off. Austen is built like Jacob, just smaller. He has defined muscles, but they are a little leaner. It's new to me, but sexy nevertheless. I run my hands up and down his back as he kisses down my neck and chest.

Everything is cloudy, but I know that this all feels good. I want more. I want sex. I want to feel like someone loves me enough to never leave. Austen said he wouldn't. And he is obviously ready. I want this.

Austen slides his hands under my lower back and pulls me up so that I am arched. One of his hands slides up to my bra and unhooks it easily. His other hand reaches around and pulls it slowly off my arms. I feel awkward as he looks down at my exposed chest. Soon his lips are kissing and sucking on the bare skin that has never experienced anything like this.

Moans and sighs escape my mouth as Austen works over my breasts. I give into my desire and forget about everything that has happened in the past two months. I close my eyes and feel every sensation. When I fear the sound of paper tearing, I open my eyes out of fear.

Austen holds in his hands on now opened condom wrapper. "Are we going to do that?" I ask as my mind begins to clear.

"I thought we were," Austen replies. "Are…are you a virgin?"

"Yes. Are you?"

"No. Do you mean to tell me that you never had sex with Jacob?"

"No. We were waiting." Austen slides off of me and returns to a sitting position. I sit up and wait to see what he is going to do.

"We can't do this," he says after some thought. "If you were waiting then it would be wrong of me to take your virginity. And we're drunk so it's not a good time."

"I'm sorry," I sigh. Suddenly I feel all the feelings I have tried to repress bursting through. I start to sob.

"Hey now. Don't worry about it. I'm not mad." Austen places an arm around my back, but pulls away quickly. He grabs my coat and places it over me before hugging me. I cry onto his bare shoulder for what seems like forever. When I finally stop the symptoms of the alcohol have worn off.

"Thank you," I say as I search for my bra. I put it on with my back to him. He hands me my shirt when I turn back around.

"You're welcome," he replies. "And if you want to ever like go on a date or something, I am willing to do that. I meant everything I said."

Now fully dressed, I look Austen in the eyes. "I'm not ready yet," I say with enough guilt to drown us in this cave.

"Well call me if you ever are," he says as if I haven't just hurt him. "And if you need to talk, I'm here."

"Thank you." I hug him tightly and rest my head on his shoulder. After planting a small kiss on his neck I turn and jog off into the woods. I don't even bother going back into the house when it comes into view. Instead I run to my car and begin the drive back home—where I belong.