Chapter 16 - Defensive Side
2268 Words
Hans
Lance and Jason want to know why I want to take Emily home. That’s rich of them since they’ve always left me to take care of her when we were children, and I’m over two years younger than they are. Now, they’re asking why I want to take charge?
“Because she lives close to me,” I say with a shrug, as if my offer is too obvious. Enzo’s eyes narrow at me. I thought he said to go for Emily? Now, it looks that he’s gotten himself thinking that he has a chance. We’re friends, but I’m not into sharing. I have always been a competitive guy. This defensive stance, though, is new to me. I was a winger before I became the center. I know my offense game well.
“What do you think, Ems?” Enzo asks, as if he believes I need to ask her for consent. He doesn’t know what he’s asking about and what truth he’ll get from her if she goes that way. Her pink cheeks and wide eyes tell me otherwise, though. She’s not ready, and I’ll respect that. Even I am confused as to what we are to each other now.
So what will I say?
“We made out. Nope, she’s not my girlfriend. No, we haven’t talked about labels. Yes, I’m the reason she’s here or I would like to think I am. She could be here for Enzo, too.”
Emily took a long time to get here, and she even danced with Enzo before looking for me. She danced with him after she ran out of the secret room. But there’s still no way I’m letting him take her home.
“It makes sense,” Lance says, shrugging a little. “No offense, Torres. Since Jason and I are sticking around for our party, it’s good to have another member of the family to send her home. Maybe one day, you’ll get to drive her home, and you probably already had. But not tonight.”
“Family?” Enzo splutters. Of course, he’s not convinced. He thankfully doesn’t expound on his reaction. “I thought the party is for Hans finishing college? But you’re letting him leave early.”
Ugh. I wouldn’t call past one o’clock early. I don’t party this late.
“No, Torres,” Lance says, putting his arm around Enzo’s shoulder as if they are best pals. They aren’t. “The party is for Jason and me, for gracing you all with our presence this holiday season.”
“What the f**k?” I mutter, followed by a groan. Lance has somehow done so many things to me with a few words. He called me “family,” as if to remind me to stay away from Emily. Yet, he still made it easy for me to claim the role of Emily’s designated driver tonight. Thanks, anyway.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” Jason tells his sister, but she looks at him defiantly with her arms folded in front of her chest. She’s now in cashmere, but I can’t help but remember what she looks like underneath that respectable long-sleeved shirt. I can’t help but remember how her n****e feels on my tongue. This line of thinking has to change or else I’m going to embarrass myself in front of, er, family.
“Before we go, can I talk to you for a minute, Lance?” I ask.
My cousin’s eyes darken as he pulls away from Enzo to follow me a few feet away from the group, off the dance floor. In the corner of my eye, I see Celeste leaving the club. She’s alone. Her shoulders are hunched as if she’s trying to make herself look smaller or because she feels the weight of tonight’s events on her shoulders. Maybe both.
“What is it, man?” Lance asks nonchalantly. His eyes are slightly glazed, but I can tell he’s not that drunk. He blinks and shakes his head a little. Lance’s night is just getting started. I’m surprised I don’t see a girl clinging to his arm. Or two girls, for that matter.
“You sent a girl to me, right?”
He frowns and looks a lot more confused than his usual.
“I tried. But the guy who, um, provides things for me, there’s something about him lately.” He rubs the back of his neck and looks left and right, as if he expects someone’s going to jump from out of nowhere.
“Jump scare!” I remember him screaming into my ear when we were little and trying to watch a horror movie. Yeah, those were the perks of having busy parents. You get to dig into their DVD collection without them knowing. My dad was always at the hospital and my mom at video or photoshoots. Lance’s parents traveled a lot. They still do.
“You were asking for a girl for me from a guy who does business? What happens to the unclinging fan idea? I don’t want my first time with a, you know…”
“A call girl?” Lance asks, raising a brow at my reluctance to say the words. “Yeah, that’s why I said no. Why are you asking these questions? I thought you were off with some girl. I didn’t see you for hours. I would have thought you were with Emily, but I saw she came in late. Don’t tell Jason that I saw her earlier, by the way. She was dancing with Torres. They looked great together, those two.”
He’s testing me, I can tell. Lance may not seem book smart, but he’s plenty smart. It’s also possible that he doesn’t know how I feel about Emily, but is just digging close to it. Too close. He’s making me angry by making his assumptions about Emily and Enzo, and he may just be doing it on purpose.
But what if he’s right?
Maybe Emily likes me, but what if she likes Enzo more? She was about to tell me to keep the distance because she likes me. Meanwhile, Enzo is less complicated.
“You think so?” I ask, surprised that my voice is steady.
“Yep. That’s why I’m trying to put a wedge between those two. If they look great on the dance floor, they can look great in -.”
“Oh, shut up.” My cheeks and ears are on fire at the scene that Lance is pushing into my head.
“I knew it,” he exclaims, his eyes dancing. He pushes my shoulder a little, and I push him back.
“You know nothing.”
“I’m not telling Jason if that’s what you’re afraid of, but yeah, make sure Emily is all in first and don’t hurt her. She’s like a little sister to me, and for a time, I thought to you, too.”
I sigh.
“So, if you didn’t go through with the call girl, who drugged me and tied me up for some girl to find me in some secret room in this club?”
“A secret room?” Lance asks, rubbing his palms together in glee.
“Be serious.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry. No, I have no idea. I already told the guy no and that my little cousin would like to lose his virginity when he’s fifty, thank you very much.”
“Did you say those exact words to that guy?”
“Uh, no. Don’t worry, but I said no. I gave him money, anyway, because his time is precious.”
“How much did you just contribute to this sleazy business, Lance?” I ask, fearing the worst.”
“Five grand.”
“Five grand for what? For canceling? Do you even think any of the money goes to the girl?”
“I don’t f*****g know,” Lance says, finally looking sober. He combs his hair with his fingers, exasperated. I wish he would be more serious. He’s a fun guy, yes, but I know he’s more than that. “By the way, did any guy, about wee small and with frosted tips like a boy band from the 90s, approach you?”
Lance still tries to be funny by placing his hand around his chest area, exaggerating how smaller the guy is compared to him, but I still feel a chill.
“Yes. f**k. He gave me a drink. I suspected it must be him who got me into that room, but I haven’t seen him since I got out.”
“That guy is Spencer. Keep away from him, Hans. Tell me everything tomorrow, but get Emily home. Stay with her if you have to.”
**
“What did you and Lance talk about?” Emily asks, as I drive her away from Gallagher’s.
“I asked about whoever he made a transaction with. You know, Madeline and who sent her there.”
“Oh, so he didn’t pay for it?”
“That’s the crazy thing. The i***t paid 5 grand for nothing, just so he wouldn’t piss the guy off. At least that’s what I get from it. I always thought Lance was smart with his money, but I guess I’m wrong. If he had gotten himself involved with this guy, then I want to know what’s been going on with him.”
“Is Jason in it, too?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t ask. Lance is enough of an i***t to do it all himself.”
“Can’t discount Jason. Those two are like twins nowadays,” Emily mutters.
“You’re right.”
I drive the car into Emily’s building parking lot. We are quiet. I can hear my heart stutter and race. My hands are cold. I’ve never been this nervous before. What I do tonight can make or break my chances with her. If I do it right, our future happiness my rely on it. We share too many people we care about. Family. Yes, I’ve always thought of her as family, but nowadays that word has taken another meaning.
“Can I stay the night?” I ask. I don’t recognize my voice. It’s too uncertain. Maybe, a little needy.
“Hans, I told you -.”
“Yeah, we don’t have to do anything. We can watch TV in your living room, or you can sleep while I watch. I can take the couch. Just let me stay.”
“Okay,” she says softly, nodding.
In her apartment, I head straight for the couch. I’m so tired. I’m now feeling it in here. It’s almost like coming home, which isn’t a surprise. I’ve grown up knowing Emily. There’s a new awkwardness that still keeps popping up, but she is a constant in my life. I’m willing to take it slow with her.
“You’re serious about the couch,” she says, looking amused. She’s standing in front of her bedroom door, which she just opened.
‘Yeah. Why would I lie to you?”
“I can think of some reasons.”
“Really? What reasons?”
“I thought you just wanted me back on my back. s**t, did I just say that?”
I laugh. She looks cute when she’s blushing, but I can’t just get up and haul her into her room although that’s my first instinct right now.
“I swear I didn’t drink anything Hans,” she continues.
“I believe that. Meanwhile, I shouldn’t have taken a drink from a stranger.”
“Someone could have taken advantage of you,” she says, and I can tell she’s serious. She’s right, though.
“You did,” I tease.
“Oh, right. Yes, I did. It was supposed to be a prank because it annoyed me that you were about to meet up with Madeline.”
“I didn’t know about Madeline,” I say, soberly. “But if that’s your idea of a prank, you can prank me again.”
Emily comes closer and my breath hitches. Is she going to do it? Right now? She straddles me and I get a glimpse of those smooth, toned thighs with their ring tattoos. She’s going to kill me.
“Will it hurt? Will it hurt a lot, Hans?” she asks, placing her hands on my shoulders.
“They said that, um, it does, especially if there’s not enough foreplay.”
“They said? What do you say?”
“You’re virgin. Well, I am, too,” I confess. I can’t keep on pretending I know what I’m doing. I’m thinking of her, and what she needs. What she deserves.
“Shut up!” she says, giggling.
I don’t answer. Her eyes widen as she realizes the truth in my words. She touches my lips, her fingertips shooting a thrill through me.
“I’m sorry for laughing,” she whispers.
“I’m used to it. Lance and Jason joke about it all the time. Lance is a lot worse, though,” I breathe.
“Do you like me, too, Hans?” she asks, her face vulnerable and soft.
“You didn’t have to ask that, Emily. You know I do. You should have felt it the first time you kissed me. I didn’t want to let go.”
“Then, let’s just kiss tonight. We’ll figure out the rest later.”
I cover her lips with my mouth, silently agreeing. I’ve always loved learning, but learning with her? Sign me up several times.
- Writer
