Atlas High

Chapter 17 - Would You Rather

Ellie's Point Of View...

    Drying my hands with the white hand towel I toss it into the hamper. I stop mid-step at the reflection I see in the glass mirror. My mouth opens and closes multiple times as I try and process what I see. A ghost of a tear falls from my eye when it finally clicks in my head. A rush of two powerful emotions floods my body. Happiness and self-love are all I feel right now. The reflection in the mirror is of a person I haven't seen in such a long time I forgot who she was. Or that she was once me a long time ago.

    Who I see in the mirror is a version of me that wasn't dating Niko or who had met him before. A version of me who never had to cover up different stages of bruises nor who lied regularly to her brothers.  A version of myself who hadn't truly lost her parents nor has felt great unhappiness or unwanted by a loved one. Who was yet to face all of that pain and loneliness that came to her by him. A smile formes on my face when I think about that I once was her a long time ago. She was me. 

    I will never be able to go back in time and undo my stupid choices. I will never be able to unlearn life lessons from those life-changing experiences. The scars that I have of Niko on my mind and heart have slowly started to fade away. Leaving behind other more tragic scars. Looking at myself in the mirror I see myself who recognizes this and more. Shaking my head I open the bathroom door and head over to my bed where Aria and Steph are waiting for me.

    I am breathing in and out a little bit lighter than before. I jump onto the bed which makes both Aria and Steph laugh out loud. We stay quiet for a little bit enjoying the silence that is in the room. It gives all of a chance to take at the moment before we get caught up in whatever we will be doing next. 

            Steph sits up before she breaks the silence we had going on. "Let's play would you rather!" 

            I can't help but agree with Steph. Aria seems to have no problem with this so I ask them one thing before starting the game "Who wants to go first?" 

            I notice the small smirk she send Steph before looking at me. "Why don't you go first, Ellie?" 

            I nod my head excited for what's to come. Who knows what is going to be asked in the next rounds. "Okay, would you rather take have a stranger take a body shot off you or be the one doing it?" 

            I wait for either one to answer my question. It doesn't take long before Stephanie answers it. "I would rather be the one taking a body shot off someone. I honestly don't think I could hold still long enough for someone to do it." 

            Aria who couldn't hold in her laugh lets out a loud one. "It's not like you'll ever find out Steph! No way would Jack let someone stranger especially a guy to touch any part of you!" 

             "She does have a point..it's not like any of us would ever be in this situation with the protective boyfriends we have," I say to them. 

            "Maybe they could be the ones we take it off of," Aria says wiggle her eyebrows. 

            "That would only be true if they were around when that goes down. Plus who knows if they could handle us doing that to them," Steph says to us with a devious smirk on her face.  "Now Aria do you want to go next?" 

            "Sure why not! Would you rather send nudes to a stranger or to an ex?" 

            "I think I would rather send nudes to my ex than a stranger? I don't know what about you Steph?"

            "I'd do the same thing as Ellie. No stranger is going to see me naked if I can help it." Steph takes a moment before asking us her question. "Would you rather give or receive?" 

            "It honestly depends," I shrug but its the truth. 

            "On?" Aria asks curiosity clear in her voice. 

            "My mood...if I want to be on the receiving end or giving it." My inner curiosity comes out when I ask them, "what about you guys?"

            "I'm the same way," Steph says while Aria nods her head agreeing. "Ellie your turn." 

            "Would you rather give your boyfriend a lap dance or a striptease?"  

            "If I'm feeling like torturing Jack then a lap dance but when I want to take charge stripteasing him is a good way to get started." 

            "Oh my god, Steph I gotta use that next time I'm in the mood. But I would rather give Asher a lap dance. Enough for him to have a b***r for all the times he teases me too long. I can not be the only one right?," Aria says to Steph and I. "Stepha and E would you rather have s*x on the floor or on the wall?" 

            "Can I just say that for some reason we always ask s*x questions? Am I the only one that finds that really funny?" And it's the truth because it feels like that's all we ever ask when we play these types of games. It is as if we only know to ask these types of questions. Is that weird or normal for friends to ask?

            "I know right! I think we are too comfortable with each other but that's a good thing," Aria says to me or all three of us. "It means that we can talk about anything and everything like a wall or a floor?" She sends us a smirk. 

            "Both," I say to them, " maybe first on the wall than on to the floor," I wink at them. 

            "I kind of want to do it on the wall first. I've been wanting to do that for a while now." Steph says to us before asking us her question. "If we were single would you rather date someone who was 10 years older or 10 years younger?

            "I kind of want someone who is older, you know?" Aria answers Stephanie's question. "See if they can teach me something new or perfect something I already know."

            "Hmm, I would rather date someone who is older for sure. But never a professor that would complicate so many things. Although that could be fun." I take a moment before asking them my question. "Would you rather give a hickey or get one?"

            "I'd rather be the..."

    Before Aria could finish her sentence we hear a different voice speak up. A voice that made all of surprised. The three of us turn from our spots to look at the now wide-open door. Where we see the guys, our boyfriends, and my brothers standing looking at us. Some of them have a smirk on their face while others have annoyance and a few seem to be holding in their laughter. Might I add terribly trying their best to hold it together?

            It was Kyle who first spoke up from the silence that now settle the room. "Well, I would rather give the hickey but it wouldn't be a big deal if I got one. What about you Leo? Which one would you chose?"    

            "I'd rather be the one leaving the hickey but if..."

    I really try my best to listen to Leo's answer but the only person my brain can focus on is him. Hunter is the only one who can so easily get my attention. With his signature devious smirk on his adorable face gets my attention so easily. It honestly amazes me that he has that hold on me. Especially considering we have known each other for a short time and been dating for a shorter time. 

    The way he leans on the door frame adds to his level of coolness he always has around him. The plain white shirt that perfectly snugs his athletic body. The black leather jacket that he wears adds to his bad-boy persona that attracts so many girls. The light wash jeans are slightly distress and covered with black and white patches. He tops off his outfit with his signature pair of all-white Adidas. 

    All of the guys went to sit at the bay window seating where they get comfortable except for three. Asher, Jack, and Hunter move to the bed where we are at. All of the guys are oblivious to what is going on with the 6 of us. It doesn't take long before I feel the dips in the bed. Though the only one that I really care about is Hunter. A pair of warm well tonearms slip around my waist bringing my body onto of his lap. With my body closer to his Hunter leans down to rest his head on my exposed shoulder. Giving it a gentle open-mouth kiss at the center of my collarbone. Breathing in and out my vanilla-scented perfume with each deep breath he takes. 

            "Don't worry baby I won't give you a hickey...this time." He whispers out the last part directly in my ear before giving it a quick peck. That somehow sends a chill to my very responsive body. A pinkish blush makes its way on my face thinking about how responsive my body is to him. "I love that I have this effect on you especially like your blush E." 

            "Thanks..." I say suddenly getting shy. Ugh, I don't know how he can make me shudder without him trying. I can't be bothered to even look and see if my brothers saw that. I keep my head down looking at my phone. Hunter's arms tighten a little more as he goes back to my ear. 

            "Is someone getting shy?" The teasing tone that Hunter uses doesn't go unnoticed by me.

            "I'm not who's gonna get shy when I do this..." as the last word leaves my mouth I start to slowly move my hips in a circular motion. Sooner then I expected I feel his c**k start to harden. I can see Hunter struggle to keep in his noises when I start to add a bit of pressure to his lap. His grip on my waist tightens as I bit my lip enjoying his reaction. 

            "E-Ellie you gotta s-stop befor-" 

            "Before what Hunter?" I say leaning on his firm chest enjoying how much Hunter is struggling right now. "Do you want me to stop? I can if you want," I say enjoying this way too much. 

            "No!" Hunter whisper shouted at me making me giggle. He breathes in and out dramatically before speaking to me again. "If you don't want me to kiss throw you over my shoulders and take you somewhere else I suggest slowly stopping...and give me a kiss." He says throwing me a smirk. 

            I can't believe he thinks he can throw in a demand. I'll show him who's in charge. "Okay," I say and slowly start to slow down my movements. I took my time and decide to make this a little bit of fun. By now I'm done with my hips movements and turn my face to give Hunter a kiss. Instead, of kissing his check I give him a quick peck on his nose. 

            Hunter throws me an unamused look to which I laugh at. He moves to grab my neck to bring me closer. But, the sound of my brother's voice stops him in his tracks.  "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Hunter..." 

            "...unless you have a death wish I wouldn't go through with it." There goes the other one. 

            "Remember we are everywhere," Eric says mischief grazing his features. 

            "Well, if you guys are going to be everywhere there's no reason to try and hide this." 

    Hunter arms that are around my waist skillfully rotate my body leaving it to straddle his lap. Lifting my head with his fingers he starts to lean in for a kiss. Not long after do I feel his supple lips on mine moving together in sync. Wanting to take it to another level Hunter glides his tongue over my bottom lip. I open my mouth letting in Hunter's tongue to dance with mine. He wins of course but that was the least of my worries. I move my head to the side desperately needing air to continue this. As I take a deep breath I feel his lips on my neck getting closer to the base of my neck. 

    The multiple claps and coughs brought us back to earth. I immediately get a bright pink blush on my checks imagining the looks of my brothers. I can't believe I did that in front of our friends and especially my overprotective brothers! I guess this will be Hunter's last kiss.

            "Do you want to be buried alive or a quick death? I'm open but I prefer you to suffer a little bit," Triston says as he and Angel and Eric get up from the bay window seating. 

            "Or do you have something else in mind?" 

            "You are not going to kill him for kissing me okay?" I tell them getting annoyed at their overprotectiveness. I send them a glare to which they send one back equally annoyed at me. Before it could go on any longer Leo speaks up grabbing all of our attention. I'm grateful I have someone trying to keep the peace. 

            "Hey, guys we should probably get going to the party. It's about a 25-minute drive and from the looks of Carter's Snapchat story parking is filling up fast." 

            "Didn't he remember to put up reserved parking? Or are we going to have a repeat of last year's party?" Sebastian asks Leo who shrugs in response. "I'll text him to save us three spots before we have to park a town over." 

            "I've been wondering where Carter and you always find the perfect locations to throw these parties," Kyle asks Sebastian as he is the co-host of this party. 

            "Well online for anyone who needs someone to house sit or family friends who don't mind me using it for a couple of hours." 

            "Huh so who's going to help you clean up after?" Leo asks Sebastian who gives us his best puppy eyes. "You always forget that we aren't your maids or fairy godmother," Leo says to Sebastian who tries even harder to persuade us into helping him. 

            "I'll help out af-" 

            "Oh thank you, Ellie!" Before I could finish my sentence Sebastian lunges at me. Twirling me around as I giggle at his silliness. He stops when someone puts their hand on his shoulder. Which has Sebastian putting me down back on the ground. "Thank you soo much Ellie! At least I can count on you!" 

            "You know if Ellie is helping I'm helping. I can't leave the party without my girl now can I?" Hunter says making me blush again.

            "No way are we.." Eric points at himself, Triston, and Angel before speaking again. "...letting our sister do this by herself with her boyfriend. We gotta keep an eye on her and especially on you, Hunter." 

            "Well, I still appreciate the help," Sebastian says. 

            "Does anyone know how many people are coming?" Triston asks probably wondering how much junk we're going to be picking up later tonight. 

            "At least everyone at our school which is about 2,350 plus anyone from the surrounding schools," Sebastians says while looking at his phone. Most likely texting Carter about the parking situation. 

            "Anyway! let's get going it's already midnight." Leo says getting us back on track. 

    Everyone heads out of my bedroom and down the staircase to the door. As we were going down the staircase we decide who is going with who and whose cars we are taking. Triston was the first person who got to the door and so was the last person out the door. He held open the door for all of us and locked the door when he knew everyone was out. He even set up the security system before we left to go to the party. 

    Walking over to Hunter's 2020 Lexus LC we hear the roar of the engine that has been on long enough to warm us up. Hunter and Jack jog to open the doors for Steph and I acting like perfect boyfriends. They close the doors once they know we are seated. I grab my seat belt and give it a nice tug locking it into place. I don't know why but it is a habit I can't get out of doing. 

    I see from the mirror Stephanie doing the same. Both Hunter and Jack open their doors sliding in the car. Hunter unlocks his phone and opens up Apple Music hitting a random song to play. I let my hands touch the luxury interior of his car enjoying the sensation it brings to me. 

    Looking out the window I see my brothers, Leo, Kyle, and Sebastian get into Angel's 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab. Following them I see Asher and Angel make their way to his 2018 jeep wrangler in all black. They are the only ones who don't have to give anyone a ride. From the corner of my eyes, I see Hunter text in the group chat.

Group Chat: Everyone

                                      Today 12:17 a.m.

            Hunter: Is everyone ready to leave or does someone need more time?

            Asher: Aria and I are ready to go anytime. 

            Hunter: What about you Ky? Is everyone ready in your car?

            Kyle: Nope we are all good. 

            Asher: Sebastian are you ready with directions?

            Sebastian: Yep just follows Angel's car. 

            Hunter: Did Carter save parking for us?

            Sebastian: Yes he finally got back to me. We have parking at the very front of the lot.

            Asher: Great let's get going before all the food runs out.

            Hunter: Fine with me.