SHE

SIXTEEN

A bottle of Jack and multiple songs later, I had found out exactly nothing, apart from the fact that he was as good in drinking as I was, in addition, the worst singer in the world.

His eyes widened as he jumped up hearing the first notes of "stay with me". Grabbing my arm, he sang: "guess it's true I'm not good at a one night stand."

"Cmon," he pleaded me to join in, "but I still need love 'cause I'm just a man."

He dropped to his knees, putting his hand on his heart: "these nights never seem to go to plan."

He held out a hand: "I don't want you to leave, will you hold my hand?"

"Oh won't you staaaaay with me," he sang in the most off-voice I had ever heard, getting up slowly.

"Cause you're all I need," I joined in, laughing as I swayed to the music.

Okay, so maybe the Jack was getting to me a little.

"This ain't love, it's clear to see," he sang, making me laugh even more when he slowly twerked in front of me.

"But darling, stay with me," I spanked his ass.

Someone turned off the music, making the both of us groan in disapproval: "Come on!"

"The hell is going on?" Eden asked, standing a few feet from us, her brows furrowed, that glare of hers throwing daggers at us.

"We're just dancing, can't you see, Ed?" Luke grinned, placing a hand around my shoulder.

I grinned proudly, knowing that he already let me in. 2 down, 2 to go. "Wanna join, Angel?" I offered, smiling at the girl who had just appeared behind Eden.

How long were they gone? Surely it took a while for us to finish the bottle. What were they doing alone?

She smiled back, the smile far from genuine: "I'll pass." This one would be a tougher one to crack, I could tell.

Eden turned her head to Angel: "can you take that big i***t home?"

"Do I have a choice?" Angel smiled, "Come on, Miley, time to go."

"Hey, that's racism. Just because I'm white doesn't mean I can't be Beyonce or Nicki," he whined, "I can be any queen I want to be."

"See you soon, belle," he kissed my hand, following Angel out of the door who nodded at me.

I smiled, turning to Eden, who still proceeded to give me a death glare. Rolling my eyes, I chuckled: "so what? I can't have fun now?"

She sighed, going to the fridge, grabbing water bottle which she handed to me: "you need to sober up, the dinner is in 3 hours."

I grabbed the bottle, putting my other arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "Why are you resisting it?" I asked, but she wouldn't look at me.

"You're drunk, Ru," she replied, always having an excuse.

"I guess even when I'm drunk I'm undervalued," I stated, letting go of her.

She grabbed my wrist: "what is this about, babe?"

I raised my eyebrow: "you're doing it again."

She was once again turning the situation around, making it look like I was the problem. I guess that was how she dealt with problems, after all.

She ran a hand through her hair, visibly annoyed. I was mad at myself for being so damn attracted to her even at this moment. The way her icy blue eyes looked everywhere but at me, burning with anger, strands of her dark brown hair falling on her perfectly built face, and finally the way she would bite down on her lower lip. She had put a magic spell on me. All my eyes could focus on was her lips making me bite mine in an attempt to regain some self-control.

"..and I just don't know," she said angrily, her eyes focusing on me, "are you even listening to me?"

She took in the look on my face, reading my mind, as her eyes traveled down to my lips. I seemed to have the same effect on her as she did on me. And just like that, as if nothing happened, she pressed me against the counter, kissing me roughly. Then placing her fingers through my hair, pulling it, giving her access to my neck. She kissed it, leaving soft bites.

"Fuck.." I cursed, my whole existence wrapped around her pinky.

She smiled against my neck, picking me up and placing me on the counter. "You like that?" she whispered in my ear, biting it.

"Eden," I breathed, pressing my fingers into her skin. She unzipped the romper from behind pulling its upper part down, undoing my bra.

Kissing one of my shoulders, she removed one of the straps. She stared me down, pure lust in her eyes, licking her lips.

Then out of nowhere, her expression changed, as she slowly put the straps back on, dressing me. I furrowed my brows, watching her, as she put my romper back on, reaching behind to zip it.

I grabbed her hand, stopping it: "I can do it myself."

"Ruby.." she whispered, not even looking in my eyes, almost as if she felt ashamed.

"Save it," I said, hopping off the counter, zipping the romper.

I looked at her studying her, but she still wouldn't look at me.

"You know, I don't get you. You wanted this, you came after me, you pulled me in. And now? Now you are pushing me away, not being honest, hiding things from me and avoiding me. What is it? Did you simply want me because you couldn't get me? Is that really what it is?"

"Or.." I put my fingers underneath her chin as she flinched, looking at me, "are you scared of how I make you feel? Why are you trying to resist it?"

A simple yes would've done it, even a nod could have been fine. But that would have been too easy, wouldn't it? This girl never let me in so I let her go: "maybe you didn't even want me in the first place in, it was just all an act."

She grabbed my hand, her eyes desperate: "Ruby.."

"Yes?" I stared back, challenging her, "I'm listening."

Even if she was a part of the gang, I could get over it. If she had certain things she would have to hide from me, I could deal with it. Yet if this, whatever the elephant in the room was, affected the way our relationship was, I could not ignore it or pretend it was not there.

"The dinner is canceled," I said, turning around, as she failed to say anything to me.

She quickly went past me, blocking the doorway.

"Babe, cmon, don't be like this," she grabbed my hand once again.

To be honest, the last thing I would ever want to do is leave her, yet it felt like in this situation, I didn't have much of a choice. I was fighting a battle and constantly losing it, about time I took a step back.

"I'm sorry about the dinner," I took her arm off of mine, walking past her.

"Ruby, please," she said.

This is only temporary, I kept telling myself. There was no way this whole situation would last more than a day. Nodding at Henry, I walked into the house.

"Cheer up, Miss Gold, that frown doesn't suit you," he said as I walked past.

Sneaking in, I hoped my parents would not catch me. I was already a few steps up the stairs. Just a few more and my mission would succeed.

"Princess?" it was my dad.

I turned around, my dad looking at me with a smile on his face.

"What, are you 5 again? Sneaking up to your room, beautiful?" he laughed.

"Dad," I sighed, "the dinner is canceled."

He raised a brow, concluding: "you two had a fight."

I smiled at how my dad didn't beat around the bush: "dad, it's nothing serious. At least it shouldn't be."

"Alright, my daughter knows what she's doing, so I won't ask any questions," he said, "want to come downstairs?"

I shook my head: "not now, but I won't take long."

"Alright, princess," he said, walking away.

Suddenly weakness took over me once again, a headache crawling onto me. I made it to my bed, laying down.

The irony was real. I wasn't that upset over Eden, because I had made it bigger than it originally had to be for a good cause. I knew she didn't want to lose me, so she would eventually comply and come to me. I felt quite bad for having to manipulate her in such a way, but this was bigger than me than both of us.

If I had to go against a whole gang of murderers, then I would have to use whatever weapons I had hidden under my sleeve.