BackBone

Drumrolls

"So will you be free tonight?" Tori asks beside me as we walk out from school. Thankfully, it's over for today, because it yielded nothing for me. My mind wasn't anywhere in class.

"Well. I'm not sure. Why?" I ask back.

Tori gives me this 'really?' look, then says "For a party, duh!"

"It's going to be like your fifth party this month".

She chuckles "It's not my fault, my parents are mostly away, and you know I loveeee parties" she winks at me "Why go for parties when you can throw them".

"Um, because it's less stressful?".

She laughs.

A little silence.

"Hey are you okay?". Tori asks suddenly.

I can't blame her though, even I know that something is wrong with me. I know I'm not okay.

I sigh "I don't know Tori. I mean I should be, but it's taking awful long".

She stops walking, looking at me with a question mark for a face "What does that mean?".

I nudge my head forward, making us resume our pace "Nothing serious" I scratch the back of my neck "I had a weird dream last night".

"About what?" She asks, face and expression curious and intrigued.

I glance back. I don't know why, maybe reflex action. "Well, in the dream, there was this blonde lady, and she was falling, she just kept falling until I woke up" I glance at Tori, she's still paying imminent attention "she looked really frightened. The weird part is, I've never seen her before. Never".

Tori places a comforting hand on my shoulder that stops us in our tracks "Maybe it's a movie you watched or something, it's probably nothing to weigh you down, right?" She throws an arm around my shoulders "I don't know how you really feel, but I can only imagine. So drown this suck-up feeling with a party". She grins sweetly "it always works".

Tori. I love her. She always knew what to say. Glad I told her.

I chuckle. A bit genuine.

"So are you coming or what? You can crash, besides, tomorrow's Friday, nothing really happens on Fridays, we can take our time before coming to school".

She's also great at manipulation.

"I guess, my parents wouldn't mind if I crash at your place. Especially if they're staying late for work. So-".

She cuts me off with a squeal as she envelopes me in a tight hug.

"It's going to be fun!" She sighs dreamily "I'm going to be with Leo all the night".

We see her chauffeur at the other side of the road "Is yours coming?"

I shake my head "Na. I think he's running some errands".

"Ride with me then".

**

Dad and Mum were staying late and they were overjoyed when I told them I'd be staying with Tori for the night.

I got change of clothes for school tomorrow and changed into my party dress.

It's late in the night. Eight, I guess. People are packed in the house. I don't know how Tori manages to get so many people in such short notice, but they always show up, it's like everyone wants the escape from school. I know I need it from time to time.

It's fun for everyone, but not really for me. I mean, my best friend and her man are body tight. Tori checks in on me from time to time, but once she goes I'm just off again, and I don't want to talk to the guys here, even if they try, it doesn't interest me.

I'm in the dining room, sipping punch from my plastic cup and taking in the activities. The dream was at Bay now, I'm not thinking about it 24/7. In fact, till now. I wasn't thinking about it. My mood feels lighter and I'm much better.

Leo walks in and smiles at me "What are you doing here when the party is over there?" he nods over to the living room.

I smile back "Nothing. Just being here". I watch him take out a bottle of Vodka from the cabinet "don't get too drunk, Leo. It never ends well".

"Does it ever? For anyone?" he stretches a hand towards me "come on, we're about to play seven minutes in heaven".

Dang it! I didn't want to play, kissing various people is what I never liked. The game could get so gross!

"I think I'm going to pass".

"Oh" he says "did I sound like I asked?" he smirks "Tori 'demanded' you showed for the game, something about having a special package for you".

That girl. What was she up to?

I let out a breath, dump my punch and take Leo's hand, and he happily leads me to the group in the living room.

As I take a seat on the mat on the floor, few classmates greets and I catch Tori's eyes, she's sitting across me with Leo on a chair behind her. She quickly darts her eyes to the left, and I follow.

It's my crush!

Keith Gonzalez. He's a big hottie in school. Another guy I admire for not letting his looks get to his head. He knows his hot, but treats everyone equally. He is mouth-watering hot, and had a smile that could take your breath away. He is hot.

This game just got lit.

"So guys" Tori starts "as the host I will make the rules". her eyes addressees everyone and she proceeds after nods and shrugs and smiles of approval. She's getting a smile from me.

"Okay. Leo and I are exempted this time around, I cannot watch anyone kiss him tonight" she looks up at him and blows him a kiss, focusing back on us, she continues "the first people to go into that closet" she points to the one beside the kitchen "will be voted in there, the rest will be by spinning the bottle" her eyes draws from person to person. Waiting for agreements, which she gets.

My smile falters when her eyes lands on me and a smirk lifts the corner of her lips.

Oh no.

"I want a great challenge, so I'm voting Cassidy and Keith".

Oh Lord.

My eyes widen, my heart running laps, from the corner of my eyes, I see Keith look at me. I will bury Tori. I am definitely throwing my own party and playing this game!

"Do I get your votes?" Tori asks everyone in the circle.

Please say no. Please say no.

They look at me and nod. Some of them are smiling. Probably all. No!

Did they know I was crushing on him or was my expression just interesting.

"You heard them Cassy. Seven minutes" Tori says then winks, Leo smiles widely.

Keith rises from his spot and forces my eyes on him. He's so gorgeous. He walks over to me and stretches out a hand, a can of beer in his other hand.

"Come on, let's do this" Keith says cooly with his body sparking voice.

I only remembered everyone around me when they cheered loudly as I placed my hand in his. Looking up at him blocked everyone out, it was starting to feel like heaven.

I let him guide me to the closet. As we got in, a guy held the closet door "Seven minutes now" he shut the door. Leaving us in darkness, at least not totally, light was streaming in from the sides of the door.

I looked fixtadely at the door, not daring to look at him, it was probably hard to see my face, but still, he was so close to me, my body began to light up.

"You know we don't have to do anything if you don't want to" Keith says, his face close to mine, my nose picks up a whiff of beer.

"Yeah" I nod, glancing at him "I know". I start to itch my wrist, something I did when I was highly nervous.

"Why'd you play?" he asks again.

I wish I could see his face properly, was he disgusted?

"Tori made me".

He nods. I mean, I guess he does, then I hear him sip his beer.

"Do you want to do it?" he asks.

"Do you?" I ask back.

He doesn't answer right away and I inwardly cringe. How stupid was that question?

"I'm down for whatever" he says and I know I see him smile. I guess.

We stare at each other. Or think we do. It's the briefest seconds. He places his free hand to the wall beside my head, leans into me and claims my aching lips.

I don't hesitate to let out a satisfying moan and our lips slowly dances together, my eyes shut and my senses savouring how we gently kiss. I can taste the beer and vodka, he must have mixed it, the taste mixed with his slowly guiding kiss was intoxicating.

It's a kiss that takes it's time, I know how satisfying it is for me to be here, kissing Keith Gonzalez, but it feels like he's wanted it too, maybe he's wanted to for a long time or it just happened since we were voted.

He briefly pulls away and I nearly sob. I wanted more, but we probably shouldn't get ahead of ourselves.

"Wow" Keith says nearly breathless as he rams his lips back to mine, it's a more frantic kiss, feisty and body burning. His two arms wrap around my back, pushing me flush against him. Where did he keep his beer?

I wanted to moan senseless, but people were at the other side, it be too much of a story for them, but Keith was driving me crazy with his kisses. I wish it was more than seven minutes. I wanted more.

He breaks from the kiss and peppers kisses from my neck down to my collarbone. Short quick gasps escape my lips when his lips are few kisses away from my breasts.

He stops, breaking away, using his body to push me to the wall as he lifts my arms above my head.

Our breathing is heavy and laboured. Each trying to get in as much air and calm the raging storm between us. I didn't want the storm to end.

"We um" he pauses "this was" he pauses again "amazing".

I smile.

The closet door flings open to reveal Tori. She's smirking at us.

I blush slightly, they see us in the position Keith put us in, I don't know if it's embarassing or hot.

"Seven minutes up" she says never tearing that smirk away from his face.

"Guess it's over then" Keith says then leans in to give me one last kiss before letting go. He smirks at me before walking back to the circle.

"So, hope you're not going to kill me" Tori whispers as I leave the closet.

"Let's hope" I say smiling.

This truly is heaven, and I wanted this heaven, badly.