Free Falling

8|Brown Eyes

    "Never have I ever," Skylar trailed off, tapping her chin, "kissed the same sex."

    The boys grumbled in protest and pushed their root-beer filled shot glasses away and sat back. Skylar glanced over at me, flicking her eyes between me and my untouched drink. I lifted an eyebrow.

    "So, who's next?" Kenny clapped his hands and went to spin the bottle laid in the middle of the table that would determine who got to choose the next never have I ever, but Skylar interrupted with a raised hand.

    "We're waiting."

    He groaned. "For what? No one took a shot so that means no one ever did it. That's typically how the game goes, Skylar." He shook his head and scoffed as if disbelieving that he had to teach her the rules of the game she had suggested to play.

    She looked at me again and grinned. "I don't think that's the case, right Cathy?"

    I swore I heard the snapping of necks as everyone whipped their heads in my direction. Shock was written on all the boys' faces. Sighing, I reached for the shot glass and threw my head back. The carbonated liquid slightly burned as it slid down my throat, and I slammed the glass down on the table, wiping my mouth.

    "Happy now?"

    Skylar laughed and sat back with a smug look. It wasn't a big deal to me. Apparently, the same could not be said for my brother as his face twisted into a look of disgust.

    "I do not want to know about my sister kissing anyone, especially another girl."

    "I knew I always liked something about you," André said in awe, reaching over Skylar to slap me a high-five.

    I refrained from laughing at their reactions and rubbed my eyes. "Guys, it was a one-time thing, and I was drunk as s**t. I don't even remember her name."

    "Definitely something about you," André repeated. He grinned like a proud father who had just learned that his son lost his virginity. Skylar slapped him on the chest, not too hard, but hard enough to make him flinch. He looked at her like she was crazy. "What's the matter with you?"

    Everyone drowned them out as they bickered back and forth.

    "When was it?" Caden asked, steering the conversation back to the topic. He seemed a little bit intrigued as he stared at me with a glint in his eyes.

    "Last year at..."I thought for a minute, "Lorey's birthday party. It was on the beach. You guys were there."

    "That was you?" Brandon's eyes widened. "Man, they said two chicks had been making out with each other in the water, and one of them untied their top bikini and threw it into the water."

    "Oh, yeah, I saw that!" Kenny piped in with a cheesy smile. Then his face contorted into another look of disgust. "Please tell me that wasn't you."

    I smiled sheepishly and shrugged. 

    Kenny's jaw dropped as it registered that he possibly saw me half-naked and making out with a girl last year without knowing it. Everyone knew about it, especially since I had racked up the reputation of the wild, party-girl, so I was confused as to why they were confused.

    "Did you like it?" asked Preston. 

    "Eh, it wasn't anything magical. I only kissed her because I was drunk. But it helped that she was an amazing kisser, though." I laughed at the expression on Kenny's face. Seeing my brother grossed out about my old bad habits was very entertaining. 

    Rolling my eyes, I poured another shot of root beer and rammed it down my throat. Then, I asked, "Did you guys think I liked girls?"

    "I wasn't completely sure," Miles admitted, rubbing his neck sheepishly. "You just gave off a vibe."

    "And I've never seen you with a boy," Kenny added.

    I shot him a dead look. "You've seen me with guys before."

    "Okay, but not in that—just forget it." He mumbled under his breath and sat back in his seat.

    "So, you're not gay or bisexual?" 

    I chuckled and shook my head. "No, I'm strictly dickly. But drunk me tends to get a little handsy with girls, which is one of the reasons why I don't drink anymore. Still, just because I like men doesn't mean I would turn down the chance to kiss a hot girl like...Sally Oliver."

    Brandon's eyes widened. "My sister?"

    "Have you seen your sister?"

    "She's not lying, though," Kenny agreed with a nod of his head. We all laughed at Brandon's horrified expression.

    Looking around, I noticed that Eli wasn't sitting beside me, and I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering when he had left. I got up out of my seat, ignoring the questioning looks I received from Caden and Miles and tracked him down. He was standing by the window in the dining room, silently gazing at the bushes blocking his view of the street.

    "My story bored you?" I joked, leaning against the wall beside him. When he didn't speak, I asked him what was wrong.

    "Nothing." He shrugged robotically as he shoved his hands in his pocket.

    "You're too quiet."

    "Is it bothering you?"

    I c****d my head. "Yes."

    His cheeks puffed as a sigh ran through his lips and stained the air with a minty scent. He gripped his hair with both hands, paced around in a circle, then let them drop to his sides.

    "I'm just dealing with a lot."

    "Apparently I'm a phenomenal listener."

    I inwardly pumped my fist as I saw the corner of his lips tilt up, but then frowned when it was wiped away like a whisper in the wind. "I don't want to talk about it. I can't."

    He faced me, and I saw the pain embedded in his dark brown eyes. Every time I looked into those eyes, I got lost in them. I wanted to drown in them and never resurface. 

    "You don't have to talk," I whispered. 

    "I just want to forget," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper, and I felt his cool breath against my skin. His forehead crinkled as his eyes flickered between mine as if the solution to his problem laid somewhere in the depths of my own brown eyes.

    It was then I realized the proximity of our bodies, but before I could retract, Eli grabbed hold onto me and crushed his lips against mine.