It Was Only Ever Erin

Chapter 14 - Balls

Erin’s P.O.V

When we got there the party was in full swing – people everywhere, music pounding and girls dancing on pretty much every available surface. Dean’s penthouse apartment was incredible, consisting of an enormous open plan living space, huge balcony, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Damn, drug dealing pays well.

“Well, this makes my place look like a turd,” I grumbled to Jason who stood beside me in the doorway.

“Babe, I hate to break it to you, but your apartment is, indeed, a turd.”

“…Yeah, I know.” As we laughed we suddenly spotted Dean making his way towards us.

Now, at high school I’d never met or talked to any of Jase’s friends, but I had. of course, heard all of their reputations:

Ollie: hot brooding basketball player, hard to please, fiercely loyal friend

Dean: complete man w***e, a joker with a sometimes-cruel sense of humour

Jack: gentleman of the group, wealthy family, polite and well-spoken but a womanizer

Mikey: grumpy as fuck

Knowing first-hand how inaccurate school reputations could be, I decided I would form my own impressions of the guys upon meeting them. However, as I saw Dean approaching, giving me a smouldering look and a wide smile that promised nothing but mischief, I couldn’t help but feel my defences go up a little.

Dean stopped a few steps from us, looked me up and down like a starving man looking at an all-you-can-eat buffet and biting his bottom lip.

“Oh Jason, now I see why you kept her to yourself all this time.”

“Yeah, and I won’t hesitate to take her straight back again if you can’t behave yourself.” Dean gasped, feigning offense and stepped closer towards me.

“Don’t believe a word he tells you about me gorgeous.”

“You mean about how honorable, celibate and well-behaved you are?” I quipped and Dean threw his head back laughing.

“Exactly, not a word” he said as he winked and kissed the back of my hand. Instead of releasing it though he gripped it harder and pulled me in close to him, looking down my body once more then leaning in to whisper, “Now I see what Ollie meant about you.” And on that enigmatic note, he turned and walked into the throng of people, gesturing for us to follow. Yeah, his reputation had been spot on.

“Well, if you could survive him, you’ll survive the rest of ‘em.” Jase groaned, looking exasperated as though Dean had acted exactly as he had expected him to. Slipping his arm around my waist, we followed in Dean’s wake and emerged onto the balcony where we saw Jack and Mikey lounging on rattan couches around a coffee table.

“Look who I brought!” called Dean and the guys looked up at us – Jack smiling brightly, Mikey looking like he couldn’t care less. Jack rose to his feet and politely kissed me on the cheek.

“Hey! Erin, wow, you look stunning. It’s nice to finally meet you properly.” It seemed as though the more popular you were in high school, the more accurate your reputation became. Jack was indeed a pure gentleman and Mikey did look grumpy as f**k.

“Thanks Jack, it’s nice to meet you all too,” I smiled sheepishly. Now that I was thoroughly outnumbered by all of them the nerves were starting to kick in.

“Grab a seat, make yourself comfortable,” said Dean, sliding past me to sit down, but not before running his hand along the side of my waist.

“Uh, actually I’m gonna grab a drink. Do you want anything?” I asked Jase who hesitated in sitting down.

“I’ll come with you-”

“No, no it’s fine I’m sure I can find my way,” I smiled at him, pushing him down fully into his seat.

“I’m gonna grab another too,” said Mikey, standing and making his way towards me. For a brief moment everyone looked slightly stunned and as Mikey and I made our way towards the kitchen, the other guys were still exchanging looks of bafflement.

When we were out of earshot of the others Mikey, still looking straight ahead said, “I’m sorry about your Dad.” Well that I was not expecting. When I didn’t say anything Mikey looked down at my incredulous face and carried on, “Him and my Dad were real close, he helped my Dad through a lot of s**t and used to come round every Thursday for pizza and poker night. He was funny.” Then it clicked.

“You’re James’ son?”

“Yep.” It was true, James and my Dad had been really close for years, but drifted apart when James turned more and more to alcohol. When James decided to get sober Dad wanted to support him, so they decided to have pizza and poker night every week so they could check in. I had no idea Mikey was his son – I guess that explains a lot about Mikey’s disposition, he’s been through a hell of a lot of s**t himself.

“I had no idea. Well um, thank you Mikey, that means a lot.” We finally made it to the kitchen, which turned out to be more like a nightclub bar than a place where you could cook anything. “How’s your Dad doing now?”

“Fine,” Mikey shrugged, clearly indicating that he wasn’t going to say any more on the subject as he looked down and started mixing himself a drink.

Suddenly I felt a body pressing up slightly against my back as someone reached around me to take a beer bottle off the counter I was leaning against. I turned round to face them as they drew back.

“Erin.” Ollie was looking down at me through his black hair. His natural resting face had always been one of intimidating superiority.

“Ollie.” I returned his stare with a slightly challenging smile.

“I wasn’t sure you were gonna show up,” he said as he took a sip of his drink.

“And pass up on an evening of your winning company? Never.” At this, the corner of Ollie’s mouth twitched up ever so lightly – almost looking… impressed.

“While Jase isn’t here I wanted to apologise,” he stated in a very business-like manner.

“For what?”

“When we ran into each other the other night I was hardly… pleasant.”

“Ollie, you’d be hard pushed to find anyone being pleasant when their friend is bleeding out in front of them. And if they are then they’re probably the one who shot them.” Ollie laughed – the first time I had ever seen him laugh.

“Even so, I'm sorry I was an ass.”

“Well, I'm sorry I was a bit of an ass back”

“Don't be, it was nice to finally see your balls come out,” he surveyed me with a smirk as he took another drink.

“What?!”

“At school I didn’t even know you existed ‘til Jase pointed you out and when he did you just seemed kind of... well, mousey and boring. Honestly, none of us really understood why Jase had this huge thing for you. He'd told us you were really this sassy ball-buster under your nerd costume but you never showed it, so to finally see it in person the other day… it was fun.” He concluded, staring at me with an unfamiliar expression, which after a few moments I realised was, approval.

“What did you tell Dean about me?” Ollie laughed louder this time.

“That you were mouthy and hotter on closer inspection,” he said as though this was perfectly normal. I felt my eyebrows shoot up and my cheeks turn bright red.

“Huh, you don’t mince your words do you?”

“Never,” he smiled widely. “Now come on, time to get drunk,” he said handing me a vivid green jello shot and a cup full of some un-known alcohol. Taking a shot for himself as well, he tapped it against mine and we downed them together.

***************

Jason’s P.O.V

I was feeling uneasy, Erin had looked unnerved when she went to get herself a drink and I had no idea why Mikey had wanted to go with her – maybe he was just getting himself a drink but something felt weird. Dean was acting his usual asshole self and I was hoping Erin wasn’t taking him too seriously; although she seemed to hold her own pretty well.

“Did you have to be such a pervert?” I glared at Dean who just smirked back at me.

“I don’t know what you mean? I was a delight. Anyway, she seemed to be able to handle me pretty good,” he smirked, his tone dripping with innuendo. I had spent many years hearing Dean talk like this about women – I had never heard him talking like this about Erin though. I knew this should have pissed me off, but in reality, there was this egotistical little son of a b***h inside me that was enjoying showing her off. Maybe it was wrong, but I wanted people to admire her, want her, all the while knowing they could never have her - knowing she was mine.

Suddenly I felt a pair of hands running through my hair and lips on my neck. I closed my eyes enjoying the feeling of her behind me and a little surprised at how bold she was being. She ran her nose up my neck, gently bit my earlobe and whispered, “Hey baby, did you miss me?” My eyes flew open… that’s not Erin. Pulling myself forwards and out of reach I turned to see Carina – a girl who, pre-Erin, I’d always hook up with at these kind of things.

‘s**t’ I thought to myself as I turned and glared at Dean. He and Jack had clearly found this case of misidentification highly amusing.

*why is she here?* I mouthed at Dean, whose eyes widened as he raised his hands as if to say ‘nothing to do with me’. I know from personal experience that with these parties only about 10% of people who turn up are people you’ve actually invited. Whilst distracted by this non-verbal argument, Carina had taken the opportunity to swing her leg over me to straddle my lap, grinding into me and pulling my face in close to hers. I pulled my head back as far as possible, taking her wrists to try and get her off me before-

“Ahem.”

-that

***************

Erin’s P.O.V

As Ollie, Mikey and I made our way back to the others I stopped suddenly in the balcony doorway.

“Ollie… who’s that?” I asked, pointing at the tall, tanned, size-zero, scantily clad, platinum blonde with her lips on Jason’s neck.

“That would be Carina, I’m guessing she didn’t get the ‘Jason has a girlfriend’ memo.”

“Did Jason get the ‘Jason has a girlfriend’ memo?” I asked, seeing the smile on his face as the b***h ran her hands through his hair. A moment later she whispered something in his ear and a look of horror appeared on his face.

Mikey snorted, “Looks like he just did.” I watched with a mixture of seething anger and amusement as Jason struggled to get her off his lap.

“Please tell me you’re about to go full psycho b***h and kick her ass,” Ollie murmured low in my ear. I smirked briefly before rearranging my face and clearing my throat loudly. Both Jason and the girl’s heads snapped round to look at me – arms crossed and murderous look on my face.

“Can I help you?” she asked, her face screwed up in full b***h-face mode.

“You have 5 seconds to get your scrawny little ass off my boyfriend’s lap before I drag you off by that fake blonde hair of yours.” All the guys looked at me with wide eyes; clearly a mixture of shocked, highly impressed and kinda hoping Carina doesn’t move so they get to see a b***h fight.

“Aww, you think you’re his girlfriend? That’s cute.” She sneered, dragging her hands down Jason’s chest.

Now I’ve never had a fight in my life - I’ve always seen fighting as pointless and immature. But right now, with 3 jello shots in my system, an atmosphere throbbing with impulse and recklessness around me, a w***e straddling and grinding on my boyfriend and 3 years’ worth of suppressed rage, grief and medical school pressure… I was only too happy to oblige.