^𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋&𝐄'𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬🙂 𝐬𝐨 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.

I watched as he disappeared into the party. I felt sorry but not as much as I felt he was making a big deal out of nothing.

In my back pocket, my phone buzzed. I slipped it out and read numerous incoming messages from my mother. I had missed her seven calls, she was angry and wanted me home.

I rolled my eyes at the screen. Beneath her messages was a miss call from River and a message. My feelings from earlier resurfaced as I read it and a lump grew in my throat.

𝐸𝑑𝑒, 𝐼 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑢𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑤𝑒'𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐼'𝑚 𝑠𝑜 𝑓𝑎𝑟 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑦...𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘, 𝑝𝑙𝑠.

I ran my hand over my face, to rid it of its guilt and frustration. Way too much has happened in just one day. I closed the phone and put it back in my pocket.

I could feel myself starting to tense while I overthought everything. I would go home, but I didn't want to wallow and I'd rather wait for her to fall asleep and yell at me in the morning.

I found myself in front of a table with punch that I was positive had been laced with something. In my hand I held my second cup to my mouth. The icy drink was soothing to my uneasiness which made it hard not to refill.

"How could he want her?" Her voice broke in pitch due to her whining.

"Right, who even is she?" Her friend cowered in disgust.

Two girls stood in the corner to the left of me. From the corner of my eye I could see them watching me. Every word they muttered they meant for me to hear and to themselves they snickered at my expense. Most of the people here I knew from seeing them in Stonewell's halls, these two I didn't recognize.

I finished my drink, then picked up another one, not giving them the satisfaction of engaging.

They convinced themselves that I had somehow bewitched Leighton. For this I had to laugh and almost choked on my drink because of it.

These girls who pretended they didn't know me wore on their porcelain wrists the AI bracelet my father released for my birthday. Its character and voice were replicas of a twelve year old me. That wasn't his original plan but he needed something to improve his empty apology. In the end changing it worked in his favour because I boosted his sales.

Poor me thought it would be the last time he hit me and forgave him—still I do think it's his best gift besides the studio.

The bracelets weren't so popular now, I rarely saw anyone with them anymore until these two. They're obvious fans if you ask me.

I left them and their shit talking to find a bathroom. Every walk I walked someone was whispering about me as if I was deaf. They all had me lablled as Leighton's girlfriend and the comments accompanied with that were either pitiful or mocking of my character.

I knew that people were prone to assume whatever they wanted and spread all sorts of rumours. It was those who knew the truth that held the power, I liked to think but that wasn't convincing right now.

I thought over what Angel said, what he was possibly implying and everything that followed after Leighton thanked me so affectionately in public for apparently making him win. How we entered the party hand in hand. Why has not one guy approached me when they normally would? I knew it was all a bit weird but I didn't care until now since everyone was making it something it was not.

To think that Leighton was the creator of this, that he was somehow sending subliminal messages through the press at the race I couldn't get behind. Him and I were on the same page about what kind of relationship this would always be, right?

I was pushing through the mass of people to get back to the punch table. It wasn't easy with everyone dancing intoxicated, I was pushed and pinned between bodies. I figured I'd just forget the drink and join them.

Within the crowd a hand reached out and grabbed by arm. My heart rate spiked to its highest level of freight. Quickly I turned around.

"Hey," Leighton said and I wanted to slap him. My hand, I rested on my heart to calm it.

"Did you find Angel?" He asked

"Dance with me." I didn't give him a chance to object. I took hold of his white tee and directed him behind me to somewhere more spacious than where we stood.

I spun around to face him and positioned my arms over his shoulders and around his neck, he lifted his hands to my hips.

"What happened?" He continued about Angel.

I kept my head bowed, eyes on his gold chain that hung loosely around his neck. The lights flashed slower around us. His forearms were inked with various tattoos that left space for some skin, I realized.

Before they were covered beneath his leather jacket and out of sight. Now without it, you couldn't miss how beautifully etched into his skin they were. He looked down at me waiting for a response that I chose not to give him and slowly picked up the rhythm of the music with my hips.

I wasn't drunk but something from the three cups of punch I had was starting to kick. I felt lighter, like I'd float on water and a sensation began to bubble that I never wanted to lose. My moves picked up as they became more carefree—more sexy. He matched my sways and pulled me in closer to him. I slipped my fingers in and out of his hair and over his shoulders.

I met his gaze briefly and he smiled before I looked away and turned around—my back into his front. He fastened one hand tighter around my waist and the other he ran under the hoodie and across my stomach.

We fell into this relaxed sultry body roll that made me feel things my incoherence would take advantage of.

As we moved as one a smile enchanted my lips. In my ear he whispered something. I had no clue what but his voice was low and husky it was hot!

I stopped thinking when I turned around and pulled him down to meet my lips half way, when he kissed me back with equal amount of intensity.

Everything prior and present was forgotten and it was dangerously just the two of us.

I couldn't explain it but when we kissed, like now and before it was like our lips were other halves of each other, different but so perfectly fitted together.

"Why don't we go to my room?" He broke our connection and whispered hypnotically. The suggestion was extremely tempting but of course, I knew better than to be in a room alone with him—I go anyway.

As he led me to the second level of the mansion, holding my hand tightly so we didn't get seperated I didn't notice the astute looks Leighton's friends gave him as we passed them and how Rowen did not meet my eyes at all.

Leighton's bedroom was seriously plain, it looked as if he didn't live in it. No pictures, clothes hung over the bed, shoes on the floor, nothing. He closed the door behind us and on its white frame we resumed.

"I know you're burning up in this," he said with a sly grin as he tugged at the end of the hoodie while reconnecting our mouths.

I giggled under him with a nod. He lifted it over my head, taking it off of me and throwing it somewhere on the floor. My arms I wrapped again around him while his hands slipped past my waist and under my thighs which he lifted so I could lock my legs around him. In an effortless fashion he walked us over to his bed where he laid me gently.

He folded his bottom lip into his mouth and bit it slowly with a wolfish grin as he stared down at me. My chest rose heavily as I waited for him. His cool palms he sliped under my blouse, lifting to my chests. He lowered himself to press his lips against my bare skin.

I wondered if he could sense the fire simmering through me as I tensed, wishing to press my thighs together if he wasn't between them.

Tauntingly he began too slowly up my chest, cooling my burning skin with his lips.

He handled me in a way that I thought was only special to me, but I knew he'd done this many times...So have I.

On my neck he planted the last one before he reclaimed my lips, lowering the length of his body against mine. I ran my hands under his shirt, feeling the hardness of his abdomen beneath my palms. He pulled at my bottom lip, pining for more than just making out.

He stopped and I opened my eyes to him looking at me. Our breathing, shallow and in perfect sync. He brushed his finger across my face in an attempt to put away the loose strands but they fell back stubbornly.

The longer he looked me in the eyes, deeper the thoughts that filled his mind clouded his expression. My brows drew together as I gazed back at him.

We're interrupted by a knock on the door.

With haste both our heads turned towards it. I think I stopped breathing.

I turned back to him, eyes widened with panic and I mouthed, "Who's that?" He pursued his lips with a shake of his head and a shrug.

"Eden?" Rowens called suddenly with timidness from the other side of the door. I exhaled and started breathing again.

"Your mom called, she says she wants you home," he informed me.

The colour drained from my face and I groaned, "No," as I covered my face with my hands. If this bed didn't swallow me now I'd never recover.

I heard Leighton chuckle as he crawled off top of me. My hands fell from my scrunched up face and I sat up. "Don't you dare laugh," I glared at him who laughed even harder.

"Come on, we don't want your mom upset," he said as he walked over to get the hoodie.

"Ugh!" I fell back on the bed. The sweater he threw at me and it landed on my face.

"We should give Angel back his sweater too," he said only so I was aware he knew.

I simply sighed in response. Boys are annoying.

After reluctantly rolling off the bed, I pulled my blouse down and was walking through the door behind Leighton where we met Rowen. Leighton didn't say a word to him as he walked by.

I hit Rowen in his stomach as I passed, "Thanks a lot," I grumbled.

"You should be thanking me," he said, taking a hold of my arm. I stopped and faced him. "Your mom said she would come here," he told me.

I rolled my eyes at her baseless threat. "She wouldn't have," I said and continued walking. "How did she even get your number?"

"I don't know—" he replied as he walked the hall behind me, "—She's your mom."

I nodded. "Sadly," I mumbled to myself.

When we got outside Leigton was waiting for me by the car. The party wasn't over and it didn't seem like any of them were leaving soon despite most of us having school tomorrow.

A yawn escaped me as I trudged over to him. The door he had open for me and I fell tiredly into his cushioned seat.

I waved bye to Rowen before the door came down between us and Leighton drove off.

"Today was very eventful," I said softly, closing my eyes to somehow ease the pain in my head.

The windows were down, which was a bit refreshing. At the moderate speed he drove my hair picked up occasionally with the wind.

"I'm glad you came to the race," he said.

"Yeah, you showed me that when you picked me up and kissed me infront of all those people," I half joked.

He laughed.

"I like us just kissing, nothing more, nothing less." I turned my cheek, opening my eyes so he knew I was serious and that we were on the same page.

"What if I want more than that and of you?" He wagered softly with a few glances

"Why would you want that?"

"Because I like you," he answered without hesitation.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "No.... we'll stay how we are."

"Friends?" He questioned and I nodded.

"Friends don't kiss," he challenged with a cock-sided grin.

"Ok, then let's not be anything," I said lastly as he pulled into my driveway. He shook his head at me.

The door opened and I stepped out.

"No kiss goodbye?" He teased.

I rolled my eyes, fighting my smile then bent down and blew him one before I went inside.

A/N

Thank you all btw for having us reach 5&6k in one day🥰♥️