Make Me Bad

Addison sipped her beer casually, listening in on the guys’ conversation.

“Man, I’m so hungover.”

“Then why do you keep shoving drinks down your throat, dumbass?”

“Shut up, Zacky. You’re one to talk.”

“He’s got a point, Syn.”

“Shut up, short shit. No one asked you!”

She nearly laughed, but kept it to herself. She didn’t need these guys on her bad side because she laughed in their faces. That Brian looked like he could be pretty sinister if he had to be.

She cracked a smile at her own joke. Matt looked over at her, his aviators off once again.

“What are you smiling at?”

It was asked casually, but Addison still felt like she had been caught in the act and quickly pulled a straight face.

“I didn’t say stop smiling,” Matt said, giving her a small smile of his own, “you have a nice smile.”

“And a nice rack,” Jimmy added. He was smacked by Brian.

“Keep it in your pants!”

“No!” Jimmy yelled defiantly, earning a few strange looks from surrounding tables.

Matt laughed and rolled his eyes, “You’ll have to excuse Jimmy. He’s a bit…what’s the word…”

“Horny?” Zacky offered.

Matt snapped his fingers and nodded, “Yeah! Horny!”

“Shads, don’t tell her that! You’ll scare our beautiful guest away!” Jimmy whined, quickly turning his sad expression into a seductive one for Addison.

She laughed and Matt sent a warning look at Jimmy, who shut up and looked away immediately. Addison raised an eyebrow.

“You intrigue me.”

Matt turned to her, “Me?”

She nodded, “Can’t say I’ve met a guy like you before. Like any of you, for that matter.”

“Well we are some pretty badass motherfuckers.”

“The last part is actually kind of true,” Brian mumbled.

Johnny sent him a look, “I thought we were never gonna talk about that again!”

“It’s not my fault your mom came onto me!” Brian argued.

Johnny slouched in his chair, embarrassed at the criticizing looks they earned. Zacky laughed.

“Johnny’s had his fair share of older women too.”

The guys shared a laugh at his expense and Addison frowned.

“Why do you all pick on him like that?”

“Huh?”

She turned to Zacky, “You know, when I said I’ve never met guys like you all before, I didn’t necessarily mean it in a nice way.”

She made a move to stand up, but Matt grabbed her wrist.

“We just joke around with him. We don’t actually mean any of it,” he said, staring straight at Addison. His gaze was so intense she had to look away, not to mention her skin felt on fire where Matt was holding her arm. Why did he feel the need to explain his friends’ antics to her, anyway?

Addison cast a side glance at Johnny, who was watching her with interest. He probably wasn’t used to people standing up for him with these large goons with him and making fun of him all the time.

Matt still had a hold on her wrist, and she returned her eyes to him. He had such pretty eyes for such a manly guy…

She blinked and straightened herself up again, deciding it was time for her to be heading back to the dorms. Her roommate, Veronica, was probably wondering where she went.

“I should be heading back to the college. My roommate’s probably getting worried.”

She stood up fully, Matt finally letting go of her. She pulled some money out of her purse, preparing to pay for her own drink. Just as she took a step, his voice caught her attention.

“Addison?”

She turned around to face him, saying nothing but waiting for him to continue.

Matt furrowed his brows, looking like he was trying to figure out what to say. Addison did a tiny dance in her head. Maybe she did have some form of dominance over the new guy.

“Just spit it out already!” Brian groaned, giving Matt a shove.

Matt snapped himself from his own thoughts, his somewhat cocky expression taking over his face as he gained his composure. Addison’s victory dance in her head stopped and she felt herself getting lost in his eyes again. He was still more dominant.

Damn those eyes.

“Don’t worry about the beer. It’s on me.”

She shook her head, “No, I got it. It’s just one; I can pay for it myself.”

Matt smirked at her stubbornness, “If not this time, you’ll have to let me buy next time.”

“Next time?” she asked. What was he getting at?

Zacky smiled and shook his head while Brian and Jimmy exchanged a look. Johnny smiled knowingly at Addison.

“Yeah, next time. You know, when we go out next Friday night.”

Addison caught on and she sent him an amused look, crossing her arms.

“Next Friday, huh? What time?”

Matt stood up, the distance between Addison and himself small since he never gave her the chance to move away from the table.

“I’ll pick you up at six.”

“You don’t even know where I live.”

Matt let out a small laugh, admiring her ability to banter.

“You can’t pick me up from a dorm room, either,” she added, giving him a challenging look.

“Then I’ll just meet you somewhere.”

“Where?”

“Here, of course.”

Addison smirked, digging around in her purse for a pen and then grabbing Matt’s arm. She scribbled a few numbers down on it, clicked her pen, and dropped it back in her purse, which was sitting on her previously occupied chair.

“I’ll see you then. Call me.”

She started to walk away, but not before she caught the look of shock and relief on Matt’s face. It was only there for a split second before he recovered, but she had still seen it.

Score.

“It was nice meeting you, boys,” she called over her shoulder, dropping the money in her hand on the counter for the bartender and nearing the door. She felt like she was forgetting something, but shrugged it off.

They shouted back a reply, one standing out from the others. It was a voice she was beginning to really like, and she hoped she would be hearing it for quite some time.

“You too, Addison.”