Paradise Lost

We sat in silence for what felt like forever. I couldn’t even bring Summer Gemma out to make a witty comment and boost another conversation flow. Normally by now the boy I had spent the night with would be trying to feel me up, he’d be trying to do anything he could to get in my pants and yet Jake just sat there staring at the fire before us, an amused expression on his face as he watched the drunken party-goers. And his hands stayed to himself. I was shocked.

I was shocked and I was in some sort of awe I didn’t know I was capable of. I kept expecting him to start getting grabby—just like every other boy I had met at these parties with the exception of Morgan. Then he burst out laughing and held his hand, palm up towards me.

Glancing at him, frowning he nodded toward the bonfire. “You owe me five bucks.”

That was when I heard a scream and caught sight of Angela with both her arms stretched high above her head and her body swaying in what she must have deemed a seductive manner just as her right foot seemed to catch itself behind her left calf, causing her to lose her balance and catapulting into the fire before her. Literally, face first into flames and no one was around to save her. I swore, jumping up, somehow grabbing Jake’s hand in the process and dragging him with me as I went to pull Angela from the fire.

Instead of the horror movie I had been envisioning, she was giggling like a maniac. The hem of her top was singed and there were a few ash smudges on her cheeks, but she was completely fine. I swear, I almost hit her. Jake chuckled then and grabbed Angela by the arm and hoisted her up.

Not moments later, she had shoved both Jake and I away and teetered back to the lake house where she soon found the drunken arm of some guy who led her towards the back of the house. I could feel Jake’s expectant gaze, so I just laughed before shaking my head at him. “I’m not paying you.”

“Oh, so you’re that kind of girl?”

“What kind of girl?” I turned, facing him, crossing my arms.

“The kind of girl who doesn’t keep her word.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. I shuddered against the stirring night wind before tightening my grip on myself. “I never gave you my word.”

“No, but we did have a bet.” Even though I wasn’t facing him I could feel that cocky smirk on his lips and I wanted to slap it off—but not quite. I couldn’t help but smile, and for once I felt like Summer Gemma was finally making her debut. I turned and crossed my arms over my chest.

“Alright fine, I’ll buy you ice cream.”

Jake frowned, that smile still permanently in place as he began walking away from me, I could tell from the stride in his step and the way that he was still talking that he expected me to follow—and the sad thing is I followed him willingly. I felt like a lost puppy on his heel. I didn’t want to be without him, at least not at this party full of drunken delinquents. But wasn’t this my home? Wasn’t this the party scene that Summer Gemma was oh so fond of?

“That wasn’t part of the bet…but I guess I can make that work to my advantage,” he glanced over at me, that smirk still in place. “What’s your favorite type of ice cream?”

“Bubble gum.” I literally had to slap my hand over my mouth as I giggle out loud at my childish loves. I could feel my face grow hot with embarrassment and as I snuck a peek at Jake I could only see the same amused glance that he seemed to always be wearing. I cleared my throat and asked him, “What’s yours?”

“I’m more of a Rocky Road kind of guy.”

Jake paused then, just outside the lake house’s front door, one I hadn’t realized we were walking to. He shoved his hands into his pockets—looking suddenly like a very cute little boy, and smiled over at me. “Need an escort home?”

I almost said yes. I really did, and the funny thing was, was the fact that I really, really wanted it to be him to walk me home. Something about him was just so…different. There was a list of things and I was considering making a checklist just to compare him to all of the other assholes in this place. But I didn’t let him walk me home. I found I was being internally slapped by denying him.

“I actually can’t leave.”

“Oh, and why’s that?” That amused expression was back on his face, and he took his hands from his pocket and crossed them over his chest.

“I have two drunken sluts waiting for me to walk them home,” I muttered, mentally cursing Jackie and Morgan.

“I didn’t picture you as the dependable type.”

I ignored the brief sting in my chest—and shrugged my shoulders. “Only for them.” Jake smiled then, and without another word turned and walked off. It wasn’t rude, the way he did it. Just a silent goodbye. And I was still left…unsatisfied.