The Game of Seduction

--Ian Foster's POV

The door bell rang. Kia and I looked at each other, both wide-eyed. For a second, I was scared that my dad had come home early from his trip, but then again, why would he ring the bell? Kia had the same startled and fearful expression.

I went to open the door and there stood Jeremy and his girlfriend, Rachel.

“Wha- what are you guys doing here?”

“Obviously here to pick up Kia,” Jeremy said, walking in.

“Yea, but why you two?” Kia said Jess was coming.

“Jeremy,” Kia voice came from behind me. She was peeking out from around the corner.

“Hey,” Jeremy greeted her.

“Why are you here?” She asked, stepping out into the hallway.

“Kia,” Rachel pushed pass me coldly, not even a hi, and ran up to Kia. “We came to get you.”

“Wasn’t Jess supposed to?” Kia asked, looking at them both.

“Yeah, but we thought I’d be better if we came,” Rachel said. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, slightly hung over, but fine."

Rachel leaned in closer to me, “Really?”

“Yeah, Rach,” Kia reassured her.

“I came became because I wanted to have a little talk,” Jeremy said, turning to face me, “with my friend here,” he smiled and squinted at me weirdly.

“Sure,” I said. What does he want? “Let’s go get your dress out of the drier,” I said to Kia.

I turned down the hall with Kia following me.

I walked into the tiny laundry room and dug around in the drier for her dress. "It's still a little damp," I said, handing her the black dress.

"That's fine, thanks." She took the dress and went into my room.

I turned the drier back on for the rest of the clothes before I headed for my room too. I thought I should probably put on a shirt. I usually didn't walk around shirtless. It was more for Kia's benefit.

When I walked in, she already had her dress on, adjusting it. I was one step to late. I wanted to see her in her sexy underwear again. Who knows when I'll get another chance?

Kia had placed the T-shirt she wore on top of the dresser. I grabbed it and slipped it on. It beats digging through my drawers for another one. I unintentionally inhaled and it smelled like her. It wasn't a perfume-like smell. It was more of a womanly scent; a good smell. I'm being creepy again.

She didn’t say a word and headed for the door. I was right behind her when she abruptly stopped and spun around. I crashed into her and almost made her fall backwards but I grabbed onto her by the arm and waist.

"Geez, signal before you do something like that," I said, stilling holding her.

"Sorry," Kia whispered, growing a little pink.

My hands lingered. She was standing so close. I drop my hands and she took half back.
"Um," she began and stopped, lowering her eyes from mine.

"What?" I urged.

"I, uh… want to say thank you… for last night. If you hadn't been there for me, who knows what would have happened."

"Just don't be stupid again." I can't always be there for you.

Kia shrugged. "I'll try," she said, smiling up at me briefly before she turned on her heels and left the room.

Kia left with Rachel, going over to Jess' I believe, and Jeremy was left with me.

"So, what up?" I asked, curious to what he needed to talk about.

"What's wrong with you?" Jeremy asked suddenly.

"Uhh, what?" Is there something wrong with me?

"Why did you kidnap Kia from Mix last night?"

Oh, that. "It wasn't kidnapping. I was saving her. She was completely out of it." I said, walking into the kitchen.

Jeremy followed me. "You should have just left her with Rachel and them. I didn't think you were the kind of person that would take advantage someone else like that. She's different from the other girls you fool around with and she's my friend; she's one of Rachel's best friends. What were you thinking?"

I turned around and faced him, crossing my arms across my chest. I exhaled loudly. "I'm not that kind of person. I know she's different. I didn't really take advantage of her and I hadn't intended to take advantage of her."

Jeremy sat down on a stool at the kitchen island and glared at me.

"I swear… I was taking her home, but her parents were home and I thought, whatever, I'll just let her sleep over here. And believe me, that’s all I had planned. I was just going to let her sleep."

"Going to? As in didn’t quite happen in the end?" He narrowed his eyes at me even more.

Well, ain't he sharp? Jeremy had such a serious and angry expression on. He'd always been happy-go-lucky in the whole 10 years that I've known him. He rarely ever got mad at me like this. And questioning my character? Being my best friend and all, I'd thought he knew me better than that. I rolled my eyes with a sigh. "She… Ok, listen." I changed my mind. Lying for Kia, while being interrogated by my best friend was just too exhausting. "Don't tell anyone this. Kia doesn't want people to know." I sighed loudly again. "She was drugged last night."

"What?" Jeremy exclaimed, appalled.

"Yeah, the guy she was with gave her a drink and she drank it."

"What?" He was incredulous, like I was when I saw it happen.

"I know. Stupid, right?"

Jeremy nodded.

"But you know what? I think it might have been my fault. I kind of had her distracted. She was doing things without thinking. Man…" I leaned on the island counter, across from him. "She was so out of it that she almost left with the guy. Fuck, she could've be raped and left in the streets if I hadn’t been there."

“Is she ok?” Jeremy looked very worried.

“She seems fine,” I said. Actually, I’m not sure... I didn’t even ask her how she was feeling. Fuck. All I did was tease her and argue with her. What kind of person does that to a girl that had just almost been date-raped?

"Rachel and them are never going back there again," Jeremy said.

"Definitely."

"So," he turned on that unusual seriousness again, glaring at me. "You took advantage of someone that you knew was drugged? That's even worse."

"No! Yo, Kia came onto me. It was the drugs or actually, it could have been that she couldn't hold herself back anymore. I tried resisting. I had a couple of drinks last night and… she's so seductive. Ugh... It was a though fight, but in the end, no sex. We just got a bit naked and slept."

"That's it?" Jeremy raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah," I said. I was.

"Really? Kia was throwing herself at you and you didn't take that chance?" Some of Jeremy’s sternness had faded. Now he’s more curious than anything.

“Yes. She didn't believe me either. How is that so hard to believe?”

“Because that's your purpose. The goal of your game is to have sex with Kia, right?”

“Yeah, I guess,” I shrugged. That's what I had set out to do...

“You really like this game, huh? You gave up having sex with Kia so that you can keep playing,” Jeremy assumed.

"What?” I feigned disbelief. “I- now it just sounds like you're upset that I didn't take advantage of her."

“I'm just trying to say that you need to get your head on straight. Do you actually like her or do you just like to play your games with her. There is a difference.”

“Wait now, who said anything about actually liking her in the first place?”

“It's obvious that there is something between you two. You go out of your way for her all the time. There are plenty of girls that would throw themselves at you but you try so hard to get at Kia.”

“I don't try so hard… but you think she likes me?” I ask, secretly very curious. I knew it wasn’t just a game between us. There had to be something more there. I could feel it.

Jeremy stared at me for a moment, thinking. “I don't know. Maybe a 60% chance, but if you're not going to be serious with her then just back off.”

“Jere, she likes to play this game too, it's not just me.”

“You forced her to play this game with you, Ian. You remember, right? My pool party? She’s a very stubborn and competitive girl. You challenged her and she will see this game to the end. I don't think you know how horrible this could end.”