The Game of Seduction

It was about 8pm and it was getting dark. Devin had been avoiding Kia for a while now, since he threw her into the pool. He knew better than anyone that Kia loves to hold a grudge.

Kia and her friends managed to stay away from Ian and his friends. They seemed to be having fun on their own, playing drinking games with the girls from the basketball team and from Rachel's dance club. Some of the girls were really nice but frankly, kind of slutty.

After Jess had pointed out that Ian was at the party, Kia thought about leaving, but why ruin her fun just because she and some hot player she made out –and almost have sex – with was there? There was no need for such measures. A guy like him was not interested in a girl like her. There were plenty of girl's at the party that would be happy to keep him busy.

Kia had thought that it'd be a good idea to not drink so much tonight. She didn't want to create any chances of repeating what happened last night. But… here we are: a beer, 3 margaritas and 5 shots later.

Damn, those margaritas are good, Kia thought as she headed down the hall to the washroom. It's weird that Greg was so good making girly drinks.

There was someone in the washroom that was just down from the living room and doesn’t seem to be coming out any time soon. Kia had only been to Jeremy's house a few times, but she remembered there being another washroom on the main floor. She walked by the dining room with its giant oak table and crystal-clad chandler. Jeremy's house was massive and so elegant. It made Kia a little uncomfortable, kind of out of place.

Kia walked down a small hall way, all the way at the other side of the house. It was quiet and the hall lights were dim. She managed to find the washroom at the end of the hall. It was less extravagant than the other one, but a nice one nonetheless. Nicer than the ones in her house.

Walking out of the washroom and looking down the hallway, she felt uneasy. It was really quiet. She couldn’t hear any of the music or chattering. One of the doors in the hallway was closed. Kia remembered opening all of the doors but couldn't quite remember if she had closed any of them. The closed door stuck out like a sore thumb.

Kia picked up her pace. She was halfway down the hall when suddenly, a hand from behind her clasped over her mouth. Her heart leapt out of her chest. She tried to scream but it was muffled. An arm wrapped around her waist and she was quickly tugged aside. She stumbled into a dark room, crashing into the wall. She heard the door click close.

Oh god, it's a rapist! A murderer! A burglar! Kia tried to scream and struggle but she was pressed against the wall and her mouth was still covered.

"Calm down," the guy tried to hush her.

You're crazy, Kia thought. A guy attacking her was trying to tell her to calm down. You calm the fuck down! Kia tried to kick the guy and finally got him after a few tries.

The guy let out a yelp and pulled back. "It's me, Kia," the guy said breathlessly, still hissing in pain.

Kia leaned back against the wall, panting. Devin? Or is it Ryan?

"It's Ian," the person said in a husky voice. "God, that hurt. Right in the shin," he grunted.

"Wh- what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Kia asked with a shaky voice. "Are you crazy?" She yelled, getting swallowed up by angry confusion.

"I just wanted to talk to you," he said.

"In a fucking closet?" Kia snapped. Anger still bubbled and her heart was still racing. The fright and the tipsiness that she had before was starting to make her feel light headed.

"I wanted to talk to you alone."

Kia could see the faint outline of his body move closer. She could feel him moving into the air around her. It was making her nervous.

"And it's a laundry room, not a closet," he whispered.

Kia froze. She felt his warm breath on her. He was just inches away.

"See?" A bright light suddenly turned on. It blinded her for a second, but indeed, they were in the laundry room. It was quite big and almost everything was white.

Ian was leaning into her, his hand against the wall where the light switch was.

Kia's eyes focused onto Ian's brilliant blue eyes. They were mesmerizing, like looking at a blue supernova. He was staring right back into her green eyes with overwhelming intensity. She felt her face burn. The urge to hide took over and she flipped off the light switch.

Shit! I did not just do that. Kia half reached for the light switch again but she withdrew her hand. No..., no, no, no. Why did I just do that? She couldn't just turn them back on now. Her face felt ten times hotter now.

"You prefer the dark?" Ian mused.

Kia couldn't see, but she could just hear the smirk on his face. "No… ,I prefer not to see you face right now. You piss me off Ian." Kia managed to save herself, or at least she thought so. "You scared the crap out of me. Who the fuck does something like that?" Kia gave him a shove.

Ian moved a step or two back. She looked away from him even though she could only see slight outlines of him. Outlines? That's when she noticed the small window with a faint orange glow coming in.

"Someone who thought it would be funny to scare you?" He said.

"Oh, shut up," Kia said, crossing her arms. Why am I still in here? "I'm leaving," she huffed and turned to the door on her left. She tried opening it, but the doorknob wouldn't turn. She jiggled the knob but it wouldn't budge.

"Seriously?" Kia turned to Ian again. "You locked us in the laundry room? What are you trying to do?"

"It's locked?" He asked, sounding innocent.

"Yeah," she said angrily, still trying to open the door.

"Let me see," Ian reached for the doorknob.

His hand brushed hers and she drew her hand back quickly. Kia heard him wrestle with the knob.

"Can't get it open," he said, giving up quite quickly.

"Augh, you did this. Unlock it," Kia demanded, staring at his dark figure.

"I didn't lock it. I don't know how to open it,” Ian said, sounding rather convincing.

Kia glared into the darkness. She reminded herself that she can’t trust a word he says. She jiggled the knob again and pounded her fist on the door. "Hello? Anyone there? Hello?"

"I think everyone is outside or at least at the other side of the house. No one can hear you."

That's exactly what he wants... Kia spun around. "You so did plan this. What are you trying to do? I'm not interested in you, Ian," she said, loud and blunt.

"I didn't plan to get us locked in here, alone, in the dark. I just thought it'd be nice if we talked."

Kia glared at him in the dark. It was weird not knowing where to focus her eye. "No," she said simply.

"No what?"

"No, it won't be nice. No, we won't do anything and no, we aren't having sex," she exclaimed. All the yelling and anger was starting to make her head hurt.

"Oh Kia, that’s what you think of me? You think that all I want is sex?" Ian asked in a hurt voice.

"Yes, and don't even try to convince me otherwise ‘cause I don't care," Kia said harshly. "God damn it Ian," she stomped her foot like an irritated child. "Why must you try and ruin my day, two nights in a row? Go stomp on someone else's fun!" She leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. She had tried to avoid Ian all night and yet somehow, she end up locked in a laundry room with him.

Ian let out a laugh. "Well, I seem to remember you enjoying yourself last night," he said in a suggestive tone.

Ian took a step towards her and she backed into the wall as much as she could. Kia was beginning to think that it wasn’t a good idea to provoke the stranger that has her trapped in a small, dark enclosed space.

"When we were kissing…," he whispered, resting his arm against the wall and leaning just inches away from her, "embracing…" His breath was hot on her skin and smelled of alcohol.

Alarms started going off in her head. Her heart was beating quickly. Bad situation. Bad! Kia couldn't move and didn't know what to say. "Well,” she made a nervous laugh, “you can't believe everything a drunk does or says."

"You didn't seem that drunk."

"Oh, I was wasted," she said with another nervous laugh.

"You seemed sober enough to be playing games with me.” His warm breath grazed her neck.

"What games?" Kia asked, feigning ignorance.

"Don't play dumb," he whispered, his words tickling her ear.

There might have been some playing on her part. She does remember teasing him a couple of times, pretending like she wanted to have sex with him and such. “So… you trapped in me in a closet –laundry room- because you wanted to talk about how embarrassing it was for you to get played by me?”

He laughed, leaning away. “Don’t be so smug. You only won because I let my guard down. I just hadn’t expected that from you.”

“So, you're also admitting that I won and that you underestimated me?” Kia asked, feeling rather superior.

Ian let out a sigh, which made Kia smile. “Sure, but since you want to play, I’m sure there are many chances for me to win.”