The Forbidden Fruit Always Tastes Sweeter

The last few weeks had been brutal. Brian and I had barely seen each other except for maybe a quick lunch or a morning jog. Though, those were rare as he was not an early riser. He did, however, call me during the nights and we would watched the sun set together, well as together as you could over the phone. It was still the sweetest gesture.

He and his band mates had been making time, brainstorming their next CD. While, I had been in training mode and spending all my time firming muscles or getting runs in. My balance thankfully, had not been as off as it was in the beginning. And, thankfully, there had not been any further injuries than that sprained neck.

I had been to Irvine. Which brings us to tonight; a party that I had thrown in my honor.

I rolled my eyes as Tyler and Alex were the first to slap stickers across each breast. "Thanks you guys." I guzzled down the neck of my beer. "I mean you can't get more original than that." I squealed when they lifted me on their shoulder.

"Loon the Moon is back!" They shouted, officially starting the party. Someone near the house cranked up the music so we could hear it clearly outside.

"Ramp's ready!" I heard some one call out. Tyler and Alex automatically made a run to grab a skateboard.

I screamed as I fell off of their shoulders, losing my drink. "Did you forget about me up there? I mean, really!" They waved me off, not stopping, and mumbled an apology haphazardly. I looked up to see who was holding me and smiled my thanks to Ethan. "Can you believe them? I mean you wouldn't do that to Cassie would you?"

"He'd better not." She gave him a look and handed me a pink plastic cup full of punch.

Ethan wrapped his arm around her shoulder and grinned. "You know I would never, baby."

I looked at the liquid skeptically. "Do you even know what was added to it?"

She shrugged handing the other cup to Ethan. "Nope, but it tastes pretty good to me." I laughed and winced when someone randomly slapped a sticker on my thigh. "Oh, I am so next." Cassie grinned. She handed her drink to Ethan and pealed off the backing of the sticker she grabbed out of the box. She stood back and spun me around before slapping a Billabong sticker on my crotch.

"Thanks, loves you too." I smiled sarcastically.

"Just be happy it was me that popped your cherry." She grinned cheekily.

"Loon!" Tim called me over.

I laughed and tried to keep my drink steady while more stickers were being slapped on all over my body. "Alright, alright." I chugged the rest of the punch and tossed the cup. One more cup to clean up in the morning wouldn't hurt. I put the skateboard on the ground and joined the others on the homemade ramp.

I skated down the driveway, having been pushed in that direction. "Benny! Catch me!" I tried to get his attention as he was talking to the driver of an SUV. "I can't stop!" I laughed as he grabbed me around my waist and yanked me off the board. "Thank you," I huffed trying to catch my breath.

"Have you been in the punch?" He looked at me funny, smelling the different flavors of alcohol on my breath.

"Oh, yeah. Cass got me started. You should try it; it tastes pretty good." I leaned on his shoulder. "Noodles keeps giving it to me too. Why? What am I drinking?" I asked, not really caring too much about the answer though when I looked up and saw Johnny. "Hey, you guys finally made it." I grinned, leaning on the window.

"Thank fuck you came, this asshole wasn't going to let us in." Johnny glared past me.

I poked him roughly in the arm. "One, Benny is not an asshole." I corrected him. "And, two, I probably forgot to add you to the list."

"You have a list?" He chuckled, looking at me funny.

I shrugged. "Who doesn't have a list? Alright, you guys just go park on the side with the shed. Watch you don't run anyone over." Johnny laughed. "Dude, I'm dead serious some people already have passed out or are hooking up back there." I stepped back and waved at the two cars as they past me and picked up the skateboard. "Ready Benny boy?"

He laughed as I fumbled my steps a bit. "Loon, you've got to lay off the punch."

I laughed sarcastically. "My, my aren't you the life of the party."

"That's your job, Loon." He laughed.

"That's right, and don't you try to take my limelight." I grinned pushing him. I saw them stumble out of their cars and stretch their legs. "Well, welcome to my humble abode. Rules are simple. Drinks will be found everywhere. No one in the rooms upstairs, however downstairs is where the games and shit are. Feel free to roam, just not near the train tracks or on the beach. Safety first kiddies. We'll start the pit in a few hours when we see what we have left over. Hopefully we don't lose the shed again this year."

"Left over?" Zacky raised his eyebrows.

Benny laughed whole-heartedly at his confusion. "He's going to get burned."

"Leave them alone and go get drunk." I pushed Benny towards the mass of people that occupied my yard and rolled my eyes. Brian came over and kissed me quickly, making me smile. "Hi."

He smirked, "Nice stickers."

My knee collapsed forward and I fell into Brian for support as Noodles slapped another sticker on.

"Hey," he pouted. "Who took the crotch? I totally tap tapped that earlier."

"Cass beat you to it." I laughed and handed him the skateboard.

"Oh, mighty Ethan or not, she's going to get it." Tripping forward on his baggy jeans.

"You know Noodles?" JB looked at the surfer walking away.

"Oh, honey, please don't act star struck around everyone. It'll only get your ass kicked." I chuckled at the awe in his face. Though, it would really it would totally boost their ego and I just didn't feel like dealing with that.

"Loon! What are you doing standing there?" Rick called me over, waving hello to the guys. "You need more stickers." He complained about the empty spaces on my body, while saying hello to the guys.

"Is there a reason for you getting tapped by everyone?" Jimmy mused, leaning on Leana, looking at my sticker covered chest.

"I'm back on my team." I beamed. "These are my sponsors' stickers. I am officially on the Billabong team again."

Brian scooped me up into a hug. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" 

I shrugged, "I was too busy planning this shindig. No worries, it isn't that big of deal."

"Of course not." JB mumbled sarcastically as he went to go find the drinks. "Because it's just everyday someone is a professional surfer."

"Come on, let's have some fun." I tugged on Brian's hand, as Noodles called me again.

"Hey, babe!" He waved me over, pulling me from Brian and separating us in the crowd, shoving a drink in my hand. "We're getting antsy, Loon."

I grinned and shook my head. "You know how it goes, there's way too many people right now." I took a sip of the beer. "And, trying to get me drunk won't help you out either."

He huffed childishly and took the beer back. "Then, you won't be needing this."

I shrugged, not really caring, and went to find Brian. I shrieked when someone slapped me hard on the ass and turned around to see Brian smiling proudly at himself. "Oh, you too, huh?"

"I figured I'd give your tradition a try." He smirked.

I wrapped my arm around his waist. "I'm starting to think that I'm at the wrong end of this tradition."

He laughed, leading me over to the hammock that was surprisingly unoccupied, and climbed in. I slowly followed, trying not to flip us, and laid carefully next to him, watching everyone dance or skateboard or just chill. "So, is everyone here a professional surfer?"

"No, a good amount I guess. I'm right above Tressels so a lot of them are usually in the area when they aren't on tour or competing elsewhere." I smiled, welcoming the warmth that radiated off him. "And, then, the others are just friends."

"You know a lot of people." He chuckled at the large crowd.

I sighed and agreed. "I'm just surprised that they still stick by me after running away."

"Hey," he rubbed my side. "Now you know that they are true friends."

"I never thought about it that way." I smiled and nodded. "I should have known that they'd be there either way. It's not like I associate myself with assholes."

He laughed, until we were rudely flipped over. I groaned as a rock dug into my bare back. "Unlike me." He grinned and helped me up. Glaring at Johnny and Jimmy, they took off with him hot on their tails.

I smiled and walked over into the crowd. "Well, don't you have him wrapped around your finger?" Sammy grinned, bumping her hip into mine.

"Like you don't have Paul around yours?" I rolled my eyes.

"But, Paul's my boyfriend already," she grinned cheekily.

"Ah, finally someone agrees." Val cut in and stood next to Sammy with the same stupid grin. "She's been denying it forever now."

I rolled my eyes, tuning them out, and looked at Tim laughing at me, with a sticker in hand. "Take your pick." I smiled turning around.

"What if I covered your mouth?" He teased. "Think that would finally get you to stop gabbing?"

"Never." I grinned.

"Figures." He gently put the sticker gently on my back and took my arms to slow dance to the fast beat song. "You’re really into this guy, huh?"

"Yeah," I breathed, but gave him a stern look. "Don't go telling them," I nodded my head towards the girls deep in conversation.

"Oh, Lucy." He laughed and continued to dance again. "I would never feed you to the sharks."

I grinned. "Better not." Noodles interrupted us, pulling me into a drunken kiss. I could taste the liquor in my mouth as I pushed him back. "You're such a dog."

He grinned sideways and howled, skateboarding away. "You okay there?" Tim laughed at me.

"You try being kissed by him." I wiped my mouth, rolling my eyes.

"I rather pass." He chuckled. "Seems like your Mr. Infatuation didn't dig it though." I looked over my shoulder to see Brian looking confused. "Go."

"Thanks." I smiled making my way over to Brian, frowning when he walked away from me.

Tyler and Alex grabbed me, spinning me around, getting me awfully dizzy. "How about now?" Alex asked.

I held my head as I saw the lights blur into circles around me and closed my eyes. "Hell no. You have to kick some people out first." I groaned as they let me go to do just that, losing my balance and feeling my body fall to my knees.

"Whoa there." Matt helped me up. "You okay?" I shook my head and moaned as that only caused more vertigo. "Here." He picked me up and carried me. The music wasn't as loud where he took me and set me down on a lawn chair.

"What happened to her?" I heard Jimmy ask.

"Asswipes want to blow themselves up." I groaned rubbing my temples at the headache they caused.

"Let them." Rick laughed.

"Why should I?" I huffed, crossing my arms. "I don't need the fire department here again."

"Again?" Zacky laughed.

"They blew my shed up last time I had a party this big." I rolled my eyes. "So, now they have to be alerted when I have a one and I can only have so many here as fire safety precautions." I sighed looking around for Brian and stood up when I didn't see him.

"I think you should sit a bit longer, sweetheart." Gena smiled, trying to coax me to listen.

"I'll be fine; thanks though." I returned the smile and went to find where Brian had gone off. I petted Bear, not realizing he had been here and went inside. I smiled at the crowd that was just relaxing in the living room. I was grateful that everyone respected me enough to listen and keep the wild action outside. "Any of you seen a big guy wearing a trucker hat?"

"Yeah, that's real descriptive, Loon." Tara rolled her eyes and smirked. "But a sexy, big guy wearing a trucker hat went downstairs." She giggled as her boyfriend tickled her and teased her about his own sexiness.

I chuckled and went downstairs, surprised to see it deserted. I guess Tara was wrong. I went to turn back up stairs when I finally saw him on the other side of the room looking at all the memorabilia I had won over the years.

"You didn't tell me that you were this good." He commented, not turning to look at me.

I sat on the arm of the couch and smiled. "It's called modesty."

Brian chuckled and scanned his eyes over all the various medals and trophies. "This is why you didn't want us to bring your clothes down for you when we came back from Vegas."

"It's an emotional room for me. Not even I had been down here at that point." I admitted softly.

He picked up a frame and wiped the exess dust on the glass. "Who's this with you?"

I smiled at the photograph. "My tutu kane."

"The one that taught you how to surf, right?" I nodded, happy to know that he does listen to me when I talk, but I knew he always had anyway. He sat on the couch still holding the picture. "You two look really happy."

"I just won first place for USA in the juniors tour for the first time, there. I was almost 16. That was the best day of my life." I smiled remembering my nana taking the picture of us, despite how much we complained that the sun was directly in our eyes.

"You can tell." He smiled.

We sat in silence for a few moments looking at the photograph with only the bass of the music vibrating above us. "He was drunk, you know."

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out." He smiled lopsidedly.

"You walked away from me though." I pointed out softly.

He sighed, putting the picture frame on the side table. "I don't want anyone but me kissing you, Lucy. Dunk or not."

I smiled to myself, trying not to grin like an idiot. "And, why exactly not, Sunshine?"

He chuckled. "Because I would like that to be only for me."

"No short flings?" I smiled, turning towards him.

"The real thing, babe." He smirked.

I grinned kneeling next to him on the couch. "Say it."

Brian made a face. "Do I have to? It always sounds funny coming from me."

I rolled my eyes and shrugged. "I can't give you an answer if you don't ask."

"Fine," he smirked. "Want to hook up with me?"

I smacked his chest and glared. "Properly."

He signed dramatically, "Lucy, I would be most honored if you would be my girlfriend."

I giggled and kissed his nose. "That was corny, but why not."

"That's it?" Brian asked, looking at me with a teasing smile. "A pathetic kiss on the nose."

"You have a cute nose." I shrugged.

"That's all you like me for?" He pretended to cry.

"You mean there's more to you than just a cute nose?" I laughed.

He pushed me down and crawled on top of me. "You know it," he whispered kissing my neck making me giggle.

"Hey Syn, have you seen-" I heard Rick's voice by the stairs, his footsteps stopping when he heard me giggle again. "Whoa man, what happened to being all mushy and head over heels with Lucy? I mean you've been chewing my ear off about her. Danny's getting pretty sick of it too...” He trailed off, getting a little anxious under the glare he was receiving.

“What’s this now?” I grinned at his flushed cheeks and giggled when he pushed me back down.

Rick laughed, “Ah, I see how it is.”

“You want to live, don’t you Lazoni?” Brian began to threaten.

“You want to blow shit up, don’t you Rick?” I smiled sweetly.

“Sorry, Syn, this is why we come to these parties.” Rick grinned, and sat on the adjacent grand arm chair. “You should hear him Luce, talking about your assets and checking his phone for at text or call. Then, when you do call, everything and everyone gets put on hold. Oh, and the picture he on his phone-” Brian leaped off me and tackled Rick to the floor, taking the chair back with them.

I sat up and laughed at how worked up he was getting. “If half the people left, Rick, everything’s in the shed.” Upon hearing that news, he pushed Bri off and took off upstairs. “What picture?” Brian ignored me and set the chair upright. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed right behind his ear. I bit my lip, feeling him shudder softly, happy to know that he was finally mine. I felt his phone in his back pocket and quickly grabbed it.

“Come on Lucy,” he pouted, holding his hand out.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I just want to see.” I shook my head smiling and looked at the phone. For its background, was a picture of Brian holding me in his arms while I held the shot gun. “That’s a good one of us.” I kissed the corner of his lips, slipping the phone back into his pocket. I jumped hearing a rumble go off in the background.

“What the hell was that?” Brian mumbled looking towards where he heard the sound.

I smirked and laughed. “Come on,” I pulled him excitedly up the stairs. “This is what the guys have been waiting for.” We barely made it to the door before another set of fireworks went off. “Everyone has a secret pyro side.”

In the dirt of the driveway, a fire pit was started and further down were some of the guys probably about to lose a finger or their hearing in the very least as they set off some of the fireworks.

Rick came over and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “I hate you.” I pouted, rubbing my thumb along Brian’s hand.

“No, you love me.” He grinned, handing me a torch.

“I haven’t breathed it in a while.” I looked at the torch in my hand.

“S’alright,” Rick shrugged and winked. “Show Syn how good you are at swallowing.”

I rolled my eyes at Brian’s confused, but intrigued face. “You’re a bunch of perverted turds.” I let go of Brian’s hand and walked over to the pit. I dipped my hand in a cup of vodka and stuck it in the flame, transferring it over to my torch. I bit my lip seeing everyone’s eyes on me as I ran my fingers through the flame, playing around with it.

I spread my legs apart for good balance and began to lean back. “Don’t mess up Loon.” Noodles egged my on.

I straightened up and glared at him. “Drunk or not, you’re going to be my first victim.” I leaned back once more and tilted my head back all the way. I took a deep breath and stuck my tongue out, flattening. Lowering the torch onto my tongue, exhaling as I pulled it out, leaving a flame. Once it went out, I wet my mouth before tilting my head back again.

Lowering the torch past my lips, I closed my lips almost entirely around the shaft of the torch, quenching the flame with the last puff of air.

I stood up straight and made a face. “That always tastes bad.” I blushed under everyone’s cheer and sat on Brian’s lap, hiding my reddened face. “No perverted thoughts,” I poked him in the chest.

“That’s just asking the impossible, now.” He chuckled.

“Get a picture for your phone?” I teased. Brian held up his phone with the new background of me swallowing the flame, making me laugh. I sank into his arms, enjoying the moment. I chuckled as Zack burnt his finger, messing around with some bottle rockets. A few more colors lit the sky, it was just a perfect way to complete the evening.