Far From Home

Before I could ask why he had led me to the kitchen, Matt had me pinned against the counter, his lips brushing my neck. I tried to push him off, but I guess he just couldn’t take a hint, because he took me by the waist and pulled me upward, setting me on the countertop. I heard a faint zip and challenged myself to look down. Big mistake.

I could feel my eyes grow wide as dinner plates from the sight in front of me, and I couldn’t bring myself to do so much as breathe. I froze and he lifted his head with a cocky grin, in curiosity of what my problem was. What was I supposed to say? I shook my head and looked away, disgust in the situation. I suppose he took this as an invitation, because his lips moved back to my neck, and now he even began running his fingers along the inner edge of my shirt.

I grabbed him by the arms to try to pry him off, but it seemed to only signal him to slowly move his lips downward. His hands grew uncomfortably close to my ticklish spot, just above my hip, and I accidentally kicked him on reflex, and he let out a loud grunt.

“I’m sorry! I guess I should have mentioned I’m very ticklish above my hips,” I said, sliding his hands off me. “Sexy…,” he whispered, moving closer. “Matt, please,” I whispered, trying for the umpteenth time to remove him from my personal space.

“What the hell is going on in he- FOR CHRIST’S SAKE, MATT!” I heard Danny’s voice exclaim. I shoved him back as hard as I could and my hands went to my eyes, as if to show that I hadn’t seen anything, when really, I had seen MORE than enough.

An accented laugh came from somewhere, and I knew that Dylan was now in the room as well. “Pussy snake is back!” he laughed. “No! No pussy snake! Whatever the frick that is… let me down!” I shrieked.

“What do you think you’re doing?! She’s underage dumbass, what you were doing is probably illegal, and if she didn’t approve of it, then that’s rape too!” Danny said with an angry look on his face. “But what if she did approve of it,” Matt said slyly. “I didn’t,” I said, forming my face into a pout.

“My God Jesslynn, you act like you’ve never seen one before,” Matt laughed, re-buckling his belt and helping me down. I looked around to find four-since Jorel was now wandering forward-sets of eyes focused on me. “So what?” I murmured, looking at the ground again.

Everyone seemed to look shocked, especially Dylan. “Wait, you haven’t? And you’re what? Fifteen, almost sixteen? Damn girl, when I was fifteen, I was-” “I think it’s best she didn’t know what you were doing at fifteen,” Jorel broke in.

I could feel my face grow hot as tears stung in my eyes, but I couldn’t just walk away. Was it really a bad thing that I still had a sense of innocence? Then again, I had to remember who it was I was living with, six rock stars, all of whom were accustomed to the drinking and drugs and all other things that came with being famous.

Praying Danny or Jorel would step in on my behalf, I took a few deep breaths, hoping that would calm me down. To my relief, Danny stepped forward, his arms reaching toward me in a hug. I felt that tinge of calmness as I was embraced in his arms. “Come on, it’s alright, there’s nothing wrong with innocence. Let’s go back to the couch,” he said, stroking my hair.

“Hey, that’s not fair, I still want a turn with her!” Matt complained. “You just sent the poor girl into shock by flashing your junk! Lemme have her!” Dylan commanded. I tried my hardest not to grin when Danny stood up for me and insisted I went back with him.

“Hey!” I broke in. “Don’t you think I should be the one who decides who I go with?” They all shrugged in agreement. I looked around at each of their faces, all red eyed and groggy from the alcohol and lack of sleep.

I’d begun falling for each of them, which was not good at all. I had to find a way to break the feelings with them somehow, and the first step would be avoiding them if at all possible. I made my decision.

I stepped forward and hugged Jorel, nearly knocking him off his feet. “I choose J-Dog.” I mumbled into his chest. “Him?! Why him?!” Matt and Dylan complained. “Because he’s not arguing over me.” And because he isn’t already committed, I thought to myself.

A terrible thought crept into my mind as Jorel lead me to his bunk, laughing to himself, and I fought to keep it out. It stung my brain to think about the bare truth, but I had to face it. I wished Matt had been Danny. If it were him, I wouldn’t have stopped him.