Manage Me

I was disappointed that I had to leave. I felt like Katie had started opening up to me, even though I could tell there were things that she had hidden. But I liked listening to her giggle and talk, and she had even started teasing me. It was cute and I couldn’t stop smiling as I thought about it.

Jesus fuck, when did this happen to me? I thought desperately. When did I start caring about girls again?

Something deep inside me told me it was because of the mystery girl from the bar, but that didn’t make sense. After all, it was Katie that I was wanting to get to know better. And she definitely was not the girl from the bar. I doubted she ever even went out.

Though I wouldn’t mind getting her into bed.

I wrinkled my nose at the thought. As true as it was, it felt wrong to think about her like that. It felt wrong to think about her as if she was just another piece of ass. She wasn’t. She was Kathrine Rae Feist. She was 20-years-old and her best friend was Lily. She cleaned my house and went thrifting, whatever the hell that was, and spent time with her family. She only loved two people and Lily was one of them, but she was protective of the second. I smiled again at the thought of her. I especially loved her name. It really was perfect for her. Everything about was perfect for her. Her name, her smile, her giggle. The only thing that seemed off was her job. She could do so much better than a maid.

By this time I had made it to Alex and Rian’s house. I wasn’t quite sure why I was here since Alex had just said it was ‘band stuff’. There were multiple cars in front of the house and I sighed. This ‘band stuff’ was probably a party. Not that I didn’t love parties, especially parties at Alex and Rian’s, but I had been talking to Katie. I almost turned the car around, but Alex stumbled out of the front door.

“JACK ATTACK IS HERE!” He called out drunkenly.

I sighed and exited the car. Alex pulled me into a bone crushing hug and stuck a beer in my hand. There was lipstick on his neck and I nearly rolled my eyes. He led me inside and I caught sight of the rest of the guys as well as Matt, Vinny, Danny, Colussy, Grieco and Evan. There were a handful of other faces and a shit load of girls. Alex left my side in favor of a red head with huge tits that just had to be fake. I maneuvered my way through the crowd to the kitchen, shrugging off the girls that tried to talk to me. I really wasn’t interested in them right now. A certain blonde was too busy occupying my mind. I stayed there for a while, slowly sipping on my beer. I caught sight of movement at the door and saw Rian walk in with Cassadee latched onto his arm.

“Hey guys.” I smiled with a half wave.

“Hiya, Jack-o!” Cassadee skipped to my side and gave me a hug. I chuckled.

“Sup man? How come you’re hiding out in here.”

“Guess I just don’t really feel like partying tonight.” I shrugged.

“Holy shit, Cass, feel his forehead. Does he feel like he has a fever to you?”

Cassadee reached up and placed her small hand against the skin on my forehead. I scowled.

“Nope. He seems perfectly healthy to me.” She removed her hand with a giggle. I crossed my arms across my chest.

“Ha-ha, very funny you two.”

Cass giggled again and leaned in to Rian’s side. They were a pretty perfect couple. Usually I couldn’t stand being around them for longer than a few minutes, their happiness just made me angry. But today, it seemed kinda adorable. And I didn’t even use the word adorable.

“So, why are you in here?” She asked.

“No other reason. I’m just not really in the mood right now. And those girls are obnoxious.” Rian gave me an incredulous look before glancing at Cass again.

“Are you sure he doesn’t have a fever?” She playfully slapped his chest.

“Hush, you. I think that’s sweet.” She smiled at me.

“And what does that mean?” I questioned.

“Well, there’s only one reason you’d be ignoring those girls out there. What’s her name?” Her eyes were lit up like a kid in a candy shop.

“Who’s name?”

“The girl!” She cried like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“What girl?”

“The girl you’re thinking about right now!” I opened my mouth and then shut it again when I couldn’t think of a response. “That’s what I thought.” She smiled at me smugly. Rian was trying hard not to laugh at her side.

“He’s probably just still just hung up on the girl that ditched him the other night.”

“She didn’t ditch me!” I said hotly.

“Oh, I’m sorry. The girl that fucked him and then left before he woke up. The girl whose name he doesn’t even know.”

“Really?” Cass looked at me.

“No! Well, yes, but she’s not the one I was thinking about. But thanks for bringing that back up, Ri.” I stated dryly.

“So there is a girl! I knew it!”

“Good job, babe.” Rian laughed, pulling his girlfriend to his chest.

“There is no girl!”

“Just admit it, Jack. We’re not going to tell anyone.” Cass gave me a pointed look, making it clear I didn’t actually have a choice in the matter.

“Fine!” I cried, throwing my hands up in defeat. “Her name is Katie. Happy now?”

“Wait, do you mean Katie Katie?” Rian questioned.

“I don’t know what you mean by that.” I stated, looking down.

“Holy shit, it is! You’re thinking about the maid!” Rian chuckled. I frowned. He wasn’t allowed to talk about her like that. He didn’t even know her.

“What maid?” Cass looked confused.

“Jack’s maid. Alex hired her. She’s actually done a pretty good job. His house is almost clean again.”

“Poor girl. Your house is gross.” Cass pointed out. I grimaced.

“All of you need to quit picking on my house.” They both shrugged.

“But that’s cute, Jackie. I’m happy for you.” Cass said, beaming at me.

I knew what that meant. Cassadee didn’t like Holly at all. Actually, that was an understatement. Cass hated Holly. They were polar opposites, and Cass had never been able to deal with the fact that Holly was using me. She didn’t like people messing with her friends.

“Okay, okay, this conversation is over now.” I mumbled.

I pushed my way past the couple and back into the living room. A busty blonde approached me and I didn’t turn her away. Her skin was unnaturally tan and the dark roots in her hair indicated that she was only blonde due to a bottle of hair dye. But she had blue eyes and was wearing next to nothing. She smiled seductively at me and I smirked in response. I let her drag me into some corner, her lips attacking mine. I told myself that I wasn’t doing this because of Katie or because I wanted to prove something to Cass, but I was.

And then she was pulling me into a dark, empty room and I was letting her. And then her clothes were on the floor and my pants were at my ankles and her legs were wrapped around me, pulling me deeper inside of her. And it was good, I guess, but she wasn’t nearly as good as the blonde from the club had been. And she wasn’t nearly as pretty as Katie was. And I didn’t know anything about her other than the fact that she had fake blonde hair and orange skin. And then we were done and I tossed the condom and pulled my pants back up and left her to get dressed on her own.

I closed the door behind me, fairly certain that no one had seen us, and then caught Cassadee’s gaze across the room. She was frowning at me. My cheeks burned with shame and she just shook her head before walking away. I sighed and grabbed another beer, gulping it down. I wanted to be drunk and I wanted to be drunk now.