Dirt

I was just finishing getting dressed when we heard the knock on the front door. Matt was here to pick me up for our date. I eventually said yes. I mean, did you think I wouldn't? Erin ran downstairs to let Matt in and I made Jessi check me over to make sure I looked alright. I had picked a skirt to wear. It came to my knees, and was a nude color with a black, lace and beaded overlay. I chose a slightly shiny gold top and some purple booty heels. My jewelry was pretty simple, just one ring, some bangle bracelets, and some black stud earrings. I put on some smoky eye shadow, and a light pink lipstick. Jessi said I looked totally fuckable.

Matt was standing in the living room in a black and white checked button down shirt, and a pair of jeans that made his ass look outstanding. I was pretty much drooling by the time I descended the stairs. He smiled that big dimpled smile of his and took my hand to lead me out the front door. I turned back to the girls to mouth at them not to wait up.

"So," I drew out the o, "where are we going?"

Matt smirked. "It's a surprise."

I nodded. "You aren't scared of my father? He did say that I was off limits, you know."

"Yeah, I know. And trust me, I'm actually fucking terrified. I've heard about your dad's reputation. Just about everyone in the state has heard about Axel Carter's reputation."

I laughed. "Just because I saw him chasing a guy down the street on his bike while shooting a gun at him, does not mean that he's a dangerous guy. Or maybe it does. I can never remember." He asked if that had happened recently. "Not really. I was fifteen at the time. He's calmed down a bit since then. If you're so scared of my dad, then why'd you ask me out?"

"Look at you. Sure, other guys may be too scared of him to ask you out, but you're one of the coolest chicks I've ever met. I'd have to be an idiot to not want you around. It helps that you're sexy as hell."

I pondered what he said as we pulled into a driveway. Did guys really not ask me out because they were scared of my dad? Did Matt really just bring me to his house? "I'm guessing this is your house?"

He smiled. "I wanted to cook for you. I was figuring that this would probably be different than any other date you've had."

I told him it was and he led me inside. I stood in the little foyer and looked around. The house was decent sized. There was an office just to the right of me in the foyer, and straight ahead was the living room. To the left, he told me, was the laundry room, and in that hall was the door to his bedroom. Off to the right of the living room was a hall that led to two more bedrooms and the guest bathroom. There was a kitchen with an attached dining room. The house had a warm, lived in feeling. I was pleasantly surprised at how clean it was. I was expecting the typical guy house with beer cans a pizza boxes everywhere, but it wasn't dirty. There was some clutter, like some open magazines on the coffee table, or a random pair of shoes sitting against a wall. I liked it.

He offered me a drink, and I sat at the island in the kitchen and watched him work. We chatted while he cooked, and the longer I was there, the more I knew how much trouble I was in. He was incredibly handsome, and so charming. If I wasn't careful, I'd be falling head over heels in the blink of an eye. He seemed really comfortable in the kitchen. He quickly and skillfully chopped and stirred and spiced. It wasn't that long before dinner was ready. He made bacon and feta cheese stuffed chicken breast with some mashed sweet potatos and a salad. The whole thing was delicious. I didn't know guys could cook like that.

We talked more as we ate. He was funny. At one point I almost spit out some of my wine. This was not the type of night I was expecting to have. It was really nice. I was seeing a softer side of Matt, and I really liked it. After we finished eating he suggested going out, so we got back in his car and he drove us to a little hole in the wall bar. That was more of what I was expecting.

As we walked in, I wasn't surprised in the least to see the other guys and Erin and Jessi already there at a large table. I sat next to the girls and expected him to sit next to one of the guys, but he sat next to me. Matt went to get us a drink, and while he was gone, the girls asked me how it was going. "Really well," I told them quietly. "He took me to his house and made the best dinner. He was really sweet."

"Look at your fucking face," Jessi all but yelled. "Shit. You really like him!" I told her to shut the hell up as Matt was walking back with two beers. She just laughed and started taunting me quietly. I tried to kick her under the table, but I kicked Erin instead. Her face was priceless, and I burst out laughing as Matt got to the table.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Uh..." I looked to the girls for help, but they made it clear that they weren't going to. "Long story short, I meant to kick Jessi, but kicked Erin by mistake. It was fucking funny."

Everyone talked and laughed at Jimmy's jokes, and after a while, I was feeling pretty good. I guess that's why I decided that we all play 'I Never'. Johnny and Brian were all over it, and got the largest collection of shots I've ever seen in one sitting. It started out innocently enough, a 'I never broke my arm', or someone said 'I never got so drunk that I woke up on the street the next day'. But after a while, we got really crazy with it.

"I never...oh! I never peed in the neighbors' swimming pool that one summer when we hopped the fence when they were out of town, and the pee turned purple in the water," I said, knowing that Jessi would have to drink. To my shock, Jimmy and Zacky both drank with her. I almost peed myself laughing. We were having the best time, and Zacky even talked to the rest of the group this time.

I needed to evacuate my bladder, so I pretty much announced it to the group before getting up and stumbling off to the other side of the bar. I was all over the place, and I was definitely having double vision. I was crazy drunk. After washing my hands, I went back out to join my friends, but was blocked by a small group of random guys waiting to get into their own bathroom. Weird. Wasn't girls who always went in groups and had to wait in line?

"Whoa, God must've been listening to my prayers, cuz he just sent me an angel," one guy said. I rolled my eyes. Nice try, guy. I started to walk away but he left the line and caught my arm. "You must have not heard me. I was trying to talk to you, hotness!" I laughed in his face. I couldn't help it. He was little, skinny, and white, and talking like a gangster. Apparently, that was the one thing that pissed him off the most, because his grip tightened on my wrist.

"Uh, you're gonna have to let go of me now." I was trying to sound like he wasn't bothering me, but my heart rate actually started to rise. He was starting to hurt my wrist. He only sneered at me. "No, really. Let me go right now."

"Ash! What the fuck?!" Erin saw what this guy was doing and she was pissed. I looked over to see the whole table get up, but she was there first. She pushed the guy off of me, and once my good hand was free, I punched him in the face. He didn't go down, or anything, but he did grab his jaw where I hit him. Then he called me the worst thing a guy can ever call a girl.

"You fucking cunt."

I lost my shit. I kicked him in the balls. He went down that time. Unfortunately, that was also the time his friends decided to come out of the bathroom to see what the commotion was. When they saw their friend on the floor, they rushed at Erin and I. Wrong move, apparently. Before I could even recognize what was going on, I was picked up and moved behind a hulk of a man. I shot a fleeting look over at Erin and Brian was standing in front of her with one hand wound around her waist. I had a half second to think, aww, before I focused on what was going on right in front of me. Jessi was trying to take a swing at one of the guys, but Zacky was pulling her away from the fray. Matt punched some guy in the face, and the guy went down hard. Brian let go of Erin long enough to punch another stupid drunk guy. I did see Matt get punched, but he barely even flinched. Before our little brawl could turn too much into a battle royal, the bouncer came and broke it up and ordered everyone to go home before they called the police.

I pulled on Matt's arm and managed to coax him out the door. He was still really mad, but once outside in the cooler air, he seemed to calm down. At least a little bit. He was still pretty pissed, and we were still pretty drunk. Erin suggested going back to our place, and she asked Matt if he was okay to drive him and me back.

That seemed to pull him out of his anger. The tension in his body seemed to visibly lessen. "Yeah," he told her flatly. "We'll be right behind you guys." We were both quiet as we got into his truck. I wasn't sure what to say. He had been so mad just a second ago. "Sorry for freaking out back there. It's just...who the hell was that guy to grab you anyway? Did you even know him?" I shook my head. "So, I guess it's too late to try and play this cool, but I really like you."

I smiled. "I like you, too."

He grinned and the dimples were out to play again. "All right, then." He pulled out of the parking lot and drove back to the rental house. If this was any indication, Erin, Jessi, and myself were in for a long and interesting weekend.