Never Fall For You

-Jason-

Tyler and I got to Hunter’s house way after everyone else, due to Tyler’s incessant need to primp and change outfits a hundred times. The majority of the kids were sloppy drunk, as we pushed our way through the crowd.

“Kiss me” Claire Lucas said, falling into my arms suddenly, and I looked down at her glazed eyes, and smeared makeup. She wreaked of alcohol, and cigarette smoke, and I rolled my eyes, shoving her lightly into Aaron, who was barely able to stand up himself.

“Hughes, you made it!” Hunter cried when he saw me, and he nearly fell over as he tried to give me a ‘bro hug’ - something I’ve never, ever been fond of. Both he and Phee had a beer bottle in hand, and she was shaking her little butt up against him to the music that was blaring through the entire house.

I smiled, and nodded. “You don’t think I’d miss little Ophelia’s birthday party, do you?” I asked, ruffling her hair, playfully, and she pushed my hand away.

“Don’t call me that” she slurred, and I chuckled loudly.

“You guys” Hunter said, using his index and middle finger to point at me and Tyler. “Go help yourself to whaaaaaaaaatever you want to drink.”

“Will do” I replied, not needing to be told twice.

Tyler followed me to the kitchen, where plastic cups, and opened bottles of liquor lay waiting for us. I had just finished pouring Tyler a drink, when Kat stumbled into the kitchen, empty cup in hand. Much to my surprise, even in her drunken state, she looked hot as hell. And then I scolded myself for even thinking that. Again.

Tyler, however, let out a low whistle, and began walking towards her.

“Need some help?” he asked her, as she tried to unscrew the lid to a bottle of liquor.

She shook her head stubbornly, pushing his hands off of the bottle she held.

“No, I got it” she mumbled, and Tyler put his hands up in surrender.

I watched her fumble with the bottle for a while, before it inevitably slipped out of her hands. Luckily, Tyler’s reflexes were up to par, and he caught the bottle before it hit the ground.

This sent Kat into a fit of giggles, and I knew that she had had enough. But, just when I was about to voice that thought, she suddenly leaned into Tyler, and he had to set the bottle down quickly, in order to keep her from falling over.

“I’m tired” she said, resting her head on his shoulder, and the sight of it sent an unwanted feeling jolting through my body. “And you” she slurred “have really pretty eyes.”

Without realizing what I was doing, I moved over to the two of them quickly, and picked Kat up. Tyler furrowed his eyebrows as he looked up at me, a mixture of confusion, and slight anger flickering through his eyes.

“Let me go lay her down” I said, as she fluttered in and out of consciousness. “Trust me - drunk Kat is not fun Kat. Especially if she gets sick.” Tyler looked, at first, like he was going to argue with me, but decided against it when I added “When I get back, I’ll introduce you to some of the senior cheerleaders.”

He nodded emphatically, and I took that opportunity to carry Kat through the kitchen, and up one of the two staircases in the house.

I had to open about a dozen doors before finding an empty spare bedroom is Hunter’s obnoxiously large house. The first couple of doors I opened led to random closets that served no purpose, then a couple of bathrooms - two of which were occupied by beyond drunk teenagers. As I walked through the house, Kat nuzzled her head into my arm, and she balled one of her tiny fists up in my black v-neck as she got comfortable. This sent a different, but still completely unwanted, feeling rippling through my body, and as I stared down at her, I started seeing what Tyler found so attractive about her. Her small, heart-shaped face, her long, thick eyelashes framing those big brown eyes, the small dimples in her cheeks, full, perfectly shaped lips…

Stop it, Jason. Stop it right now. This is Kat, you’re looking at, for God’s sake.

A huge wave of relief ran through my body when I finally found a spare bedroom. I laid Kat on the large bed gently, and she stirred a little. Then I stood up, and just I started heading towards the door, she called out “Jason?”

I turned towards her, looking down at her as she tried to keep her sleepy eyes open.

She waved her hand at me, before finally finding mine, and grabbing it. Another unwanted feeling.

Get it together, Jason.

“Thanks for taking care of me” she said, smiling. “You’re a good person. Even if you are a big butt hole.”

Then, just like that, she was out again. I waited around for a few minutes, to see if she would wake back up, but she didn’t. So I headed out of the room quickly, and back down to the kitchen.

“Shame she passed out so quickly” Tyler said, once I reached him. “Tonight could’ve been the night.”

I rolled my eyes. “Just shut up, and pour me a shot” I said, as he filled a shot glass, then grabbed another one for me. I need something, anything to take my mind off of Kat, and those… feelings I was having.

We tossed back about five shots a piece, before I looked at him, finally feeling buzzed, and smiled.

“Hey” I said, suddenly. “Didn’t I promise you some cheerleaders?”

He grinned back at me, as we made our way into the living room.