Quicksand

Kathryn’s gathering was in about two hours. I was lying flat on my back, with a horrible chick flick playing in the background, my legs were propped up against my bed, but even the carpet in this place was more comfortable than my bed back at home.
I did not want to go to Kathryn’s house. I could see how the night would play out in my head, Theo and Kathryn would wander off to have sex, Crash would be a huge sleaze and Demitri would be silently brooding in the corner.
My door was flung open and I saw my brother and Demitri walk in.
“What are you doing?” Theo stopped in front of me so I could see his feet.
“Stretching my back out,” I lied.
“Are you nearly ready?” Demitri asked. “Don’t forget a cute pair of pyjamas,”
“Oh yeah, Crash will love that,” I rolled my eyes, getting to my feet. “Do I have to go?” I whined.
“Yes,” Theo and Demitri demanded.
“It will give you and Kathryn a good chance to get to know each other,” Theo trailed after me.
“I’m pretty sure she knows who I am,” I mumbled, folding a pair of satin pyjama shorts. “And she hates me,”
Demitri smirked and covered his smile with his hand. Theo frowned.
“Just come to the thing, it will be nice, there will be movies and underage drinking and popcorn, okay?” Theo spluttered and walked out of the room in a tantrum.
Demitri laughed and leant against my dresser, I started to pack away a few essentials in my new Dolce and Gabbanna bag, including my cell phone and credit cards.
“What pyjamas are you bringing?” Demitri asked sleazily.
“Doesn’t matter, you won’t be seeing them,” I said in a monotone.
“Ouch,” he winced with a smirk and came up behind me.
“Are we staying all night?” I whimpered. ”I really don’t want to stay at her house,”
“It’s okay, Kathryn’s house is huge, everybody will be quite separated,” Demitri mumbled. “And when we’re all together she’ll be too distracted to do anything rude to you,”
“And you’d defend me if she did, right?” I beamed.
“Oh trust me, I’ve wanted to stand up to Kathryn for as long as she’s been sleeping with Theo,” Demitri winked. “So get a cute pair of- oh, this would be nice,”
I wheeled around to find Demitri holding up a lacy pair of lingerie with a see-through bodice and matching lacy underwear. My face flushed a deep red and I snatched it out of his hands, stuffing it back into my drawers.
“Give that back,” I snapped, trying to avoid Demitri’s gaze.
“As I live and breathe, Miss Trent I never thought I’d see the day,” he crooned. “You should wear that tonight,”
“Go to hell,” I sneered, my face going, if possible, even redder than before.
“What I really want to know is why an innocent girl like you even owns something like this?” he simpered.
“Parker gave it to me as a stupid gag present,” I said through my teeth. “Now will you leave me alone?”
“You know I think Crash would really like to see you wearing this, maybe I should tell him about it,” Demitri mused.
“You wouldn’t,” I snapped.
“Wouldn’t I?” Demitri grinned turning his back on me.
I used the opportunity to jump onto Demitri’s back, Demitri lurched forward at the unexpected act and began to laugh. I wrapped my arms around his neck in an attempt to strangle him.
“What would it take to get you to shut up about it?” I squealed.
“Only one thing,” Demitri laughed, pulling me off his back and standing me in front of his gaze. “Do not talk, look at or even breathe near Crash tonight,”

Demitri was not exaggerating. Kathryn’s house was enormous.
As soon as we walked in, Mary-Ellen came up and hugged us all individually. She seemed a little bit tipsy, accentuated by the fact that she was holding a bottle of tequila in her hands.
“Been drinking, Melon?” Demitri laughed, taking the bottle away from her and taking a large swig.
“Come in guys, everybody’s downstairs but Jordan and I will be upstairs,” she winked at us.
Theo laughed and high-fived Jordan as he walked past. Being too timid to say a word, I just paled and followed Demitri down the stairs.
Once in the den I realised how much of a fortune these people lived on. Kathryn’s “den” was two separate rooms, one with a movie projected onto a wall and large beanbag chairs littering the room, the other room had a pool table, arcade style video games and a bar.
“Jesus,” I breathed.
Kathryn immediately screamed and ran up to Theo, seeming heavily intoxicated, and wrapped her arms around his waist. The two immediately began heavy making out, while Demitri wrapped his arm around my waist and lead me to the bar.
“Drink?” he asked, moving behind the bar and grabbing two glasses.
“Vodka and coke,” I beamed.
I knocked my glass against his and took a sip. Demitri had mixed the drink so well I could hardly taste the vodka, the den was swarming with some people I had only glimpsed once or twice but were still unbelievably good looking.
In the space of one hour, four attractive, long-legged girls came up to Demitri and hugged him tightly, he responded by obviously patting them on the backside causing me to knock back three more vodka and coke’s.
Once Mary-Ellen and Jordan emerged from upstairs, she came and sat with me while Zoolander played in the movie room. Jordan was with Thomas and Theo, playing pool, but Demitri was nowhere to be seen causing me to stupidly do tequila shots with Mary-Ellen every time Ben Stiller did the ‘model face’.
“There it is again!” I screamed at the movie screen.
We shook salt onto our hands, licked it all over our tongue and took the shot, instantly reaching for a lime wedge and sucking on it until the awful taste of tequila left our tastebuds. However that time it wasn’t that bad, it seemed I was getting quite used to the taste and therefore, becoming steadily drunk.
I walked into the other part of the den and stumbled towards Theo who was laughing with his friends.
“Beth! There you are,” he said upon seeing me. “Having fun?”
I strode towards him and stumbled over my feet, only just being caught from slamming my face in the ground by Theo catching me and holding me up. The boys around him started to laugh at me.
“Can’t hold your drink, can you love?” one of the boys laughed, holding a pool cue.
I smiled at him, not wanting to speak in case I vomited. I glanced over at Kathryn who was mixing drinks, wearing a really cute pair of pyjamas, which made Drunk Beth want to outshine her by changing into my own.
“Theo, help?” I slurred, pulling his shirt.
“You are drunk,” he commented, as I grabbed my pyjamas out of my bag and advanced towards the bathroom.
“Just make sure I don’t fall,” I instructed and my brother grabbed onto my elbow to stabilise me.
I rockily made my way towards the bathroom and began to change into my tiny shorts and tank top. Theo waited outside, but listened in case I toppled over.
“Have you seen Demitri?” Theo questioned from the other side of the door.
The question struck a nerve because I stumbled against the wall; if Theo hadn’t seen Demitri it freaked me out a little.
“No,” I said back to him.
“I guess he’s with Alison then,” I could hear Theo smirking and it made me sick.
I did not need to know who Alison was, all I knew is that Demitri needed to be somewhere private with a girl, and if he wanted to play, I could play this game too.
I emerged from the bathroom and Theo’s eyes bulged.
“Beth, you can’t wear that,” he demanded.
“Why not?”
“Because Crash is horny and has been talking about you all night,” Theo snapped.
“Good,” I pushed past him and stalked back to the sleepover.
Once I walked back, it took five seconds before Crash sidled up to me. I could noticeably see him rake his eyes over my exposed body, the thought of him looking at me made me shudder, but I passed it off as a cold shiver.
“You are looking ravishing, my dear,” Crash slurred, also very drunk.
I turned around coyly and pressed my body against Crash, very nearly tripping over. Crash wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to his body, I felt the overwhelming desire to slap him around the face but I knew that whatever I did would be recalled back to Demitri.
Crash, very smoothly, lifted my feet off the ground and pulled me over to the leather couch that was sitting in the corner. He lay me down and I felt butterflies in my stomach, Crash began kissing my neck and I closed my eyes, hoping beyond hope that he would stop.
Then, my sober mind yelled at me, I froze and began to push Crash off me, but he was having none of it. It was quite irritating that we were quite concealed from the other partygoers because I very desperately wanted Theo to throw Crash off me again.
“Okay, I need another drink,” I mumbled, however Crash continuously persisted. I began to struggle and attempt to push him away, but once again, Crash had too much muscle for me to handle.
Once again, for my own benefit, Crash was lifted off me again, but instead of seeing Theo’s face I saw Demitri, and he was furious. Although Crash had the upper hand on Demitri, being caught unaware caused Demitri to have the ability to easily throw Crash off me.
“What the fuck, York?” Crash hollered, picking himself up.
However, Demitri wasn’t listening, Demitri had yanked my hand and pulled me off the couch. He wasn’t smiling, but put his arm around my shoulder and took me over to where Theo was frowning in Demitri’s direction.
“You can’t cock block me like that!” Crash snapped in Demitri’s direction.
Demitri didn’t turn around, he raised an eyebrow at Theo who shook his head. The two had a creepy telepathic thing going on.
“Demitri, don’t-,” Theo began, but Demitri wasn’t listening.
Demitri turned around and advanced towards Crash. “Don’t you ever do that again,” he snapped.
“Demitri, stop,” Theo put his hand on Demitri’s shoulder to pull him back, but Crash seemed itching for a fight.
“She’s not your property, York, you have no right to tell me what to do,” Crash spat.
Demitri ignored him, but then Kathryn appeared and stood between the two boys. She had a furious expression on her face and a figure of authority of her.
“If either of you start throwing punches, I will call the cops so fast and we all know that neither of you can afford another scandal,” she snapped.
Demitri and Crash both looked at Kathryn and retreated.
“Crash, go into the other room,” Kathryn demanded.
Demitri wheeled around and grabbed my hand, pulling me away. Some of the other partygoers had already retreated to the bedrooms, but instead of going towards a bedroom, Demitri pulled me outside, whipped out his phone and started mumbling into his cell phone.
“Demitri what’s happening?” I mumbled groggily, scared of angering him further.
“You’re going home,” he slurred, attempting to punch numbers into his phone.
“Please Demitri, let me stay,” I pleaded, although unsure of why I wanted to stay with an unwelcoming host and Crash.
“You’re not staying, not with him there,” Demitri turned away from me.
Suddenly we were both bathed in light from the front door, Theo stormed out and grabbed both Demitri and I by our upper forearms. Although I knew he had been drinking, I knew that he was grabbing my arm a little bit more forcefully than he needed to.
“You two are both acting like children,” Theo snarled. “Call a car and go home,”
“Precisely what I’m doing Theo,” Demitri mumbled still punching things into his phone.
“I don’t want to go home,” I protested but was immediately silenced by both Theo and Demitri shooting me a warning glare.
“I don’t give a damn what you want Beth. Why on earth would you go near Crash when you know what he’s capable of? Have we not warned you enough?” Theo was almost yelling at me.
Immediately I felt shame wash over me knowing that in the stupid process of attempting to make Demitri jealous I had severely pissed off my brother whose only intention was to take care of me.
“I’m sorry,” I apologised with my head bent.
Neither Theo nor Demitri responded but both turned and began talking to one another, it seemed Theo was more furious at me but his anger for Demitri was quickly subsiding. Demitri seemed far too drunk to acknowledge most of what Theo was saying but continued to mumble things to him in an attempt to continue conversation.
Once the sleek, black car had pulled up I turned to my brother.
“Are you coming with us?” I asked timidly.
“No Beth, go home and go to bed,” Theo said flatly, although he must’ve been feeling mildly guilty because he kissed the top of my head before pushing me into the vehicle. Demitri spoke to Theo quickly before they one-armed hugged one another and Demitri was sitting beside me in the car, clearly still angry at my actions.
The car began to move and Demitri leant his head back, the alcohol still pounding through his veins. I turned my head, determined to avoid confrontation but then Demitri grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly.
“You okay?” I mumbled.
“Don’t ever do that again,” Demitri said with his eyes closed. “I mean it,”
I turned my head to look out the window. “Did I disrupt your date with Alison?” I asked sounding a little bit too bitter for my liking.
Demitri’s eyes snapped open and he looked at me with an expression of realisation on his face.
“Oh my God, Beth,” he mumbled. “Did you seriously think- I can’t believe you would- Oh my God,”
Demitri put his face in his hands and massaged his temples as if it pained him to think, I remained silent waiting for him to speak.
“Is that why you did this, with Crash?” he asked simply. “Because Alison is-is a friend, she’s a friend Beth,”
I shrugged, making the statement seem less significant than it felt.
“She didn’t really act like a friend,” I mumbled under my breath.
“There’s fucking alcohol involved Beth!” Demitri stated. “You and Crash weren’t exactly acting like friends either,”
“Why does it bother you so much?” I shrieked, finally finding my voice. “I thought I didn’t matter to you after the fair?”
I saw Demitri’s fists clench before he forcefully grabbed my face and pulled it closer to his, crashing his lips upon mine.