Collateral Damage

There was a bird singing outside the window and although it was a nice sound to listen to, I felt something was off. There was an absence of Ms. Peterson's chihuahua's incessant yapping, that had to be it, and that had me reeling in happiness that maybe I could actually sleep past nine. I adjusted my body slightly, arm awkwardly angled, and soon found I couldn't move my arm without moving a second heated body.

All at once, my surroundings fell into place. The smell of the sheets, the rose colored walls and the soft sound of John Mayer playing from a stereo across the room. I glanced down once I had opened my eyes, blonde hair sprawled across the pillow and my chest, and I smiled softly before I let my head drop back to the pillow. As I ran one finger in a circle on her lower back, I felt her nuzzle closer, her legs entwined with mine.

Lottie grumbled softly against my chest, her breath cascading down my chest coolly. Chills erupted down my arms and I smiled again. She continued to stir until her ocean-blue eyes were staring up at me sleepily. A lazy smile followed and she stretched her arms above her head and I felt her legs straighten out between mine as well. "Hi," her bottom lip slipped between her teeth and I tightened my arms around her.

"Morniing," I drew out the vowels and kissed her nose. Her hands quickly moved up to cover her face as she laughed, soon shushing me.

"Luke and Gracie are across the hall," I felt my eyebrows rise, breathing a questioning, "Oh?" She nodded and pulled her phone from her bedside table, thumbing through it. She flipped it around, showing me the picture of Gracie and Luke eating Doritos and Dr. Pepper in Luke's bed. I chuckled into her hair, breathing the smell of her shampoo in. Coconut and vanilla.

I leaned over her, pressing my lips to the corner of hers as she let out a small giggle. She craned her face away and I followed her, kissing her nose, then her cheeks, then finally trapping her lips with mine. A knock suddenly sounded and she quickly sat up, practically knocking me off of the bed. It sounded again but it wasn't from the door. Rather, the balcony. As soon as she realized it, her face paled. "Closet, now," she hissed, leaping from under the sheets. I caught a glimpse of her bare backside and bit my cheek to keep from grinning as I pulled my boxers on. She ushered me into the closet, kicking my clothes across the ground behind me.

"Coming!" She called as the knock sounded yet another time, pulling a hoodie on over her head. I assumed it was to hid the gnarly bruises but I wasn't about to joke with her about it. I heard her push aside the curtains and then open the doors, breathing out a soft, "Dalton." I dragged my hand down my face, getting a little irritated. I had been so comfortable, with my arms finally wrapped around her, and he was ruining it.

Without saying good morning or even a simple hello, Dalton's heavy footsteps stomped through the room. "What the hell, Charlie?" His voice was a boom and I crossed my arms, peering through the half-open blinds. "Where did you go last night? You totally bailed on me!"

"Oh, like you even noticed."

"I noticed when I went home alone last night and didn't wake up with your cute self warming my bed," I watched him run the back of his hand down her cheek and bit into my cheek.

"Dalton..." her voice was softer than before, like she was, I don't know, melting at his touch or some sappy shit like that.

"Baby, I'm sorry! You know I like my alcohol! I really am sorry!"

"Still... It was homecoming and-" He pressed his lips to hers and she didn't even try to fight it off. I could taste blood as I bit my cheek even harder. What the hell. What was she doing? She was supposed to break it off with him, not forgive the dick. "I-I'll call you in a little bit. You need to go."

"You forgive me though, right baby girl?" I watched as she nodded and clenched my fists, anger coursing through me. Dalton left through the balcony doors again, Lottie shutting and locking them back. I waited a few seconds before slamming the closet open. She spun on her heel, walking towards me, spewing apologies, as I pulled my clothes on.

"Ash..." I just held a hand up and shook my head.

"You forgive me though, right baby girl?" I mocked, eyes set in a glare. She opened her mouth to say something and I stopped her again. "Seriously, Lottie... I thought..." I paused and ran a hand through my hair. "I just thought things would go back to normal, I guess... Like, we'd actually spend time together again..." She looked at the ground and I stared at the ceiling to avoid letting her see my irritated expression, though I was sure she could tell.

"Ashton... you and I... we could never..." she continued to stumble over her words and I sat on her bed, head in my hands while I set my elbows on my knees. I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards me until she was sitting beside me. "We've got a little over a semester of school left... If I broke it off with Dalton now and started spending a lot of time with you... everyone would stop talking to me. I wouldn't have any friends." I wanted to tell her that she would still have me, and Gracie, and her brother and all of her old friends, but she wouldn't have wanted that. I knew she was obsessed with her status. She had worked so hard to get where she was, though I found it pointless.

"Then don't," I felt my shoulders rise in a shrug and her eyes quickly found mine as she questioned what I meant. "Don't break up with Dalton... I don't care if you want to still be with him, but I still want this with you," I pulled her lips to mine and she didn't resist, kissing back weakly. It wasn't entirely false. I surely wasn't going to break the news to her brother anytime soon, so this could work in both of our favors.

Lottie laid back on the bed, chewing her bottom lip. "I've already cheated on him once, Ash... It's not fair to him..." I scratched the back of my neck and leaned back on my elbows. Taking a few minutes, I leaned over her again, looking down at her.

"You like this though, right?" I lowered my lips to her jaw and she nodded, whimpering out a soft yes. "And this?" I kissed her neck softly and smirked when she took a deep breath of air. "This?" I pushed on palm under her hood, against the bottom of her rib cage, my fingertips barely gracing her chest. A gasp followed my teasing and I chuckled, now leaning over her with my legs between both of hers.

"It's cheating, Ashton."

"He'll never know, Lottie..." I pushed her hoodie up before pulling it back over her head as I trailed kisses from her neck and down to her navel. "I just want you, even if it's just for a little bit, okay?" I heard her nod against the sheets.

"O-okay," her fingers threaded through my hair and I grinned before I pulled her up from the bed and towards the shower.