Taste

I still stand by what I've always said: I'm not a party-goer.

However, the positive atmosphere of the place was enough to make me laugh and smile. The music was loud and energetic, creating the perfect blend between crazy and lively. I even found myself dancing with Matt a few times. He had some goofy moves.

Eventually, a slow number came on and where I rolled my eyes and scuffed my feet, Matt grabbed my hand again. The toughness of his palm fitting easily into mine.

"I hope this isn't practice for you." I arched an eyebrow.

"Nope. Just two buddies doing what comes naturally."

I inwardly deflated, I didn't even know why. Overall, I'd spent six or so hours with him... what was this?

A crush? I bloody well hope not! The last thing I needed right now was a boy occupying my every last thought. I'd done it with Darren, and it was difficult then. I hadn't been eagerly awaiting it again.

"So, pal, what would you say if I asked you to take me home now?"

He stuck out his lower lip. "I'd say I'm having too good of a time to do so. Besides, I've been drinking."

I nodded. I'd almost completely forgotten about that part, honestly.

Something occurred to me then, making me snap my head away from him a little bit, as much as it pained me.

"When should I call a taxi home?"

He was perplexed. "What do you mean? You are aware you're staying over, right?"

I just gaped at him, which he apparently thought was hilarious. When the fit was over with, he backed off and scratched the back of his head.

"Well, this is on me. I should've mentioned that. I take it that means you haven't packed an overnight bag." It wasn't a question. I shook my head. "Hold on, I'll ask Holly if she has any clothes that might fit you."

He dropped our hands, about to run off God knows where, when my arm instinctively shot up to grasp his shoulder.

When he turned, the sparkle was back. I wished I could ask him about it, but I suppose that would be foolish.

Instead, I hugged my chest, my thumb hitting the end of my fishtail.

"I can sleep in this. It's not a big deal."

"Don't be silly, you'll ruin it. Besides, I bet you look beautiful in jammies too." Winking, he was off without giving me a chance to intervene again. I guess he really wanted me to stay here.

I went towards the kitchen and poured myself another cup of Coke. The bodies were gossiping, kissing and all other gross things. My lip turned downwards even just wondering about it.

Taking a sip, I scoured the room. Most of them were oblivious to me, which was cool, but then I felt a lingering presence.

Looking straight on, a guy with toffee-coloured skin was concentrating completely on me. And, because he was somewhat cute, I stuck my tongue out and left.

I returned to the spot I had been previously standing, just in case Matt couldn't find me. As I swirled my drink, I saw the boy from the kitchen making his way over.

Fucking perfect.

"Do I have to file a restraining order against you or something?" I sneered, hiding it with my red cup.

Up close, I could see his every pore and delicate feature. His bottomless eyes enraptured the soul and demanded admiration... and I took the bait.

"You're new. Do you go to a private school or something?" His voice was deep, rich. Like he was speaking from the gut.

Besides myself, I grinned.

"No. I'm in Holly's Vampire History class."

His brow furrowed.

"Vampire History. So, how come I don't..." He stopped, either having an epiphany or hatching a plan on how to usher me out the door. "Oh. You're Emmy Willis, right? The girl that broke her nose?"

I saluted. That was going to be my name from now on, I take it.

"I'd say it's a pleasure, but it's really not." Downing the rest of my drink, I'd hoped that was enough to get rid of him. It was not. "Look, I'm not someone you should be conversing with, so maybe you should jog along."

His loud laugh was disconcerting. I didn't know why, so I ignored it.

"I think I should be the judge of that. I mean, it's not like you're going to stab me or anything. Maybe a broken limb, though."

Before I could process what was happening, Matt's body sidled beside me, panting and looking lavish. There was a look in his eye I couldn't quite place. Contempt? Anger? Fuck knows.

And frankly, who cares? I sure as hell didn't!

"Alright, so Holly is a little bigger than you so she doubts anything will fit. You can have my shirt tonight."

Me, wear his clothes? Was he insane?

"Matt, I–"

"Don't fret. I have spares here already." Then, as if only just noticing I had company, he assessed the boy from head to toe. Like, what? "Paolo, are you trying to chat up my friend?"

Licking my lips, my attention drifted briefly towards where I saw Holly guzzling down what I could only presume was her tenth or so cup. She threw it down on the ground when it was empty and 'whoo'd.

Great. Some best friend she was, she was too busy being so inebriated she didn't realise Matt was sticking his nose in other people's affairs. Just perfect.

Paolo chortled again. I clutched my plastic closer to my chest, unnerved not for the first time.

"I see a beautiful woman and I come running. What's the matter, you call dibs or something?"

About to intervene myself and declare this dick-measuring contest over, Matt's elbow hit me lightly in the side.

That was intentional, I knew it. So, I gawked up at him, but his focus was entirely on the boy.

"Even if I didn't, I wouldn't let her near you anyway." Snarling like I never thought he could, he tugged the sleeve of my jumper and I followed.

I only looked back so I could get a read on Paolo. I didn't know if he was for real, if he really thought I was pretty, or he just liked riling Matt up.

I guessed I'd never get an answer.

The rest of the night flew in and by just after two in the morning, most people were sound asleep. I was lying next to Matt, using my jumper as a mattress and pillow. It was a claustrophobic space, if I jerked my leg a couple of inches, my foot would be in someone's face or whatever.

Naturally, it was dark, but the dimmed torch from Matt's phone was enough to highlight what we needed. I didn't think it would be able to wake anybody up.

I fidgeted my fingers above my abdomen, while he propped himself up on an elbow, as we talked.

It wasn't anything heavy, just a regular conversation about what our future plans were. Of course, I knew about his interest in engineering, but there was always never enough you could know about certain people. Matt was one of them.

I bit my lip, holding back the question that would continue to plague me.

"Hey, what's up? Something wrong?" He poked my exposed arm, and immediately caused goosebumps.

"No, no. We should probably sleep."

"Emmy..." When I turned my head back to him, in the faint light he looked translucent, extraordinary. All I wanted to do was brush my fingers across those cheekbones. "Please."

Here I go, I just had to ruin a good night, didn't I? Now, with my ramblings, I'm going to scare him away.

But wasn't that what I wanted? I mean, my track record at keeping friends wasn't exactly shining in bright colour. And, until very lately, I'd been fine knowing that I would never get to experience that part of life.

"Do you think that you could ever open up to me about what happened in June?"

Although the light was faint, the fallen expression on his face was all too easy to see.

Shit, I knew I shouldn't have opened my mouth.

"To be honest, I never want to talk about it. It's an event that belongs in the past, where the pain has stayed. Opening wounds like that again isn't something I want to do."

I'd expected a firm 'no', or anything negative, but as it turns out, the negativity wasn't towards me – it was the fact that he was a wonderful human being, who lived in the now rather than dwelling in what could've been.

And I guess I admired him for that. I was always so busy reliving every step I did wrong, or how somebody had betrayed me. Maybe I ought to take a page out of his book.

"I get it."

Sighing, he dropped his head, resting it on his upper arm. His hand reached out and tucked stray hairs away from my face. It was soft, and sweet, and made me sickeningly calm. I should have hated it.

"You're beautiful, you know that?"

Automatically, I felt a laugh rise in my chest, and his hand fell, annoyingly.

"Maybe on the outside, but I'm told that my aversion to all things human makes me... odd."

"Yeah, but you're beautifully odd."

I met his eyes, thinking I had never seen a shade so dark before. And if I had, then I'd lost myself in the abyss of it all, but this one was so black, it could've been its own dangerous deep hole.

I didn't know if there were any stars out tonight, but I could believe I shined just as bright.

Just as I began to close my eyes, Matt sprang back up again. What? What did I do?

"Matt?"

"Hey, sorry, I forgot to brush my teeth. I won't be long."

And, without so much as a goodbye, he was gone, leaving me in the wake of what could've been a game-changer.

I was sure things between us were heating up there, surely he wouldn't have left them, knowing I'd reciprocate? Or, was I being a complete and utter ditz again?

Lying back and staring at the ceiling, I'd been facing it for a few moments too long when I realised he wasn't back yet.

Sitting up, I considered searching for him over and over in my head. I mean, if I found him and he was honest about why h left, it would show how much he wanted this to work. But, on the other hand, would going after him make me seem needy and desperate?

I'd never had (human) friends before, so I didn't know the appropriate response to these kinds of situations. Therefore, all I could rely on was gut instinct – and I knew how stupid that could be.

Screw this, I thought, as I threw off my jumper and bounded for the nearest staircase. Most people were asleep in either the lounge or the kitchen, so I didn't have to worry about tripping over strewn bodies.

As mentioned before, every detail in Holly's house made it look a stereotypical model home, set to make rich folks' hearts race a million beats per minute. There wasn't anything in it that seemed like it would hold sentimental value; everything was purely for show.

And that was saddening.

The phrase "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" sticks around for a reason, because it is true in some cases. What if Holly's part of that? It would give a reason why her emotions changed at the flip of a switch.

Hearing dulled voices, I could pinpoint one of them as the host herself. The other, after a careful second of eavesdropping, I realised was Matt.

I approached the room, a knot beginning to twist in my stomach, but I ignored it as I creaked the door open.

Only to see bodies conjoined in an act of pleasure, thrusting hips and moaning out loud. She was face-down on the bed, crumpling the sheets in her fist, as he had her bent over, driving into her with all his might.

"Oh my God..."

The words slipped out before I could stop them, making the both of them almost spring apart. I went to shield my eyes as Matt ejected himself, expression already frantic.

Holly, on the other hand, looked bored.

"Oh my God..."

"Emmy, it's not... Okay, maybe it's exactly what it looks like, but I can explain." The plead in his voice meant there was more to this than what was staring at me, at face-value.

I swallowed. "I bet. Um, resume, I shouldn't have come up anyway."

"Emmy! Emmy, wait."

It was a fight not to bolt out of there, but I made it down the stairs at a normal rhythm, back to my sleeping spot without a second thought. I couldn't go home, not at this hour, so I was stuck with either Matt trying to talk to me later or pulling an all-nighter.

The latter seemed like the most logical choice. Who knew what nonsense he'd fill me with next?

So, I gathered my clothes in a rush, taking myself to the conservatory. It was dark, but I managed to lie them down without somebody claiming it was their spot.

And, because conservatories were well-known to be terrible insulators, nobody else was around. Here, I reigned free. Here, I was alone.

On my own.

To bleed, to relieve, to think of a smile that made my knees quiver... to cry over my stupidity.