Hypnotized by the Carbon Monoxide

“Go fish?” Ant asked softly as he looked at his cards confused. He’d just been forced into a card game. Trace, Aimz, Mason, and two random girls from a party looked at him confused. “Is that what we’re playing?” He asked confused by the five cards in his hand.

“No.” One of the girls giggled at him. “It’s strip poker.” She giggled with her friend. Trace and Mason nodded while Aimz groaned at the stupid and slightly drunk girls next to her.

“Oh.” Ant smiled looking at the two girls. “I’m down.” He stated.

“I want your pants down.” The brunette smiled at him. Mason and Ant choked slightly on air at the crude statement. Trace cleared his throat and shifted as his mind recalled the other day in Charlie’s hotel room.

“Wow, I’ve heard my fair share of rude, sexual comments before, but never so bluntly.” Aimz mused while organizing her cards. She was only playing because Mason was playing. “On that note,” Aimz smiled, not wanting to be the only girl that was sober and not half retard playing. “I think we should call Charlie!” She smiled. Ant and Mason froze at the idea of playing strip poker with the woman.

“She won’t kill us… will she?” Ant asked softly. His fear was taking some of Charlie’s cloths and her freaking out.

“No.” Aimz smiled as Trace groaned at the thought. “Well she might kill Trace.” He groaned again and slammed his head into the table. He didn’t want to die, and he didn’t want anyone else to see her naked. She was his, even if she really wasn’t his it felt that way to him.

“Alright sweet!” everyone chirped, Trace let out another groan of disapproval.

“Come on man,” Mason laughed lightly, watching his friend suffer. “You know you want to see her naked.” He added. Aimz frowned at this.

“And you don’t?” Ant laughed lightly. Mason shrugged.

“That’s it.” Trace stated throwing his cards in. “I’m not playing.” He stood up and headed out of the hotel room, ignoring the complaints. Stopping outside the door he let out a deep breath and ran his hands through his think black hair. He couldn’t watch his friends stare at Charlie half naked, or fully naked. He’d end up killing them.

“Trace.” Spinning he looking at Aimz. Groaning he frowned at her. “You know,” She laughed lightly at his frown. “I know about you and Charlie, and Charlie won’t play unless your playing.” She stated lightly.

“That’s a lie.” He mused. “Wait you know…”

“She’s my best friend.” Aimz laughed lightly at the idea of not knowing about the two of them. “And what’s a lie?” She asked softly.

“That she won’t play unless I play. It’s Charlie.” He stated lightly. “There is gambling, and drinking, and people stripping. Charlie is down for that, with or with out me taking part.” Aimz nodded at the truth of his words.

“So why don’t you want to play anymore?” She asked softly. He stopped; he hadn’t really been expecting that question.

“I… I don’t want to have to watch my friends stare at her half naked, or fully naked.” He mumbled lightly, embarrassed he was admitting it. Aimz blinked a bit surprised. “She’s… mine,” He let out a deep breath. “Or at least I want her to be. It’s like when Ronnie stares at her. I hate it; despite the fact that she’s clothed he’s undressing her with his eyes. I should be the only one allowed to look at her naked. I mean, shit,” He’s breath leaked out from between his teeth, his hands landing on top of his head. “I don’t even undress her with my eyes when she dressed. It’s rude, and… I’m not that perverted.” Aimz laughed lightly. “Shut up.” He groaned lightly.

“You’re like a love struck puppy.” Trace frowned, a small groan escaping his closed lips.

“Don’t tell Charlie, she’ll ditch him. Now, if I was a love struck hamster named Puff, I’d be okay.” He teased lightly, trying to ignore the truth in his own words.

“You know she likes puppies.” Aimz stated Trace rolled his eyes. He’d heard about Oliver the cat, how much better could Oliver the dog go over? “She does, she doesn’t really like cats though… how she fell in love with Puff I don’t know. But puppies and dogs she’s always liked.” Trace watched her, almost as if he didn’t believe her. “So don’t fret, you’re her new pet. Just don’t try and eat puff.” Aimz teased. “Now come on play.”

“I… don’t… I don’t want to.” Trace grumbled lightly as the elevator dinged and Charlie stepped out. “My reason why has appeared.” He whispered seeing her in a pair of tight black skinny jeans and a small tank top, the strap of her red bra peeking out from under the strap ever so lightly.

“Hey.” Charlie smiled as she wandered up to them. “Hey sexy.” She stated grabbing Trace’s side with a wink. “What’s going on?” She asked lightly. “We playin’ strip poker or not?” She laughed before heading into the hotel room. The others greeted her enthusiastically. Trace lifted his hands as if to prove a point.

“Um… she obviously as yet to play strip poker with you.” Trace looked at her slowly. “I don’t know what you guys do I just know that you guys do each other and supposedly your great, which I doubt.” She mused lifting her hands

“Hey.” Trace snapped, pointing at her a small glare on his face.

“But see Charlie likes strip poker, and only because she’s good at poker.” Aimz mused. “We once played a game with twenty people in high school. Charlie lost both her shoes, her socks, her belt and her t-shirt. Now that’s against twenty people. Think of how well she’s going to play against six.” Trace frowned. “You’ll be naked before she even has to remove both her socks and her shoes.” With that said Aimz turned to open the door. “And if you don’t play and suffer with me, I’ll tell Matt.” His muscles locked up.

“You… wait suffer? Why are you all of sudden suffering?” Aimz turned to him slowly, hand falling off the door handle.

“I really don’t want to watch Mason stare at Charlie alright or the other girls.” She whispered softly, eye cast on the ground.

“You know he likes you, right?” Trace asked softly.

“Not as much as Charlie, by the way does he know?” She asked softly, pointing at him.

“No, to both those. Mason has a fragile ego, he doesn’t like girls that are tougher than he is. Charlie… yeah thinks she’s pretty can’t handle her dominating attitude and all her tattoos. You are pretty with a few cute tattoos and less intimidating and dominate. That and, he has a think for blondes.” A small smile lifted on her full pink lips. “And I can’t tell him otherwise he’ll tell everyone else with out meaning to. He’s bad with secrets.” Trace nodded slowly.

“You do relies there is another blonde in there, right?” Aimz asked softly. “Which he’s been staring at all night.” She grumbled the last part to herself.

“I’ll make a deal with you,” Trace stated.

“You’re not getting out of playing poker, I mean, if Charlie does lose most of her cloths is not all of them, who’s going to protect her from the horny men?”

“It’s Ant and Mason, I’m not worried.” Aimz gave a sheepish smile as the elevator dinged. Both watched Ronnie, Max, and a slightly drunk Brendon step out of the elevator. “You bitch.” Trace hissed at her.

“What up!” Brendon yelled lifting a beer bottle in the air as he slung his arm over Trace. “Get down with taking them… them cloths off.” He called lightly as Max opened the door.

“Charlie!” Ronnie whistled the second he spotted her sitting on the bed. Brendon followed the two men in and the door closed behind Aimz.

“Now what bitch?” Aimz hissed.

“I hate you.” Trace growled softly. “So, deal now involving playing.” Aimz nodded lightly. “You don’t tell Matty boy and I help you bag Mason.” He stuck his hand out. Aimz stared at his hand.

“What makes you think I need your help?” She hissed, annoyed.

“Because Mason won’t get you’re coming onto him even if you sat in his lap in nothing but your undies. He’d cover his eyes and turn bright red.” She blinked. “He’s too much on a gentleman to jump you or assume you want him. That and he’s as dense as this building is tall.” She pulled on her bottom lip and stared with wide eyes. Trace watched Charlie step out of the room.

“You to playing or are you not?” She asked lightly, eyes scanning over Aimz’s shocked features. “You look like he just whipped him self out.” Charlie teased lightly, a bit confused why they were standing in the hallway.

“That’s dense.” Aimz whispered, missing the comment.

‘Whoa! What?” Charlie gasped, eyes darting down to Trace’s zipped and button jeans. Reaching over Trace tucked Charlie into his chest.

“We’re playing, yes. No I didn’t whip it out. That’s for you only.” He teased, she grumbled lightly. “But she’s only playing because Mason is, but she’s worried Mason’s going to be staring you or the other girls down and not notice her. I was just explaining that Mason like’s her but he’s as dense as this building is tall.” Charlie nodded.

“Hella dense then.” Trace nodded as Aimz ran a hand through her hair confused.

“Okay, but Charlie gets to help too.” Aimz mused at the deal. Trace stuck his hand out, she instantly shook it.

“Let’s go play poker.” Trace stated following both woman into the room. Ronnie whistled at they entered.

“Damn you look good Charlie.” Ronnie growled at her, a smile etched it’s way onto Charlie’s lips.

“Do you think I’ll look good naked?” She asked playing with her hair lightly. Trace frowned at Aimz and took his head.

“I think you’ll look better.” Ronnie teased.

“Well there’s only one way to find out.” Charlie stated sitting down across from Ronnie and Trace. “Ant, deal.” She giggled, the other girls followed suit. With a nod Ant followed suit and dealt the cards