We Fit Together Like a Car Crash

“Oh, my God, Beki, why aren’t you getting ready?!”

I looked up from the book I was reading and looked up at Harley. She looked quite comical standing there, hand on her hips her hair wrapped in a towel and only in pajama pants and a bra. I had to stop from laughing, and instead cast her a confused look.

“What are you talking about?”

“Um, tonight? We’re going out, remember?”

I set my book down and shrugged.

“Yeah, but we’re not going for another three hours. Why do I have to get ready now?” I rolled my eyes.

“You have to do your hair, your make-up, and get dressed! Duh!” she exclaimed, waving her hands in the air. “That’s going to take a while.”

I groaned, picked my book up and went back to reading.

“Harley, seriously? I’m just going to put on some jeans and a nice top. Why do I have to get all dressed up?”

She started taping her foot, her eyes set in a determined glare.

“So we can parade you around in front of Joe. Maybe he’ll finally do something smart, and oh, I don’t know, jump your body.”

I nearly dropped my book.

“You’re crazy. He won’t notice, nor will he care. So why even bother?”

Harley snatched my book up and slammed it shut.

“Hey! My bookmark wasn’t in there!” I snapped, sitting up from the laying position I was in. As soon as I did she grabbed my hand and yanked me up all the way.

“Complain all you want, I’m going to make you look hot.”

--------

I stepped off the bus, and couldn’t stop fidgeting. Harley smacked me and glared.

“Stop it. You look amazing,” she scolded.

“I can’t help it. I’m not used to walking in heels,” I whined.

It was true. Usually I wore a pair of Converse. Once in a while flip-flops or flats. I only wore heels when I absolutely had to, and even then they were still weren’t high. The gray ankle booties Harley had forced me into were at least four inches tall. A part of me had to admit they were really cute though. Not that I’d tell that to Harley.

Nervously I smoothed a hand over my shirt. It was a white cowl neck tank top that was backless. Wearing something so revealing really wasn’t me, but I had a certain feeling of freedom in dressing so girly. A couple long, black, chain necklaces and black skinny jeans completed my outfit. I started fiddling with my hair and Harley slapped my hands away.

“You’re lucky I let you keep your hair down,” she said.

That was the one compromise we had agreed on. I could keep my hair down, but some short pieces in the front were clipped back. I felt the ends of my hair swish across my bare back and it tickled.

A black SUV pulled up next to our bus and we climbed in to the backseat. Big Rob greeted us and drove to the guys’ buses. Joe, Nick, and Kevin came in a few seconds later, smiling excitedly.

“This is going to be awesome!” Joe exclaimed, pumping his fist int eh air.

I laughed softly and he sent a wink my way. I felt my cheeks heat up. I couldn’t tell what any of them were wearing in the dim lighting, so I glanced out the window, seeing lights flying by in the darkness. Big Rob turned the music way up and Joe started bouncing in his seat. I looked over at Kevin and saw him playing air guitar. I busted out laughing.

We pulled up to the back entrance of the club we decided on going to, and the boys climbed out. Nick helped Harley and Kevin took my hand and helped me step down. Despite the winter season, the warm Texan air blew at my face.

I finally got to see what they wearing, and I grinned. Kevin had on gray slim jeans, a long-sleeved white shirt and a black vest. It was simple and classy. Nick had on dark-wash skinny jeans, a blue t-shirt and a leather jacket. My breath caught when I looked at Joe. His black jeans were beyond on tight and his white v-neck molded to his perfect body.

“Whoa Beki, you are rocking your outfit,” Kevin grinned. His eyes slid over my clothes, and twinkled at my backless tank top. His glance slid over to Joe and he smirked. He held out his arm and I slipped my hand into the crook of his elbow. “Shall I be your escort my lady?”

“Why yes, dear sir,” I giggled. We started walking forward, me gingerly stepping on the uneven ground. “Stupid heels.”

Harley smirked at me, and nodded her head towards Joe. I rolled my eyes and looked over to where he was walking by Nick. His eyes were riveted to me. I caught his glance and he slowly smiled. It sent a chill down my spine and raised goose bumps on my bare skin.

“Ladies first,” Nick said, opened the door.

Harley smiled at him and walked in. I followed after her and felt Joe’s gaze burning into my bare back. They came in and shut the door behind them. The back door had opened up into an end of a hallway, and we traveled down into the main part of the club.

People were dancing everywhere, others were socializing at tables and around the bar. Harley and I sat down at a table and the boys went to get us drinks. They came back a couple minutes later and passed out sodas. Joe gave me mine and I sipped some Diet Coke.

“So, do you guys want to get on the dance floor?” he asked.

“Yes!” Harley exclaimed, jumping up from her seat.

Joe went with her to the dance floor and Nick sat down next to me.

“I will in a minute,” he said.

“Beki?” Kevin asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Eh. Not yet.”

He shrugged and went off after the two.

“So,” Nick said nonchalantly. He twirled his straw in his glass, staring pointedly at me. “You look very nice tonight.”

“Thanks?” I said warily.

“Joe couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off you.”

“I am not in the mood tonight for your nagging,” I groaned.

“Oh, come on!” he said, throwing his hands up in the air. “When you are you two just going to realize that you need to get together?”

“Nick, seriously. Not tonight. I just want to have fun,” I snapped.
He sighed and sipped at his drink. I groaned at him and went to the dance floor. Some hip-hop was blaring loudly, and people were grinding against each other. I found Harley, Kevin and Joe dancing in a circle.

“Beki!” Joe said happily, grabbing my hand pulling me towards him.

I shrugged and started dancing as well. I didn’t recognize the song but it had a good beat. Joe tugged me closer, and slipped his hands around my waist. The music, the heat, the proximity, everything combined all went to my head. My back went against his chest, and his hands slid down to my hips to hold me against him. Without thinking I molded my body to his and started moving.

One of my hands went up and curled around his neck. Joe nuzzled his nose into my neck and planted a light kiss behind my ear. I had to stop a violent shudder from going through my body. Desire and pleasure seeped into my veins and I turned around. Our hips pressed against each other, and I had to bite back a moan. Joe threw his head back and closed his eyes.

The thought that this was wrong, and it would come back to bite me later didn’t even register. I just waned to keep dancing. To forget everything.

His nose nudged against mine, his warm brown eyes staring intently into my own. He moved closer, his lips almost touching mine. I stopped moving, and so did he, his hands resting on my bareback, tracing small, soft circles with his fingers. This time, I did shudder.

The song ended, taking everything with it. I instantly snapped out of it, and move away from him. Joe blinked a couple times and dropped his hands away from my waist.

“Beki, I…” he started, then trailed off.

I just shook my head and quickly walked away. I didn’t want to deal with the look of regret swimming in his eyes. It was just too much to take. Nick tried to stop me as I ran past him on my way to the girls bathroom. I got there and went through the door.

All the stalls were empty, and I was thankful for that. I stared at myself in the mirror, and silent tears started falling.

I hadn’t meant for that to happen, and it was obvious neither had Joe. Things had just escalated to a point where thinking had flown out the window, and only feeling existed. But oh God, being that close to him had been amazing. Feeling his hands on my skin, his lips on my neck, all of it was intoxicating.

I could spend the rest of the night hiding from Joe or I could go out there and pretend it never happened. I groaned and wiped the few tears away. Quickly I fluffed my hair, checked my outfit and left the bathroom. I didn’t want to face him but it would be easier then having to hide.

“Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.”

I stopped in mid step, turned around, and my eyes widened.

“Sia? What on earth are you doing here?” I asked, genuinely shocked. None of us had told anybody where we were going tonight.

“Came to stop you from throwing yourself at Joe, and Harley at Nick. Everybody knows you two like them,” she snapped.

“You’re insane. Harley is two years older than Nick. She doesn’t like him.”

“You admit you have feelings for Joe than.”

I looked away, having nothing to say, knowing it was true and it was useless to deny it. I felt a hard slap go across my cheek and tears once again sprang to my eyes. In pain or sadness, I didn’t know.

“Stay away from him. He told me yesterday that he thinks you’re pathetic with the way you fawn you all over him. Joe does not like you that way, and he never will. So get over it,” she spat out.

A tear slipped down my cheek and I hastily brushed it away.

“Aw, poor baby’s going to cry now. Better run off so nobody will see you,” she taunted.

Everything inside of me snapped, and I pushed past her to the back door. Her shrill laugh echoed in my ears as I pushed it open and ran. Air blew at my face, slightly more chilled then it had been earlier, and the wetness on my cheeks dried as everything passed by.

I was being stupid, I knew it, but nothing mattered then. I wanted to get away. Get away from Joe, from Sia, from everything my life had become. The pain, the sadness, the complete hopelessness of my feelings. None of it mattered anymore, just my legs moving, my arms pumping, my lugs heaving.

And they were heaving. Trying desperately to drag precious oxygen into my body, but it wasn’t working. I ignored it, and ran faster. My chest tightened, my vision blurred, and I swayed for a second and stopped. The area around me was completely unknown and I leaned against a tree on a street corner.

Lights pounded against my eyelids, blood rushed in my ears. I coughed and it felt like shards of glass were ripping through my throat. I became aware of a harsh, ragged sound, and it was me trying to breathe. Desperately I tried to calm down, but it didn’t work. Nothing was working.

I blinked, wobbled on the spot, and everything went black.