A Season of Firsts

Chapter 16

I spring apart from Rory, like we've been caught breaking the law. He doesn't seem fazed, though, leaning casually against the wall like he doesn't have a care in the world.

"Hey Cara," he drawls, "Fancy seeing you here."

"Yeah, fancy that. Anyway, I'm just going to the bathroom. I'll leave you kids to it," she says with a devilish smile on her face, and passes us in the corridor to push open the bathroom door.

As soon as she's gone, I burst out laughing, and say to Rory, "Oh my god, I can't believe she just caught us. I'm never going to hear the end of this." Under normal circumstances, imagining the relentless teasing I'm bound to get from Cara after this would have me groaning in complaint, but I'm too happy right now to care.

Rory laughs at my uncontrollable giggles, then he moves closer to me again to give me a quick peck on the lips before he grabs my hand and says, "Come on, the others will be missing us. We can finish what we started when we're not at risk of being walked in on by our friends." The sultry tone in his voice stops my giggling and sends a rush of heat to my core.

As he leads us back out to the main room, all I can focus on is the way his strong shoulders move through the crowd. The way his white shirt outlines his muscular body perfectly. The way his black trousers hug his amazing ass. This boy is too much.

For the rest of the night, wherever I am in the bar, whether it's making small talk with friends or dancing with my girls, I am painfully aware of Rory. He's always in the edge of my vision, and from the way I keep catching him stealing glances my way, I don't think I'm the only one who's feeling wound up after that kiss.

I think Mabel notices the way we're acting – either that or Cara spilled the beans - because when I am returning from the bar, precariously carrying drinks for Mabel and myself, she gets Rory to swap seats with her so that he is on the end of the booth. As it happens, there is no room left in said booth to sit down. Which means my only chair option is either Rory or Chase's lap. Out of respect for Hallie, I am obviously not going to choose the latter. I raise my eyebrows at Rory as if to say, 'do you mind?', and he just grins at me, opens his arms and says "Have a seat." I roll my eyes and sit down, trying not to crush him in the process. When I'm settled, he wraps his strong arms around my torso, holding me in place, and I feel safe there, like no one could ever get to me.

I don't know exactly what I'm feeling an hour later, because I'm too buzzed to think clearly. A lot of people have gone home, but a surprising number have remained, and every single one of us is wasted. Cheesy pop songs from the early 2000s blast through the speakers, and we are all on the floor dancing like no one is watching.

"Last song guys," Clive says through the microphone. I boo loudly, along with Hallie and Mabel, but I stop when I hear what's playing through the speakers. I whirl round to face Hallie, asking, "Did you request this?"

"Hell yeah I did. Happy birthday bitch!"

The song in question is 22 by Taylor Swift. Me and Hallie have a habit of blasting this song and dancing round the flat to it, so it's a brilliant choice, even though it's not my 22nd birthday. Technicalities.

"Babe, let me get on your shoulders!" Hallie shouts excitedly to Chase as the song starts to pick up tempo. He happily obliges, and I laugh as I look up at her, swinging her arms in the air.

Mabel loves the idea, because she grabs Rory, who is already next to me, and says, "Get on your knees." I think he's slightly scared of his twin, because he crouches immediately, then Mabel and Cara help steady me as I mount his shoulders. When he stands to his full height, he grips my thighs tightly so I can't fall, no matter how much wobbling around I do trying to get my balance.

The chorus hits, and me and Hallie grab each other's hands and scream our lungs out. When the song comes to an end, Rory and Chase lower us both down to safety. I stumble when my feet touch the ground, and Rory steadies me. "Woah there, I think it really is time to call it a night."

"You're no fun," I pout like a petulant child.

"You weren't saying that earlier," he says and winks at me.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?" He replies, trying to look innocent.

"You know what."

"I'm afraid I don't, care to enlighten me?"

I am not about to start defining what happened between us tonight, so I wander off to go and grab my coat and purse, leaving his question hanging in the air.

Once I'm ready to face the bitter chill outside, I go and hug the majority of the people left in the bar and tell them how much I love them, which is a drunk tendency of mine.

Hallie drags me away before I have even finished talking to everyone, which is rude of her, but she whispers that she's desperate to get home so she can take Chase's clothes off. She just laughs at me when I tell her that that's the kind of information a roommate would rather not know.

I walk out of the door arm in arm with Mabel. "Where are you staying tonight? I forgot to ask you earlier," I say.

"With my brother, unfortunately. Care to trade beds?" she asks me, grinning suggestively.

"What has Cara said to you?" I sigh in resignation.

"Oh, not much, she may have mentioned that she caught you and my brother sucking face with each other after I fed her one too many shots."

"For goodness' sake, I knew she wouldn't be able to keep her mouth shut," I groan, shutting my eyes in embarrassment so I don't have to make eye contact with her.

"Just so you know, I approve."

I laugh then, because she's been pushing me to start something with Rory since I met her. "Thanks Mabel, but I don't think it's going anywhere."

"Why not?"

"It's just not," I say, maybe a bit bluntly, and she takes the hint that I don't want to go into further detail on the topic.

"Well, if you want to talk about it, I'm here," she says, which is incredibly sweet considering the way I just shot her down.

"Thank you, you're a good friend," I say, kissing her hair.

"I know," she says with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow before I go back to Vancouver?"

"Definitely. We'll probably be staying in the flat all day, so just come over whenever you want," I respond.

"Cool, I'll bring coffee if you're lucky."

"I think I'm going to need it," I laugh, then hug her goodbye. I catch Rory's eye as he stands a few metres away, then think what the hell and go over to give him a hug as well.

"Thank you for an amazing night," I say quietly.

"No, thank you," he smiles at me, "See you soon."

"Bye, Millers," I say to both of them and run off to catch up with Cara, Hallie and Chase, ready to head home and consume an obscene amount of bread.