The Kissing Ban [PREVIEW]

Prologue

Prologue

Adrian was shameless.

He pushed the poor girl up against the brick wall as if it wasn't utterly embarrassing to be making out with someone in the middle of school. The amount of sideways glances they got was just shameful, but my flick to the back of his ear was perhaps a bit too cruel.

After pressing his lips to whoever was behind his tall frame once more, I was fired a disgruntled glance. "What do you want?"

"It's time for history," I blinked at the revelation of Danielle leaning against the wall. She definitely didn't seem like the type, either for Adrian to be preying on or to succumb to him. "Mrs. Trotter isn't going to appreciate you being late again and neither is your grade."

Cameron's fate loomed over all of us when it came to grades and exams.

"Oh, right, sure." Adrian shot his award-winning smile towards Danielle. "Got to dash, but I'll pick you up later, cool?"

"I'll see you then."

They exchanged one more unnecessarily long embrace before Adrian followed me towards the main building. "I was genuinely surprised for once."

Adrian raised a cocky brow. "I can even get the goody two-shoes onside. You have to officially recognise me as a beast."

"I will never, ever say that to you. Ever."

"You're just jealous. You used to be almost as good, but you've fallen by the wayside recently. Where's your drive for one-night stands and meaningless relationships?"

"Maybe I just got through all the available guys quicker than you could handle the girls." Adrian and I had a reputation, even if only among ourselves. We weren't afraid to hook-up with the opposite sex. It was fun, a laugh, and generally a pleasurable experience for everyone involved. Right now I just didn't really have the drive for it - or maybe it was just that we hadn't had a good party in a while. This weekend was certain to change that.

"Late again," Yaz tutted, materialising by my side. "How's the preparation going? Got all the vodka in the world sorted?"

"I think Cameron's grabbing it after work today. He'll definitely get more than enough." None of us were shy drinkers when it came to a good party.

"Make sure you grab some rum, that's Rory's favourite." Our birthdays were very nicely spread throughout the year, so it meant we had plenty of excuses for parties. This time it was Rory's and Rory's birthday meant rum and horrible rap music. Still, it was a party, and there was something incredibly intoxicating about a house full of drunk, horny friends. Cameron's friends were always my favourite guests. As an attractive guy, he kept attractive company.

"I'll text him now."

"Oh, Yaz, guess who Adrian's lured in this time."

Yasmin pondered this. "I really have no idea. Please just tell me."

"Danielle Caldwell."

I was rewarded with a blink. "No kidding. I wouldn't have guessed it."

"Up against the wall and everything. Plenty of disapproving looks."

"Huh. How did you even get to know her?"

Adrian actually looked mildly embarrassed for a change. "I sit next to her in IT." Adrian was a player, none of us bothered to deny it, certainly not him, but he was generally good at keeping it outside the school gates. At least, he definitely avoided people he was going to have to see again on a regular basis.

"You're joking. You realise we've still got four months of school left and I doubt your teacher will let you shift seats when you ditch her."

"It'll be fine," his wave was nonchalant, but the event definitely wasn't. Adrian didn't surprise me very often, we knew each other too well, but I really didn't know what to think about this. "Plenty of my flings end pleasantly."

"No, you just don't realise that someone harbours hatred for the fact you used them because you don't have to spend time with them," Yaz corrected immediately. "Do you really have no desire for a proper relationship?"

"Just because you and Rory have got it all cushy." Which they did. Their relationship was marred only by the occasional falling out over who would be picking up who and whose house they would be watching soppy movies at. "How do you know Danielle is after something more than to mess around? She certainly hadn't telegraphed anything more to me."

I supposed it was a fair point. "Because you always end up being a bit too charming."

Adrian wore a wicked smirk at that. "And yet you never fall under it."

"That would just be too weird," Yaz's eyes flicked between us before she mock gagged. "Stick to the easy girls."

"Leish isn't exactly hard to get," it was a teasing comment, but not altogether false.

"Neither of you are. Makes me wonder how long either of you could go without kissing anyone." Sparking with excitement, Yaz brought her hands together in a clasp. "Do it. Have a competition to see who would go the longest."

"I'd win easily." It was a no-brainer. I hadn't been with anyone in nearly a month. Adrian, on the other hand, had someone cornered right where he wanted them. He'd be done for.

"What? No you wouldn't." But... then there was his competitive side. There was a reason Adrian was so popular other than his looks. He was sporty and we'd all found out the hard way that if someone did better than him there'd be hell to pay. It was a good job we only did local games, really, because I didn't think I could handle Adrian's pouts if he lost to someone better than him on a regular basis. "You definitely won't."

Deciding whether I wanted to grimace or grin, I let the smile win out. "Okay, we're on. What're the odds?" Hovering outside the history classroom, we were going to get told off by this point anyway, might as well get this sorted now.

Scratching our heads, it was Adrian who finally spoke up. "Slave for the day? It's a classic. You guys can all put your own bets on. No doubt Rory and Cam will have something to say about this."

It seemed fair, as long as you weren't the losing party. Last time I'd had to be Adrian's slave for the day he'd forced me to call up my obsessive ex-boyfriend, Ben, which had resulted in a month of ignored calls and text messages asking if I fancied going for something to eat. When I looked at it now, it was kind of mean of Adrian, but he'd certainly found it hilarious at the time. "Deal." We shook hands.

"Well I've already decided I'm putting my money on Leish. I mean, really Adrian, I'm not sure you're going to last a week."

"I think you're wrong. I think good old deprived Leish will cave at the party. With all of Cameron's hot friends, she'll be dying inside. And drunk. Drunk Leish is never good at these things."

I shot an accusing stare at Yaz as she weighed this over. "No, I still think Leish will win out, just because of what happened the last time you had this wager. There's no way she's calling Ben up again."

Ears tinging pink, Adrian rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I did push it a bit too far. I apologised, though! Like a thousand times."

"You're disrupting my class." Mrs. Trotter's dreary lecture voice developed a snide irritation as the door was wrenched open. "Either come in and learn or go home."

Willing myself not to blush as the class's eyes followed me to my seat, I didn't miss Adrian mouthing me a smug "you're going down."

>vy