Dirty Little Secret

three | birthday bash

Lucas

"Let's throw a birthday party for Riley at our place this year, it'll be awesome." That's what Gabe had told me a few months back.

Well let me tell him, it's not fucking awesome.

Because parties mean girls wear minimal clothing, and that's exactly what Riley is wearing: basically nothing.

When she first walked into the house in that short pink dress with silver stilettos, I knew I was going to have a rough night, but it's even worse than I thought.

My brother planted his hand on her ass and hasn't removed it once. I just want to walk over there and pry it off, maybe bend a few fingers backward in the process.

I love my brother, he's been my best friend for as long as I can remember, but he's a fucking asshole sometimes. And lately, he's been acting different, especially with her.

Ever since she told him she didn't want to move in, it's like he has to spend every waking second with her. And if he's not with her, he's texting her, or calling her.

It's almost becoming obsessive.

But I remind myself that Gabe would never do anything to hurt her. Our parents raised us better than that, and while he may be an asshole to his teammates, he's not to her.

And maybe I'm reading into things too much. Maybe he's not obsessive with her. Maybe I've just fallen way too hard for a girl I can't have, and I'm taking my anger and jealousy and creating scenarios in my head that aren't happening.

I know I'm definitely creating scenarios about her in my head.

And the worst part of the night? She keeps glancing over at me, even when my brother is groping her, she's not even paying attention.

And every time she looks over at me is just another time she's caught me staring, again.

"Dude, get a grip. You're hard just by looking at her." My best friend, Corey Danson says.

"I am not," I grumble. But he's not entirely wrong. My zipper is strained, but not enough that it's visible. "I'll be back." I hand him my beer bottle and head upstairs.

I keep my door locked whenever my brother decides to throw a kegger. I don't need some random people hooking up on my bed, that's disgusting.

I kick my door shut and readjust myself before using the bathroom. When I walk back out, I nearly yelp when I see a figure sitting on my bed.

I flip the light on and breathe a sigh of relief when I see it's Riley.

She's swinging her legs back and forth. "Are you drunk?" I ask.

"Not quite yet." She says quietly.

"What are you doing in here?"

"I needed to hear myself think, and Gabe's room is occupied." She stands. "I'm sorry. I knocked."

"Oh. I didn't hear it."

She pushes her hair out of her face. "I'll go."

"Nah, you're fine. You can hang out here as long as you want. Just uh, don't touch my Xbox, it's broken."

"So why do you still have it?"

"Cause I'm lazy as fuck." I shove my hands in my pocket as we both chuckle.

An awkward silence fills the room.

"Why don't you want to be down there? It's your party after all." I lean back against the door.