You Can't Have Us Both

1: The Neverending Party

    "God I fucking love you Rowan but you can't have both of us."

    "Rowan come on please come out with us."
Caitlin, Gabbie and Jada couldn't help but try to drag me out of bed and to the first party of the year. Ever since Caitlin had become the face for Iowa and Women's Basketabll she'll take any excuse to go out. Luckily for her people at school saw her as a normal person and the people at these parties treated her as such. Kate walked into the bedroom behind them trying even harder to convince me to get up.
    "Row please? I promise I won't leave your side, not once. I promise Rowan." She looked at me with her big blue eyes basically pleading for me to join the pair.
    "You said that last time Kate and I ended up waiting for you for 2 hours."
Kate had gotten a reputation for ending up kissing random girls throughout the night and disappearing without a trace. She climbed on top of me bringing her face close to mine, close enough that the tips of our noses touched.
    "You have 5 seconds to get up."
I gave her a stern look challenged whatever stunt she was trying to pull.
        "Or what?" I smiled trying to sit up.
Before I had the chance to, she pushed all her body weight on top of mine and stared tickling me.
    "Say you'll go with us and I'll stop, come on say it."
The other girls stood next to the bed chanting for me to cave and get ready. In between laughs and squirming under Kate I managed to yell,  "I'LL GO. GET OFF."
Kate pulled herself off me and turned her head just enough for our lips to be inches away from each other. She licked her lips and looked down at mine before the door slammed shut with Caitlin on the other side of it.
    "GET READY, YOU GOT 45 MINUTES."
We both immediately got up as if nothing had happened, Kate leaving me in the room with Gabbie and Jada who stood infront of me confused about what they just witnessed. Kate and I had kissed before but like I said she had a reputation for being a one kiss wonder so we never talked about it again, for the sake of our friendship. Either way, a kiss is just a kiss.

    "Rowan?" Kate peaked in the room immediately walking in and closing the door behind her.
She stood in front of me for a second looking me up and down before she said anything else.
    "Uh- everyone is ready if you are." Messing with her hair as she continued to what seemed like admire me.
I nodded and turned around to look at myself in the mirror.  My short black dress that I had worn plenty of times, now shorter than I was used to hugged my body almost perfectly. Kate reached her hand out for me, her subtle way of telling me I needed to hurry up.

When we got to the party Kate wrapped her arm around my waist, a simple gesture she had done plenty of times but it never failed to make my stomach turn. She turned her head towards mine, bringing her lips to my ear.
"You look really good Row" I could feel her smirk against my ear sending a shiver down my spine. 
Walking inside Kate kept her hand on my waist for a few seconds until she saw Maddy, her on and off again fling that just happened to be student body president, the schools IT girl and the most beautiful woman I had ever laid my eyes on walk into the room. She was quick to let go taking a step away from me.
"I'll be right back Rowan, I promise." Just like that Kate disappeared into the crowd to find Maddy.
I stood there for a second before I felt someone throw their arm over my shoulder, my savior Caitlin.
"Come on." She said handing me a drink and pulling my body into hers, placing a friendly kiss on the side of my head.

"Rowan she does this every time we go out, she says she'll stay with us, finds an attractive girl, and we don't see her again for the rest of the night. " Jada told the story we had all become used to hearing.
"I know but she kinda promised she wouldn't leave my side, and ditched me not even 3 minutes into being here." I tried to hide the disappointment and annoyance in my voice. My friends smiled softly knowing how much Kate leaving bothered me.
"An all time low record for her." Gabbie rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink.
"Here lover, drink the pain away." Jada handed me a cup full if what I assume was hard liquor telling by my actions soon after.
   
Before I knew it I was sitting on the counter in front Caitlin refilling her cup, both of us touching each other aggressively. I grabbed her hands holding me steadily as I jumped off the counter.
"Let's dance?"
Before she could respond I pulled her into the living room where everyone had gathered.  Another Round played over the speakers making it almost impossible to hear anything besides the music. I stood in front of Caitlin pressing my lower body against her as she held onto my hips guiding my movements.
    "Rowan?" Caitlin's now raspy voice whisper yelled in my ear.
    "Yeah?" I questioned turning around facing her.  She wasted no time pressing her lips against mine roughly.  She started to pull away after a few seconds. Not wanting her to stop I wrapped my hands around her face, placing my lips against hers harder than before. She pulled my waist into hers, making sure there was no space between us and ran her hands up and down the sides of my body. We pulled away after a couple minutes, a new song playing distracting us. I looked at Caitlin something in me didn't want her to stop. I placed my hand on her cheek to kiss her again when I felt someone bump into me spilling their drink all over me. Turning and seeing a clearly wasted Kate now covered in her own drink as well.
    "Shit Row I'm so sorry, I can help." She slurred her words starting to attempt wiping the contents of her cup off of my dress.
I scoffed at her, reminded of how she wasted no time ditching me. I backed away from her, squeezing Caitlin's hand tighter than before.
    "It's fine Kate." I didn't mean to but my tone came off as harsh.
I turned towards Caitlin giving her a look, a look she knew meant one of us had to help Kate sober up.
    "Go help her." Caitlin smiled at me bending down and placing a soft kiss on my lips.
Kate scoffed at us quickly trying to disappear into the crowd again. I followed behind her trying to lead her to the bathroom. Once she finally stopped basically running away from me we walked into the bathroom locking the door behind us. I grabbed a rag from under the sink, wetting it before trying to wipe the liquid off of Kate's shirt.
    "You and Caitlin huh? Didn't expect that one. You know I'm only this drunk because of you, I walked away for two seconds and I find you basically eating Caitlin's face. I found Maddy just to talk and tell her that you were my top priority, that I'd stay with you all night like I had promised." She rambled, finding it hard to stop herself.
    "Kate." I looked up at her, unable to make out the expression on her face. She looked almost hurt, confused? It drove me crazy not being able to tell why my best friend had suddenly cared so much about who I was kissing.
    "It's not like that Kate, are you worried it's going to ruin out friendship? You know us both well enough to know that we'd never let that happen."
She laughed at me, a harsh laugh and stepping away from me.
    "You're clueless Rowan."
I didn't know what she meant but I didn't have a chance to figure it out before she walked out of the bathroom leaving me alone once again.

I walked around for awhile looking for her before I found my friends again.
    "Where's Kate?" Jada looked at me concerned, the rest of the girls looking at me in confusion.
I shrugged my shoulders, still not understanding what Kate's problem was.
    "Found her." Caitlin pointed behind me to Kate who was now pressing Maddy against a wall kissing her.
Something about seeing Kate like that with another girl made me angrily grab Caitlin's hand before telling the other girls we were going home. Walking out of the house Kate pulled away from Maddy just long enough to give me a disappointed look before Maddy connected her lips with hers again.