Common Decency

Chapter Five;

Let me tell you a little about Jason Mathers. He was a flirt. He was a flirt but not in the most innocent way the word suggests. I'd known him since we were twelve years old and his flirtation still ceased to amaze me. He was tall with these dark eyes that were not quite brown but not quite green either. His hair was as dark as the midnight sky and was getting kind of shaggy. He said he wanted to grow it out. His jaw was strong and he had these high chiselled cheekbones. Although he carried this air of mystery with him, he still looked boyish and young. His eyes were alight with life and his long frame was game for anything fun and adventurous. He was insanely into martial arts. He had competed twice in international competitions. His latest competition was the topic of discussion as we were getting ready to head to a club in the city.

"I just wasn't prepared for this competition, Maddie," Jason shrugged, he was lying on the floor and painting my toenails while I put waves in my hair using Madison's straightener. "I literally spent all summer on my lazy ass or working. I wasn't training. I didn't even qualify. I was a last reserve kind of thing. My last opponent broke his ankle."

Madison was in her huge closet. Holding up dresses and then discarding them in a pile when she deemed them unworthy. Sometimes she'd throw a dress or a nice top to me. I had come to her house completely unprepared to be fair.

Jason had been planning this for a few days and had dropped off a change of clothes and shoes on his way to school that afternoon. He had also produced a beautiful six pack of beers. Three for each of them. I was the volunteered, designated driver for the night.

Maddie had finally decided on a tight, strapless dress with nude heels. She had also given me a white crop top and a pair of disastrously ripped jeans and strappy white heels. Shortly after changing, her mother called for her to supply us with ample food. Jason took this time to hound me with intruding questions.

"Do you like Roman? What's he like in bed? Do you think he's gay? He's kind of gorgeous. Do you want to get with anybody tonight?" He didn't really phrase these as questions. It was more like a continuous string of words that formed sentences only by coincidence. I blushed and answered him as honestly as I could.

"I don't think he's gay although he really is gorgeous. I don't know if I like him. We did not sleep together but he kind of invited me to house sit and baby sit while his parents are away in a few weeks." I mumbled the last part hoping to let it slip by without detection. Of course that wasn't a possibility, not with Jason.

"HE ASKED YOU TO DO WHAT?" He's on his feet, swaying on Maddie's bed and staring at me as if I'd announced I was dying. I tell him the whole story. About how he had a trip organised for his parents and how his friend cancelled on him at the last minute. I tell him about Madison's party and how sweet he was to not take advantage of me. I tell him about his reluctance to ask me, even though he couldn't see another way around it. When I was done with my explanations, he sat there and pondered my words, taking deep consideration into his thoughts.

"You should go," He said matter of factly, his jaw set in an expression of utter resolution. He could try to convince me all I wanted, but I still wasn't so sure

"Go where?" Maddie asked as she balanced three plates of chips and pizza on her two hands. I was suddenly glad that she worked as a waitress during the summer.

"I was trying to get out of going tonight," I lied trying to blow her off the scent. I loved Madison but she had a tendency to talk. She really didn't do it on purpose, it just sort of happened. I didn't want it sort of happening to me.