The Tattooed Devil Wears Chucks

Chapter 8: Alfie Tats

Gabby.

Ten of us stick around long enough to watch a movie. We pile around the TV in Courtney's basement. I grab a spot on the couch and pull the wool blanket from the back it to cover my legs.

Courtney sits on one side of me and Tyler lands on my other side.

"Tyler," I roll my eyes.  "No."

"Suck it up. It's not like we haven't been this close before," he grins at me.

I slide closer to Courtney and she wraps her arms around me playfully.

"Sorry, Tyler.  It appears your three minutes with Gabby have changed her ways. She prefers the V." She kisses the side of my face as we both burst into a fit of giggles.

He mutters and lays his head in his hand on the armrest of the couch.

Candy Man begins to play and Courtney flips off the lamp beside her. We watch the movie for about twenty minutes before Courtney leans into me to whisper.

"So, what do you think of Jax now?"

I turn and meet her eyes. She knows exactly what I think. This girl knows her brother well. I mean, she called it—Jax has ways of making you want him and currently I do.  My mind—that should be focused on my friend's birthday—has not stopped swirling around a kiss that I can still feel. 

I want your brother, I think but don't say aloud.  Instead I shrug, not wanting to make her upset about this.  She likes my brother, I can like hers.

"Please be careful, Gabby," she pleads.  "Jax will not date you. He's going to use you until he gets bored.  That's his thing."

"He told me," I whisper, biting at my lip. Hearing her repeat what she told me the first time I met her and verify what Jax himself has pretty much told me is a harsh pill to swallow.  Could I do that?  Be that close with him and then have him drop me like it meant nothing?  That kiss didn't feel like nothing.  That kiss felt powerful enough to make my knees wobble.  Part of me wonders if it was just because of what Tyler was doing upstairs.  Jax clearly was not impressed with Tyler announcing my sex life to a room of people.

Was it just for the show?  To get Tyler to stop?

"You have every right to like him.  It's not like I would ever think less of you for it.  It's not him or me that I'm worried about, it's you.  You've been warned.  If you want to like him, fine."

She's right though. He wants to use me, he's clearly more experienced than me, and my dad already doesn't like him. Nothing could ever come from this.

I return to watching the movie, ending our conversation with a nod.  I'll ignore him.  He's upstairs anyways, the night is almost over, and tomorrow I'm back to being banned from this house.  It's easier to stay away from Jax than it is Tyler.

I look back to the moron beside me and huff, wishing Jax was the worst of my worries.

Every time Tyler moves, I feel myself tense up, afraid he's going to attempt to make an advance towards me. I have to remind myself that before the night at the lake, I never thought this way, so why would tonight change anything?  He won't grope me in front of all these people.  Yet, it's honestly making my stomach hurt to have him beside me.  I'm tempted to move myself to the floor.

When Courtney stands to get a drink and use the bathroom, Tyler shifts beside me, causing me to panic. How long will it take Courtney to get a drink, because that's how long I have to stop myself from crying and making myself look like a complete spaz in front of our friends.  Sweat coats the back of my neck as I feel him slide over what is likely less than an inch, but enough to cause his arm to brush against mine.  Thankfully, I hear the door from upstairs open and shut.  It's not soon enough that my friend returns though, because Tyler's arm moves to the back of the sofa above me.