K I S S M E Q U I C K
Thomas
Myself and Sam are back at the gym. Nothing makes me feel better about myself than a good workout or a run.
We cool down, sitting on the benches together, taking long sips of our water. We have a catch up, taking about work and college but the conversation soon finds itself landing on Isabelle as it somehow usually does. I briefly tell him about the argument we had a few nights ago.
He nods along, listening intently but doesn't really say anything about it. I suppose he doesn't want to take any sides as he's friends with both of us now. I'd like him to take my side because he's my best friend but I was in the wrong.
"She went off with some guy at the fair." Sam's words irritate me like a boiling hot itch around my collar. I'm not particularly fond of the thought of her being with whoever this man was. "I didn't recognise him but she did." He shrugs. "She seemed fine with him but was weirdly startled at first."
"Hmm. Do you think someone has hurt her?" I ask, referencing back to her bruises. "Maybe her Dad or someone?" I try to piece it back together in my mind. "I don't think she has a boyfriend. If she does - she's not mentioned it and it would be weird for her to be living with me if that was the case."
"Honestly, I couldn't say." Sam shakes his head, as clueless am I am. "How has she seemed recently?"
"I don't know. She's a bag of nerves one moment and then the next she's ballsey and confident. I've never met anyone quite like her." My voice tracks off as I think about it.
"Do you like her?" His next question breaks my line of thought.
"She's a nice girl." I'm unsure how to answer this question. Scratch that – I'm unsure of how honest I should be answering this question. "She can be a bit... crazy sometimes. She eats all of my snacks but she does make breakfast and dinner, sometimes lunch... and she cuts my hair."
"You're not answering my question." Sam points out, raising his eyebrows at me.
"She's not really my type." I resort, wrinkling my nose up.
"That still doesn't answer my question." I don't know where to go from there. "When has your type ever worked out for you before?"
"What are you saying Sam? You know I don't do relationships."
"No, I know you haven't done relationships. The only thing from stopping you from getting into one is you." I sigh.
"It sounds like you're trying to put us together."
"I know it's early and that you've basically only just met but look... she's a really nice, cool, grounded girl. Maybe she's not what you think you want. But she might be what you need."
I take a moment, thinking about it in my mind. The idea of having her around has slowly crept up and grown on me. When we're not bickering, she's easy to get along with. She is a pretty girl, like I said, not someone I've gone for in the past but she's become more and more attractive the more time I've spent with her thus getting to know her.
Regardless – I don't do relationships. I'm young and single and I like that. Would her showing interest sway me? Could it change my mind? I don't know.
When I lift my head I frown at the sight of her walking towards us. How convenient.
"Why have you gone quiet. You guys talking about me?" She asks with a playful chuckle. There's no way she could've heard that conversation – I think.
"What are you doing here?" Sam stands at the sound of her voice.
She's in a pair of black leggings with a grey vest over the top of a matching black sports bra. Her dark hair is tied back, showing her full face. She's not wearing makeup – not that I can tell. Her skin is refreshed and dewy.
"I thought I should start working out more. I want to a bit more healthy, you know. I was also looking at... erm... taking a self-defense class that they do here. Maybe, I don't know." She explains, awkwardly. "That seems pretty cool."
Self-defense? Luckily, she doesn't notice the subtle worried looks between Sam and I.
"Yeah that is cool." I break the quiet that was hanging between us all for a little too long. "You're welcome to join us when we're in here, if you want to."
"Sure. Have you just finished?" I nod in answer.
"Isabelle, are you coming to the party later?" Sam questions. I wince.
"What party?" She looks from each of us. Shit.
"I was going to invite you, I swear." I tell her, holding my hands up. That is actually true. "I totally forgot about it. It's at Wesley's. Yes, it's actually at Wesley's this time." That makes her smile. "He said he'd love to have you there and if you want to bring your friends or whatever then that's fine."
"Okay sure. That sounds fun."
**
After a cooling shower, I come into the kitchen where Isabelle is making lunch. She's still in the same clothes as when I last saw her, except she's let her dark brown waves fall past her shoulders. I silently sit at the island, aimlessly scrolling through my phone.
She hums a soft tune as she is mixing her ingredients together. I often glance over the top of my Instagram feed, checking what she's doing. She subtly bounces her head and swings her hips to whatever song she's humming.
"How did you learn to cook?" She whips her head straight around, my presence unanticipated by her. "Oh, I'm sorry."
"Did we not learn from you sneaking up on me last time?" She chuckles.
"I wasn't sneaking. I've been here for like five minutes." She lets out an embarrassed sigh. "So how did you learn to cook?" I repeat. "Did your parents teach you?"
"No." She holds the bowl under one arm, mixing with the other. "I learnt on my own."
"Oh s-." She interrupts me before I can get the next word out.
"Can you cook?" I place my phone on the surface, face down so I'm not distracted by it.
"Not really." I brush it off. I've not really had to cook. When living on my own, I would buy ready cooked meals or make rice or noodles. Not that that's really cooking.
"I'll teach you a few things, if you want." She suggests.
"You're talking about cooking right?" I flirt, wiggling my eyebrows and she rolls her eyes trying her hardest not to smile.
"Have you heard of MasterChef or Bake Off?" I shake my head. "Well, they're both British shows. I've learnt a lot of recipes, cool tips and ideas from them." She places the bowl down. "Did your parents not teach you how to cook?"
"No, not really." I shrug.
"I suppose other people cooked for you, did they?" She teases me.
"That is so not true." I chuckle. "My Dad was a good cook..." I trail off, a hotness spreading through me. There's a pause in the conversation, stopping the ping pong serves and returns of speech.
"Have you thought about the wedding?" She glances over her shoulder at me. I shake my head. "I know it's not really my place but I think you should at least think about it. What he did is terrible, for you and your family. But maybe making amends wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Life is too short to not have your family with you."
I cock my head at her comment. What does she exactly mean by that?
I've noticed she makes a lot of little passing comments like that. She probably doesn't even realize what she's saying but there's some hidden message behind them.
"I'll consider it." I answer. Granted, it's not the most satisfying answer but I will consider thinking about the idea of going to the wedding. That's as close as I want to be to it at the moment.
"Right. I'm going to have a shower and then this should be done." She puts whatever she is cooking in the oven.
"Okay. I'm helping Wesley set up so I'll be leaving earlier than you. I'll meet you there?"
"Sure."
****
Isabelle
Relaxing my shoulders, I look at myself in my mirror. I've gone for a red satin, bodycon, strappy dress with a small slit up the thigh. It's a lot shorter than anything I've really worn before and shows off a bit more of my chest than I would've previously been allowed.
I feel sexy. I feel confident.
A delicate golden necklace hangs around my neck, matching with a pair of golden studs. My eyeshadow is made up of dark, smoky brown colors that frame my eyes into a catlike, sultry shape. I roll on a nude lipstick and then apply a clear gloss on the top so they don't overpower my eyes. My hair is straightened into a silky bob.
My phone buzzes and I pick it up, answering a phone call from Violet who says she's outside the apartment. I collect my things, shoving them into a small bag before sliding my feet into a pair of short, strapped heels.
A low wolf whistle sounds across the street as I carefully step down the front stairs of the building. I lift my head to the sound, laughing at Violet and Eva who are hanging out the window of a taxi cab, complimenting me. I hold my hair off my face as the wind gently blows.
"Oh my god, you look hot!" Eva beams, hugging me as I get into the car.
She has her iconic hairstyle, consisting of a bun with a funky hairband wrap. She's wearing a black crop top and black jeans. Violet has bright makeup and is wearing a purple top with white flared jeans. These two are practically yin and yang in terms of style but it works so well.
**
As soon as I step out of the car, onto the street, I'm met with a huge, white, luxurious house. Groups of people, with cigarettes and beer bottles, are assembled out the front. Vibrations of the music thump through the wall, out onto the streets.
Linking arms with Violet, we make our way up the steps to the huge front door that's been left open. There's a grand staircase, swirling up the side of the room, with a large chandelier hanging in the middle. We follow a group of three guys around the corner and through a small door with a set of narrow, steep stairs.
They lead to a dark, crowded basement that is lit up with bouncing lights that shine in an assortment of colors. There's probably around twenty people already down here, sat on the couches or at the drinks table. It's quite a large space with groups doing different things in each corner.
"Oh my god. This guy must be really rich, right?" Eva holds onto my arm, excitedly.
"I think so." I answer, nodding in case she can't hear me over the loud music.
Scouting the place out, it's not long before I spot Sam's wavy blonde head tilting back in laughter as he's with the rest of his friends. The guys we followed in open their arms out to greet Wesley and Sam. That's when I see Thomas.
He stands, smiling from ear to ear, clasping hands with one of them. He's in grey pants with a black hoodie that's covered by a large denim jacket. The longer hair on the top of his head has been pushed back, showing off his sculpted, tanned face. After a brief chat and a laugh, he glances over the guys shoulder and that's when he notices me.
He double takes before smiling. I take a small step forwards, lifting my hand up to him with a shy and awkward smile. He takes no time in deciding he wants to come over, Sam closely behind him.
As if he has all the time in the world, his eyes leisurely travel from the top of my head all the way down to my toes and back to my face. It makes me tingle, in my stomach and in... other places. He's got sex eyes and he's not exactly subtle about it either.
"That's one hell of a dress, Is." He smirks, not even noticing Eva and Violet yet. I shrug casually, his eyes still drinking in every part of me I have to show.
"You mean this old thing?" I respond with a low voice and he bites the inside of his bottom lip, smiling. It's a little cliché of me, I'll admit.
"Woah guys. You look great." Sam swoops in. "Do you have drinks?"
"No, we just got here." Violet tells him.
"Well let's go get you some."
Sam leads the way over to the drinks table while Thomas makes it a point of lightly touching my side as we squeeze through. A flutter of nerves spread where his fingers meet the material of my dress but I play it off with a kind smile up at him.
We get to the table and I don't even bother looking as I know Sam will grab me something. I turn around, looking at the room filled to the brim with people I don't recognise.
"Wesley doesn't know all these people right?" I question.
"Nope. His friends just bring other friends who bring girls and those girls bring their friends." Sam eyes at our little group and we chuckle. He passes me a plastic shot glass filled with some kind of alcohol.
"Looks like he sure knows how to throw a party." Eva states.
"The guy's so busy hosting, he'll miss it." Violet adds, taking her shot from Sam.
Over the short course of conversation, I've noticed Thomas' wandering eyes. Well – lack of wandering. They seem to have been occasionally flitting between my face and the small amount of cleavage I have on display. He's so distracted, he doesn't see Sam's first attempt at passing him a shot.
"Thomas." I snap my fingers at him, altering his attention.
"Oh. My bad." He springs back to reality.
"Are you okay?" I narrow my eyes at him.
"Yeah, I'm good." He brushes it off, casually.
His eyes dip down to my chest again and I tilt my head, surprised. I didn't think he would be so outright about it. The idea of having all of his attention on me makes my body fuzzy.
"Hey, my eyes... are up here." I point. The others chuckle along with me. He doesn't blush with embarrassment.
"Right. Sorry" He coolly smiles. It's kind of irritating how he's so nonchalant about everything. I shake my head at him. "Cheers." He finally accepts Sam's offering of a shot and puts it up for us all to tap against.
"Cheers!" We all exclaim and then take the drink. It burns down my throat and I shake it off with a quick shudder.
We spend the next half an hour slowly doing laps around the basement. Thomas seems to clasp hands and say hello to pretty much everyone he passes. How can one person know so many other people?
Eventually, he gets dragged away, leaving us in the hands of Sam. We decide to find somewhere slightly further away from the music so we can all talk. Sam properly introduces himself to Eva and Violet and the conversation never strays too far away from constant laughter.
I've not really been to parties like these, big houses, filled to the brim with people who look genuinely happy to be here. The only kind of gathering I'm used to are small groups in dingy, dark apartments, choking on clouds of smoke. I look into the bottom of my empty plastic cup.
"Looks like I need another drink." I stand up, pulling the edge of my dress down. "Anyone else want one?"
"I do. I'll come with you." Eva jumps up. I take everyone's empty cups as Eva bends down to give Violet and quick peck on the lips. Eva leads the way and we take a few steps away when our path is blocked.
"Yo!" A short, stumpy guy struts up to Eva. He's got light brown stuffy hair and a puffed out chest, hidden behind a dark red shirt. "Who invited the scissor sisters?" Eva scoffs. He looks over his shoulder at a group of guys, which I can only assume are his friends, and laughs.
"Hey asshole, knock it off." I step beside Eva, my face frowning at him in disgust. He's got a mean, round face, cushioned by several necks below.
"Ooh, we've got ourselves a bite." He shakes his hands in the air, pretending to be afraid. "So... all three of you, huh? What is this? Some kind of lesbian throuple?" I feel Eva stiffen next to me.
"Come on, let's go." She mutters to me, pulling on my arm to take me past him.
"Aw, got nothing else to say?" He stops us again, sliding in front of us. My hands curl into fists as this man's presence has become much more of a pain in the ass than before.
"Hey, can you go and be short somewhere else?" I return, making a point of looking down at him. Even without my heels I would be taller than him. People around us catch ear of the conversation and chuckle. I watch as embarrassment fills his face.
"What the hell did you just say?" He points a menacing finger forward.
"I'm just saying, don't you have some girl to go disappoint in bed or something? If you could find one who'd want you first?" I pout at him sarcastically.
The laughter around us amounts. Eva can't help but giggle behind her hand. He sees this and decides to avert his attention back on her. He leans in to her face.
"Imagine having to get your friend to stick up for you, stupid d-."
Rage takes over me and I go to shove him away from Eva when a hand clamps around my arm, stopping me. Sam and Violet have joined us, Sam moving slightly in front, holding onto me before I do something stupid.
Believe me, I'm angry enough to do something stupid.
"Imaging having a small dick." I call out to him, shrugging Sam's hand off me. I've decided against doing anything irrational him – for now. "That must suck, tell me what is it like?" I shift my weight, waiting for his answer. "Go on." I encourage. The circle around us laugh.
"So - so we're... body shaming now!?" He struggles as he has no leg to stand on now.
"You just admitted you have a small dick." I tilt my head at him as more laughter erupts. "Now go bother someone else. Please."
His mouth twists like he's going to say something but he doesn't. Instead, he tears off, pushing through the crowd, his pathetic friends following after him.
"Asshole." I murmur and turn to the others with a smile.
"Thanks Is." Eva bumps into me gently. All the stored anger inside me releases. A few hands pat on me as we go over to the drinks table.
"Are you okay?" I check in with her and she nods, taking a shot.
"Sorry about that." I hear Wesley's voice behind us. We spin around to his kind face. "I've told him to get out. The guy's an idiot, don't listen to him."
"It's all good." Eva says politely. I can't imagine that she's telling the truth. To have to deal with people like that isn't even irritating at this point, it's disappointing. I turn back to the table, to grab myself a drink.
"That was pretty funny." Thomas' voice lowers from behind, startling me.
"Oh my god! Don't do that." I shake my head at him. "You scared me."
"I think you scared him." He chuckles and then looks over my shoulder. "Eva, you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm all good thanks." I smile at their interaction. It's nice seeing him make some kind of an effort with my friends. They're probably not his typical crowd.
"What are you doing right about now?" I narrow my eyes at him. "Fancy a game?" I tilt my head, confused. "Beer pong? Have you ever played it before?"
"I know what it is but I've never played it." He looks at me expectantly. "Yes, sure. I'll play."
"Nice. Decide who's team you'd like to be on." He strides off, leading the way to a table that's being set up.
"Not yours." I joke as he looks at me over his shoulder.
"Good, I don't feel like losing." I playfully smack his arm with the back of my hand.
They set up the table with seven red cups in a triangle shape, either ends. I stand on my side with Eva and Sam while Thomas stands opposite with Violet and Wesley. Sam starts off our team, going up against Wesley. He throws the ping pong ball and it bounces on the table but misses the cup.
"Damn." Sam clicks his fingers together. Wesley takes his turn and it hits the edge of the cup but doesn't go in.
Next up it's my turn. I roll the ping pong ball in my hand before squinting an eye to aim. I lightly throw it but it lands too short. Thomas smirks, coming up to the table and I put my hands on my hips. He practices his aim before the ball lands effortlessly in the front cup.
"Seriously?" He takes a little bow and I down the contents of the cup.
Eva and Violet both take a turn, both of them getting it in. Sam gets the next ball in and Wesley misses. Again, I miss the shot on my turn. I roll my eyes, annoyed with myself. Thomas' ball falls straight into another cup.
"Are you trying to get me drunk?" I cry over the table, grabbing the cup.
"Hmm, something like that." He laughs and I shake my head, gulping down more alcohol.
Luckily, I get the ball in on my next throw. It's definitely luck, there's no way it's down to skill.
Thomas steps up to the table and his eyes are dead with concentration. He's too good at this and he's going to get me wasted if he keeps playing at the same rate.
He practices his aim, as he usually does, so I bend over, pushing my boobs up with my hands. Instantly, he's thrown off. He's laughing along with everyone, standing up straight. He's desperately trying to keep his eyes on the cups.
"Your turn Tommy." I beckon, biting my teeth down on my lower lip.
The others cackle in laughter and he scrunches his face up. He throws the ball but it bounces off to the side. He curses, annoyed that I psyched him out. I stand up as Sam and Eva embrace me in a celebratory hug.
"I'm pretty sure that's cheating." He calls, jokingly.
"Like you minded." I return with a innocent shrug.
The celebration doesn't last long. Despite my best efforts and awesome distractions, we lost the game. It was inevitable. With Thomas on the opposite team, we were never going to win.
**
The girls and I hang out in one of Wesley's luxurious bathrooms, reapplying our makeup, drinking without being disturbed and having drunken conversations.
I've never really had a solid friend group of girls, not for many years but even when you're younger those girls aren't really your friends. Even though the pair of them are a couple, I don't feel like a third wheel which is nice.
"You know Thomas can't stop looking at you?" Eva draws on her lipliner, looking at me in the mirror while I pee.
"Oh my god." I comb through my hair. "Don't."
"Are you sure you two aren't a thing?" She questions as I finish.
"We just live together." I wash my hands in the sink.
"Is that all you do together?" Violet wiggles her eyebrows at me and I race over, tickling her sides. She lets out squeals of laughter before wriggling away.
I quickly lose track of how long we spend in there together. We clutch our way back down the narrow set of stairs back into the basement. I let out a yell when my foot slips through a gap and I fall hard, straight on my ass.
It attracts a few people attention but I don't really care. We all find it too funny, in stitches out of laughter. Eva and Violet take an arm each and help me up up. We stagger down through the basement again, singing along to the song that's playing.
**
Somehow, through the drunken mess of everyone else Thomas manages to find us three in the middle of the crowded room. With his arrival, Eva and Violet start to dance with each other.
I can only make him out in each flash of the strobe lights, his movements appearing jagged like stop motion. Sometimes it's like there's two of him in front of me but I think that might just be the alcohol. The group clusters tighter around us as they all carelessly dance.
"Are you enjoying the night?" I ask, my voice instantly drowned out by the music.
"What!?" He leans down so he can hear me. My hand cranes to his neck and I move so I can speak directly into his right ear.
"I said... are you having a good time!?" I draw back to see his answer. I keep my arms around him while he exaggerates a nod. "Are you going to dance?"
"I don't dance." He recoils almost becoming disgusted. I let out a laugh.
"Yeah you do. You can dance!" I start bobbing my head to the beat of the music. "Come on dance with me!" He looks around, trapped within everyone else dancing together.
Eva and Violet are busy singing the song at each other. I slide my hands off of him, raising them into the air above my head while I sway my body to the rhythm.
When I open my eyes, he's still awkwardly stood watching me. For someone with so much game you think he'd be better at this.
I swivel myself around and step back until I knock into him. I intertwine my fingers with his and place them on my waist, swinging my hips. He copies my movements, his hands travelling along my sides where I allow them to go.
I feel his breath blaze on the bare skin of my shoulder as he stands behind me. I push myself further back into him and he holds my hips. He begins to take control of my body and I let him.
Tilting my head up and to the side, we laugh at each other. I rest my arm backwards around his neck before rotating myself around so we're chest to chest. His warm touch remains on my waist as I loop my arms around the back of his neck, along his broad shoulders.
My heels lift off of the floor as he spins me around a little. Laughing, I throw my head back. When he puts me down, we catch each other, breathless. My tongue dips out, wetting my lips as my fingers trail up into the short hair on the back of his head.
His face flashes in the red and purple strobe light as his eyes flicker to each of mine and then down to my mouth. I can't help but look as well. It feels normal. It feels...right.
I notice his fingers gently press slightly further into my lower back, enticing me forward and holy shit it's working. Everything about his lips are so tempting.
He moves forwards a fraction and I recede, teasing him with an unintentional chase. We've never been this close. Our mouths are so close they're grazing past each other without even touching. My thumb rest before his ear as his cool breath tickles my bottom lip.
I take a last look into his soft, green eyes. I forget everything else, everyone else. The world could be on fire and I wouldn't notice.
He's challenging me and it suddenly drops a weight down into the pit of my stomach. My throat tightens and my palms feel slick with a sheen of nervous clamminess.
"I need some air." The words are barely audible but I know he heard me. We retract back from each other and before I can look at him again, I push myself out of the crowd, leaving him stood on his own.
The freezing cold of the night makes tears prick my eyes as I feel like I've instantly become sober, crashing down from a high. I run my hands over my face.
"Fuck."
What the hell was that Isabelle?
My skin crawls with nerves as the back of my neck is hot with arousal. I feel excited and ashamed at the same time – but most of all I feel confused.
Am I into him? Do I like him? I can't be into him. He's Thomas King. And now I've just embarrassed myself in front of him.
Well done Isabelle. Well fucking done.
I pace a few steps around, combing my hands through my hair. He wouldn't want me. He wouldn't want someone like me. He's doesn't want me and he never will. Why is it that your brain always wants to make you like someone that you shouldn't?
Even if he does like me, I don't think I'm ready for another relationship so soon. I know I'm not ready for one. And he's the kind of guy who doesn't do girlfriends anyway. Wait - why am I even considering a relationship with him?
I shake my head at myself. I'm so stupid and now I've humiliated myself. I've probably embarrassed him as well so now it's going to be so awkward back at the apartment. Maybe I really do need to start looking for my own place.
God. I feel sick to my stomach but I can't tell if it's the alcohol's effect or what's just happened.
I spend the next few minutes outside, calming my stupid self down before I decide to join the party again. Ideally, I want to find him as quickly as I can and apologize. I don't really know which part I want to apologize for though.
The basement is still as busy as it was earlier and after doing a lap, but now I can't find Thomas, Eva or Violet. My body is still kicking with nerves so I drink three shots off of the drinks table, one after the other. It burns the back of my throat and I shake my whole body, disgusted.
It's not my best decision but I haven't made many good ones tonight.
"Hey, are you alright?" Sam touches the side of my arm.
"Sam!" I cry out, overly excited to see him. "Yes, I'm fine. Have you seen-." I trail off, my face dropping as I look over his shoulder.
Thomas is holding a blonde girl's hand as she leads him to the upstairs. When I refocus my attention to Sam, he's already caught me and his eyes follow to where I was looking at. Luckily, Thomas has already gone.
"What?" He comes back to me, confused. I down another shot, ignoring the knot in my gut.
"Nothing." I shake my head, the motion making me feel dizzy. It feels heavy on top of my shoulders and the pounding music doesn't help either.
"I've been meaning to ask you something." He pauses and I give him an encouraging look. "Who was that guy at the fair the other night?"
"Oh." I have to think for a moment. I hold onto him, keeping myself steady as I shout over the top of the music. "That was Justin."
"Is he a friend or?" Something feels strange. Sam isn't usually this nosy or persistent but I'm too drunk to care.
"Not of mine. He's friends with my ex." I explain. Everything on my body feels like it's so weighted it's sinking through the floor.
"Ex? What happened there?" My eyes flutter, becoming difficult to keep fully open.
"I left him." I answer, out of breath, my head spinning.
"Oh. How come?"
"He used to beat me." The words come out my mouth like vomit.
And then I actually vomit.
****
- Frankie Kate