{~Evelyn~}
I've never felt so exposed with this backless dress. The material hugged all my curves and stopped right above my knee. The bright red colour matched the shade of my lipstick that Val was currently applying for me.
"Don't move a single inch." She ordered.
I grumbled. "I feel like the fucking red dude from Inside Out."
"Shh. You're going to smudge it." She set my makeup and seemed satisfied with her work. "It looks good."
"No doubt. You did it." I grabbed my purse and slid on the pair of heels I packed.
"So you've never been to a club before?" Alaina asked, Josie tying on her corset for her.
"Nope. I haven't gotten the chance to."
Val tied her auburn hair into a high ponytail. "Not gonna lie, I'm trying to get laid tonight. So, I might be back in the room late."
I winced, giving her a look. "Please, way too much information." She laughed, unbothered.
"Ready?" Josie asked, bumping my shoulder as we locked the door, waiting for the elevator to stop at our floor.
I nodded in confirmation. I smoothed a hand over my leg. "Don't you think it's weird? Dancing with strangers and such?"
Alaina shrugged. "Not really. Everyone just does their own shit."
Val hummed in agreement. "And we will do our own shit. I'm over being with guys." Oh, I forgot about her telling us about her traumatising and most heartbreaking split ups she had to endure with her past boyfriends. I would get that.
She hooped her arm with hers, sighing. "We're with you, honey."
We made it to the ground floor, our heels clicking as we walked to the entrance.
I tried to stop my eyes from bugging out my head when I saw Grayson. White button-down and black dress pants, sleeves rolled up mid-forearms. Veins crawling up his arms, my stomach doing that stupid barrel-roll every time I see him. But holy God. With that blazer hung off his shoulder? I was a goner.
His gaze swept the length of my body, a small dimpled smile creeping on his lips. I stopped in front of him, rocking on my heels nervously. "You look..." He trailed off, cocking his head to the side, scanning me once again.
"If you say 'good' I'll tell everyone your death was an accident." I grumbled, fumbling with the lace. "This dress took like, ten minutes to put together and it restricts my leg-movement so much that I think I'm gonna trip every—"
"...pulchritudinous." He finished, his hand splayed on my bare back as he led me into the car. "Breath-taking, even."
I huffed out a laugh, flaming red. "You don't look bad either. And please use English."
He chuckled. "It was English, mi alma."
I opened my phone, fingers hovering over the search bar. He spelt it out for me without me asking beforehand. "Beautiful." I read aloud, the darkness of night hiding my blush once I've shut off the screen. "Thank you." I whispered, tapping the toes of my heels together.
The blur of the city passed us, as Forrest and Josie made up their own conversation in the front. "Why?" He said asked a few minutes, breaking the silence between us.
I glanced up, puzzled. "Why what?"
"What do you do that?" He continued.
I let out a sound for the back of my throat, sputtering out a laugh. "Why do I do what? "
"You always look away when someone compliments you." I do that?
"Oh... I don't know why." I tugged the hem lower when it rode up.
It was his turn to exhale. "You don't believe me do you?" I didn't reply. "Would you believe me if I said you were the most amazing person I've ever met? That I'm actually glad you're my roommate?"
There was no point in lying. "Yes. Yes, I would believe you." I lifted my head, grinning and I nudged his side. "Josie was right," I recall one night when we were on call, "you do have a soft spot for me."
I grin even wider as he just stared at me. "Can I ask if there's a reason?"
"Ikigai. " He said. "But no looking it up." He pushed my phone down to gain my attention.
I groaned in feigned annoyance. "You're so full of shit." I paused, remembering I brought him a thing. "Oh, I almost forgot. I got you my extra Skittles. Congratulations, you're my new compost bin." I handed him all the bag full of red and purple ones.
He snorted, popping one into his mouth and leaving the packet in his pocket. "Thank you. It's an honour." The car slowed to a halt, a cold breeze rushing in as we exited.
We could hear the muffled music before even entering the building, vibrations racking my body when we were at the door. Josie gave them our ID's and it took awhile until we were all in.
Sounds were blaring in my ears, we had to yell to communicate. Val tugged on my hand towards the bar. We navigated by squishing through sweaty bodies and ducked under someone who was crowd surfing.
"Strongest shot you have on tap. And keep 'em coming." Alaina ordered and the bartender nodded, four glasses sliding our way, more getting made at the moment.
"You good with this?" Val yelled over the noise and I smiled.
"I'm good." I threw my head back with the first shot, not enjoying the taste, but liking the burn. "I still don't like it."
She shrugged. "Don't drink it if you don't want to."
I lost count about how many shots we took, my throat numb and parched. More drinks should help. Empty glasses were being swept away as songs switched in between. Lights flashed, in and out. Colours blinding my vision, obscuring my search for Grayson in the crowd.
Is he okay with all these drunk people?
I could feel the alcohol doing its thing. My mind was becoming hazy, my movements starting to feel clumsy. My nose was getting used to the strong smell of the club: booze, sex, vomit and alcohol.
Our conversations were muddled in the music, our words hardly being head by the other so we just gestured to take shots together at a time. I don't know how many we had until the bartender had to specifically stop us from buy more.
Josie slammed the cash onto the table and dragged us to the middle of the dance floor. Josie somehow found Forrest, grinding on him. I laughed as Val did the same to me, soon after getting swept away by a stranger—she didn't seem to mind once I gave her the okay that I was fine alone. Alaina got lost in the crowd and soon, I did too.
"Oh!" I got spun into the arms of another, their hands on my hips, my back feeling sticky skin behind me. Was this man shirtless? "Uh—oh, okay." I felt rough lips on my neck, dragging down my collarbone.
I let him. I let this guy push my ass into his covered erection, because my thoughts were too jumbled to think of anything else. When one hand roamed to my stomach, I stilled even as it dipped amid my thighs.
I pushed him away with a tense smile. "Um—washroom—" I stumbled into a person, their drink partially spilling on my chest. I panicked as he jerked me to him with more force, his dick trying to find relief with friction.
His tongue dragging across my skin to clean the mess. I whimpered, willing myself not to cry right now. I used my last soberness to dart my eyes around the room, unsure of what I was trying to find until they clashed with his twenty feet away.
[-Grayson-]
I knew something was wrong the second I saw the flash of helplessness she gave me. I drowned the rest of my water, thanking the bartender before weaving searching the crowd.
I caught a flash of her hair and dress that disappeared into the backrooms.
That fucking dress. I was fighting a hard-on the whole car ride. I was also battling the urge to keep my hands on her at all times, to make sure everyone knew she was off-limits.
I followed in pursuit, ensuring she was still in sight. Is she okay? It was either beat up the guy back there, or to stick with Eve.
I lost her in a hallway, dozens of doors along the halls. I inwardly groan, my heart pounding faster. "If I were her where would I be?" I muttered to myself.
I opened an unlocked door, revealing Alaina sucking faces with Wyatt. I slammed it shut immediately. Well, that's one problem solved.
Washroom. She would go there. Her own space. "Eve?" I knocked.
"Not here." She said, her words slurring.
I sighed, face-palming. "Mi alma, open the door."
It pried open a fraction, a sliver of her face shown in a pout. She was sitting on the floor too. "But I like it closed."
I crouched, nudging it even wider to see her state. "You're drunk." I observed.
Eve giggled, shaking her head. "I'm... not. You are the drunk one. Oopsie. That was mean. I'm so mean sometimes. I didn't mean it like that."
"How much have you had?" I asked, getting the door fully open that she was leaning on me for support instead of the ground. She held up a hand. "Five shots?" With great effort, another hand rose up. "Eight? Really?" I said, raising my eyebrows.
"I'm sorry." She muttered. "It was so fun though. Right? Fun. You're fun. You're nice, too. You know what would be nice? A bed. I like my bed." She rambled, laughing at herself like she told the funniest joke ever.
"Fucking hell. You're wasted." I glanced down at her chest. "And you spilled on yourself." I entered the washroom and closed the door behind me.
She frowned, eight fingers still in the air, for some reason. "No. Someone else did. Then another person tried to lick it off me. I don't like them." A singular tear dripped down her cheek and I swiped it away.
God, drunk Eve has the worst mood swings.
I bit down on my tongue to avoid saying anything cruel. Fuck them. "I don't like them either. Let's clean you up, okay? Just talk to me." I ripped off paper towels and dampened them with water.
"Talk to you?" Her confusion made me smile.
"Yeah. Anything that's on your mind. Or do you want me to fill in the silence?" I quickly called an Uber, so they could be here by the time I was done.
"Anything?" Her eyes were full of wonder and I grinned.
"Anything."
"Okay... well, you are very handsome." She nodded at herself. "I know someone that reminds me of you."
"Yeah?" I used the elastic I kept on my wrist for her to tie it into a ponytail, away from the alcohol.
"Mhm. He's really good to me. He likes volleyball. And he lives with me. He makes me laugh, too! I would never tell him, but I think he's smarter than me. I always need his help. He makes me feel like I'm normal, you know? Because sometimes I cry and I hate it, but I feel okay with him. His name is Grayson. What's your name again?"
My chest warmed, spreading into my body. "Grayson."
She gasped, then dropped her head onto my chest and laughed. "My bad! I guess you know now. I mean it. I think I'm always annoying you, right?"
I looked into her eyes. "No. You could never. I'd never get tired of you, mi alma."
She smiled dreamily at me. "See what I mean? Nice." Her brows creased, suddenly in a thought. "Guess what's not nice."
"Getting alcohol spilled on you?" I assumed, but she shook her head.
"Nope. Well, yes. But my dad. And my mom." She added. "I don't trust them anymore. I do, but not with everything. Remember how I didn't want to tell them where I was this week?"
I nodded, trying my best to dry off her dress.
"They never told us we were moving until the last minute. I was given no option. So sad. I just want them to feel what it's like when you have a secret kept away from you. I love them, but I wonder if they love me. On rare occasions, we call and shit, but they never ask me about me, you know?"
"They love you. Your dad for sure loves you. I talked to him at least once and I know he cares."
She looked at me gratefully. "I don't like my cousin either."
I kissed the top of her head before discarding all the paper into the trash can. "She's not my favourite either." I agreed.
"She was mean to me. I forgive her. But I also can't trust her. I can trust you. And Josie. And Val. And Alaina. And Forrest. And Ezra..." She continued to list all our friends as I listened to her angelic voice.
"I know. I can trust you too." I said honestly.
Her eyes watered. "Really?"
My heart hurt for her. "Yes. Don't cry, okay?"
She complied, digging her head into my shoulder. "I threw up earlier. There. Two times." She pointed at the enclosed toilet seat.
I huffed against her temple. "Our Uber should be here, let's get you back to the hotel." She hugged my arm even tighter when we were outside, freezing air falling on us.
I shrugged off my blazer and hung it off her shoulders, tucking her closer to me. "Thanks." She visibly blushed and I smiled at the effect I have on her.
"Y'all been drinking?" The man asked once we were in the back.
I clipped on the seat belt for her. "Only her. Don't worry, though." He shrugged and revved the engine.
I watched as Eve reached for my hand, twiddling my rings in her fingers. "You're really good-looking, Grayson. Did I say that yet?" She laughed for no apparent reason, but I smiled anyway at the sound.
"Yeah, mi alma. You did. Thank you."
"I love your sister." She said absently. "And your mom too. She has my number, you know that? Says that you're the best son she could ever have. I can see that."
I swallowed thickly as her thumb grazed over my knuckles. She started humming a song that sounded suspiciously like Fruit Salad by the Wiggles.
We got back to the hotel and she attempted to take off her shoes. "I got it." I kneeled in front of her, working through the clasps of those death traps. She slid them off and I hooked the ends to my fingers, standing up. "Better?"
She nodded, gaining her balance to look as nonchalant as possible. Her body was slowly canting into me, giving into dizziness.
I unlocked her room door with her card. "You wanna go take a shower? Change?"
"Too much work." She mumbled. "Help, please." She fiddled with the string at the back.
I grazed her back while undoing every knot, loosening it until she could remove it herself. I stood there a moment longer before falling back a step. "There. Tell me if you need anything."
"Can you stay? I don't wanna be alone right now." Her voice was quiet as she stuck a shirt over her head when I faced her again.
"Of course." I pursed my lips together, knowing she's incredibly drunk. I glanced down to find her in my shirt that I'd allowed her to keep a few months ago.
"It smelled like you and it helped me sleep." She admitted, yawning. "It lost your scent, but it's still comfortable."
Oh my fucking God. "Go to sleep, mi alma." I whispered, tucking her in. I shuffled around the hotel bathroom and found a makeup wipe. I occupied the spot next to the bed, cleaning off her face.
"Grayson?"
"Eve?"
She blew out a breath, rubbing her cheek in my palm. "Can I have a kiss?" Her question threw me off guard.
I blinked.
She's not sober, dumb-ass.
I pressed my lips on her forehead, her eyes fluttering close. "Thank you." She shifted on the bed, the weight of her head on my thigh.
"Sleep. Smart-ass." I twined my hand in her hair, causing her to sigh, the sound forming into a snore. I stroked her hair until I was one hundred percent sure she was dead asleep.
I stripped off my button-down and kept her in her current position, drawing her closer. Almost, instinctively, her arms hooked around my hips. I touched the soft skin on her face, my mouth turning up.
I felt the beat in my chest grow faster as I recited the things she said about me. Am I really smarter than her? No, definitely not. Good-looking? I've never really cared about what other thought about my physical appearances, but hearing her say it was one of the best compliments I could've gotten. Being the cause of her laugh is like being handed an award.
"Damn, Evelyn." I whispered, cradling her jaw. "What are you doing to me?"
A/N: Guys, I'm really burnt out, but I still had chapters I haven't published yet, so I'll slowly work on them and make sure you're able to continue the story. I'll eventually finish the book this year. Thank you for your patience!