Jared
Classes didn't actually begin until January 22nd, but Jared had still returned back to UW-Stout on the 3rd, because the Track and Field season was going to officially begin a couple days later. His winter break was being cut short, but he honestly hadn't minded since Jared could only stand to be at home for short amounts of time anymore. Besides, he'd also noticed the strange feeling how his home actually hardly felt like his home any longer too. He'd first noticed it back during Thanksgiving break, but it'd felt like he was a stranger in his own childhood home, and his dorm in HKMC was his new oasis.
During his drive back to the UW-Stout campus through the Midwestern tundra in the beginning of January, Jared stopped at a local grocery store because the commons was going to be closed until classes started up again, and the MSC was only open during winter break when he was scheduled to be at practice in the field house, so that wasn't really an option either.
The campus was a freakin' ghost town.
One good thing about being back was the fact that he'd be able to walk around on the floor in nothing but his underwear without having to care if anyone saw him. Hell, he could scratch himself and readjust himself without a second thought, and for a guy, that was such a small but pivotal freedom to be able to enjoy. All day long, he'd laze around in his dorm in just his boxer briefs; he'd switched back and forth between movies to playing whatever games Brayden had kept there over break with his Xbox.
All the idle free time led his mind to wander back towards the very subject he'd wanted to forget about: Leah. He'd been so angry when she'd decided to end things, and Brayden hadn't even found a house that night, so they'd resorted to staying in and drunkenly played video games together. They'd free roamed around the city in Grand Theft Auto, and Jared angrily ran over any female civilian he'd happened across with whatever car he'd stolen.
He'd known that was kind of fucked up, but he'd been drunk and upset, and it was just a video game. Boomers didn't know shit about any of that video game violence bullshit they spewed out whenever they got the chance.
While he'd put on a Jason Statham movie, Jared wondered if Madison was back at school yet. As if on cue, there was a knock on his door, so without bothering to put any clothes on, he'd answered the door. Madison stood in his doorway, and his eyes widened as she'd looked down his entire body on full display for her.
"Jared! Put some clothes on when you answer the door!" She'd yelled, but broke out in laughter afterwards.
Jared smirked as he'd leaned against his doorway. "What? Can't handle all this perfection in front of you?"
"No, there's nothing I haven't seen before, but at least warn a girl when you decide to not wear any clothes," Madison shot back, but Jared enjoyed the fact that her eyes couldn't help but once again wander down his impressive torso.
Yeah, it wasn't anything he hadn't seen before either...
"That's too bad, because not wearing clothes is one of my favorite things to do," he winked. Madison scoffed as she'd crossed her arms as he'd stretched his back like a cat and raised his arms high above himself. "So, what's up?"
"Well, I just wanted to see if you were back or not, then if you were maybe interested in doing anything tonight?" Madison asked. "It would feel weird if we both just stayed in our rooms when we're the only people here, and we're sort of friends, so..."
Jared thought it was kinda cute that she was so obviously nervous, but tried to hide it. Hanging out alone in his room would just make him sit there and continue to mope around about his lady problems, get drunk and think about it even more...
Fuck that shit, he thought to himself. He needed a distraction.
"Yeah, we could grab dinner somewhere, or go see a movie if you want," he suggested. "But only if it's really shitty with a teen girl in a love triangle that seems more important than saving the world from whatever is trying to destroy it or whatever."
Madison chuckled. "Don't forget, one of the guys has to be a brooding werewolf or a brooding vampire."
Jared smacked himself in the forehead. "Dammit, how could I forget?"
Madison smiled. "Well, if you give me an hour or so to get settled back in, I can be back over here so we can head out?"
Jared nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me, see you then."
Madison said goodbye, and Jared couldn't help but notice how her gaze lingered over him once again as she'd backed away towards her side, so he couldn't help but appreciate the saw of her curvy hips as she walked away and went lower to check out her ass as an added bonus.
He'd closed his door and had begun to wonder about the opportunity their interesting little interaction had just created.
This night just might've just become much more interesting... Jared thought to himself as he'd put on a shirt and chinos for later.
Thankfully, the movie they'd decided on wasn't another YA bestseller turned into a movie; they saw a murder mystery thriller with a group of people stranded in a mansion on a hill during a storm. The setting wasn't too original, but Jared always enjoyed a classic whodunnit kind of murder mystery. It was a Tuesday, so the local theater had a student discount and the tickets were only $5 each.
Jared was always surprised at how much he'd enjoyed hanging out with Madison. She put on a hard front when he'd first met her, but as they'd gotten closer at practices and the few times they'd ended up at the same parties, he'd gotten to see she was incredibly smart, driven, and was pretty snappy with those clap backs if anyone annoyed her. She also wasn't afraid to say what no one would, and not a lot of people can handle honesty as much as they think they can.
He'd wondered why she still hung out with those girls, like Mandy more specifically. He may have been a little biased, but Madison didn't seem like the type of girl that would've been friends with a girl like Mandy Reinhardt. They both had such strong personalities; he wasn't surprised to hear from her that the two of them were feuding during the drive from the theater back towards campus.
"We left things unresolved before the break, so I honestly have no idea how things will play out when everyone else gets back," Madison sighed as she'd leaned against the window.
"Well, do you even want to make up with her?"
"I hate leaving anything messy and unfinished, Plus, the girls were my first friends at Stout. I'd hate to screw that up, but she's not making it any easier," Madison paused. "They love to go out as a whole group, and they always get so annoyed with me whenever I can't go with because I have an early practice, or I have too much schoolwork to worry about.
She turned towards him while he drove. "I feel like they're slowly pushing me out of the circle, and I feel like I'm hanging on by a thread without any way to to be able to fix it."
"Have you talked to them about it?"
Madison huffed. "No, they kept secrets from me, they posted that video of me, and made me feel guilty about confronting them, so I don't even know if it's worth it at this point."
Jared felt sympathetic as she'd looked out his window, disappointment and loneliness plain to see in her exression. He didn't know what to say to make her feel any better; he wasn't used to seeing her other than the strong, confident girl he always saw her as. He'd caught a glimpse of the outside streetlights as they'd traveled across her features while he drove, and revealed a tear that had fallen down her cheek.
He'd reached over, and with his eyes still on the road, squeezed her hand in reassurance with his own.
"It'll all work out," he comforted her quietly.
"Dammit, I hate crying!" Madison groaned with a small laugh. "I'm such an ugly crier. You don't want to see me with the waterworks, believe me." She'd hastily dabbed her face dry, careful not to smear too much of her makeup.
Jared chuckled. "It's all good, Madison. If it helps, I don't think I've ever seen you look less than amazing."
She smiled and playfully swatted his shoulder, and Jared was relieved.
They'd returned back inside HKMC, and were about to go their separate ways until Jared had decided last second to invite her over for a quick drink and maybe watch a show together.
"All about that 'Netflix and chill,' huh?" Madison teased as he'd held his door open for her.
Jared laughed under his breath. "Or, I just enjoy having company, and drinking alone in my room sounds too depressing."
"Well why didn't you say so? Stop giving a girl ideas," she'd grinned at him, hand flipped her hair. He couldn't deny it; Madison looked so incredibly sexy with the her heated gaze full of meaning, and the way her finger's played with the ends of her smooth, ebony hair.
She wasn't exactly being subtle...
Maybe he wasn't trying to give her ideas, but he suddenly started thinking that maybe that Netflix and Chill fantasy might not be a bad idea.
Madison
It was funny how some people acted completely different when their friends weren't around. Like, their personality did a complete 180 spin, and they showed a completely different side of themselves. Normally, Madison hated the hell out of that; it made people seem so incredibly two faced, but being alone on the third floor with Jared Mikaelson had started to make her consider rethinking her opinion.
It was like they no longer had to act a certain way because it was expected of them and because they didn't have to play the roles their friends had cast them into. They could just be themselves for a change.
Madison assumed that Jared had to be expecting something to happen when he'd asked her to come back to his room and have a drink; The guy was the biggest flirt she'd ever met. She knew he was a huge player, a womanizer, plus any other names similar on Urban Dictionary. Despite that, she still liked spending time with him since they'd gotten closer over the last few months, but also had to wonder why he would possibly starting something with herself if he had a girlfriend who he was supposedly crazy about?
Something didn't add up, and she wanted to have all the facts straight before things went too far, because Madison Parker was not about to be the Angelina Jolie in a possible mess of a situation.
Jared poured her a Captain Coke before he'd started up his Netflix account. "Anything you want to watch in particular?"
"Have you watched How to Get Away With Murder?" she asked. He shook his head as he searched and started the first episode.
They watched, and Madison was fully aware of his arm that smoothly snaked around the back of his futon, just barely inches away from her shoulders. The room felt like it'd gotten warmer, and she was surprised how easy it was for them to be near each other. Without thinking, she'd leaned against him, his arm dropped around her; it just felt so natural to cuddle up with him right then and there.
As Madison's mind wandered back to how he looked in his underwear earlier; she kept picturing the way he'd leaned against his doorframe—how his arm rested above his head to show the stretch of muscles in his arm and his chest, and she had to admit that she wanted to see what else he had to offer, but first things first...
"So, I have to ask," she'd leaned away from his warmth. "Don't you have a girlfriend?"
Madison sensed his whole body tense up. Jared took a deep breath as he leaned forward and rested both arms on his knees, his gaze distant. The room felt colder, and Madison felt guilty for ruining the mood; she already missed his warmth, but there was obviously something going on with him, and cheating on his girlfriend with her was not the answer.
Jared's blue eyes dimmed. "She dumped me, right before break," his voice had gone flat and lifeless.
She felt the tug in her chest and her instinctively brought her arm to soothingly run down his back. "I'm so sorry to hear that, did she say why?" Her voice laced with sympathy.
That question sparked life back into his eyes, but it was heat without warmth; a sharp, cold burn like frostbite. "She said she'd been talking with her ex and was planning to meet up with him over break, and that she might want to get back together with him, so she cut me loose."
Madison shook her head. "What a fucking bitch," she muttered.
"Yeah, my thoughts exactly," Jared chuckled under his breath. "But, after thinking about it, I am glad she told me this before instead of cheating on me with him."
Madison scoffed. "I guess, but it still sucks to be tossed aside like that. You're actually a pretty decent guy, Jared, and you still deserve better than that."
"It's funny, but she said that too."
"Well don't worry about it," Madison assured him. "Consider the fact that maybe you dodged a bullet. It would've been worse the longer she waited to tell you."
"I guess so," Jared didn't seem entirely convinced.
"Jared, you're an insanely gorgeous guy who has girls chasing after you more than Harry Styles," Madison said. "You will bounce back and find someone who won't take you for granted and toss you aside like a dusty old handbag."
Jared's eyes met hers, his expression tried to hide a grin. "So, you think I'm insanely gorgeous?"
"That's what you got out of all that?" Madison rolled her eyes. Jared's grin grew bigger, so she'd crossed her arms. "Oh c'mon, like you don't know that you're ridiculously attractive?"
He'd laughed. "That doesn't mean it's not nice to hear it from other people, especially from sexy, smart, and proud girls like you," his voice went deep and rough as his eyes darkened with desire.
It felt like an invisible force had brought them closer together. They both slowly leaned closer and closer, their eyes never wavered or looked away, until their faces were within inches from the other's.
Jared's eyes lowered towards her lips as her tongue slid out to moisten her lips. She swore she'd heard him hum a deep rumble that had sent chills across her arms and made her entire body flare up, then his baby blues slid back up to hers, and she was done for.
"Madison," Jared whispered against her neck, She could feel his breath warm her skin. His hand came up to run across her jawline, and it took everything inside her not to make an embarrassing whimper or moan under his soothing touch. "I really want to kiss you."
She couldn't breathe, the air had escaped her lungs as her hands came up to his shoulders. His hand continued to taunt her along her jaw, his breath sent more chills down her body.
"Can I kiss you?" he'd quietly asked her.
Unable to speak, she'd grabbed his hair to drag him down to her and slam her lips to his. She was insistent and ran her lips over his in a wild and frantic pace, but he'd quickly slowed them both down and kissed her with such passion in a painstakingly slow manner. Her mind went blank except for how amazing their kiss was, all the while their hands had slowly began to wander.
Jared was a damn good kisser...
His lips left hers to travel over her jaw and down her neck, his lips parted and Madison felt the wicked heat of his tongue across her skin and she shivered. She couldn't help but let a moan of pleasure escape as his head rose and took a small, teasing bite to her earlobe.
She dragged him back so their lips could join together once again, but they'd parted so their tongues could meet and clash, and Madison felt smug with the reward of having a deep moan escape from Jared, straight from his chest.
After what felt like forever, the two of them broke apart and caught their breath. Jared looked shocked at the unexpected intensity; his darkened eyes gazed down at her in wonder, and Madison felt so beautiful to have a boy stare at her like that. She'd arched her back into the futon and sighed with how soft the cushion had felt, along with the beautiful boy on top of her.
After a couple moments, Jared and Madison went back at it with a faster, more urgent pace. Madison's whole body hummed as she'd felt his tongue run along her lips, slightly pushed for her to open, so she greedily complied, and their kiss deepened even further once again.
His grip tightened on her hips and as they broke apart so he could flip her over and straddle him along his futon.
She rubbed herself against him, and felt a jolt of pride when she could feel him hard as stone. She felt his fingers as they'd played along the bottom edges of her top.
"Is this okay?" he'd asked, his voice all deep and husky.
Madison didn't reply, she'd only raised herself from him to lift her top above her head. Jared's eyes traveled over her newly exposed skin, and Madison loved the desire and power his intense gaze gave her.
Madison hastily fixed her hair and had to take a deep breath before she'd lost all train of thought, but he'd leaned up to kiss her again. She stopped him at the last moment, and actually put her pointer finger against his lips.
"I'm not looking for anything serious, okay?" Madison said. "This is just a causal, one-time thing while no one's around. Is that okay?"
Jared was silent for a few beats, but smiled back up at her. "Got it, that's totally fine, that's exactly what I want too."
Madison leaned down and brought their lips back together for another earth-shattering kiss, and tuned out everything inside her head that weighed her down, and what felt like the first time in forever, just let it all go. She let herself enjoy Jared's mouth, his hands that felt so euphoric, the hard lines of his body, those abs...best of all, no one else was around and there was no stress for once.
Madison could just live in the moment.
More clothes had begun to slip away, and soon Madison once again flipped underneath Jared on his futon. Jared gave her one last look that silently asked her, Are you sure? Are you okay with this? Is this okay?
Madison couldn't think of anything she'd wanted more in her life at the moment, and after he'd found a condom in his desk drawer to prepare himself with, they'd raced each other towards that blissful end.