Distractions Ch. 11

My brother had already abandoned me and I felt self-conscious standing all by myself. I tugged at my dress for the hundredth time and glanced around the room looking for comfort. I felt almost too dressed up as I remembered how much money I spent on this dress. I waved to a few people I knew but after that, I wasn't sure what else to do.

"Hello, gorgeous," Ben said as he slipped a hand around my waist from behind and pecked me on the cheek.

"Hello, Bond," I said with a large grin.

"You look amazing," he said as he leaned away from me to get a better look.

I smiled warmly at him and said thanks. At the time I bought the dress, I thought it was a good thing to splurge on, but standing next to a neurosurgeon driving a $300,000 car, it seemed appropriate.

I was wearing a deep blue halter dress that accentuated my shoulders and the fullness of my breasts. It was tight around the waist, formfitting until just past my hips where the fabric gently flowed outward. It was a simple dress and I loved it. It had cost me a fortune, but I thought it was well worth it.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Bond." The man was dressed in a suit that cost more than I made in a month, but he pulled it off. He wasn't wearing the fabric with contempt, but in way that said he didn't really care what he had on. I got the impression Ben was wearing the suit because he felt he was supposed to. The fabric was tailored to his body and is seemed to shift and move with him as if it were a second skin.

"I mean really, Isabelle, you look amazing." I blushed at the intensity of his gaze.

"You're just trying to butter me up because you want me to see past your car." I leaned slightly into him to whisper into his ear, "Its not gonna work, though."

Ben let out a rumble. "When you become a doctor, you'll understand. It's all just a pissing contest from here on out. Men never mature, but we could use some beautiful women in the field to keep us modest." He winked then flashed me his million-dollar smile. "Come on, there are some people I want you to meet."

Ben grasped my hand and pulled me towards an intimidating group of older men. I opened my mouth to protest that I should probably wait for Gavin, but I decided to keep my mouth shut. Ben and I are friends and there's no reason I can't meet his friends, especially when Gavin was on the other side of the room rough housing with his old college buddies.

I clamped my mouth shut as Ben pulled me across the floor. As I was watching his back, I couldn't help but compare the two of them. Gavin would have loved Ben's car, but he would choose an old reliable pick-up truck any day of the week. Gavin was the quiet handsome. The kind that didn't need to flaunt it. Gavin had an air about him as if he still needed to be reassured how amazing he was. Ben on the other hand knew exactly what he had going for him, and he used that and his money to his advantage. Yes, both men were extremely different.

Sure, Gavin would have loved the car, but he would hate Ben, he would hate what he stood for. Here was a guy who was neurosurgeon just so he could impress the girls with the expensive car. We both knew he wasn't in it to really help people, he wanted the respect that came with the salary. I smiled to myself as I imagined Gavin and Ben meeting. I prayed it would end differently than I imagined it.

As Ben ushered me closer and closer to the doctors and privileged people he knew, I couldn't help but note how different this night would have been if I'd shown up with him and not Gavin.

I smiled to myself and tried to clear my head. I wanted to make a good impression, and the last thing I wanted was for these people to think was that I was aloof because my mind was focused on Gavin.

Already, my attention was waning, and I just caught when Ben introduced me to a few of his colleagues. I stuck out my hand politely and waited patiently as they jumped right into shoptalk. It was interesting to hear doctors talking about their profession, but I had no idea what they were actually saying. I grinned as I thought, in a couple years; I'd be able to hold my own in a conversation like this.

Most of the doctors in our company were polite enough to ask me a few questions about what field I wanted to pursue, and tried to listen as I spoke, but even I was getting bored. I looked around at the group I was standing in and had to wonder if this is where I could be in eight years. The thought scared me.

These people, although nice, were stiffs. You could tell that life stopped being about living and having fun and became consumed with mortgages on summer homes, and the affliction of being pushed into a higher tax bracket.

I managed to talk to a few of the surgeons from the hospital that had written recommendations for me, and I thanked them for taking time out to put in a good word for me. They all smiled when I beamed at how excited I was at being accepted. Every single one of them gave me a polite hug and told me to keep my eye on the big picture, advice I was sure would come in handy.

"I didn't even realize how much you guys noticed my work," I said to the group before me, still astounded that the doctors took notice of the tech bustling around the operating room.

Dr. Murray smiled and said of course they noticed. He smiled when he said that him and the guys in his practice weren't as snobbish as many doctors were. They could still remember when they were in my position.

I thanked them again, and we went our separate ways when they found other people they wanted to talk to. Ben was in a heated discussion with someone I'd never met before, so I didn't want to go over there, so that left me standing around, still without a drink or Gavin. I looked around trying to scan the crowd for my brother when I saw Cassie and Wilson standing not too far from me with their heads together conspiratorially.

My blood began to boil when the obvious thought hit me like a ton of bricks. Gavin and I had spent weeks fighting because these two assholes were just that – assholes. As I was standing there, staring daggers into the backs of Cassie and Wilson, Ben eased up to my side.

"Is everything all right?"

"I should ask you the same, the guy you were talking to before looked like he wanted to rip your throat out." I spoke to Ben without taking my eyes off Cassie and Wilson.

"Just a friendly discussion. Would you like a drink?" What I wanted was Gavin by my side as if to confirm that he really was mine. I wanted a drink too, but I didn't want Ben to get it for me. If anything, I felt the need to get away from him.

What the hell is wrong with me? Here was a perfectly handsome and successful man wanted to get me a drink and get me to mingle with all the right people, and I didn't want to talk to him.

"That's okay, I'll get it. I need to find my date anyway." I had officially lost my mind. Why I didn't call him my boyfriend was beyond me. Was he my boyfriend?

Ben nodded politely and to my surprise leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. "I will be right over here."

I nodded to him and walked off suddenly feeling smothered. Where was Gavin?

I set out with the intention of looking for my date but ended up at the bar instead. I stood staring at the bottles lined up on the counter.

"What can I get you miss?"

"Rum and coke."

The bartender smiled as he handed me the glass, and I slipped two dollars into his tip-jar.

I smelt Gavin before he opened his mouth. "Have I told you that you look beautiful?" He pressed his front to my back and wrapped his arms around my waist.

I was trying not to blush too deeply when I told him thank you.

"Who was that guy you were talking to?"

"Jealous?"

"Yes."

I turned in his arms shocked he would admit something like that. "His name is Ben. He's the Dean of Admissions at Crownan. He's the one that got me in. Don't look at me like that, we're just friends – kind of."

"Yea well, just remember what I said about friends." I smiled as his lips landed on mine. "I don't want any competition."

"Don't worry," I said as I reached up on my tiptoes to capture his lips this time. "No competition, I promise." And that was the truth.

He smiled widely as he shook his hair out of his eyes. "Lets dance."

Gavin pulled my rum and coke from my hand and led me to the dance floor. My face heated, as I couldn't help but notice that this was our first official dance as a couple. My hand gripped his tighter as he pulled me to the center of the large paneled dance floor. How cliché, did it really have to be the center? I felt self conscious as it was.

I smiled like a schoolgirl as he pulled me to him and began to lead me in a slow waltz. "I didn't even know you knew how to dance."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Red."

I was happy with that answer. It was nice to know that people still had the ability to surprise me in a good way.

"Like how good you would look in a tux," I said as I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth.

I lay my head on his shoulder as we began to step and sway to the music. I was lost in his embrace, and eventually the entire room melted away, and it was just us.

Gavin and I danced and laughed, drank and danced some more. We twirled about as if we were the only ones there. Eventually the only thing grounding me in reality was the pull of my bladder. I told Gavin where I was going and tried as best I could to gracefully walk off the dance floor.

I found my feet taking me to the bathroom, so I let them. I locked myself in the stall trying to gain a moment to myself trying to quite the excitement that was bubbling in the pit of my stomach. I'm not sure how long I was in the stall, but I knew it was long enough when I heard the doors open and heels click across the marble floor.

"I fucked everything up. That stupid yellow bitch thinks she's better than me? Fuck her. In two weeks, I managed to fuck up her entire life-long friendship with him, and now I hear she's moving to California. This couldn't have worked out better than if I'd actually planned it this way."

"But I saw them dancing. They looked happy," someone with an irritatingly high voice chimed in.

"Just the calm before the storm. Wait 'till they see what I have in store for them next. She'll be leaving in tears, and he will be standing around with his tail between his legs," Cassie said as she pulled her lipstick from her cleavage.

I wasn't aware when my hands had quietly slid the silver knob on the bathroom stall open, but Cassie's friend noticed when I stepped out of the stall and she saw the look on my face.

"Get out." My tone wasn't something I'd ever heard come out of my mouth. I didn't know who Cassie's friend was, but I'd seen her around. My fight wasn't with her, it was with Cassie, and she and I were going to straighten this out – now.

Cassie slowly turned to look at me, pure fear in her eyes until she took enough settling breaths to cover it.

"You are pathetic. At this point, I can't even be mad at you, I just feel bad for you. What a sad person you must be. Its gotta be horrible to have sucked and fucked every guy in this town, and several others, and not have found any that would be willing to call you more than a quick lay. I look at you, and it just makes me sad. After all this time, and all those guys, you're still alone at the end of the day."

Her mouth gaped open in surprise, as she stood frozen in front of the mirror glaring at me. It took her a moment to remember her place and close her mouth. "Who do you have?" she snarled.

"I have my brother, and I have a best friend who also happens to be one of the greatest men in the word. And despite what you or anyone else will try to do, Gavin and I will always be best friends."

I turned to leave, and I could see her staring at me in the mirror. "You know, he and I had a good laugh about you. That day when you saw me leaving his apartment, we had a real good laugh. While I was riding him for all he was worth, he told me how you tried to suck him off. How you tried to ride him. How you tired to fuck him. How you thought the two of you were making love. Yea," she added with a snort. "We had a real good laugh."

Well, that did it. I tired to be nice, and nonviolent, but Cassie was asking for it. I spun around, smashed her lipstick into her face where it was hovering and kicked her leg out from under her. She hit the ground on her back, and I dropped me knee into her chest, not worrying about breaking ribs. I heard the satisfying whoosh of the air rushing out of her lungs.

Cassie opened her mouth like she was going to say something else stupid, so I stopped her before she could start. I grabbed her by the hair and punched her in the face. I hate to admit it, but I felt a sense of calm wash over me as blood started to pour from her nose, and her eyes clouded with tears. Needless to say, I don't fight like a bitch.

"Are you done talking shit?"

"No one will ever want you, you know," she said as blood seeped into her mouth staining her teeth a watery red. I frowned at her. I was expecting more from her at this point.

"And I'm sorry you have nothing to offer men but the worn out flesh between your legs."

I didn't wait for her response as I hauled her from the floor and tossed her into the stall I came out of. I threw her hard enough into the stall that she bounced off the toilet and rolled to the floor. "Seems like a good place for you."

I turned my back to her, and walked to the sink and washed my hands. She bled on me when my fist crushed the cartilage in her nose. I would probably have to get tested now. I looked at her in the mirror and the only emotion I could muster for her was pity. She had that coming but she was still a lonely, pitiful person. How I could let a person like that come between Gavin and I was embarrassing.

I dried my hands and left he bathroom.

_(*(*(-)*)*)_

"You were in there forever." Gavin had been standing outside the ladies room with his hands shoved deep in his tuxedo pockets.

"Miss me?"

"Afraid you ran off with a doctor," he said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me closer.

"What'd you do?" He asked as he brought my hand to his face to examine my knuckles. I couldn't help but grin.

"I broke a bitch's face." Confusion then recognition flashed across his face as he took in my wide smile.

"Seriously?" He asked as he brought my bruising knuckles to his lips and kissed them. "You make me so hard."

The air left my lungs as he pulled me closer and let me feel his length. Amazing, how easily this guy could get hard. "Come here," he said as he took two handfuls of my behind and ground his pelvis into mine.

"Nope."

A sly smile spread across my face as I wriggled away from him. For a second he looked hurt and confused and possibly a little angry until I laughed and told him he had to catch me first. He stood there stunned until he watched as I took off running down the hall. Things were always more fun when I teased him to his breaking point.

I could hear his footsteps pounding the marble behind me as I winded through the massive hotel finally coming to a stop behind a massive column. I paused trying to get my shoes off so I could run silently. I was fumbling with the clasp, keeping an ear our for Gavin when I heard the unmistakable sounds of people kissing.

I slowed my breathing so I wouldn't disturb the happy couple, but my curiosity got the better of me. I inched around the corner and saw the back of a blond man's head. He was pressing someone against the wall as if trying to trap them.

I inched a little further trying to eye the girl he was pressed against when a very manly looking hand ran its fingers through the hair of the blond guy. This is getting better and better. Talk about making my night. I inched closer still trying to get a better look. Sure, I felt bad, a little, for spying, but needless to say, I haven't had much entertainment at other people expense in my life as of late.

The two were getting hot and heavy as the blond guy was shifted against the wall by the other guy as he took charge. Oddly, the scene of two men going at it was making me hot. They were really going at it now, the darker haired guy dominating the blond.

"You like that?" The dark haired one said to the blond. The blond moaned and leaned deeper into the kiss trying to press his body closer to the other man.

"Tell me what you want." The dark haired guy commanded.

"I wanna suck your cock."

My breath froze in my throat. There was something oddly familiar about that voice, but I pushed it aside intent on getting the biggest eyeful I could.

"That's right, I'm gonna make you my bitch, Wilson." What?

My eyes popped and m breath hitched. I could feel my heart stuttering as I tried to make sense of what I just heard. The sound that escaped my throat was a cross between a gasp and a startled cry. I wasn't sure I heard the dark haired man correctly until they both turned towards me, the source of the noise. Wouldn't you know it, I was standing face to face with Wilson, my eyes wide in shock and his lips a swollen pink from a bout of passionate kissing.

Wilson's eyes widened in fear as his immediately untangled his hands from around his companion's body. He pushed the other guy away and told him to get out of here. The dark haired guy looked more than pissed, but I couldn't do anything but enjoy the moment. The dark haired guy looked angrily at me for interrupting them, but eventually he stalked back towards the ballroom.

I couldn't help the self-satisfactory grin that spread across my face. Wilson was gay. Boy, did that explain a lot. Wilson's face began to turn eight shades of embarrassed as we stood there eyeing each other. This fucker made me feel like shit because he could deal with his own bullshit.

"Does your new girlfriend know you're out here sucking face with the Brawny Man?" I just couldn't help myself.

"You stupid bitch, you better not –"

"What? Tell anyone you were just begging to suck some guy's cock? Be his bitch? Really? I expected a whole lot of things from you, but I must admit, I never saw this coming. And to think, all those times you couldn't get hard…it was because I had the wrong anatomical parts."

Wilson stalked towards me, but I held my ground. He was fuming, grinning at me like we were old friends. A better woman would have held her composure, been satisfied enough that she just found out his deepest darkest secret. A better woman wouldn't have let this prick get to her. A better woman wouldn't have fallen for the dumb shit Wilson and his skank friend Cassie pulled. A better woman wouldn't have let the anger and resentment buildup for so long that she had no other option. A better woman wouldn't have punched him in the face, but what can I say? I snapped. I punched Wilson dead in the nose. Bren always told me to be the one to hit first and the hardest. He hadn't steered me wrong yet.

He wasn't expecting it, because he stumbled back and grabbed his face as his eyes began to tear. It took a second, but I was waiting for him to get angry too. I'd be damned if I said I didn't want a fair fight this time. Cassie was too easy, and I was looking for a challenge. I know men aren't supposed to hit women, but there was no doubt in my mind that Wilson wasn't a man, and that Wilson wouldn't hit me if he was pushed far enough.

That's what I was hoping for. Call me a sadist, but I wanted Wilson to get angry enough to try and hit me. I wanted just one more reason to knock his teeth into his throat and kick his balls into his stomach. When this was all over, perhaps I should see someone about these anger issues, but right now, this was the only way for me to get out my anger, and I was going to embrace it with open fucking arms.