Distractions

Gavin grabbed my ponytail and tilted my head back to meet his face. The look in his eyes was intense.

"Is Wilson watching?" There had to be a reason for this…right?

The look in Gavin's eyes shifted as he grunted. I wasn't sure if it was an Ungh or an Unhuh but his hips stilled and the sound of pool balls clacking together pulled him out of his trance. I watched his jaw clench.

I was guessing Wilson had looked away. Gavin untangled himself, picked up his shot and downed it. He looked at me for a second his expression unreadable. As quickly as it came, it disappeared and I watched as the cocky tilt to his lips returned. The thought of what those lips did to me sent a tingle to my panties. Casually he draped his arm over me again. I couldn't take this anymore.

After taking the shot, I managed to get out from under his arm and away from him. Being so close to him was making me flustered, and I couldn't stop thinking about the damn kiss. Who knew my best friend would kiss me like that of his own volition? My lips were still tingling and my heart was still beating erratically. Kissing Wilson never felt anything like that before. The thought startled me. My lips were still on fire, but that doesn't mean anything, right? He was, for lack of a better tactic, just trying to help me out. And it worked. Boy did it work; I couldn't even remember my own name. What the hells gotten into him?

I groaned again as I hoped my brother didn't see it. Where is he, anyway?

The alcohol started to catch up with me and I figured I was as drunk and confused as I wanted to be and started looking around for my brother.

"He's in the corner with the redhead," Gavin materialized out of nowhere nearly causing me to jump out of my skin. I turned toward where Gavin was pointing and sure enough, my brother was in the corner with a redhead. He had an amazing knack for picking up women in a bar.

"What time is it?" I didn't really ask anyone in particular, so no one answered. Feeling sleepy, I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and pressed the side button lighting up the display.

2:47am was blinking on the display, and that was all it said. I felt exhausted, confused and I wanted to go home. The kiss with Gavin was still replaying repeatedly in my mind. As I started to walk towards the door I felt a hand wrap around my arm.

"Don't think so kiddo." I hate when he calls me that.

"Will you leave me alone? I'm going home." I could feel the tears beginning to gather behind my eyes. Remarkable how he could slip right back into his old routine after kissing me like that.

"Not alone you're not. Just wait here a minute." My insides seized at the thought of being alone with him.

I nodded my head and waited until Gavin disappeared into the crowd before I continued out the door. Last thing I needed was for him to see me crying. I hate crying, its useless and it doesn't solve anything, but when I drink, emotions aren't always the most controllable things.

I wiped the spilled tears from my cheeks, jammed my hands in my pockets, and started to wobble towards the door. I just wanted to get into my apartment before Gavin noticed I wasn't waiting by the door.

The rush of the cold night air shocked my hot skin, adding to the disorientation I felt.

I could hear heavy footsteps pounding the pavement behind me and I didn't think it could be anyone else but Gavin.

"Didn't I tell you to wait?" He asked irritated as he ran up beside me.

Focusing on my shoes as I tried to put one foot in front of the other, I answered, "Do I ever listen?"

Gavin sighed and fell into step next to me. We walked in silence nearly all the way home until either he got sick of the silence or he caught a glimpse of my face in the street light.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Nope." Gavin, even though he was my best friend, was the last person I wanted to share my thoughts with. It was times like these I wished I had a best friend of the same sex. Gavin wouldn't understand how I was feeling, and he'd trivialize everything, only making me feel worse.

"He was an asshole, you know. I don't know why you think otherwise." Wilson was the same age as Gavin and my brother, so I knew they were probably right when they talked about Wilson, but I'd be damned if I was going to admit they were right.

"I thought I said I didn't want to talk about it." I pulled out my keys fumbling for the right one when Gavin took them from me and opened the door.

"I'm just saying, I think you are better off."

Who the hell does he think he is? How would he know if I were better off? He's never been in a relationship longer than fourteen days. But I bit my tongue and tried to keep my mouth shut.

"Thanks for the sound advice, but next time keep it to yourself. Goodnight." I tired to shut the door but Gavin easily pushed past me, closed and locked the door. I threw my hands up in protest.

"I can't go back to my place, that's where your brother is taking the redhead, so it looks like I'm spending the night." Nobody bothered to ask me anything anymore.

I hated when my brother brought random girls to our apartment, so if he was going to bring someone home, he would take them to Gavin's place and Gavin would sleep here. It's always awkward in the morning when the girl is in my brother's clothes rummaging through my refrigerator looking for food.

I marched into my room and shut the door. As I began peeling off my clothes, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. What was it about me that made Wilson not want me anymore?

The more I thought about it, the sadder I got, the sadder I got, the angrier I got. Angry with myself for being such an idiot and falling for a guy like Wilson. Angry because Gavin kissed me and it was what I always wanted, but it didn't mean anything.

Involuntarily my fingers found their way to my lips. He did kiss me didn't he? But that was just to get back at Wilson, right?

Not really thinking, I tore out of my room and rushed into the living room. The sight of Gavin unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his hard white chest stopped me dead in my tracks. I blinked hard trying to remember what it was that had me in this room in the first place.

"What's goin on?" Not the most eloquent thing I could have said, but it was a start.

Where do you want me to start? Was the look he had plastered across his face. "For starters, you have no clothes on."

My face heated. I looked down, he was telling the truth. I tired to look like I didn't care I was standing in front of him in my panties and bra, my brain screaming for me to run. The last thing I wanted was for him to see me half naked.

"Red is a nice color on you," he said as he tossed his shirt on the couch.

In more embarrassment than frustration, I turned on my heels and marched out of the living room.

"C'mon Red, I was just kidding."

I groaned inwardly. He was not helping the situation.

I got into my room, snatched up my tank top, and pulled it over my head. I was reaching for my shorts when Gavin leaned against the doorframe.

"Forget it, I'm drunk. Go to sleep," I grumbled.

"What's the problem, Red?" Hardly anyone called me by my real name anymore.

I clumsily ran my brush through my hair a couple times as he sat down on the edge of my bed and watched me. I didn't say anything.

"You looked cute tonight."

I rolled my eyes. Cute? Cute? He never commented on what I looked like. I never thought he noticed.

"I'm drunk Gavin, not an idiot." He was just trying to make me feel better. I would feel a lot better if he weren't in my room sitting on the edge of my bed with no shirt on. That would make me feel a whole lot better. I was starting to get hot. Sure, we've been in this position before. He's been in my room, even slept in my bed, sometimes with no shirt on, but for some reason this was different.

As I was walking past him to get into bed, he tugged on my arm and I fell onto the bed next to him. He sat just looking at me, and I could feel my insides starting to clang together. The room starting spinning and I wanted him to kiss me.

Gavin licked his lips and studied my face. I opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing, but my stomach lurched and that was the last thing I remember.

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

Things pretty much returned to normal after that night. There were no more 'moments' between Gavin and I, and I was completely okay with that, because I wasn't expecting anything more. He did however continue to remind me that I puked on him that night in my room. Seeing as how I have no recollection of that event, I feel comfortable denying it.

I haven't seen Wilson since then either, but I hear that he and his new girlfriend are getting along famously. I on the other hand have seen better times.

"Again with the moping. This shit is gettin annoying." Brenden always knows how to put things in perspective for me.

"I'm not moping, asshole. I'm trying to watch TV."

"Seriously, Red, you need to get a life." Gavin felt like he should chime in too as he slumped at the kitchen table as he waited for my brother.

"Its Saturday night, and you are in the apartment with no intention of leaving…again."

"What's wrong with wanting to stay home and watch movies?"

"You don't do it two weekends in a row. That's what's wrong with it."

Ok, I would agree with my brother and Gavin if I was in fact moping, but I'm not. I have nothing better to do. My two best friends happen to be my brother and his best friend, and my boyfriend ran off with another girl. Exactly what should I be doing in this situation? I think sitting on the couch and watching movies is a great way to spend a Saturday night when you have nothing better to do.

"Come out with us." This time, it was Gavin that was trying to convince me. I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"Nope, not interested in being the third wheel tonight. I like watching movies."

"Get dressed and come on. I'm not asking again."

"Make me," I said sticking my tongue out. Gavin jumped up and rushed towards me.

"Leave me alone, both of you." I jumped up from the couch, marched to my room and slammed the door, fearing Gavin would catch and tickle me. From behind my door, I could hear Gavin and my brother talking. The door kept me from making out what they were saying.

Brenden's cell phone rang and a few moments later, I heard the front door open then close.

I didn't want to be their charity case, inviting me out because they felt bad. If anything, I would leave when I was good and ready. I sighed and hefted myself off my bed. I was going to watch movies all night, and I was going to have fun. I nodded my head in resolve at my own stubbornness. I pulled the door open and slammed into something hard. The sight and feel of Gavin standing in front of my bedroom door was the last thing I was expecting.

"Did Brenden leave?"

"Yes."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I told you to get dressed, and I wasn't kidding. Now move."

"I'm not gonna be the tag-along-charity-case for you and Bren," I said as I raised my chin a notch.

"Brenden is goin out on a date, so it looks like it's just you and me." He started to shove me towards the bathroom. He pushed me into the bathroom and shut the door behind me.

Fine, if he wants me in here, I will just stay in here 'till he leaves.

"And don't think of staying in there all night, because I will come in and get you, whether you are ready or not," he said through the door as if reading my mind.

I gulped and turned on the water. I didn't doubt him.

I showered as quickly as I could; upset I was being forced to go out against my will with someone I really didn't feel like being with. Don't get me wrong, Gavin is awesome, but we hadn't been alone since that night at the bar, and I wasn't sure what was going to happen. No scratch that, I knew what was going to happen – nothing, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that one-way or the other.

I stepped out of the bathroom, still lost in thought, when I heard Gavin clear his throat. He had this funny look on his face when my eyes met his as I stood in the doorway of the bathroom dripping water all over the floor. He's probably pissed I took such a long shower.

He sat on the couch, Playstation controller loosely dangling from his hands still with that funny look on his face. My distraction proved enough to cause the car he was driving to crash and burn.

"I'm going, I'm going," I sighed as I tiptoed to my room.

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

"So, what the plan for tonight?" Gavin was sitting on the couch with his back to me idly flipping through the channels. The basketball game caught his attention and he ignored me.

"I said, what's the plan?" I stepped in front of the TV to block his view.

"Spike's havin a party at his parents house." I watched as Gavin's gaze fixed on my chest and his eyebrows raised. I cleared my throat. I felt naked as his eyes snaked their way up to my face. His eyes clouded with something I didn't recognize, so I assumed it was anger because I'd blocked the game.

"Who's gonna be there?"

"Everyone." Gavin chuckled as he saw my expression falter. "Even Wilson." I threw my hands up in the air.

"I'm not going."

"Yes you are, and you look hot. Now move." Gavin hauled himself off the couch and pushed me towards the door as he turned off the TV having successfully distracted me. My face heated. He never called me hot. I looked down at myself. Instead of choosing my usual wife beater, I opted for a white blouse, unbuttoned enough to get a hint of cleave, low rider jeans and black stilettos. The crisp whiteness of my blouse contrasting smoothly with the light maple wood color of my skin. Simple but effective even if Gavin was just indulging me.

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