Distractions Ch. 02

It seemed as if the noise level of the party suddenly dropped, and I could feel all eyes turning to us, watching our exchange. This was all Gavin's fault; I didn't even want to come to this party. Frantically, I scanned the living room again, and there he was in all his glory dry fucking the shit out of some girl. My heart sank. Clearly, he was engrossed with whoever it was, and he wasn't coming to my rescue. That's when the girl turned, looked directly at me, and smiled. I nearly emptied everything in my stomach onto the floor.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry, I wanted to kill Wilson and his perfect Barbie girlfriend, but most of all, and I wanted to kill Gavin. How could he do this to me? I could feel the cold fingers of jealousy and betrayal frantically gripping at my heart. I knew some other girl would pounce on Gavin when I left him. It was bound to happen eventually, but not now, and not with her.

Apparently that little pep talk I gave myself in the bathroom didn't work.

He was standing in the middle of the living room, in the middle of a very crowded party making out with Cassie Lucas. The one person I hated more than anyone in the world. At one time, she and I used to be best friends, but that was a lifetime ago. She had basically used to me to get to Gavin or my brother, and since Gavin was the first one she saw, that's who she went for. She was a manipulative, selfish bitch, and she hurt me in more ways than one. She and I hadn't had a civil conversation in over two years, and by the looks of it, it would be a lot longer before I ever thought about talking to her again.

I turned back to Wilson and his blonde and spat with more venom than I thought possible, "Well for your sake, I hope you use enough lube with her. She's filled with enough plastic to make it feel like you're fucking a blow up doll." She wasn't, but it was the first thing that came to mind. I didn't wait to see their reaction as I slammed the vodka bottle on the counter and stormed out the kitchen.

I guess seeing the look on my face was enough to make people move out of my way, because it was like the parting of the sea as I marched through the living room, right past Gavin and Cassie. I heard Spike call my name off in the distance as I reached the foyer. I was nearly out the door when I felt someone grab my arm.

I spun around ready to tell whomever it was to fuck off when I was met with Gavin's confused features. Rolling my eyes I asked, "Finally decided to come up for air?" Gavin's stunned silence allowed me to yank my arm from his grasp.

"Fuck you," I grunted as I busted through the front door.

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

"What the hell happened?" Gavin was trying to keep up with my pace, but I wanted nothing more than to get away from him. "Wait a minute, damnit!"

Gavin was startled when I stopped in my tracks and he slammed into the back of me. "What the fuck happened?"

Boy, was that a loaded question. "I want to leave."

"I thought we were having a good time." He looked confused.

You were having a good time, but I kept that comment to myself. I'd seen him kiss tons of girls -- why'd it effect me now? But kissing wasn't the right adjective for what was happening back in the house. Mauling was more appropriate.

"I wanna go home."

"C'mon it's a good party," he was starting to get agitated as I stood in front of him with my arms crossed but I didn't care.

"Fine, I'll walk."

Gavin threw his arms up in drunken angry protest as realization crossed his face. "Don't tell me Wilson ruined this party for you," he hissed, his tone condescending -- as if he was reprimanding a child.

I could feel anger coursing through me. I couldn't punch Wilson so I punched Gavin -- hard, in the jaw.

"What the fuck was that for?" he screamed as he grabbed his face.

"Fuck you," were the only words I could articulate. Pain was starting to radiate throughout my hand, and I was glad for the distraction.

"What did I do?" His gaze was hard now, and I knew he was close to loosing control but I didn't care. I wanted him to be as angry as I was. For some reason, that was very, very important to me.

"What did you do? You left me you prick. You left me alone with Wilson and his perfect girlfriend while you were dry fucking Cassie Lucas in the middle of the room for everyone to see. For Wilson to see!"

I was running on pure adrenaline and anger now, and the words just flew out of me. Under normal circumstances, I am not this vocal about my feelings, but I was so mad at him, I couldn't think.

"I never should have left the house," I grumbled under my breath.

Gavin stood there looking at me baffled as if I had no right to be angry. "You punched me. Hard. Is that what this is really about or are you jealous of Cassie?" Now he was livid. He grabbed either sides of my arms pressing me closer to him.

Oh my god! I could feel his hardness pressing against my stomach. The pig was still thinking about Cassie. I felt like retching. The revulsion I felt was over powering.

"Jealous? The dumb bitch has herpes." I saw panic fleet across his face as I tried harder to get away from him. I didn't know that for a fact, but it wasn't a bad guess. "I hope your dick falls off."

"You're jealous," he said as he lowered his voice and tried to read my expression. The coldness of his voice was doing more damage than if he'd been screaming at me. Suddenly I wanted to get away from him. I wanted to be anywhere but here in his grasp, even if that meant I'd have to walk home.

"No, I'm not jealous. You said you'd do something and you let me down, just like everyone else. You left me and Wilson seized the opportunity to throw everything back in my face."

"What? How? He's an asshole," he said confused. "Do you really want him back?" he added the last part so low, I'd barely heard him. Gavin couldn't even look me in the eye anymore.

Finally managing to break away from him, I started to walk away.

He caught up with me and grabbed me roughly by the arm. I turned to face him and was frightened by the wild look in his eye. "I asked you a question."

I could feel the tears dewing on my eyelids, threatening to spillover. I rushed on before they could.

"No. I don't want him back you dumb fuck. He chose that moment to remind me how I wasn't good enough for him or will be for anybody. How I'm useless in bed. How the guy I came to a party with left me for someone else too." I was embarrassed. Gavin's grip involuntarily loosened on my arms as my eyes clouded with tears. I hadn't meant to say that much. My brother didn't even know the entire story. "Fuck you!" I shouted, shame forcing a heat into my face.

It was more out of embarrassment than anger at this point that I turned and walked off when I no longer felt Gavin's steely fingers around my arm. I hadn't meant to tell him that, it just slipped out, and I couldn't take the pity in his eyes when he looked at me.

I kept walking, and didn't stop, and Gavin didn't follow.

Completely lost in thought, I walked all the way home. "Fuck him, fuck everyone," was my mantra as I navigated the streets back to my apartment. I got home and slammed the door to my room locking myself in.

I didn't expect him to come but if he did, I wanted to make sure I didn't see him.

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

Gavin watched Isabelle go. He wasn't sure what else to do and to make matters worse, tonight had been his idea. He stood alone in the center of Spike's front lawn trying to stretch the ache out of his jaw, and the growing tightness in his chest. He never saw her right hook coming. Gavin's fists clenched at his sides and he wanted to hit something -- anything.

The depth of his stupidity was starting to sink in and it was burning a hole in his stomach. He took advantage of her when she was on the rebound that night in the bar, and now he couldn't stop thinking about her. He had sex the next day to try to erase the taste and feel of her on his lips but it didn't work. And instead of staying away from her like he promised himself he would after that night at the bar, he pounced on her tonight at the party. Cassie showed up and he was sure this was his way to get Red off his mind, which ultimately backfired.

He ran a hand through his hair as his time with Cassie gave way to the sight of Isabelle's smile as she beamed at the attention he was giving her. His mind flashed to the hatred she showed when she was reaming him out on the lawn. But damn if she didn't look sexy. He was as surprised as she was when he grabbed her to him and she felt his raging hard on. Before he could explain or try to at least, she flipped thinking it was because of Cassie, but Cassie had already been forgotten.

The urge to hit something was growing stronger, and Gavin needed a drink. He could still feel the blood pulsing through his erection. This was not a reaction he was supposed have to his best friend.

I need to calm the fuck down.

Gavin was lost in thought, trying to think of a way to make things better between he and Isabelle when he heard someone whistle behind him.

"Hey Gavin," the sound of the voice was like nails grating on a chalkboard. "I see you finally came to your senses."

Gavin turned slowly, confronting Wilson head-on.

"I see you decided to get yourself a real woman." Gavin knew he was referring to his display with Cassie, and that made the guilt in his stomach churn even more. Gavin's fists clenched as he fought to maintain control.

"I don't know what you'd see in her anyway. I'd thought you had better taste than that." Wilson chuckled. "You and Isabelle. Surely, you never thought it would work. I always knew you had a thing for her. I don't know why though. I only dated her to piss you off."

Try as he might, Gavin could still feel his heart starting to beat a little faster, and his blood beginning to pulse just a little bit harder. He knew Wilson was trying to bait him, and it was working -- just like it used to when they were in school. Gavin tried his deep breathing exercise. He had a little anger problem he was trying to control and Wilson knew it. Gavin also realized that if he beat the shit out of Wilson, he'd probably look like even more of a dick to Isabelle. But at this point, he didn't think anything would make it better.

Mistaking Gavin's deep breathing as submission, Wilson charged on. "Keep talking asshole," Gavin said through clenched teeth.

Wilson's girl friend that Gavin hadn't noticed until now, laughed at Gavin's uncomfortableness. "Its gotta be hard having a best friend whose got it all. Money, the girls you can't get, and the sister you've always wan….FUCK."

Wilson was too busy mouthing off to see Gavin's fist coming. The knuckles of Gavin's fist connected with the cartilage of Wilson's nose with a sickening smack. Wilson doubled over in pain as his girlfriend stood shocked. Gavin flexed his fist, turned and started to walk away. If he didn't get away now, things were going to get a hell of a lot worse.

"You know," Wilson said as he spat out blood that seeped into his mouth. "She screamed for me and she moaned like a whore when I popped her cherry." Gavin turned with fire burning in his eyes. He could feel the vein in his neck pulsing as he tried to remind himself to breathe. Seeing that he struck a nerve, Wilson kept twisting the knife.

"She turned out to be just like all the others. Except she was sweeter because I knew about your thing for her." Gavin didn't register that his feet were carrying him closer to Wilson until he was rushing toward him driving his shoulder into his stomach. The satisfying sound of the air leaving Wilson's lungs spurred Gavin on.

Both bodies landed on the grass in a tangled heap as Wilson's girlfriend let out a strangled scream. If Gavin hadn't been trying to get on top of Wilson, he might have laughed at the comical sight of her jumping up and down asking Wilson what she should do. Both men could hear the sound of the growing crowd egging both of them on as they struggled to hit one other the hardest.

Gavin landed a punch to Wilson's face as Wilson's elbow collided with Gavin's ribs. Blocking out the pain, Gavin felt better as he landed blow after blow to Wilson's face and chest. Wilson bucked Gavin off him and the two rolled in the grass trying to get the better of the other. Gavin felt his lip split and his rib crack as Wilson's knee and leg smashed his face and chest. He spit blood as he stood and kicked Wilson in the stomach over and over again.

It felt like an eternity until Gavin felt several pairs of arms wrap around him and drag him away from Wilson's huddled form on the ground. He recognized a voice as Spike's that was telling him to calm down. Gavin surveyed the damage. Wilson's face was bloody and swelling. Gavin smiled to himself as he wrestled free from the people trying to hold him back. He tongued the gash in his lip as he walked around the outside of the house trying to remember where he left his car.

"Oh my God!" Cassie's shrill voice reverberated in his head. "Oh baby, that was so hot. Let me take you home kiss it all better," she said as she rubbed herself against him.

Disgusted, Gavin grunted and pulled free. Wilson's words were still rattling around in his head. Gavin didn't have a thing for Isabelle…well at least not until a few weeks ago. Wilson's a prick; Gavin thought as he limped to him car, Wilson's words bounced off the walls in his head. Was it that obvious? What if she noticed and never said anything? This is so much worse than he could have imagined. How could Isabelle chose someone like Wilson?

Gavin gingerly got in his car acknowledging how sore he was going to be in the morning. He glanced at himself in the mirror, and the satisfaction he felt kicking Wilson's ass melted away. He wanted to see Red and try to explain things to her, but being bloody and bruised was not the way to do it.

Well hell, maybe she'd feel some sympathy for me and she'd want to kiss it all better, but he doubted it. He hoped that given enough time, Red would forgive him, but right now the thing to do was go home and see how long he could sleep before the pain woke him up.

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

The morning came way too soon, and I prolonged getting up for as long as I possibly could until the sound of my rumbling stomach wouldn't let me go back to sleep. I trudged out of my room and into the living room where my brother seemed to be waiting for me.

"How'd you get home last night?" Good morning to you too.

"Walked."

"All the way from Spike's?"

"Felt like walkin'."

"Riight…" he annoyingly dragged out the word and I waited for my brother to drop the other shoe. Obviously, he already knew I walked home or he wouldn't have asked. He knew something must have happened between Gavin and I because Gavin wasn't sitting on the couch with him like he usually did after a night we usually went out.

"I heard about last night." And there it was.

I shrugged my shoulders and moved into the kitchen. "They're both pretty busted up." My body stiffened in front of the refrigerator as I tried to look like I wasn't interested in what my brother was saying.

"Who's busted up?" I tried and failed miserably to ask him in a nonchalant tone.

"Gavin and Wilson." My brother sighed and walked back into his room as if that was enough of a description. He was doing this on purpose and of course, I had to follow him.

"What happened?"

My brother plopped down at his computer trying to hide the grin that was spreading across his features. He was enjoying this way too much. He laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back in his chair, savoring the anxious look on my face.

"Stop being a dick and tell me what the hell happened." I blew it. If he wasn't positive before, now he was certain I cared. Gavin was still my best friend after all, right?

Brenden smiled. "They beat the shit out of each other." He paused for dramatic affect, but before I could freak out again, he rushed on with the story. "Wilson said some pretty nasty things about you," Brenden's eyes darkened, "and he's lucky Gavin got to him before I did, otherwise I'd kill that motherfucker." The teasing air about my brother was gone. I sat down on the bed trying to digest what he'd just told me. I motioned for him to continue.

"Wilson, of course, being the asshole that he is," my brother shot me a look. "Had to rub salt in the wound," Brenden narrowed his eyes at me silently asking what that wound was. Luckily, he continued without forcing me to elaborate. "Apparently Gavin tried to keep his temper in check, but understandably he freaked and it turned into a brawl on Spike's front lawn."

"What did Wilson say?" I asked trying to keep my brain focused. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer, but I asked anyway.

"Doesn't matter," Brenden said unceremoniously dropping his hands into his lap. "What matters is that Gavin did enough damage to Wilson for the both of us."

As an automatic response, I rolled my eyes. Men were always trying to out piss each other. "Seriously Isabelle, Wilson is lucky I wasn't there."

I thought about it for a minute while my brother watched me with unwavering eyes. I huffed and stood up. He raised his eyebrows asking my response.

"Gavin can do and fight whoever he wants. As far as Wilson goes, fuck him. I was done with him about 20 minutes before Gavin was." I walked out of Brenden's room and went back to the kitchen trying not to overanalyze Gavin's actions. A slow smile spread over my face at the thought of Gavin defending my honor. But on the other hand, he's always hated Wilson, so the beat down could have been the result of Gavin finally finding a reason to inflict some pain.

It didn't matter anyway. It didn't matter at all. Nothing had changed, and I seriously needed to stop overreacting, which is exactly what I did last night. I cringed at the recollection of my melt down. The sight of Gavin mauling Cassie, Wilson and his girlfriend was just too much for a 5-minute span.

I rationalized as I grabbed the milk and cereal. Gavin was free to do whatever he wanted with and to whoever he wanted. I resolved: no more freaking out over Wilson and definitely no more jealousy fueled rants directed at Gavin. He's my best friend and I should be happy he's found someone, even if it was Cassie Lucas -- again. As I munched, my breakfast seemed to lack taste.