Distractions Ch. 09

"You have so many guy friends because they're all trying to fuck you – with the exception of Spike."

"That's why all guys are friends with girls, they wanna fuck 'em. Believe me, we aren't in it for the conversation."

"Really?" I asked astounded and angry. "And you and my brother have reached this conclusion and think its okay to screen my friends?" I was beside myself.

"Obviously you need us."

Fucking unreal. I picked up a pot that was sitting in the dish drain and I hurled it at his head. With a snort, he ducked out of the way just in time. The pot left a sizable hole in the wall across the kitchen.

"You wait till Bren gets home!" I yelled.

"It was his idea," he said simply, not rattled that I just attempted to dent his forehead.

"What? Of all the pig headed, male ego driven things for you guys to do –"

"You should be thanking us. Do you have any idea how much flack we got because we were close to you? All the guys wanted to be friends with Brenden and me so they could be friends with you. It was much harder to do when you were still in high school and we went to college," he said off-handedly like I was remembering a cherished memory.

"Just because guys want to be my friend doesn't automatically mean they wanna fuck me!"

"Oh yes it does. Why do you think all the girls hate you?" He leaned back on the counter and crossed his legs at the ankle. His arms folded comfortably in front of him. I tried not to be distracted by his sparkling brown eyes.

My mind was reeling. What the fuck was going on?

"Because their boyfriends, or 'love interests'," he used quotation marks with his fingers, "want you. Hello. I didn't think you were this obtuse. I really thought you were playing. And I thought you were really good at it."

"So," I said tossing my head back. "All my guy friends are just friends with me so they can fuck me?" I could feel the air being let out of my sails. My anger was slowly succumbing to despair.

"That's the gist of it."

"Well congratulations, dick. You win second prize right after Wilson."

Gavin's mouth dropped open and his eyes flashed wide. "I didn't mean it like that."

I flipped him the bird.

"I'm going to take a shower then I'm gonna order Chinese and curl up on the couch and watch a movie. I don't expect you to be here when I get out, but if you are, don't expect me to talk to you." I snatched my phone off the counter and marched toward the bathroom. The nerve. My anger was fading quickly into melancholy. Wilson was in it to say he fucked Gavin's best friend, and Bren's little sister. That must have been a riot for him, and like a fucking moron, I fell for it.

I stood in the shower trying to convince myself that tears weren't mixing with the water. I sighed heavily as I let the water wash over my head, the heat seeming to help melt the day off my shoulders. And to think, I'd been worried about how Gavin would react. If anything, last night made him more of a dick, and apparently, we were back to the way we always were.

To prevent myself from dissolving into another sob session, I directed my thoughts to Bren thinking it was okay to screen my friends. He and I were going to have a very serious talk when he got home. I washed my hair again, trying to push Gavin's words from my mind. So, every guy I knew was just trying to screw me. Well, that was certainly, a change from the way I perceived things, and it seemed as of late, several of them were succeeding.

As I rinsed my hair, I starting thinking about all the exchanges I'd had with my guy friends, all the angry arguments I'd had with girls that were supposed to be my friends. I sighed again. I wanted to be furious with Gavin, but I couldn't bring myself to make the anger stick. I should have seen this coming.

Gavin and Brenden have been doing things like this since I was little. I smiled to myself as I thought about the times they used to walk me to the swing set during recess, intent on letting me have the swings all to myself when I wanted it. Other boys never tortured me. They never pulled my hair, or asked me to be their Valentine. I thought there was something wrong with me. But it turns out the two people I cherished most in the world were crazy. I guess I should be flattered, but I couldn't quite get there either.

I sat home on the weekends, or sat in bars alone while those two whored themselves out. It wasn't fair that they always got to have fun, and I was forced to sit on the sidelines. Maybe that's another reason I'd run so foolhardy into Wilson's arms, and he knew just when to pursue me.

His attention started after he realized Bren and Gavin were away at school. His interest in me had peaked when I saw him in the store and he asked me about them. I thought nothing of it. Now it all made sense. I took a deep breath, wrapped my towel around me and made my way to my room.

I didn't hear any other movement in the apartment, so I figured Gavin left. Good. I didn't have the energy to ignore Gavin as thoroughly as he deserved anyway.

I kicked my bedroom door halfway closed as I looked at my cell phone lying on the bed where I just tossed it. Wilson and Jeremy called me today. I wasn't going to call Wilson, but Jeremy definitely deserved a call.

With my towel still wrapped around me, I sat on the edge of my bed and flipped through my cell phone. Jeremy had called me early in the day and left a message. It was after eight now. Maybe he would still want to hang out, but I'd have to make a few things clear first.

I pressed the call button and waited for the ringing to connect.

"Hello?" Jeremy sounded weary.

"Hey, what's going on? Sorry I didn't answer before, I didn't have my phone with me, but I got your message about hanging out -"

"Yea about that, never mind…I'm busy." He sounded like he didn't really want to talk to me, so I asked him what was wrong.

"Nothing."

"Well okay, but I was also calling for another reason." He took a deep breath. I wasn't sure how to continue without sounding like an asshole, but whatever. "Well, I just wanted you to know that I love hanging out with you, but I just wanted to make sure that you understood we were hanging out as friends." He said nothing so I kept talking. "Of course, if you weren't even thinking that, then obviously forget this little soliloquy, but I just wanted you to know. And if you were thinking something different, I apologize for leading you on. That surely wasn't my intention." I only stopped because I'd run out of breath.

"It's because of Gavin isn't it?" His voice was hard, and I was taken aback; I wasn't expecting Jeremy to come to that conclusion. I stuttered, and didn't say anything. In more than one way, Jeremy hit the nail square on the head. "Well," he continued when I didn't say anything. "Can't say I didn't see that coming."

I wondered where his change of attitude had come from. Was it recent or had he always expected something would happen between Gavin and I?

"There was nothing to see coming," I snapped but I felt the need to explain. "Nothing happened between me and Gavin," I said in a softer tone. "I just want to be alone for while and get myself together."

"Uh huh. Call me when you wanna hang." He sounded like he wanted to say something else, but he kept his mouth shut and disconnected.

Of course, I couldn't help but wonder if Jeremy was so snippy because I just nixed his chance at fucking me. Boys. I rolled my eyes and snapped my phone shut.

"Nothing happened, huh?"

I spun around. I wasn't expecting to see Gavin for a while. I thought he left, so you can be sure that his presence in the door of my bedroom rattled me.

I didn't bother to tell Gavin that the 'nothing' that happened between us was so big that I might be pregnant.

"That's right. Nothing happened. Except of course, my best friend finally revealing his master plan. Can't forget about that tid-bit of info. Apparently all the friends I have just want to fuck me." I said bitterly.

"I told you I didn't mean it like that!" he shouted storming into my room.

"And I told you to shut the fuck up!" I shouted back. I was aware that he was awfully close to me and I was only in a towel. This is exactly how this morning had started.

"What do you want me to do to convince you?" He asked in a softer tone. His eyes nearly had me convinced, but I couldn't give in that easily.

"I think you've said enough to plead your case for one night," I said not letting the anger leave my voice. I took a step back because his closeness was having an obvious effect on me.

He shook his head at me, weariness starting to show. "You wanna be alone? Fine. When you stop being a bitch, come find me." He turned on his heel and stalked toward the door.

"Not likely asshole!" I yelled at his back.

I always had to have the last word, but somehow it wasn't satisfying this time.

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

Shit, shit, shit on a fucking stick!

I searched through my purse again. I tore through the living room leaving a path of destruction in my wake. I couldn't find my hospital ID. I had an idea where it was, but I refused to entertain the idea.

Shit. After another eleven minutes of searching, I knew I left the fucking thing in Gavin's car. I remembered exactly what I did with it. I pulled it out of my jacket to put it in my purse, but it never made it. It must have slipped between the seats.

Fuck! I couldn't just show up at work without it again, my manager threatened me with a $50 fine if I lost it again. This would be the third time. I groaned aloud.

I hadn't spoken to Gavin since he stormed out, and truth be told, I didn't want to talk to him. No one ever said stubbornness was a virtue. I didn't want to talk to him because I was afraid I'd forgive him, and I didn't want to let him off the hook that easily. Sure, he was being an asshole along with my brother, and I was being a royal bitch, but I couldn't give up that easily, even if they were just trying to protect me.

I'd just stop by, get what I needed, and leave. That should be simple enough.

As I looked for my shoes, my cell phone rang. It was my brother; I scowled as I watched the display light up.

"Hey Bren," I said sweetly when I picked up the phone. I didn't want to give him a heads up as to what I was gonna do to him when he got home.

"Hey Red."

"When you comin home?"

"I should be there tonight. Just called to check in. Whatcha been up to?"

"Not much," I said not wanting to relive the last few days in my mind.

"Ok, well I should be back sometime tonight. I'll see you later."

"Yep." We hung up and I marched out the door with a smile on my face. I couldn't wait until I got my hands on my older brother.

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

Gavin had been staring at his phone for the last three days. He and Red never stayed mad at each other for this long. He hadn't heard from her in a week. He knew she was pissed when he called her a bitch and stormed out, but he didn't think she'd be this pissed.

He glanced at his phone again, trying to will it to ring. This was pathetic. He stood from his kitchen table and started pacing. He'd been acting like a caged animal all week, and this shit needed to stop. He wanted to go to her and apologize, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

She told Jeremy that nothing had happened between them, and that cut deeper than anything she could have said directly to him. He couldn't go back to her, because he was hurt. He wouldn't say that aloud, but that's exactly what it was. When confronted with...whatever their situation was, she said it was nothing. She tossed him aside like what they shared meant nothing.

No. He wasn't going to see her. Fuck her. If she thought nothing was going on between them before, she'd be amazed at the level of 'nothing' he could bring now. Gavin snatched his phone off the table and stormed out the door. He needed to go for a walk. He couldn't spend another minute in his apartment thinking about her.

He shuffled down the stairs telling himself that he didn't need to see her or talk to her. He was a grown man for crying out loud. He didn't need some chick. And for all intents and purposes, that's exactly what Red was. Some chick. He'd be just fine with out Red. In the back of his mind he knew that if he saw her, this resolve would crumble, but the hurt he felt towards her now seemed like it might make his decision last.

Whatever, he said to himself and stepped out onto the sidewalk. It didn't matter, because he probably wasn't going to see her anyway. He watched his shoes move against the pavement as he set out for nowhere in particular.

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

I took a deep breath, set my shoulders, and hefted myself out of my car. All I had to do was get in and get out. I jogged around the front of my car and headed towards the front of his building. I was mentally preparing myself to not succumb to his charms when wouldn't you know it, I ran smack into the devil himself.

His hands were shoved deep in his pockets, and for a second he looked alarmed. Maybe he thought I'd showed up to kill him. Who knows?

"I need my ID, I left it in your car." I broke the silence first deciding it would be easier if I skipped the pleasantries and got right down to business.

"I know, it's upstairs." He was wearing an old pair of faded jeans hanging off his hips, a white polo shirt and a pair of white Air Force Ones. I blinked hard trying not to let the velvety feel of his voice drown out my real intentions for coming here. As I looked into his eyes, I wasn't sure it was going to work.

"Go get it." I stood in front of him with my arms crossed over my chest, my foot tapping nervously on the ground. I pulled my lower lip between my teeth and felt my panties dampen as I watched his focus shift to my mouth.

I cleared my throat in what I hoped was an irritated way, and his eyes found mine again.

"No." His gaze was cold. He never looked at me like that, and I didn't like it.

I rolled my eyes. "Gimmie the keys and I'll get it."

"No." The smug smile returned to his face. He stood to his full height silently daring me to try to take the keys from him. "I'm going for food. You can wait for me to get back, or you can come with."

"Not likely."

"Well then stand here, but I can't guarantee what time I'm gonna get back. I might even be going out right after I eat. I'm not sure." His self-approving leer made me want to sock him in the mouth…again.

I knew he was messing with me. I knew he was threatening me just to be an asshole. I knew because I would have done the same thing. He watched me as I stood there watching him. I still hadn't made up my mind when he shrugged and walked off.

He set off down the street, passing his car. He didn't have his helmet with him, so I didn't think he'd be riding. "You're not driving?" I shouted at his back.

"Feel like takin my time." I could see the grin he was trying to suppress, even from a half a block away. I stood for another minute contemplating throwing a rock at the back of his head, but my aim isn't that good. Finally, I humphed and set out slowly after him.

I'd just have to watch him eat food, then I'd get my ID and I could leave. Simple as pie.

Gavin slowed as I made a show about not wanting to be with him by stomping my feet.

"Stop being a baby," he said when he'd finally let me catch up to him. We were both playing, and I knew that before we got to wherever he was going for food, we'd be right back into our old routine.

"Are you gonna stop being a dick?"

He laughed and threw a heavy arm around my neck and pulled my head down into a headlock as we kept walking down the street. Despite myself, we both knew everything had already been forgiven…

"Have you not eaten in the last 36 hours?" I asked as I watched him pile two of his six slices on top of each other, fold them in half and attempt to stuff them both in his mouth.

He grinned around his mouthful, trying to chew all the food his just piled in his mouth. Amazing. If I'd tried that, I would have either choked, or got grease all over me. I was about to focus on my own food when I watched as his tongue snaked out of his mouth and danced along his lips searching for the essence of the pizza he wanted to badly.

His tongue looked strong as it roved over his silky lips, leaving his lips looking plump and inviting. I got a flash of the things that tongue was capable of doing. The involuntary tingle I felt clamped my legs together and I was trying to stifle a moan. I could still taste him on my lips, and I could still feel him on my skin.

What the fuck made me think I could come out with him and not be affected?

"See anything you like?" His eyes darkened, and his voice was heavy.

I remembered to pick my jaw up. Who knew licking grease off your lips could look so sinful?

"Just wondering who lets you eat in public," I said after I had to clear my throat. "You look like an animal."

"Are you sure that's what you were thinking?" He asked as his tongue dashed out his mouth again to roll over his bottom lip. I tired to focus my gaze on his eyes. "The reason I ask is because you're turning red."

I narrowed my eyes at him. We both new why I was turning red but I'd be damned if I said it aloud.

I stuck my tongue out at him, completely aware that I had a mouthful of food. I even added an "Ahhh," sound for good measure. His eyes didn't lighten but he laughed and shook his head at me. Potentially awkward situation diffused.

We both munched in silence until he let out a belch that dragged me from my thoughts. "That's disgusting. It smelled like oregano."

He smiled like he was proud of himself.

"Did you ever call Wilson back?" His smile disappeared and so did mine.

"…No," I answered just as sharply as he'd asked me. His smile returned.

"What are you doing tonight?" Was that some kind of test? I didn't say anything to him as I raised my eyebrows.

"Its obvious you don't see things the way I do, and you don't trust me the way you should, so we have to work on that."

I knew he could sense me trying to pull away from him and remain neutral, but I didn't think he'd put it out there like that. He was making it nearly impossible for me to see him as just Gavin. I reminded myself that I wasn't going to be that girl anymore.

"I don't have anything planned, what are you suggesting?" I purposely avoided his last statement.

"Let's just watch some TV, or we could play Charades. I haven't shown you all the wonderful things I can with my hands, yet." His voice had grown throaty I felt my face heat at his obvious reference to the last time we'd had sex. "You're place or mine," he asked as he winked his eye. I rolled mine and told him my place. I wanted to be there when Bren got home.

"I hope all the dishes are put away," he said as he started laughing. "Don't think I forgot about that by the way. You're gonna get yours," he said waving his finger in my face. My face heated, I didn't want to think about the type of punishment he had in store for me.

I was turning out to be quite a violent person but I shrugged it off, no one openly complained about it.

"Bring it on Cub Scout," I said as I stood from the table to throw out my plate. I pushed my grease soaked plate into the garbage and spun around, surprised to see Gavin standing to close to me. For a second, he stole my breath. His dark hair spilled over his forehead and his eyes sparkled. He licked his lips quickly as his eyes shot to my mouth.

"You sure you wanna start this here?"

I felt my breath hitch in my throat as I got the tingles in all the right places. I tired to formulate a response, but then I felt his fingers grip my waist and yank me closer to him. I stared up at him, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. I'm pretty sure I looked like a goldfish pressed up against the side of a glass bowl.