Gate Crasher

The party was only just getting started.

Taking a sharp inhale from the cigarette between my lips I look around me as I step through the terraced house that I have called home for the last two years.

Heading towards the front door of the property I reminisce on the thoughts of the previous nights of debauched revelry we have hosted. Our house parties have become events of legend amongst the local student community even if I do sycophantically think so.

My house mates and I have thrown parties for occasions such as Halloween and Christmas but sometimes just because it was the prospect of an otherwise mundane Saturday. We did not even know anywhere near three quarters of the attendees who would regularly turn up for the revelry that lasted long into the early hours.

Things had changed of late though, two-fold reasons to ease off on the extravagance. After three years of University living it had become time to knuckle down in the final semester to at least attempt to gain a grade worthy of the time invested. Like my housemates and all our friend's gainful employment and the harsh reality of the real world loomed large on the horizon. A vicious reality check to be forgotten about tonight on one last night of hedonistic pleasure with exams over and academia finally behind us.

"How you doing Dharms?" I offer slapping my house mate Dharmesh Singh heavily on the shoulder as I pass him in the hallway.

"Good... well no actually not fucking good" Dharmesh rather confusingly offers. "I knew she'd be fucking here."

Glancing across the already rapidly filling living room I spot at once who he refers to. Cassie Reynolds, his former girlfriend. Cassie was an intelligent sweet girl with a devilish streak. I had never had the heart to let Dharms know that Cassie and I had been close in our first year at university. As close as you could call the mutual benefits of being one another's fuck buddies. I had lost track of the number of times we would turn up at one another's doors at the end of night out for as we called it "old times sake." Nothing serious had ever come of our relationship, not least when Cassie had moved on to start dating the captain of the Rugby Team who despite being an arrogant prick was twice the physical size of me.

Dharmesh had started dating Cassie earlier in the year. A relationship that had barely gotten off the ground before spectacularly crashing and burning. He had never offered up to me the full details of what had transpired. From what our other housemate Dale had discovered Dharmesh had been mortified to have woken up in a bar after a particularly drunken night out to find Cassie being double teamed by two of the venues male bar staff. I guess not too many relationships survive such circumstances. Truth be told I had more envy for the barmen than I did sympathy for Dharmesh.

"Fuck her mate..." I offer negatively rather than in any kind of encouragement, "...move on...this place will be wall to wall within hours."

Stepping away, as in the moment I have extraordinarily little time to be drawn into Dharm's ruminating about the past. I live in the moment; I live for tonight. Not that I do not have my own plans for a blonde I have come close to but failed to land over the last three years. What will be though will be.

Heading out through the wide-open front door of the property I survey our kingdom. The small garden to the front of the property is full of attendees as is the pavement beyond, all of them making the most of the sun that bathes the front of the property. Looking along the street in both directions a steady trickle of friends, associates and outright strangers make their way towards the house. I grin like a Cheshire Cat, proud of the elevated social status

"One last night... one big fucking send off," I hear from over my shoulder.

Turning recognising his booming voice my grin doesn't fade as I turn to Dale, my housemate, and technically the first person I met at University. We have been inseparable ever since, despite his prevalent caustic personality traits.

"It's gonna be a good one... I can tell," I cheerily respond.

"Better fucking had be..." Dale offers coming to stand at my side and observe just as I do, "...in seven days time we pack up and move on... let's leave that shit head landlord with a legacy to clean up."

Dale's family were of money, that was a barely concealed secret. He wanted for nothing, dressed well if a little too casually all of the time, drove a new car and was never short of money and a quick phone call home remedied such problems if necessary. Girls seemed magnetised to his persona, yet he never bothered with relationships. Being Dale's Wingman for three years had certainly reaped its rewards.

"Watch out fun police on patrol," Dale offers as he nods to the property directly adjacent to ours.

The property that hadn't existed two years ago as the couple who live at the property step onto their drive towards their black BMW SUV.

The four detached houses on the opposing side of the street had been built and occupied towards the end of last summer. On returning from summer break the dynamic had aesthetically altered on face value but two weeks later on throwing our first social gathering of the academic year we realised just how much the overall dynamic had changed.

The police had arrived, in response to complaints about excessive noise and unruly behaviour not long after Ten o'clock, at such point the party had barely begun to get going. Although by time the same officers had arrived a little before midnight, alleging the same misdemeanours, behaviours had certainly deteriorated. The police could not and would not say from where the complaint had arisen. The silhouetted male figure in the upstairs window that observed the chaos that ensued was a significant reveal.

Chaos that had seen Dale arrested for affray during a heated, alcohol fuelled, confrontation. No charges had ever been made, thanks possibly to the intervention of Dale's Fathers Solicitor. A little over a month later our Halloween party had been similarly disrupted as had our Christmas party. The latter resulting in threat of eviction following complaints made to our landlord.

As a consequence all of the plans around subsequent social gatherings for which we had become infamous for had been shelved. Perhaps we might collectively scrape through graduation as a result, not that our focus for socialising had shifted to any other distraction.

"Watch this," Dale states tapping my upper arm with his right hand whilst raising a bottle of Vodka in salute with his left hand.

I turn to him unable to prevent the ill thought plan that that cannonballs into his mind.

"Hey neighbours..." Dale hollers across the street at them, "...Why don't you come join us later?"

The glare the dark haired thirty something male silently throws in our direction is palpable, even from a distance. Despite a look to her husband, and perhaps a word to placate him the attractive female doesn't respond.

"You're a twat Dale..." I offer shaking my head, "... Why poke the bear...looks to me like they're headed out... here's hoping they have a late one themselves."

The interference of our bitter neighbours was an expected threat to proceedings. A threat that was unavoidable but there was still no need to pour petrol on the flames I consider as my eyes fall upon the dark-haired female occupant of the property. Watching her as she slips into the passenger side of the vehicle without paying us any further attention.

"Probably already called in the disruption," Dale offers with contempt.

"Seven days before we move out..." I offer to remind him, "...who gives a fuck?"

"Miserable fucking bastards," Dale states as the SUV pulls away throwing two fingers in the air in their direction.

"Yeah but she's so fucking hot," I offer with a chuckle.

"Fire my friend..., white hot fucking fire," Dale confirms taking a swig from the bottle of vodka clutched in his hand.

**********

From somewhere within the building I hear glass smash mere seconds before a raucous cheer.

The noise too loud to be a bottle and I hoped not large enough to be a window.

"Hey..." the undeniably attractive blonde stood inches away from me on the landing offers, "...I just asked you a question Aaron?"

"You did?" I respond in genuine confusion.

The little shake of her head does not disturb me as much as her plucking the bottle of rum from my grip as she turns and stomps away.

"You're always so fucking preoccupied Aarron." Verity Jones offers on a sneer as she presses away, stepping back across the landing leaving me shaking my head but not genuinely disappointed to have extracted myself from the level of conversation that had become genuinely unenthralling, despite the blondes aesthetic.

"Never mind fella... there's plenty of fish in the sea," Dharms offers as he makes his way towards me across the landing.

I refrain on making comment on the fact that Dharmesh seems to keep swimming in the same small pond as across the crowded landing he leads Cassie Reynolds by the hand, presumably towards his bedroom. Across our house parties we had had always followed an etiquette of locking bedroom doors for fear of discovery of someone's, anyone's, sordid need to make use of a bed. No matter how temporary the sordid requirement.

As they pass, I make fleeting eye contact with Cassie who looks back at me with a look that sits somewhere between mischief and uncertainty. Despite her hand being in Dharmesh's as he leads her towards the privacy of his room.

Just as I turn, I hear Dharms offer; "Oh yeah and that woman from over the street just turned up,"

"To complain?" I reply looking back through the bodies now between myself and Dharms and Cassie.

"Weirdly... I don't think so," Dharms replies as he turns a key in the lock of his bedroom door.

I don't fixate on the revelation of the appearance of our neighbour as I head down stairs into the heat and noise of the throng of the party that is predominantly squeezed into the two large proportioned living rooms and the long kitchen that spills into the garden at the rear of the house. A genuine intrigue does pass my mind, but I have more of a foreboding of an imminent complaint regarding the event.

My eyes scan the downstairs hall as I stop on the second from last step on the stairs but I fail to see her.

Stepping into the rear of the two living rooms I then find her almost immediately.

The dark haired women stands out amongst the crowded room. Her appearance, as stunning as it is in the closest proximity I've ever known her. She seems awkward as wide eyed she stands against the far wall watching the crowd who dance before her and the makeshift DJ booth in the corner of the room where Danny one of Dales friends has attached a set of Decks to an impressively loud set of stack speakers.

I keep my eye on her as I approach, compared to the relaxed casual dress of all around her the fitted dark dress and accompanying black tights set her visually apart as she stands against the wall taking in all around her as she gently, if a little awkwardly sways along to the music.

As I approach her through the crowd I offer a smile that's meekly returned.

"Hi there," I offer over the volume of the music as I push closer towards her.

"Oh Hi," she sheepishly offers as she looks up at me from dark eyes that compliment her olive complexion and dark hair. "You... you're one of the guys that live here right?"

"Yeah... Aaron," inexplicably I extend a hand on formal introduction.

"Elodie..." she replies on gently shaking my hand, "...nice to meet you Aaron."

"We...We'll keep the noise down." I offer almost instantly apologetically as I release her hand.

"Why would you?" Elodie offers with a look of confusion, "It'd be a pretty shitty party if you did"

I watch her chuckle a little at the confusion that must pass across my features as stood in such close proximity now she playfully pushes my shoulder.

"I ventured over on your friend's earlier invite... I've always been intrigued more than annoyed." There is a devilment to her words and her actions that catches me truly off guard.

"Well in that case..." I offer appreciative on not wanting to appear like a rabbit in the head lights, "...has anyone offered you a drink?"

"Not yet," Elodie responds, "Terrible party etiquette to be fair."

Minutes later I pour the last remaining contents of a bottle of lemonade over a freehand measure of vodka and hand her the plastic pint glass.

I watch as she views the contents with a little reticence before taking a swig of the drink.

"Fuck me..." Elodie coughs and splutters, "...how much Vodkas in there?"

"Party measures," I offer with a grin, "I can fix you another if you want?"

"I'm sure I'll grow accustomed," Elodie offers without pausing before taking a second heavy swig from the flimsy disposable glass.

"Well..." I sardonically offer, "...if that's the only complaint from the night then we will be going well."

"It was always Rick that complained..." Elodie hastily interjects shaking her head a little, "...once in a while the noise never bothered me... I used to enjoy a good house party when I was a student."

"So where's he tonight then?" I immediately enquire.

"I drove tonight," Elodie fixes her eyes on me across the top of the pint glass that has now near enough been drained of half its contents already. "And I made sure he enjoyed the second bottle of red that he's now sleeping off."

As she takes another swig of the drink I concentrate only on our most surprising of guests

Keeping my eyes on hers as she thirstily consumes even more of the strong drink.

"Well... Welcome to the party Elodie" I offer with a smirk,

**********

I lead her by the hand.

Snaking our way up past those that line and navigate the narrow staircase.

Her hand gripping mine as she trails a little in my wake.

At the top of the stairs I look back to her and meet her narrowed eyes. As she steps up the final step she firmly pushes a kiss to my lips and we embrace blocking the top of the stairs as the kiss builds in intensity.

A kiss that has been preceded by another, another much deeper more explosive kiss.

Elodie Lami and I had made small talk over several more drinks in the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, eventually escaping to the dark confines of the garden where we sat on a bench and talked further in the relative darkness. She captivated me, physically certainly but despite awkward silences and little in common on certain matters given a ten-year age gap with the thirty-three-year-old I was transfixed. Across our conversation I had noted how she alluded to the awkwardness of her marriage and problems that existed within the picture of perfection that her and her husband Rick portrayed. Problems that weren't elaborated on and for which I had no cares, neither really did she it seemed in this moment.

Fuelled, I had no doubt, by the copious amounts of alcohol she had consumed it had been her requested to start dancing as we'd re-entered the house where the party was slowly reaching a crescendo. I had attempted to explain as I had followed her back into the house that strictly speaking there's was little in the way of dancing at this party, at least not so far as I was concerned. Moments later as she gyrated and moved at first in front of me and then pressed up against me, I swiftly dropped my protest.

Letting the dark-haired woman press against me as she ground against my thigh, at one point all but dry humping her body against mine. As she broke away, she turned and backed against me to a hip-hop come dance track that I did not recognise. Recognition did not matter as she pressed back against me looking back over her shoulder frequently, flicking her black hair as she did. My hands eventually slipping over her hips as they moved, then skirting over her body until I had to press her away from my undeniable arousal.

The intensity of the situation growing too great as she turned to face me, and I backed her through the room until with her back to the wall Elodie looked up at me and accepted the kiss I placed to her lips. A drunk passionate kiss that was heavily laced with the sweetness of the alcohol she had consumed.

There had been little resistance or hesitation on her behalf as I had taken her hand in mine and led her through the restricted confines of the main of the party and up the stairs.

Breaking our second kiss I lead Elodie along the landing towards the locked door to my bedroom. Pausing from behind the adjacent door to Dharmesh's room I hear the unmistakable noises of heightened sexual congress. Dharm's and Cassie seemingly have re-coupled and spectacularly so. A fleeting sense of happiness for him passes my mind.

As I turn the key in the door Elodie looks up at me, Cassie's wanton gasps only seem to exaggerate the unspoken purpose for being here, in this moment. I pull her close towards me kissing her harshly once more as I stumble backwards through the doorway. Pressing her against the door to continue our kiss before we can even enter the room.

"So who's this then?" I hear Dale's booming tones as he seemingly appears from nowhere into the doorway.

Elodie breaks the kiss and looks up at Dale before back to me.

"Dale this is..." I begin to offer

"Hot Wife..." Dale cuts across me "...I mean what the fucking hell are you..."

"Hot wife?" Elodie cuts across Dale, and I could swing a punch at him for his callously laddish behaviour.

"Yeah it's... just something..." I stumble over my words before I appreciate she does not seem to pull physically away from me under offence could so easily be taken by such an innocuous but derogatory label.

"Seems I've quite the fan club," Elodie offers with a devilish smirk that she glances from myself to Dale. "Well Dale... this hot wife was just about to get hotter with your friend here."

I note her gaze fall up and down Dale as I hear her words, irked now even more so by his unexpected appearance and lingering presence.

"Fuck off... You're fucking kidding me," Dale offers with a childishness, almost as if he had overlooked the circumstances in which he had encountered us in. That said I would never have put it past him to have not followed us from all the way downstairs on such juvenile behaviour.

"Question is Dale..." Elodie turns to me and kisses me once more before looking back to Dale, "...you gonna stand here and listen...or are you gonna watch?"

I can hardly begin to believe what I hear let alone that the words have passed her lips. Lips that press firmly back to mine once more as she kisses me as we stumble through the doorway into the bedroom. A kiss that continues as we slip into the darkness of the room towards the bed. I hear the door to the room close, knowing I am not the one who has pushed it to, doubting its Elodie who's done so as she cradles my jaw whilst deeply kissing me.

As we continue to kiss my hands begin to explore her body once more. Only then do I realise Dale stands behind her with his hands all over her too. She breaks our kiss to turn and accept a kiss from Dale as his hands fall firmly over her breasts.

Elodie does not object, neither naturally does Dale. I am about to protest his intrusion when realisation of the situation dawns on me. There's only one person amongst the three of us who could be in a position to raise objection, and as her hands begin to blindly and hurriedly unfasten the belt around my waist before she fumbles with the button and zip of my fly she seems to care not.

I still resent Dales intrusion but appreciate the outcomes will be none to dissimilar as I subconsciously decide to share another man's wife with my best friend.

Breathlessly I find Elodie eyes back on me. As I look to the bed she bites upon her bottom lip as she presses her hand to my chest. I fall back onto the bed in the gloom not caring for where Dale is as I feel Elodie straddle me almost immediately as her right hand plunging into the front of my jeans and she hastily pulls my erect dick out through my fly as she kisses me once more, warm alcohol laced breath passing over me as she kisses with a wild abandon.