Whatever It Takes Pt. 01

It is a truth universally acknowledged that dressing for a house party is a nightmare. You walk a razor thin line. You can't overdress, you can't wear heels or stockings, that would look tragic, like you're trying too hard. But you can't wear any old rags either. You want to look hot, because things happen at house parties and you want to make sure they happen with that boy you like. You want to look gorgeous, irresistible, but like you haven't tried, like you naturally look like this.

Take what I'm wearing. My outfit might look casual to the untrained eye, but it's the culmination of hours of planning and experimentation. These jeans are old and battered, sure, but they also happen to hug me in all the right places and they make my arse look fantastic. And this t-shirt? Yeah, it's pretty cool, but it also happens to fall low at the front, especially when I lean forwards to laugh at a joke some handsome boy just made. You see?

And tonight is more important than ever. Tonight is the most important house party of my life. Because tonight the party is at the student house where Mike Waters lives. And Mike Waters just happens to be one of Jake's friends, wonderful, wonderful Jake Mathews. He'll be there tonight, I'm sure of it. I know it. It's destiny.

If you're lucky you might know someone like Jake Mathews, but you probably don't, because there aren't enough Jakes in the world. He's tall, of course, and broad shouldered and confident. He plays on the football team, and he gets top grades without ever seeming to do any work. He's well dressed and has perfect hair and always smells fantastic. And have I mentioned he's handsome? So handsome it hurts? His eyes are to die for and when he grins you melt inside.

That's why I've spent so many hours today choosing my outfit and doing my hair and waxing and shaving all the superfluous fluff from my body. Because tonight I'm finally going to get my man, I'm going to end up in Jake's bed if I have crawl over broken glass and the bodies of a thousand other women to get him.

The doorbell rings downstairs. I know it's Natalie but I'm still putting the finishing touches to my makeup and I don't want to get up until I look perfect. One of my flatmates can answer it. I hear the door open and the soft mummer of voices and then Natalie's footsteps coming up the stairs to my room. She pushes the door open and greats me with a, "hey bitch, how's it going?"

I turn to look at her. "Not sure. How do I look?"

Natalie looks at me and nods, like she's appraising one of her paintings. "Hot."

"I'm not overdoing it?"

"Nah, don't worry, you look hot, but not slutty."

I pout. "I wanted to look a bit slutty."

Natalie throws up her hands. "Fine, you do, you look a bit slutty."

"But not too much?"

She rolls her eyes at me. "For fuck's sake Lucinda, no, you don't look too slutty. You look great. Just slutty enough. The perfect amount of slutty, OK?"

I glare at her.

"Jeez, relax will you," Natalie says.

"I can't."

"This is for him, isn't it?"

"No. Yes. Of course it is."

"He won't be able to resist you, I'm sure."

"You're not just saying that?"

Natalie rolls her eyes again. "Lucinda, you are awful. Have you ever even spoken to Jake?"

"I have," I answer defensively. "We've spoken a few times. I'm not sure he knows my name, but I'm sure he'll recognise me."

"How romantic."

I throw a handful of cotton pads at Natalie. "You bitch. I don't care how it happens anyway, tonight that boy will be mine, whatever happens."

"Sounds a bit rapey."

I shrug. Whatever it takes.

"Anyway, look at the time," Natalie says. "We need to get going or you won't be fucking anyone tonight."

Natalie orders a taxi and he head outside when it arrives. We pick up Laura on the way and we arrive at the party later than I wanted and the house is already full of people. I hope some bitch hasn't snared Jake already.

We head inside and push through the crowd to the back of the house to find the kitchen and some much needed alcohol. Laura sees a boy she knows and he pours punch into three plastic cups and hands them to us. I think he's called Simon, I think Laura fucked him last term.

The punch is so strong it tastes like something you'd remove paint with. I can detect vodka, rum, and brandy, and perhaps the hint of fruit juice. Perfect. I slug it back and try not to grimace. "Do you see him anywhere?"

"Who?" Laura asks, but I can tell by the look on her face she knows exactly who I mean. I may have mentioned him to her a couple of times.

"Let's try in there." I point through an open doorway. I can see moving bodies and disco lights. Laura and Natalie nod. They're behaving like this is my big night and they're here to help. They're good friends these two.

As we get closer to the doorway the music gets louder. We step inside and it's a large room and it's full of people and some of them are dancing. There's a professional looking sound system in the corner with a DJ behind a set of decks. He's got headphones on and he's nodding in time with the music. I see the look Laura's giving him. "You know him?" I ask and nod in the DJ's direction.

"Nope." Laura says. "But I fucking love musicians."

"I don't think DJ counts as a musician Laura."

She shrugs. "Close enough. Anyway, isn't that your boy over there?"

I look where Laura's pointing and there he is, wonderful perfect Jake. My Jake. My heart does something funny inside my chest. He's leaning against the wall and talking to someone. But then I notice who that someone is and my joy becomes rage. Lisa Jones. Lisa fucking Jones. Lisa fucking tits and hair and teeth Jones. "I hate that bitch."

"Yeah, me too," Natalie says, but her heart isn't in it and I know she's just saying it to be a friend.

Lisa Jones is that girl you hate. She's that girl all girls hate, even if you pretend you don't. She's blessed with long, thick, luscious hair; natural blonde, of course. She's slim and she has perfect legs, but she's somehow got big tits and a full arse too. She's so pretty it makes you want to be sick, and she's always happy and grinning, which makes it all the more vomit inducing. But then why wouldn't she be happy and grinning? The world is a pearl-bearing mollusc for girls like Lisa fucking Jones.

I make Natalie and Laura move across the room with me so I can get a better look at them. I watch Lisa laugh and flick her hair. I watch her put her hand on Jake's chest. I see the way he's looking at her. I hate Lisa Jones more than I hate my thighs. "You have to get her away from him," I say to Natalie.

"What? You want me to make a diversion?" She says.

"Exactly."

Natalie puts her hands up. "No fucking way. This isn't a movie, I'm not going over there and making a dick of myself. I want to pull tonight too."

I turn to Laura, but I see she's already wandered off in the direction of the DJ.

Fuck. What do I do? Lisa's got her hand on Jake's chest again. If I don't act fast she'll have her tongue in his mouth next, and then god only knows what she'll do to him. "She's such a slut."

Natalie nods in support.

"You know the boys call her The Pornstar?" I add.

"No," Natalie shakes her head, "I hadn't heard that."

"Pornstar. I bet she's not even a good though. I bet she's shit in bed."

Natalie gives me a look. "OK, you're starting to sound a little scary Lucinda."

I ignore her. I know I'm right though. I bet Lisa just lies there and takes it. I'd be so much more fun for Jake. Oh the things I'd do for that boy, anything he wanted, if only he knew it. But what to do now? How to get Lisa away from him?

"She's leaving," Natalie says.

"What?"

"Look. Lisa, she's left Jake. Quick, get in there before some other eager girl does."

"Oh fuck." I step forwards, but then I stop and turn back to Natalie. "Wait. What do I say?"

"Who gives a shit?" Natalie gives me an urgent look. "Lisa's probably just gone to the toilet, I bet she'll be back in a minute. Seize the day."

Natalie shoves me towards Jake. Fuck, I'm doing it. I'm walking towards Jake Mathews. The party noises dim around me. My vision narrows until I see only him. My heart is racing like I've had too much cocaine. I wish I had. I'm close. Any second he'll see me and he'll smile and he'll know my name. I'm so excited I can't feel my fingers anymore. He's looking up. Has he seen me?

Fuck. No! Fuck! Just as I'm about to reach Jake some bitch stands in front of me and blocks me. All I can see is a mass of red hair. She's beaten me to him. My Jake. I turn and walk back to Natalie with my fists clenched.

"Should have moved faster," she says.

"Shit. I couldn't run though could I?" I should have run, I know it in my heart.

"Lisa's coming back too." Natalie nods towards the doorway.

I see her. I watch her as she walks back towards Jake. I see the moment she clocks the red head. Her eyes narrow and her jaw tenses. She looks like a hawk that's just set its eyes on a small mammal. She walks right up to Jake she puts her arm around him and smiles at the girl. It's a smile that says 'fuck off, now.' And the red head does. She wanders away. She's trying to smile but I can't see she's devastated. Jake's looking at Lisa again though and I don't think he even notices.

"Wow, Lisa looks possessive, like scary possessive," Natalie says. "Like momma Lion and cub possessive. You sure you want to get in between those two?

I shrug. "I don't think they're an item though, not really," I say. "I don't think she Jake's type." I know she's not. I'm Jake's type. If only he knew it.

Natalie gives me a dubious look. "I don't know, I think Lisa's every guy's type."

I shake my head, a guy like Jake has more class than that. "Nah, I wouldn't be getting between them, I'd be doing Jake a favour."

Natalie looks even more dubious. "You still have to get rid of Lisa though, and she's guarding him like she's Gollum and he's a magic ring. What's you plan of attack?"

"No fucking idea," I admit.

"No fucking idea what?" Natalie and I turn and see Anna standing behind us. She's clutching a plastic cup of the gut-rot punch too. She gives us a conspiratorial look, looks like she knows we're up to no good and she wants in on it.

"You know who Lisa Jones is?" Natalie says.

"Nope." Anna shakes her head.

"You know who Jake Mathews is?"

"Do I?" Anna raises an eyebrow. "He's hot. Everyone knows who Jake Mathews is."

"Well he's over there." Natalie points over in Jake's direction. "And see that girl with him?"

"The one with the tits and the hair?" Anna says. "Is that Lisa Jones? I think I've met her before. She lives with Alison Read, doesn't she? What's up with her?"

"Lucy here needs to get her away from Jake." Natalie says.

Anna looks at me and nods and grins. "You dirty little strumpet Lucy."

"What can I say, it's Jake Mathews."

"Yeah, I get it," Anna says. She looks like she's thinking. "I have an idea." She grins. "Don't worry, I've got this one for you Lucy."

Before I can ask Anna what she means she's walking over to Jake and Lisa. Anna taps Lisa on the shoulder and Lisa turns and looks at her and frowns. Anna starts talking. I can't hear what she's saying from over here but she looks serious. The expression on Lisa's face begins to change. She nods a few times. Then she turns and kisses Jake on the cheek and she walks out of the room. Anna walks back over to us with a look of triumph on her face.

"What did you say?" I ask Anna, but Natalie shoves me towards Jake again before she can reply. She's right, I don't have time to dick around. This time I head over towards Jake at speed before some other bitch gets in my way again. I don't run. Not quite, but I skip the last few steps and I land in front of Jake with a bounce and he looks a little startled, but his eyes look glazed too, like he's already drunk, and maybe I've got away with it.

I'm standing in front of Jake Mathews and he's looking right at me. Damn those eyes are hypnotic. He looks expectant, like he's waiting for me to say something but my mind goes blank. Fuck. I can't think of anything to say. We're just standing there looking at each other. Fuck, shit, fuck. Come on stupid brain, think of something. Jake's beginning to look uncomfortable. I feel so lightheaded I might faint.

"Hey," Jake says.

My heart surges. "Hey," I manage in reply. It comes out quiet, like a little squeak. Then I say the first thing that pops into my stupid head. "Cool party, huh?" I cringe even as I say it.

Jakes smiles and nods, but he doesn't say anything.

My hands start trembling and suddenly my mouth is moving again even though my brain didn't give it permission. "Do you like the course?" I blurt out.

Jake gives me an odd look. He puts his head on one side. Oh shit, I realise he has no idea who I am, he's looking at me like he's never seen me before. I want to die. I want the floor to open up and swallow me so that I'm never seen by the human race again. Maybe I should faint?

Jake ignores me again. But then he speaks. "Cool t-shirt," he says. "You a fan?"

I look down at my t-shirt like I've forgotten what I'm wearing. "Yes," I splutter. I look up at Jake. This is it, I'm in, go mouth go! "Have you seen him live?" I say.

"Nah, I'd love too," Jake says, "but he doesn't do much live stuff anymore does he?"

"No, getting a bit old for it I guess. I saw him live though, once, a couple of years back." I don't mention that my Dad had taken me to the concert.

Jake's eyes widen. "No fucking way. That must have been sick. Tell me about it."

So I do. My mouth starts moving and words fall out, but all the while my mind is buzzing and the voice inside my head is screaming at me that I'm having a conversation with Jake Mathews.

We keep talking. I make Jake laugh a couple of times and he starts looking at me like he's forgotten there's anyone else in the room and it makes my heart flutter. My hands are still shaking, but in a good way now. A dull throb starts up between my legs too. I pretend I can't quite hear what Jake's just said and I step closer to him and god he smells incredible. I can feel the heat of his body. I can feel how wet I am already.

And then I do something awful. Jake makes me laugh and I over-react and I forget I've got a drink in my hand. I raise my arm and somehow, I still don't know how, I manage to pour the remainder of my punch all down the front of Jake's t-shirt. I look down at his t-shirt, then up at his face and he looks furious, absolutely livid. I freeze. My heart stops. Fuck Lucinda, you were doing so well, and now you've ruined it, you fucking cretin. But then the anger vanishes from Jake's face and it's replaced with a grin. "Never liked this t-shirt anyway," he says.

I risk it. "No, I didn't like it either. Obviously."

He laughs again. "Shit. I'm soaked though. I'm gonna head back to my place and change."

I risk it again, the biggest risk of my life. I look around and I can't see any sign of Lisa. "You want me to help?"

Jake gives me a look like he doesn't understand. Then he gives me a look like he does. Time slows. The party disappears around us and it's just him and me. If he says no know I'll die, I'll cease to exist. Jake nods. Then he grins at me. It's the grin sharks give to other fish.

Natalie winks and gives me a thumbs-up as I walk past her with Jake. Holy fucking shit I'm leaving the party with Jake Mathews. I want to skip and shout and explode into confetti but that probably wouldn't impress him, so I play it cool instead.

We push through people and then suddenly we're outside in the cool air of an early summer's night. We're so close our shoulders are touching. I want to take hold of his hand. Well, I want to push him into the nearest bush and pull his clothes off, but his hand would be a start. One of the god's must be listening though, and one of the ancient naughty ones, because Jake turns to face me. He gives me a smouldering look that makes my legs weaken and then he tilts his head towards me.

Holy fucking shit I'm about to be kissed by Jake Mathews. I make a squeaking noise I'm so excited and Jake stops and looks confused. Shit. I stand on my tiptoes and put a hand on the back of his neck and pull his face towards mine. His lips are warm and full. I slide my tongue into his mouth and he slides his into mine. He puts his arms around me and I melt into him.

Jake's a perfect kisser, of course he is. His lips are firm and he uses just the right amount of tongue. I feel giddy. I fight the urge to put my hands up his t-shirt. Too fast Lucinda, don't scare him off. Jake grabs my arse through my jeans and I moan before I can stop myself and I hope he doesn't notice. I feel like I'm being kissed for the first time.

Jake takes hold of my hand as we walk to his place and I try not to beam with happiness. We walk fast, although we stop frequently to kiss and paw at each other. I've never been so turned on from just kissing I can't decide if he'll find it weird or charming if I come before we even get to his place.

Jake only lives a few streets away but it takes us an age to get there as soon we're kissing more than walking. It's almost unbearable. It's making me so goddam horny. Jake fumbles his keys in the lock when we get to his and he seems as eager as I am and it makes me even hotter. He drags me upstairs to his room and I can't believe this is happening. I must be dreaming.

Jake pulls me into his room and slams the door behind us. This is going to be the best night of my life. I'm going to blow this boy's mind. He's never going to look at another girl when I'm finished with him. Jake's fiddling with his door but I can't wait anymore. I pull him to me and I attack. I smother his face in kisses. I try to pull his t-shirt off over his head but it's sticking to his body. Jake laughs at me and pushes me back onto his bed. "I don't even know your name he says."

"Lucinda. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Jake."

I nod as if I didn't know, as if his name wasn't already carved into the beating flesh of my heart. Jake climbs onto the bed and he's on top of me. He's all I can see. We start kissing again and my hands appear to be up his t-shirt and he slides a hand up mine. The touch of his fingertips on my bare stomach sends such a jolt of pleasure through me that my whole body bucks. His hand keeps moving up my top and I realise I'm holding my breath. His hand slides under my bra and I groan again. His fingers feel hot against my skin. He brushes over my nipple and I groan.

I pull Jake's body against mine and we roll onto our sides as we kiss. Jake slides his hand onto my back and he undoes my bra with the flick of one hand. He does it with such nonchalance it makes me quiver. He pulls my t-shirt off and I help him. I make sure my bra comes off too.

Jake sits back and looks at me. He sits there and stares at my tits for long seconds without a shred of embarrassment and I love being looked at like that. I arch my back and lift my chest and give him my best. And then suddenly he falls on me again. He rolls me onto my back and he starts kissing my breasts and sucking my nipples. I lie there and groan. It feels so good my pussy starts to ache and I try to rub it against his leg but I can't reach him. My moans become more urgent sounding and Jake gets the picture and he runs his hand up the inside of my thigh and then he's rubbing me through the front of my jeans.

I'm in heaven, but I'm desperate for more. I wouldn't usually do something quite so brash as this, but I begin to unbutton my own jeans. Jake realises what I'm doing and he grins and laughs at me. "You're crazy Lindsay," he says.

"It's Lucinda," I say, but I don't think he hears. He's gets up on his knees though and he starts to help me with my jeans so who cares? He pulls them open at the front with a sharp tug, and then he starts yanking them down. I kick my legs to help and they come down and Jake pulls them off over my pointed feet.