Taking Chances

Chapter Four

I creep up the stairs, even though the music is so loud you couldn't hear an elephant stomping up them.  

I open the first door.  A bathroom.  I open up the door to my left and all I see is an empty bed room, thank God.  I move my way down the hall, opening doors and my panic dies down.  Jay must have been lying.  Just as I'm about to turn and leave, I spot one last door at the end of the hall.  Might as well check that one too.  I push the door open...

"What the hell?"  I hear a girl ask in the dark.

I would know that voice anywhere.

It's Lizzie.

I flip on the lights, and to my absolute horror, see Lizzie straddling Derek.  They are both fully clothed, well, Derek's shirt is unbuttoned, but other than that...

"Oh my God," I finally manage.

Derek pushes Lizzie off of him.  "Maria, she was all over me, I swear," he begins.

"Yeah, it looks like you were really having a bad time," I snap.

"Maria," Lizzie starts.

"Don't even get me started, Lizzie.  How could you?"  I ask.  My heart is beating so fast I can barely hear myself talk.  "You knew I liked him!  I thought you were better than this.  And you," I point to Derek.  "I thought you were actually going to be a gentleman.  I thought, for once, I would meet a guy who actually cared.  But you proved me wrong."  I take a deep breath and look at both of them.  "Both of you did."

I hear Lizzie call after me as I run out the door.  Once I get down stairs, I shove people out of my way.  What should I do? Should I get a ride home?  Then I spot beer in the kitchen.  Yeah, that's what I need.  I grab a bottle, pop the lid off, and take a long drink.  It tastes gross but I drink it all in no time.

Some guy to my left makes a comment about how thirsty I must be, and with my new burst of confidence, thanks to the alcohol in my system, I flip him the bird and grab another.  

I've drank before, but never this much.  Never enough to make my vision blurry and hearing fuzzy.  I go to grab yet another, but someone grabs my hand.  I look up and see a very blurry Jay.  

He leans in, his breath hot on my ear and says, "I think that's enough."

"Screw you," I say, reaching for the bottle.  

Suddenly, he leans even closer.  I feel his lips on my ear, causing goosebumps to raise along my arms.  "Anytime, babe."

I feel my cheeks begin to burn, and go to say something rude, but he stops me.

"But right now, you need water and fresh air."

"I need another drink," I slur.

He smiles, and for some reason my stomach flops.  "Of water."

I roll my eyes as he finds an empty cup and fills it with water.  He has to push people out of the way to get to the fridge, but he makes it back and grabs my hand.

"Whatter ya doin?" I say.  I can't even form a logical sentence.

"Taking you outside," he tugs me along towards the back door.

Finally, we push through the mass of people and make it to the porch, but he continues to drag me along until we are in the grass. He sits, pulling me down with him.

"I don't need a," I hiccup.  "Babysitter."

"Shut up and drink your water," he demands.

I do as he says, but I feel no different after finshing the cup.  Images of Lizzie and Derek flash through my mind and I feel like I'm going to be sick.  

"So, I guess I was right," Jay says.

"Huh?"

"About your friend."

I cringe. "Can we not discuss that?"

"Then what should we discuss?"

"How about the fact that we have barely spoken before, but suddenly you are taking care of me and wanting to talk.  Why is that, Jay?"  

He shrugs and I can't help but notice how his shirt exposes a bit of his hip.  "Well, I don't think it's right to let someone make a mistake if they can help it."

"And what was my mistake?"

"You almost drank to the point of alcohol poisoning," he looks at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Fair enough."

Another flash of Lizzie's bright hair crosses my mind. I need to stop thinking about her. About everything.  I need a distraction.  My eyes wander over Jay's face.  His jaw like, his long nose, and finally his lips.  

Without hesitating, alcohol making me more courageous, I toss my cup over my shoulder and scoot to where I am right beside Jay.  So close I can hear him breathing, smell the alcohol on his breath:  

I lean in close, and to my surprise he does te same.  His eyes close, and I shut mine.

Just as our lips brush, and one hundred thousand fireworks are going off inside of me, he pulls away.  "We shouldn't do this." He says.

"Why?" My heart drops a little, but it doesn't stop it from racing.

"Because you're drunk, and when you sober up, you'll regret it."

"I'm tired of being careful.  Please let me do something stupid," I say.  I close my eyes again.

"You're gonna regret it."

"I doubt that."

*PG-13 YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED*

Then, his lips are on mine.  My heart beats so fast I am scared it will pound right out of my chest.  My mind races, my body tingles.  His lips move roughly against mine, and I can taste the alcohol and a hint of mint on his breath.  I've been kissed by guys before, gentle, awkward pecks, but never something like this.  Jay's lips continue to move against mine frantically, as if someone might come and pull us apart, and I love it.  I break the kiss long enough to straddle him.  He groans as I lace my fingers through his hair and pull him back to my lips.  He fingernails dig into my sides; I moan in pleasure.  His tongue swipes across my lips, I know he can taste the beer.  I tug on his hair harder and revel in the way it makes him moan.  I let my hands slide from his hair to the hem of his shirt , pulling it up.  He breaks the kiss and pulls his shirt off.  I glance down at his abs, let my fingers trace the toned muscle.  His mouth goes to my neck, kissing and sucking.  I throw my head back, breathing heavy.  For the first time, I feel alive.  He tugs at my shirt, which I happily pull off. Earlier I may have felt exposed, but now I don't care. I hear something, a click, but ignore it.  Too lost.  He presses his lips to mine again, then takes my bottom lip between his teeth.  I used to think doing something like that was aggressive.  But now I know.  It is rough, but it makes me let out a small whine.   My hand moves to his chest, right above his heart.  I smile against his lips as I feel it accelerate.  

Suddenly he pulls away.  "Did you hear that?" He asks.

"Hear what?" I ask, already leaning in again. Our lips barely brush when I hear an alarming sound.  Literally, an alarm.

A police siren.