16 years
"Who wants more beer?" James asked.
"Me." Norah replied holding up her empty solo cup.
"Do you want another cup?" James asked Tara. She shook her head.
She liked the beer. She needed to stay sober for the night.
"Is tonight the night?" Norah whispered a suggestive glint in her eyes.
"I think so." Tara shrugged. Norah grinned like a cheshire cat.
She had known Dylan since she was thirteen. She had been her boyfriend for one and a half years. Perhaps it was the right time for them.
"Stop!" she rolled her eyes.
"I am happy for you. I just can't wait to hear about all the details tomorrow."
She didn't hear anything that she said.
"Has he been an asshole to you again?" Norah questioned her eyes trained in the same direction Tara's had been a minute ago.
Lyon sits by the bonfire with a few other team members with Zoe on his side.
"I wonder what girls like about him." I murmur.
"His dick."
"Ew Norah! You're speaking like you have seen it."
"I haven't but rumour has it he is not so little in that department."
"I don't need that picture in my head." Tara groaned.
Zoe's hand was allover him but his attention was on what Jason was saying almost like she didn't exist. It was exhausting to watch. Tara would first die before she begged for a man's attention let alone Lyon's. James returned with the drinks.
"Where are you going?" Norah asks.
"To look for Dylan."
Dylan was supposed to be with his teammates by the bonfire but she had only seen him earlier that evening.
"Hey Evans." Tara greeted.
"What's up Thompson?"
"Did you happen to see Dylan?" I asked.
"I last saw her with Marsha. I think they went that way." Evans pointed at a direction away from the bonfire right into the woods. What could they possibly be doing in the woods when everyone was having fun by the fire?
Something in her heart sank. Dylan was flirty. They had had arguments about it so many times. And many times he had promised to do better. She followed in the direction Evan pointed. The moonlight wasn't enough illumination for her to see but it provided light to see where she headed.
Then she had a yelp. She halted her steps. A feminine giggle followed. Her chest tightened. She could only wish what she thought wasn't happening. She forced her legs to walk further. The closer she got, the noises were clearer. Guttural groans and soft moans sounded so clearly.
Tara was more determined than ever to find out. Dylan stood over her where she knelt on the ground. His pants were undone. It was as clear as day what was happening.
"You feel too good." Dylan moaned. Bile rose up in her mouth.
"Yes. Do you like it?"
"So much. Yes. Right there."
She'd heard and seen enough. It was time to interrupt.
"Dylan!"
His face ashened as soon as he noticed her. He tried to free himself of Marsha's grip to no vain.
"Tara?" Marsha pretended to be shocked. God, she was such a snake. Her behaviour disgusted her.
"Oops babe. Your girlfriend is here." She smirked. She knew the damage had already done. Marsha was such a bitch. Tara didn't blame her. Giving a blow job to her boyfriend now ex boyfriend felt like some form of victory. How pathetic!
"Babe..."
"Don't!" She hissed as he fumbled to get his pants back on. And she walked away ignoring his pleas.
Tara could just drive away from the bonfire but she wouldn't give Dylan the satisfaction. Norah had stopped him from approaching her when he was decent enough to apologize. Dylan had given up easily not wanting to cause a scene.
In the meantime, she had drowned her pain in bottles of beer. She ignored Norah when she told her she'd had enough. Tara didn't feel numb enough.
"Where are you going?" Norah asked when she got her bag.
"Home."
"You're drunk."
"Apparently not drunk enough." Tara glared at Dylan laughing with the boys.
"I understand that you're hurt but you can't drive in this condition."
"Geez Norah. You need to relax. It won't be the first time driving with a little buzz."
"It's not just a buzz. You're drunk."
"I am going. You guys can do whatever you guys do." She walked away. She could feel Norah behind her.
"You're not driving while you're drunk."
"Since when did you become my mother?"
Tara was hurt. She didn't mean any of the words she was saying.
"Thompson."
She swung her head in the direction of the voice.
"Great. The last person I want to see." Tara glared. Lyon walked closer to where Norah blocked her from the car door.
"Drunk isn't really your look." he mocked.
"What is my look since you know me so well?"
"Why don't you let me get you home? Maybe I can tell you then."
"I don't need your help Lyon. You can go fuck yourself. Oh great , you have a girlfriend. You can go fuck her."
He didn't look the least bit fazed by her rudeness. In fact he was now in her face. When did Norah move away? She hadn't even noticed, too engrossed by freaking Lyon Lancaster.
"A bitter drunk. Not surprising." he muttered.
"Fuck off."
He stopped her attempt to get into the driver's seat as much as she put up a fight. And then he was in her car. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Get out of my car you asshole."
"Are you going to get in? I thought you wanted to go home."
He stared. She glared. She hated him in that moment. Why did he have to choose such a time to torment her?
Exasperated, she cursed before she got to the other side of the car.
"Seatbelt." he mentioned. She spat another string of curses as she buckled up.
"Key?" Lyon held up his hand. She felt the anger surge through her veins. But her head was throbbing and she needed to be as far from Dylan and Marsha as possible.
Lyon ignited the car and drove away. She sat back quietly in her seat thinking about how things had changed in just a snap. The thought that she would sleep with him that night rose bile in her mouth. There was the sick feeling in her stomach.
"Stop."
Lyon lifted her brows. She needed some air.
"Stop the car right now!"
He quickly hit the brakes. She unbuckled and hurried outside. The puke never came. Her lungs were burning. She needed oxygen.
"Are you alright?"
"Don't pretend to care." she spat.
"Okay."
" I got you some water."
She eyed the bottle in his hands. She needed it. She practically stole it out of her hands before she uncapped the bottle and drunk half of the it.
"Better?" he asked.
"I would if I couldn't see your face."
"Don't blame me for your terrible taste in partners."
"Aren't you just the same? After all you're related."
Something changed in his gaze. He stalked towards her.
"You don't scare me." She stepped back until her back hit the hood of the car.
"Let's see about that."
He stalked closer until he was in her face. Her heart beat wildly against her chest.
"You're just as bad as him. Using girls for your own pleasure and then hurting them."
"Maybe they want to be used." His breath fanned her face. It reeked of mint. Had he been chewing gum?
"Do you want to be used?" He whispered huskily into her ear. She felt the vibration of his voice through her entire body. Goosebumps broke up on her skin.
"Get off of me." She pushed him in vain.
What was she thinking? Lyon was one of the biggest players on the team. She felt vulnerable before him and he hadn't even touched her. Something she would definitely regret crossed her mind. She ignored all the bells in her head.
"So?" She passed her hand over his broad shoulders and down to her torso. He felt him stiffen under his touch. He hadn't expected it. She was a woman on a mission.
"What are you doing?" His brows creased.
"Shhh!" Tara placed a finger over his lips. He glared. She snaked her arms around his neck.
"Show me how you use all those girls." Tara whispered seductively. He watched her carefully.
"What are you waiting for?" She put his arms around her waist and he immediately obliged.
She didn't expect to melt under his touch but he felt too good. Or she was too drunk and too angry to think properly.
The space between their faces narrowed to a few inches. She closed her eyes in expectation.
She felt his breath on his nose, then down to her cheek. It felt good. She didn't care that they were in the middle of the road. His hands on her waist became more pronounced as they lowered to her hip. She welcomed the touch with a little shudder.
And then there was the ghost of his lips. They felt smooth. She waited for him to completely lean in but as seconds passed, it never came. She opened her eyes to find him staring at her with a little smirk.
"I don't use pretty drunk girls." He whispered hard in her ear. He pulled away immediately leaving her bare to the wind. She was embarrassed. What was she thinking?
"Get in the car. I don't have anymore time to waste."
She swallowed all her pride and embarrassment and got back into the car. The ride back home must have been the longest ride of her life.