A Sensitive Arrangement

Chapter 24

Ava's tongue felt soft as it caressed mine. Maybe softer than her lips, if that was possible. She still somehow managed to maintain dominance, even in her gentleness. I could feel her hands pulling my hips into hers, the heat spreading through my whole body. I had no idea how long we'd been kissing each other. Ten seconds? Ten minutes? Was it even still New Year's? Time had lost all meaning. 

Until I felt my phone start buzzing from where I had tucked it into my tights.

"Is that a mobile or are you just excited to see me?" Ava teased, nipping at my bottom lip with her teeth.

"Sorry. It's my phone." I explained, although I was pretty sure that's what she meant when she said mobile. I fished it out of my tights to check who was calling. The name flashing across the screen was the last one I wanted to see at the moment.

I shouldn't answer it. I should just ignore him and continue to enjoy myself. He had obviously been enjoying himself tonight. But I knew that would never happen. I knew the part of me longing to hear his voice would win out. What was the point of denying it?

"Sorry, I should actually take this." I apologized, reluctant to leave her arms.

"Hurry back." She whispered seductively, slowly releasing me from her grasp. If she had sensed my internal dilemma, she was clever enough not to let on.

I scurried up the stairs, trying to find a second floor bathroom before the call rang out. I wanted to keep the ensuing conversation, and whatever it brought with it, between Julian and I. On the third ring, I decided it was now or never.

"Hello." I greeted hesitantly, not knowing what his reaction would be.

"Happy New Year Ali Cat!" I heard Julian's stupidly perfect voice exclaiming through the airwaves.

"That's really all you have to say?" I slammed the door to the bathroom I had just discovered. My voice was cold, but already enraged.

"Are you okay?" He asked, obviously confused.

"No, I'm not fucking okay." I spat back.

"I'm turning on video." He told me. It wasn't a question.

"Don't. I don't want to see your stupid face." If he couldn't tell I was drunk before, he definitely could now. And then his face popped up on my screen all perfect and stupid at the same time. I couldn't even be bothered to come up with any synonyms. Those two words fit so well it's like they were made for him.

"Alice, turn on your video. I need to see you." He ordered, as if he had some kind of control over me. Because he did and he knew it. And I hated him for it. And I loved him for it.

"No. I don't have to fucking do what you say. You're not the boss of me." I slurred into the phone.

"How much did you have to drink?" He asked calmly, but there was a look of worry marring his stupidly perfect face.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I was being combative. It wasn't helping anything, but I was enjoying not being helpful for once.

"Are you at a party? Is Olivia there?" He interrogated.

"Obviously." I sounded so childish. I didn't care.

"What floor are you on?"

"I don't know, the upstairs one." I murmured, thinking it was a stupid question. I saw him type something.  Was he using a keyboard?

"Are you on a laptop?" I asked, trying to sound smart, even though I'm sure I just sounded drunk.

"Yeah, my friends stole my phone a few days ago. Apparently all work and no play makes Julian a dull boy, according to them." He rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a playful smile forming across his lips. His perfectly stupid lips.

"So you didn't get my message last night." I realized.

"No, why? Was it important?" He asked, suddenly his look of concern morphed into full blown worry. I opened my mouth to answer, but I wasn't sure what to say. Was it important? It definitely felt like it at the time. But now I wasn't sure. Now everything felt important and yet, nothing felt important. I didn't have long to contemplate before Olivia was barging into the bathroom. Oops. I think I was supposed to lock the door. She locked it behind her.

"Give me the phone." She demanded, holding her hand out for it. I didn't even think to argue, I just dropped it into her hand.

"Tell your brother he's stupid and perfect." I requested.

"You're stupid." She said into the phone, soon realizing he was on camera.

"I think there was a second part to that." Julian replied. And even though I couldn't see his face anymore, I could hear the stupid perfect smirk.

"I don't think there was." Uh oh, Olivia was not amused.

"Turn the camera on. Let me see Alice." He ordered Olivia.

"Oh, I'll turn the camera on, but you're not seeing Alice." She scolded.

"Why not?" That sounded much whinier than I meant it to.

"What the fuck did I do?" He was incredulous. Stupidly perfectly incredulous. Okay, no, that one didn't work.

"You really think it's just a fucking coincidence that you tell her she can see other people and a few days later she's going on her first date." Olivia screamed at him. She was glaring daggers at the screen, so I'm guessing she must have turned the camera on.

"I didn't tell her she could, I told her she should." He argued.

"Guys, I'm still here." I reminded them as the room began to spin a little.

"That's not how she heard it. She thinks she needs your fucking permission for everything." Olivia accused.

"She doesn't. Alice, you don't." Julian addressed me again for the first time since Olivia took my phone.

"Okay, maybe I'm not still here." I mumbled, shrinking into myself. I didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Olivia, take her home. I'll call her tomorrow." Julian was still making demands, even though it was obvious Olivia had the upper hand.

"Call her tomorrow. Talk it out. And then let her fucking go. If you're so damned determined that you can't be together right now, stop torturing her." I had never seen Olivia's face so stern or serious in my entire life.

"Okay." Was his only response. I wished I could see his face, because I had also never heard him sound so resigned in my entire life. What the hell was going on? What had happened to my Julian? The boy who never gave up. And where was my Olivia? The happy go lucky girl who was always up for anything. And where was I? The responsible one who made good choices. Nothing made any sense anymore.

"Oh, and Julian? Check your fucking twitter feed, and next time think with your big head instead of your little one." Olivia berated, not letting him respond before she hung up the phone.

She looked mad, more than mad, furious. But the anger slowly dissipated into an expression of empathy and deep affection as she turned her gaze toward me. I probably looked like some distorted overgrown baby, tears streaming down my face, knees hugged into my chest. She didn't say a word, just sank down to the floor next to me, and softly pulled me into her arms. We sat there until I had no tears left to cry.