Just Friends

*14*

The sheets have long since fallen away from them, becoming a tangled mess around their legs as their bodies writhe against each other.

It all happened so quickly, one second they were making out and the next they were ripping each other's clothes off.

Everything feels so good, like they're high on some amazing drug as every movement is deliciously better than the next. Perhaps it's because of the crush she's been harbouring on him, or maybe it really is just that good. Whatever it is, she's in pure bliss underneath him.

His thrusts start to get sloppy moments after she chokes out a moan that sounds very reminiscent of his name, and he buries his face in her neck, a slew of expletives rolling off his tongue.

He groans, a deep, throaty moan, and tightens the vice like grip he has on Alice's hips as he spasms against her. She smiles to herself, hazy from her own pleasure, as she traces her sharp fingernails up the ladder of his spine. His skin hot to the touch.

"Holy shit." He gasps, nearly out of breath as he rolls onto his back.

She smiles hazily at him and leans over to press a lingering kiss to his lips. He deepens it for the briefest of moments, tangling his fingers in her hair before letting her go.

He watches her as he tries to find his breath again, stares at the smooth, porcelain toned skin of her back as she clasps her bra.

It takes him a moment but he finally feels himself float back down to earth and he grabs his jeans, the two of them dressing in near silence.

"Hey," Alice begins, pulling her hair out from underneath her shirt. "We should grab a burger sometime, I don't know if you've had Pop's yet but it's the best in town."

He freezes, blinks as he processes what she just suggested. "Oh uh, this wasn't... this was just a one time thing." He sheepishly admits. "I heard around that you're the go to for this kind of thing. I'm not looking for a relationship right now." He grows quieter as he speaks the last sentence and she feels her stomach sink.

"You heard around?" Her voice is noticeably lower, sharp and icy.

"Y-yeah." He stammers. "From a few people. They said Alice Smith, that's you, right?"

"Who told you that?" She demands, ignoring his own question.

"I don't know." She opens her mouth to say something, clearly angry, but he beats her to it. "I really don't! I just broke up with my girlfriend and my friend said I needed to get laid, some guy heard you had invited me and said you're an easy lay."

Her eyes sting as they well up with tears, and she doesn't know if it's because she's upset, angry or both, but she's adamant to not let him see her cry. "Oh."

"Hey I'm sorry, I didn't know, I wouldn't have-"

"Don't." She interrupts, offering him a sad smile. "You didn't know."

"I'm really sorry!" He shifts on his feet, feeling both awkward and guilty. "Do you want me to talk to him?"

She scoffs. "You don't even know who it was."

"I can go find him, I know what he looks like. He was tall, had-"

She shakes her head, cutting him short. "No, just... don't worry about it. It's fine."

He knows it's not really fine and he feels like an ass but he nods his head anyway. "Okay. I really am sorry." She just nods her head in response and waits until he leaves the room before letting the first tear fall.

She sucks in a deep breath and straightens out her blouse, doing up an extra button or two and pulling the hem of her skirt down so it sits lower on her thighs.

Her bottom lip quivers as she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror, suddenly feeling dirty, like she wants to hop into a scalding hot shower and scrub every inch of her skin until it's red and raw.

She runs her shaky fingers through her hair, messed from Brady's own hands in it, and wipes a smudge of mascara from underneath her eye. Putting on a smile she takes another deep breath and makes her way to the door, wanting nothing more than to get far away from the party.

***

"I can't find Alice. Have you seen her?" FP asks. He's been search for her for the past ten minutes, having not seen her since they arrived.

"Not since we got here." Hermione replies. "Things must be going well between her and Brady." She smirks.

"No I just saw Brady come down, that's why I'm looking for her. She's not with him."

"She's probably in the bathroom." Fred comforts. "I'm sure she'll be down any minute."

As if on cue the missing blonde comes into view, shaking her way through the crowd, and to anyone else it wouldn't raise an eyebrow but to FP, it makes his stomach lurch.

Something is wrong.

"Told you!" Fred cheers.

FP doesn't say anything, just follows her without a word, his feet trying desperately to keep up with her. "Where you going?" He calls after her once they make it to the front door.

"Home." She answers, barely acknowledging his presence as she reaches for the door knob.

"Right now? It's only 11:30?"

"I'm tired."

He catches her wrist before she can sneak away and twirls her around to face him.'"Alice, what's going on?"

"Nothings going on," she insists. "I just want to go home."

"I know you Alice, something is wrong."

"Would you knock it off FP? I'm fine!" She barks, catching him off guard. That's when he notices the tears in her eyes.

His face softens, his eyes growing sad. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened." She croaks out, finally slipping out the door, the stark silence eerie and cold.

"You're about to cry, Alice. Did he hurt you? I'll break his hands if he did." He growls.

"No one hurt me, I just want to go home." She repeats for what feels like the hundredth time, hoping he'll just let her, though she knows him too well to believe that he will.

"You can talk to me." He reminds her. "No judgement."

She stomps her foot, digging her heel into the dirt, and a tear escaping down her cheek, unable to be kept at bay any longer. "FP please. Just stop." Her face crumbles as she speaks his name.

"Hey, hey. Come here." He curls his arms around her and she melts into his embrace, letting herself be cocooned in the safety of his arms. "Is it Jamie? I think I saw him a little while ago."

She sniffles, but nods her head, figuring that's an easier and less humiliating reason than what actually happened. "I saw him with some girl."

"Aw, I'm sorry, Al."

She shrugs, pulling away just a little. "It's alright, I'm the one who ended it, I guess I can't be too upset."

"Still, it's gotta suck." He wipes a tear from her cheek and gives her a warm smile. "Come on, I'll drive you home."

"No, stay I'll be fine." She insists, not wanting him to leave a good time just because she's having a bad one.

"Alice, I'm not letting you walk home in the dark. Who knows what kind of creeps are out right now."

"I don't want you to miss out on the party." She tells him, her voice small and sad.

"There will be more parties," he reminds her. "There's only one of you and I'd prefer you get home in one piece."

She smiles a little at that. "Well if you insist."

"There's that smile." He cheers. He curls his arm around her shoulder and leads them both towards his truck. "Come on, we'll grab a shake at Pop's before we head home, my treat."