Stranger Things Have Happened | Marcus Bontempelli

seven. *

* 18+ content warning

It would be an understatement to say I was anything but hot under the collar. Between Josh's hands touching every part of my body that was acceptable in public and Marcus watching it happen, I needed to remove myself and get some fresh air. I tried to get Liv's attention and make a quick dash to the ladies bathroom but I couldn't bring myself to break up the lust fest between her and Caleb. They were adorable.

Instead I unclasped my hands from behind Josh's head and smoothed them lightly down the front of his shirt, sending him a kind smile when I felt his heart pumping in his chest. I leaned in slightly and whispered that I needed to use the bathroom, hoping he could hear me over the loud music as he reluctantly removed his hands from my waist.

"I'll come find you," I promised and quirked his eyebrow.

"You better," He replied with a flash of his million-dollar smile before making his way over to where some of the guys were drinking the night away.

I followed behind Josh and brushed past Marcus to grab my jacket before b-lining it for the exit sign and retreating outside into the cold Melbourne air. The rickety set of stairs led down to a small alley beside the venue as I welcomed the smell of cigarette smoke and wet gravel. The dim lights bled into the reflection caused by the puddles that had formed during the morning downpour and the night felt very still, the only sound coming from the traffic on the main street and quiet vibrations from the music playing upstairs. I shrugged the denim jacket over my shoulders and leaned against the brick wall behind me, arms crossed and lost in thought.

There wasn't much point in denying the fact that I was crossing the line with some of the thoughts I was having. There also wasn't much point fucking around with guys who were close friends with Tom. As tempting as it was, I needed to clear my mind and set my sights on someone who wasn't in any way compromised by my friendships. Or better yet - stay away from men completely and enjoy the time I had left with Liv, even if that meant prying her away Caleb who come to think of it should probably be off limits to her as well.

I took a couple of deep breaths, creating a cloud of fog that formed in front of my face and came to the conclusion that swearing off men would be the best way to go - and I had a plan. Abduct Liv and make a run for it. The loud clank of a door broke me out of my thoughts as my eyes snapped in the direction of the disturbance.

"Good thing you went back for that jacket," Marcus said as he strolled down the stairs. His voice was starting to shake as the cold air took away any warmth he had before leaving the sweaty dance floor.

"I'm usually pretty lateral in my thinking but the jacket was a no-brainer," I jested back with a smirk, gently leaning back against the wall and continuing to look forward.

"A lateral thinker... Very intriguing," He replied with a humorous tone before leaning up against the wall across from me.

Marcus' hair was slightly more dishevelled than it was when we first arrived - some of it even sticking to his forehead due to the humidity inside. He propped one of his feet up onto the wall behind him and crossed his arms as he peered over at me with an inquisitive look in his glimmering brown eyes.

I mirrored his expression and hummed quietly, "Sometimes it's rewarding to be a little imaginative from time to time."

Marcus titled his head to the side and laughed, "That usually gets me in trouble," He returned with his eyes still narrowed, trying to unscramble the signals I was clearly sending him.

"But the point of being imaginative is that you can visualise what you want without actually having to act on it, therefore avoiding said trouble, no?" I asked curiously with raised brows and a smirk lining my slightly chapped lips.