Surround me - the first novel

Chapter 10 - hard luck

Matty's POV

This beats being with just Rachel and Phillipa. Even if Taylor is sitting in Ross' lap the entire time. Stroking his arm and kissing him every now and then. Ross is a nice guy, the girls usually discount him. But for her he's like catnip. I laugh at myself for thinking up such a weird analogy. Glance at my phone and notice a message from Jay.

One thing is for sure, I think to myself, reading his message. Taylor is never to set eyes on Jay, for many reasons. It strikes me as odd that I've known her for a few hours yet suddenly I'm protecting her from every potential suitor that could come her way. The only thing I haven't quite calculated is how I'm going to manage out doing Ross. He's currently wrapped his arms over her shoulders as she leans back onto him.

I peer down at my phone again noting a message from my mother telling me that she's with Steve. No parties she instructs and I laugh to myself. She knows exactly what I'm up too.

Steve is like a step dad to me, but he never actually tries to take the place of a dad in my life, which I appreciate. I'm old enough now not to need a "daddy figure".

I briefly wonder if Tay will meet my mum. All the others have, they all like her. I know what my mum will say should they ever be in the same room. She would turn to me smiling saying what a looker where did you find that one. Followed quickly by please don't break anymore hearts and expressing how she doesn't want any pregnant girls lining up at the door. Or fights with Jay over them for that matter.

Ross, I deliberate putting my phone down and looking over at them. One girl finally looked at him and he's flaunting it for the whole world to see. One girl that looks as though she should be auditioning for modelling companies. Her face completely symmetrical, her cerulean blue eyes looking up at him angelically. He lounges back with her in his lap and she's now stroking his hair with her free hand a shot in the other. He's lit up another and I know he's going to start blowing smoke into her mouth again. I don't blame her really, Ross is good looking and he learnt lots of his moves from me.

I watch her talking openly with Brad. The way she sweeps her hair back when she laughs. He's lapping up her conversation, and I just think God not another one I'm going to have to watch out for. Her delicate hands stroking Ross down his neck and playing with his hair. I've never been in this situation before. I usually manipulate the situation so that the girl is with me over anybody else. Either that or I never care enough about any girl to notice. Taylor is exceptionally receptive to guys. She's magnetic, people want to be around her. There's not a hint of desperation for attention, she is easy going. She makes people comfortable.

I've zoned out of the game we're all playing and all conversations. I begin to wonder what Ross was doing with her upstairs in my bathroom. They were gone a while. I kept the time in my head, twenty minutes and 40 seconds. I wonder if he touched her, kissed her. I wonder if she ran her hands through his hair like she's doing now.

Just as I was about to head up my stairs and check on her, Rachel whined that she wanted another cigarette. I rolled for her planning on going up after however by then Ross has followed her up the stairs before me. I glance at Rachel spinning the bottle, notice how drunk she is. I eye Ryan and he rolls his eyes. I'm going to have to put her to sleep in the spare room and just hope she doesn't throw up.

I wasn't sure about Ross' intentions with Taylor earlier and I know he was one step away from taking her home and having his way. I don't normally like having all nighters at my place but it was the better option. I'll have to see what I can do about Ross later. If I can, but looking at her now she is pretty much putty in his hands. I look at her legs crossed stretched out in front of her. How she hasn't got a boyfriend is unbelievable.

The bottle spins on me. That brings me back into the room. I hope it's her. I don't want to kiss anyone else right now. I need her off of Ross' lap and if she kisses me I'll get her to myself at least briefly. I acted coldly towards her before. But that's just the way I am. That's how I cope when I don't know what to do. I pulled away from the kiss before because it felt different when she kissed me. I wanted to touch her, and not just make moves on her like I do with most girls when I want something back from them.

The bottle lands on her friend Rhea. Hard luck. This is odd, I know that her friend is with the guy she's been on all night. I kiss her all the same and then pull my shirt over my head making me shirtless.

Rach eyes my chest like I'm a piece of meat. I'm beginning to wonder if I could pull a move on her later. Not again surely. Would that be so wrong? She is quite drunk. We've been together before.

I put some more wood on the fire. Resume looking back at Taylor. She's watching me, I catch her and she looks away. She's embarrassed I can sense it. I'm good with guessing how they feel.

"I'm going to riverbank" she tells Ross answering his questions. I want her to myself. Call me possessive, don't care. I want to ask her these questions.

"No fucking way" Brad says ecstatic ingratiating himself with her again.

"I am too, What are the odds." Ross smiles broadly. I can sense him thinking this through, already.

"What are you all studying" she asks opening the question up to everyone.

"I'm doing photography and art" Brad takes the lead.

"I want to be a tattoo artist" he smiles at her. He tattooed my back a few months ago. My first tattoo, a small piece of writing.

"Stiffy here is studying music" Brad says for Steven who is shy and high.

"What about you" he enquires keeping their conversation going.

"I'm studying dance, music like you" she nods at Steven and he smiles at her feeling at ease.

"And media and film" she announces.

"Jeez that's a lot of courses" Brad comments.

"What do you play" she asks Steven including him.

"I'm a drummer, how about yourself? We might be in the same class" Steven smiles nicely at her.

"Urm guitar, piano and violin" she replies shyly.

Rach and Pippa head to the loo. God, there we go, one of them has had too much. I see Ryan pursue after them, he will sort them out.

"She's the real deal, great at all three and she sings" Rhea chirps up.

She looks down shyly. I want to hear her sing.
"I'm more into dance. I want to be a dancer." She explains like she's auditioning for miss world.

"Well you're gonna have to show us your moves" Brad says. Leave her alone is all I can think. She smiles not committing but not being rude either.

"How about you, Ross and you Matty" she tacks my name on looking up at me very briefly.

"I'm studying English lit and psychology" Ross informs her and she is pleased. Damn him the smart prick.

"The literature I should have known" she smiles up at him.

"I'm studying media & film and art." I tell her smiling.

"Looks like we'll be sharing classes" I say to her, don't friend zone yourself Matthew, I tell myself.

"Nice, what made you choose it? If you don't mind me asking" she asks interested in me.

"I like the practical side" I say and she smiles as if she knew that would be my answer.

"I like filming, setting up the shots and editing. I've got a few cameras if you want to look" I say.

"I'd like that" she says simply.

"I would love to see your art too" she smiles and I nod.

"Okay one shot each left" Rhea comments.

"A few more goes left of the game" Brad says. Perv.

"Then we turn the music up and dance. And you know look at those cameras that Tarantino over there has" Brad laughs.