Despicable Desires

Episode 12

Adeline

A sharp pain in my head interrupted my sleep and forced me to open my eyes. My chamber was shrouded in darkness, but I could still make out a mass at the foot of my bed. As I turned under the covers, I noticed another warm body at the edge of the mattress. Dazed, it took me a while to realize it was the girls. I don't remember exactly what time we went to bed, and I didn't even dare go downstairs to inspect the state of the house. My night was a nightmare as I replayed over and over the inappropriate behavior I had shown Jayden. I kissed him. I mean, I really kissed him. And the worst part is that I enjoyed every second of that kiss. Damn it. It gave me more sensations than my five months with Tyler. After that mistake, I never saw Jayden again - luckily, or I think I would have died of shame. I have no idea where he went, with whom, or how the rest of his evening went, but I made a complete fool of myself. And it didn't even have the intended effect - to help me forget, at least for a few hours, that I had screwed up. Completely screwed up. I exhale loudly and turn onto my back, staring at the ceiling.

Now I am faced with two major dilemmas: Should I apologize to Jayden? And should I tell the girls? They deserve to know. They're my best friends, the ones who are supposed to support me through life's trials. After all, who hasn't done something regrettable at a party, acting on the urge of the alcohol that titillates our hormones?

"The girls?" I whisper, trying to wake them up gently, but no one answers.

"The girls!" I finally moan a little louder before hearing them grumble in a half-sleep state.

"What?" Holly, who was sleeping next to me, turns to me.

"I made a massive mistake..."

She turns on the bedside lamp, eliciting a painful groan from us. Light + hangover = bad combination! Esther sits up and rests her head on the mattress at the foot of the bed, her eyes still a little sleepy.

"What have you done now..." The brunette next to me teases openly, putting an arm over her eyes to shield them from the light. I remain silent, picking at the small skin around my nails. How will I break the news to them? I don't even know what their reaction will be.

"Come on, tell me!" Esther at the end of the bed grows impatient, obviously annoyed by this abrupt awakening. She yawns and rubs her tired eyes to keep them open.

"I..." A lump forms in my throat as I realize my mistake. "I kissed Jayden," I finally admit after taking a deep breath. A deadly silence fills the room as two pairs of completely confused eyes stare at me.

"What did you do?" Esther almost screams.

"Shhh! Lower your voice," I reply. The high-pitched sound of Holly's laughter fills the room. With her hands clutching her ribs, she tries to calm her spasms.

"Very funny! Think of something more believable next time," she manages to say between spasms.

"I'm not kidding." Frowning, I meet her gaze and tell her the whole story, from the shivers he gives me, to the jealousy I feel when he's with another girl, to my slip-up last night.

"Oh, damn! I never expected that!" Holly exclaims. A little embarrassed, I grimace as I lay back on the pillow. "I don't know what to do."

"You don't know, maybe he forgot," Esther replied, dismissing my complaint with a wave of her hand.

"Do you think so?"

"Even if he remembers, he'll be just as embarrassed as you are. All the more reason not to talk to him. Anyway, it's not like you talk to each other," she concluded. I laughed at her rather cutting remark, fully aware that the situation was quite funny. Although, deep down, I felt that she was just trying to poke fun at me, and I didn't understand why. "Yes. Just think, you slipped up because of the alcohol," Holly chimed in. "And besides, he's your brother. Didn't that disgust you a little?" Esther looks at me with her mouth agape, as if I'd just done the most disgusting thing in the world. "Nonsense! You are not related by blood. You can be so old-fashioned sometimes," she says. Holly turns to me, a knowing smile on her face, before continuing, "He's as handsome as a god, so it's normal for you to have a crush on him. It can happen to anyone, including me if he were under my roof. Just remember that as long as he's part of your family, he's untouchable. You kissed him, it's no big deal. Now ignore him like he knows how. If your kiss caused a problem, he has a tongue to talk with." Relieved, I lean over to give her a hug while Esther goes back to her mattress, grumbling. "Well, at least one of them has my back!" When we finally decide to go downstairs, the house is immaculately clean. "Thanks, early birds... or night owls!" Esther leaves first for a family dinner, but Holly stays to soak up the sun until early afternoon. I'm sure she's waiting for Jayden to show up to see how I justify myself. Too bad for her, he doesn't show up once all day. Not even when I go to work in the evening. Nothing. No news, and it's better that way! In the end, ignoring him is much easier than I thought.