𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 || baxter radic

35.

The house fills with my friends. Summer's mom giving us teens the opportunity to have a night alone. After the long week she didn't want the fun for us to end. She wanted the party to carry on as far into the night as it possibly could. She couldn't begin to think about watching our smiles fade.

We're all gathered in the living room, even Wren decides to join us. She's kept her attitude at bay and honestly, was able to let go for the day. It was nice to see her acting like a teen and not a child trying to be an adult.

"I have an idea." I sit forward, peeling my back off Bax's chest. We haven't been able to lose physical contact since we rejoined our friends. He's spent the entire time stealing secret kisses or making rogue comments if I tried to depart. Just enough to keep me around.

"This is gonna be good." Summer directs her attention toward me. She could tell there was something between Bax and I when we joined them again. She questioned us both, but neither of us spilled the details. Honestly, that was the whole point of my idea. I kind of wanted to shock her.

"Never have I ever." I lean back against Bax again, missing the warmth of his body already.

"What kind of madness do you have up your sleeve Maybelle?" Bax whispers in my ear. I giggle at the tickle of his breath on my skin.

"No keeping secrets." Summer shoots a glance at Bax, and a bitter lingering of jealousy pings in the pit of my stomach.

"I was just telling May how nice her—" I clasp my hand over his mouth, mumbling his words from traveling any further. If I hadn't stopped him there was no doubt he would be willing to spill all of our darkest secrets.

"Shall we begin?" Ari breaks whatever tension is seemingly building in the room. I guess whatever was happening between Summer and Baxter hadn't fully be crushed like we all thought it had been. I felt it in the glance and it seems like Ari had as well.

"Belle, it was your idea. You start." Summer narrows her eyes at me like she has some sort of vendetta toward me. If anything I should be the one having one toward her, not the other way around. She almost ruined my shot at this perfect relationship.

"Never have I ever hooked up with someone in this room." I glare her down. Two can play this game. If she wants to send attitude my way, I can return it back.

"Babe, that's not how it works. You've done that." Bax whispers in my ear, but the words go ignored. I'm a devil with a pitch fork ready to defend myself to death.

I drop a finger while staring at Summer waiting for her to do the same, but she doesn't. "You didn't hook up with him."

Summer's eyes shift over my shoulder, directing her attention straight to Baxter. She doesn't believe me, but Baxter copies me dropping a finger of his own. He hesitates though, like he fears the wrath Summer is cooking up.

"This feels personal." Bodhi speaks up.

"She's just trying to brag." Summer scoffs, crossing her arms against her chest. "But she forgets sometimes that she did get my sloppy seconds."

I take a deep breath and push myself off Baxter's lap using the arm of the couch. "Little do you know he liked me the entire time he was with you." I roll my eyes as I go to leave.

"Yet he still tried kissing me when he got with you, so who is really winning here Maybelle?" Summer's voice calls out as I walk toward the kitchen.

"Guys enough." Baxter speaks up trying to stop the war that's forever burning below our feet.

"Don't act like all this isn't your fault." Summer give attitude to Bax and that's where I draw the line in the sand.

I quickly return to the living room. "It's not his fault. It's yours Summer. You wanted to know what happened and now you know. You didn't have to go and take things all personal because of it. This is supposed to fun."

"May..." Bax's voice beckons me over to him. I cross the room toward him like a scared puppy worried that I'm about to be punished for my actions. When I drop into his lap he brings his lips to my ear, his voice low and warning, "if you don't behave, the kind boy you had this morning might have to do a bit of punishing."

My breath hitches. I cross my legs to fight the issue I know that's about to arise as the images flash through my mind. I nod my head slowly and don't say another word.

The never have I ever game continues without the contribution of Bax, Summer and I. We just sit there—Summer and I—seething in pent up anger that won't vanish until we scream it out. We will forgive each other and move on. But for now we just death glare each other until the game finishes.

"I'll be right back." I kiss Bax's cheek with my eyes glued to Summer as if to declare my dominance. I swear I hear a growl from her across the room, but I know it's all in my head.

I walk off toward the bathroom and hear Summer following behind me. I know it's her because no one else would be following me. They don't have anything to say. Only she does.

As soon as the door clicks behind us she's clawing her nails into my skin. "What the hell was that Belle?"

I rip my arm away from her grasp before I answer. "I think I should be asking you that Summer. It's a game. A fun game. I didn't want to just come out and say that I hooked up with Bax. It's none of anyone's business. But I thought it was a normal way to go about it. But clearly it set you off because you still feel some sort of way about him."

She tries to deny my words. She tries to convince me that she doesn't. But the words stumble from her mouth making no sense. She's fumbling the bag and honestly that gives me all the answers I need. Somewhere inside of her, she feels something. And that day—the one where he almost kissed her—still lingers way too close to the surface for my comfort.

"Me sleeping with Bax was a nail in your coffin wasn't it?" I ask her genuinely. I don't say it with any anger, or spite.

"What do you even mean Belle?" The venom still trickles in her words. I don't need to repeat the question or explain myself because I've gotten my answer. She still felt something for him. Us sleeping together cemented that our relationship was more than just a fling. Because Summer knew that if I opened myself up to someone that far, that I was never letting them go. I was going to sink my teeth into their skin and drain them for all they were worth.