Addicted {bxb}

XXII

After leaving my own house, I decided to stay over at Erica's house. Usually when my parents would leave the house, I would throw a party and invite everyone that I knew. But today was different. The party animal in me for once wasn't in the party mood. Not saying that Erica's mom got to me because that will never be the case, but it was the same vibe every time.

Smoke. Get drunk. Have random sex. Then wake up.

But ever since I've slept with Maricio five times now, I started to realize something. He wasn't that bad to be around even if it was just sex between us. Neither one of our parents knew that we were sleeping together of course but they did know we saw each other more. They're adults, surely they'll figure out why we've been with each other almost every day and considering my reputation.

"Is it bad that I don't want to run the family business with my brother?" Erica questioned me while she paced back and forth in the open area at the foot of her bed.

I shrugged my shoulders. "You're asking the wrong person," I said, then took a hit from my cigarette.

"Oh right." She scoffed. "You don't want to follow in your parents' footsteps."

"Exactly."

I raised the cigarette to my lips about to take another hit, but Erica quickly snatched it out of my hand. "Erica-"

"You know you can't smoke in my house," she said, like I didn't already know her house rules.

"Spray perfume or something," I suggested and reached out trying to take it back, but she jerked her arm away from me.

"Or just don't be addicted to this cancer stick," she said.

I leaned back on her bed, watching as she made her way to a corner of her room where she used to put out my other cigarettes before throwing them away. There were things that I liked about Erica and one of those things included her trying to look out for my health. I wasn't going to listen to her anytime soon but at least she put in the effort to try.

"I don't get why you don't want to be the next to run your family business," she said, backtracking to our conversation.

"What's not to get?" I asked like it was the most obscure question I've been asked.

"Well, your family is the richest in the company," she stated. "My parents look up to yours and Maricio's parents look up to mine and yours. Plus let me not forget that when they pass, someone will have to take over."

"Then they should get started on having another kid."

Erica playfully punched my arm and we both let out a laugh together. She may have thought I was joking but I was being serious. I don't care too much for the suit and ties. Then when it comes to closing out deals, let's be serious here, the only way I could get what I want would be to sleep with someone. I know it's a bad habit to have but I can't help who I am. There really was no changing me.

"I'm going to the restroom," she announced, then left her bedroom.

I let out a sigh then stood up from the bed so I could leave her bedroom as well. She usually took a while in the restroom so wandering around would kill a little time. Only when I stepped out of her bedroom, I noticed Adrian's room on my right-hand side. I remember Erica telling me that Adrian would be home, but it would be best not to bother him. So why did I find myself knocking and without waiting for a response I pushed the door open.

He was sitting on his bed with a pre-calculus book in his hand and a halfway full notebook page beside him. When he looked up at me, he slowly closed his book to give me his attention. There was a different look to him than the one he gave me last night. Before he looked at me like he had seen a ghost now he looked at me like he wasn't afraid of me.