Boys, Boys, Boys.... [boyxboy]

Chapter Thirty <3 (Dedicated to ChristopherSnakee)

This chapter is dedicated to ChristopherSnakee (as of now, probably my biggest fan), who makes me blush with all his compliments!

___________________________________________________________

Chapter Thirty <3

Aiden-

The pale, puke green walls of the dressing room were enough to drive anyone insane. And it certainly would have driven me to the breaking point, if I wasn't already there. I had been sitting there on the dirty floor of the room for over an hour now, contemplating my next move. If I had one at all.

Transferring schools sounded really good about now.

Is that a hole in the wall?

The door opened behind me and I heard the achingly familiar sound of clunky boots coming toward me.

Caleb settled into the velvet chair a few feet in front of me and propped one heavy-booted foot upon his other knee. He looked at me, but I could not read the expression on his face. Caleb was just so damn mysterious all the time. It drove me insane.

"Finally just became a little too much, huh? You snapped," He said in his deep voice.

"Yeah, well Holly just-" I started.

"We both know you didn't snap just because of Holly Stick-up-Her-Ass Barrens. It's everything. It's a building pressure in your head, clouding your judgment, and then you explode. That's what happened," He said, so sure of himself.

"How would you know?" I snapped, "You don't give a shit about me, you aren't around to know me even."

He shrugged.

"I've been busy, Gorgeous," He said.

I rolled my eyes. "You've been avoiding me, actually," I said.

"Maybe. Does it matter? You don't seem so keen to be around me either. I was giving you some much needed space, I think," Caleb said flippantly, as if we were talking about the rainy weather we had been having lately.

"Why did you kiss me?" I asked darkly.

"That's rather presumptuous of you. And how are you so instinctively sure you were not the one to initiate it? That's rather what it seemed like to me." Caleb said, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting up.

Had I been the one to kiss him? That whole night seemed such a blur to me now.

"You can't do that in here," I said, pointing out his cigarette that was enveloped by his lips.

"Really, Pretty boy, you should know by now that I just don't care," He said, taking a drag.

"No, seriously, you can't because-" I was interrupted by the fire alarm going off.

The sprinkler system on the ceiling immediately went off along with the loud ringing of the fire alarm.

I heard shrieking from out on the stage area.

"Come on, everyone. Let's get outside. Quickly!" Ms. Tavern said.

I heard scrambling.

"My shoes aren't made to get wet!" Ashley yelled.

I could hear all this from behind the closed door in the dressing room.

I looked at Caleb, his longish dark hair dripping wet, water slightly blurring my vision.

"See! I told you!" I exclaimed.

I could make out a smirk.

"You-you-" I said, "You did it on purpose! You knew this would happen, and everyone would have to evacuate."

He shrugged.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" I said, running up and shoving him.

"You know everything is probably getting ruined out there? Why do you have to constantly pursue chaos?" I demanded.

"Calm down, Gorgeous," He muttered.

His eyes seemed to be laughing at me.

I got up in his face, yelling. "You're fucking messed up, you know that?"

His eyes dropped their teasing tint and became dark and serious. I was breathing hard again from getting all worked up.

"I know," He said.

And our lips found each other. It was long and hot, forgetting the cold water raining down on us. We pulled apart, and we were both breathing heavily.

The alarm was still ringing loudly, and I could feel my shirt sticking to my chest.

I grabbed Caleb's sides and pulled his body to mine, crushing my mouth to his with a force I did not know I had. His hands gripped my back. My hands were sprawled on his chest, but his shirt just seemed to be getting in my way. I grabbed at it, tugging and pulling. It was hard to get off because it was sopping wet. Finally, I got the fabric away from his skin and started to lift it. I kept my mouth on his, but then pulled away. I caught a glimpse of his chest. Something caught my eye. Almost circular, uneven white lines...

Scars?

Caleb noticed what I was looking at. I reached out to touch him there, but he yanked his body out of my grasp and folded his shirt back down.

There was pounding on the dressing room door.

"Aiden? Caleb? Are you in there? We have to exit the building even though it seems like a false alarm," Ms. Tavern's voice called from right outside.

I shuffled away from Caleb a few more steps and then, after a few tries without getting anything out, I called, "Y-yes. We're coming."

I headed for the door and put a hand on the knob, but before I opened it, I turned to look back at Caleb. He looked at me with his intense dark eyes that made me want to squirm and look away.

Why did those scars remind me of something?

I did turn away, and I opened the door and followed Ms. Tavern outside, where everyone was already huddled, wet from the sprinklers inside.

"Can you believe this shit? I'm all wet and I think my briefs are started to chafe," Corbin said to a very grossed out looking Sarah.

I saw Simon look over at them disgustedly. I knew what he was thinking. If she would've stayed with Simon, she wouldn't have to listen to that stupid, neanderthal stuff.

Nikki and Ashley were huddled together in the cooler air, Nikki's dark eyeliner now making her look like a murderous raccoon. Ashley still looked fabulous, if that were possible. Her blonde hair was matted down but her blue eyes sparkled. I couldn't help but notice Simon looking at her too, when he tired of scowling at Corbin and Sarah.

I stood off on my own. No sign of Caleb. He must have bolted. Without him around and with everyone else hating me, I felt utterly alone.

And I totally understood what Tollins meant by the chafing....