Dork Diaries: Next Generation

It's Getting Hot in Here

A/N:

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER MAY GET A LITTLE STEAMY. ALSO: I might be going on a hiatus on this account to work on a book on another account sociallyawkward2002 If I end up disappearing, you'll know what's happening if you bothered reading this note. I won't be going on hiatus without finishing this book though.

I drop off a giggling, happy Terra Cruise at her home. She thanks me before running inside with her arms weighed down by bags. I nod and watch her go inside while twisting my keys in the ignition. Terra isn't so bad, and I'm glad we talked things out.

We solved our problems, and... I don't know. I guess it gave me this newfound motivation to go and fix something else. Not with Taylor; I'm not ready to face him yet. Not Vanessa either. Maybe I can patch things up with Rick, like really fix things.

Me: Can you come to my house in 10??

Knowing he has nothing better to do today, I start towards my house with no worries because I already know the answer. My phone buzzes and I read the text after pulling into my driveway.

Rick: sure see ya then

I grab an apple for myself and a bag of barbecue flavored chips for Rick, then march myself to my room. And after a few minutes of reading Falling Kingdoms, the doorbell rings and Rick is let into my room.

The nostalgia of the last time he was here washes over me, and I hope nothing bad happens.

"So," he says, making the situation awkward, "why exactly did you call me here?"

"I– um... I wanted to fix us." It felt like I was asking to clean up a tornado, especially since the fight happened in this room. It was such a mess, all of it.

His eyebrows shot up to show surprise, but the gesture happened so quick, it made me think that he expected something. "Oh," he says.

I sigh. "You know, you're making this very hard. You're acting so tense and vague."

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know," I groan. "Stop being vague?"

He laughs and sits down across from me on my bed. Rick finds my hands and holds them in his, relieving the tension that was building up between us.

"I'm sorry, Brandy, for all of this. I know I rushed you, and you weren't trying to hurt anyone. I just– I don't know. I felt like you were leading me on."

"Leading you on?" My voice was raising, something I didn't necessarily want to do. I took a deep breath. "I told you that I couldn't be with you because I had feelings for someone else."

"Yeah, I know, but he turned out to be an ass," he laughs. "So I guess the whole try-not-to-hurt-someone backfired."

I didn't think about it like that. Here I am, trying not to break a guy's heart, and mine gets broken instead.

You've gotta be kidding me.

I couldn't think of anything to say to him. I had nothing to apologize for. So... "What do you want to do now?" I ask.

I sounded like a clueless second grader, but it sounded better than sitting in awkward silence.

"Do you have Monopoly?" he queries sheepishly, as if the idea sounds ridiculous.

A board game sounded great. I am a queen at Monopoly. "What kind of rich person would I be if I didn't have Monopoly?" I grab my box of Uno cards as well and find Monopoly on my bookshelf. "Ready to lose, peasant?"

*~*~*~*

After hours of Monopoly, Uno, and accusing the other of cheating, Rick and I pop some popcorn and settle down for a movie. We decide on having a Hunger Games marathon.

We sat on my bed, close enough to fit but farther than any normal friends would usually sit. I mean, we were so far apart that one of Rick's legs was hanging off the side of the bed.

I pretend not to notice, and about an hour into the first movie, I realize we were gradually getting closer. He finally puts an arm around me when we're close enough, and I scoot even closer to rest my head on his chest.

"We're okay, right?" he whispers. I nod in response, and he kisses the top of my head.

I sit up and completely ignore the movie. I wasn't paying much attention to it anyway; I was more focused on trying to keep my heart out of my throat and in my chest. I wanted Rick, and I'm not sure if he wanted me anymore.

His eyes pierce mine. "What are you thinking?" he asks.

"I don't want to mess up again." My gaze flicks to his mouth and back to his eyes. "I'm tired of making mistakes."

"Let's hope this isn't a mistake then." And his lips meet mine. Or my lips meet his. I don't think either of us are sure who initiated what, but it was happening.

It started off slow and sweet, but it got quicker and hungrier as time went on. His hands were on my waist and mine were tangled in his messy hair.

It was a catastrophe, really. It was a beautiful, catastrophic cycle of kissing, breathing, and shifting. We both knew my parents weren't home, and that made things even more intense. We knew how far this could go, and we were pushing our limits when the shirts started flying. Then the pants and so on. He and I were so close.

"You wanna do this?" he asks.

"Uh, yeah. I think so," I assure. "But we can't have another Brandy Roberts being attacked by paparazzi, so..." I throw a condom at his face, and he laughs. The rest of it all was a heavenly dream.