My Bad Boy's Diary

~Sixty~ pretending

Apparently I had neglected my friends too long and I found myself guilted into going out to yet another dratted party.

At least this one wasn't a costume party. It was approaching spring now – somehow I had survived the holidays - and I was wearing a purple lace sundress in reflection of the nice weather. I had knee high boots on and a cropped red leather jacket, but I had checked it at the door along with my purse.

I was in the kitchen of the frat house, listlessly munching on chips, when I felt my world shift.

Glancing up, I almost choked on my chips as I found Dalton smiling down at me.

"Hey, it's good to see you." His eyes grazed down over me. "You look stunning, as always." He reached out and wound a lock of my curly hair around his finger.

I slapped his hand away, frowning up at him. "Yeah, well, it's not good to see you."

He cocked his head, unfazed. "Liar." He challenged. He snatched a chip and popped it into his mouth, grinning at me as he crunched on it. "So where's your boyfriend?"

I jerked my head towards the entrance of the living room area.

"Hmm. How long have you-?"

"Like, two years." I answered before he was even done asking.

"Ahhh, I see. Must be pretty serious then."

I shrugged before I could think better of it.

He raised his eyebrows. "Do you love him?"

"It's none of your business."

He didn't seem fazed by this, either. "You're right. Can I get you a drink?"

I shrugged, but I also kind of nodded, too.

He smiled at me and went to the fridge to root around for ingredients. He looked good, I couldn't help but think as I watched him pouring me a drink.

He was wearing simple faded jeans and a white, long sleeve shirt. He hadn't changed much fashion-wise, I could see. But he seemed clean, and fit, and healthy, and he smelled really freaking good, even from a distance.

He came back to me at the counter and set down a red Styrofoam cup. I took it and sipped it. My eyes widened as I tasted root beer and rum.

"That still your favorite?" He asked me.

I took another sip and only then did it occur to me that I still trusted him enough to drink something he had made me; that technically he could have put anything into.

I didn't answer his question, instead I asked him one. "So are you seeing anyone?"

I had to steel myself against him somehow, I could feel myself melting already. Being near him was like being next to a raging fire.

I actively recalled his entry about having a threesome and that helped. Jealousy roiled in my belly. I had missed that feeling; I associated it strongly with him, after all.

"Should I repeat what you said?" He asked me teasingly. "It's none of your business?"

I shrugged, looking down into my cup.

"You haven't finished reading my journal yet, have you?"

I glanced up at him from under my eyebrows. "Who says I've read it at all?"

"The look on your cute little face."

I turned my head away, guilty as charged.

He chuckled and decided to have mercy on me. "I'm single, Brooklyn. In fact, I've been single for the past five years, three months, and-"

"I get it!" I said sharply, looking up at him to find him laughing at me.

Just then Alec entered the room and came over to my side to loop his arm around me.

"You two come to a truce?" He asked me innocently.

I smiled up at him, or I tried to, anyway, but I have a feeling it came out more as a grimace.

Dalton looked between the two of us and when my gaze slid inevitably back to him, it was to find that his face had closed down. But I knew that expression well enough; he was angry and moreover, he was hurt.

"Oh yeah." Dalton said softly, drawing Alec's attention. "We're all patched up now."

###

I spent the rest of the evening trying to have the best possible time imaginable, just in case Dalton was watching.

I danced with Alec and my girlfriends, I laughed too loudly and drank too much, and maybe talked a little too fast.

Alec rubbed my back at one point and leaned down to ask me if I was alright.

I nodded, surprised that he'd ask. I was having such a grand time, after all.

As I was walking down the hallway to the bathroom, suddenly someone grabbed my hand.

I squeaked in surprise as I was yanked practically off my feet and into a random bedroom.

"What the-?!" I turned to wildly attack my attacker, only to stop when I saw who it was holding me captive.

"What're you doing now, Dalton?! What is wrong with you?! Let me go!"

"No." He was holding me tight against him, his eyes burning into mine. "I can't take it anymore. I can't watch you pretending to have a good time with that-that dork! I need to know you still feel the way I do."

Dalton backed me up against the door, caging me in, and kissed me.

*~*~*~*

I find I have a hard time keeping track of pesky little details like the movement of time through my stories. I tried my best to iron out the timeline, but let me know if I screwed it up somehow! LOL

Happy reading, ya'll!

What do you think, should I post another chapter? Methinks I shall!

HRH