"Stop beating me," Calum cried, suddenly leaning forward, scowling at the TV screen. "at Mario Kart!" He uncrossed his legs, propping himself up on the pillows we'd laid out on the floor, eyes focused on the TV.
I grinned, my tongue poking out between my lips as my thumbs worked my controller. Calum grunted in triumph as he passed me – but I didn't say anything. We were just rounding the corner to the map, the finish line flashing ahead on both of our split screens – and I unleashed it.
The red shell.
"No!" Calum moaned, controller jerking in his hands as I shot past him, laughing as his player shuddered to stop, spinning in place. The finish line raced up to meet me, and I whooped as I crossed it, number 1 flashing on my split screen. The leaderboard flashed, showing me in first place and Calum in second – for the third time tonight – and I couldn't help but let out another chuckle, shooting Calum a grin.
"Cheater!" He mumbled, dropping his controller onto the pillow. I gaped at him, but I couldn't stop my lips from curving into a smile.
"Am not." I shot back, placing the controller down next to us as the TV kept playing, the rest of the AI racers finishing the course. "It's not my fault the game gave me red shells."
"In second place?" Calum growled, spinning on the pillow to stare at me.
"To be fair," I defended myself, reaching forward absently to shut our empty pizza box, before reaching for my drink. "I was in third place when I got them." I lifted the glass to my lips, taking a sip.
"I still say: cheater." Calum teased, his plump lips twisted into a smirk as he sat back. My eyes caught the sliver of skin as his shirt pulled up at his hip, and I pushed back the thoughts that popped into my head. I'd been having them for a while now – the desire to taste a little bit more than Calum's lips, the need to feel a little bit more than just his fingers intertwined with mine.
But I wasn't sure how to bring it up – how, exactly, did you tell your boyfriend you were ready to take the next step? It didn't help that I wasn't exactly experienced in 'the next step'. And a part of me knew that Calum wouldn't care, wouldn't judge, would take it slow with me – but I also didn't want to disappoint him.
"Well," I told him, pulling the glass away to stick my tongue out at him. "I say: you're a sore loser."
Calum gasped, hand flying up to clasp over his heart. "Sore loser huh?" He mused, eyes narrowing. "I'll show you sore loser." He shifted, propping onto his knees – and then he lunged.
"Calum!" I cried, jerking my glass out of the way as he threw his arms around my waist. "You idiot, my drink-" I desperately tried to keep the glass upright as Calum pushed me back, a laugh bubbling out of my lips before I could stop it. Calum giggled with me, releasing me with one arm so that he could reach up and grab the glass out of my hand. With a huff, he swiftly placed it on the coffee table behind us, before wrapping his arm back around me. "There." He laughed, pressing his body weight on me, pushing me back. He wiggled his way up between my legs, his head resting on my chest as he pinned me down. I couldn't help but grin, hand lifting so that I could run it through his hair.
"What," I asked him after a second, the room falling quiet as we lay on the floor, our legs intertwined, his arms wrapped uncomfortablybehind my back. "are you doing?"
"Showing you what a sore loser I can be." He answered, head twisting so that he could prop his chin on my chest, staring at me. I lifted my head to meet his gaze, raising an eyebrow.
"One, that hurts – your chin is like a dagger, you're digging a hole into my chest." I told him, tugging at his hair until he laughed, lifting his head to release the pressure. "And two – pinning me down is the best you can do?"
