Inevitable

A Strange Surprise

Liam put his hand on my arm and I could have melted right there. I told him it was okay and that I understood how busy he's been. Jess rolled her eyes at me.
I had told Jess how I felt about Liam last year and she always thought I should tell him. I'm not like her though. I don't have as much confidence as her when it comes to guys. I've always been amazed at how she could strike up a conversation with anyone. Even though she didn't agree with how I chose to deal with my feelings for Liam, Jess always remained loyal and kept my secret.
After we finished our second beer, we decided to go upstairs to hear the band. On the way, Liam grabbed another round of beers. I needed to slow down. It was still pretty early and if I drank more than four, I would regret it tomorrow.
We made our way to the living room where the band was playing and there was a massive crowd of people dancing. I was starting to feel buzzed. The band was doing a really cool cover of Since You've Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson. The fact that Liam was still here made me happier than I would like to admit. We pushed our way closer to the make shift stage and started dancing to the music. I felt Liam move behind me and put his hands on my hips. I could feel my inhibitations start to slip away. It felt so good to be this close to him. I'm tempted to turn around and kiss him.
Jess pulls me out of my drunken thoughts when she yells in my ear to look at the lead singer of the band. I look up at the stage.

"That's the guy you saw us with today. Nick's roommate Henry. This is his band. I hate to admit it but they are really good."

I froze at the sight of Henry. He was up on stage playing the guitar and singing a cover of Don't Stop Believing by Journey. Seeing him perform just made him that much more attractive. He was a million times hotter up there on stage. He had on tight jeans with rips in the knees and a black T-shirt. His hair was sticking up all over the place because he was sweating. I couldn't stop staring. This whole situation was overwhelming. To have both Liam and Henry in the same room was too much. I needed some air. I turned to leave the living room and Liam followed me.

"Let's go grab another drink. It's so hot in there!" He said to me when we reached the hallway. He grabbed my hand again and pulled me down to the basement. He was pretty wasted by this point and I wasn't much better. When we got downstairs he went behind the bar and grabbed 2 more beers. This had to be my last one!
I started to walk back towards the steps but Liam directed me back to the room we were in earlier. It was still the least crowded part of the house. We found a spot to lean against the wall and take a break. After a few sips, Liam turned to me and said, "You look really hot tonight Em." I almost spit my beer out. His words were slurred but they were still what I've been wanting to hear for almost two years. I looked up at his face and it felt like he was finally going to kiss me. He wrapped his arms around my lower back. I tilted my head to make it easier for him. He leaned in and when he was less than an inch from my face he whispered "We should be friends with benefits."