Hooked Up

Chapter 6 - Untold Tales

The next weeks go by quickly and before I know it, I've sat through all my exams. I haven't done much else than studying these past weeks, the little free time I've had I've spent with Nick, working on our relationship. It feels like we're back to normal and I'm happy. Or as happy as I can be these days.

I haven't seen much of Landon; he's started going running later in the morning, and his evenings have been spent dividing his time between studying and bringing home random girls. I'm glad the walls are thick and his room is far enough from mine as I really don't want to hear him pounding into them. Gross.

At first I actually felt a little bad about how I yelled at him when he'd been nice to me the night before, but when I found myself in a room with him alone and opened my mouth to apologize, he threw some nasty jab at me and we went back to bickering. You could say everything is back to normal.

It's Friday night and since all the exams are over and the three week holiday has just started, the students are throwing huge parties. Or rather one very big party. Most of the houses near the campus are rented by students, and they are all now open and booming with music. The whole street is lit up and filled with our schoolmates having a good time.

"Here" Nick hands me a beer. I smile up at him and peck his lips.

"Uh, my eyes," Gabriel makes his way past us to the drinks, holding one hand over his eyes dramatically. I flip him off and he laughs.

"As if you haven't seen worse," I show him my tongue like a child. "Or done worse."

"I could be a virgin for all you know, babe," he smirks, putting a hand over my shoulders. I scoff up at him. A virgin. Him? Hah!

"Maybe if you hadn't slept with half the class someone would believe you" Stella pats him on the back. I laugh. Gabriel is a known ladies' man, jumping from bed to bed.

"I just seriously don't understand how you've gotten so many girls in bed with you," I cock my brow at him. "I mean," I pretend check him out, "it's not like this is all that." I indicate his face, biting back a grin.

"I'm wounded!" he gasps and puts a hand to his heart.

"Yeah yeah," I roll my eyes, laughing.

"Besides, honeybunny, it's not just about looks," he smirks, enjoying how being called stupid pet names annoys me.

"Great news for you" Riley puts in, leaning against a table. Gabriel pokes her in the side with his finger, earning a little yelp.

"What's it about, then?" Liam grins, obviously enjoying all of this.

"Personality, my barbie Ken. Personality."

Liam rolls his eyes.

"So... how again are you getting laid so much?" I can't help but ask. Gabriel turns to me with a dangerous glint in his eyes, a look I know well. He takes a step toward me and I take one back, ducking under Nick's arm.

"Now now, miss Alderidge, didn't you learn your lesson the last time?"

"I guess not," I quip and leap out of his reach, laughing all the while. He makes another grab for me but I dance out of the room and try to lose myself in the crowd. Just when I think I've lost him, I feel hands wrapping around my waist from behind.

"Caught you," his voice whispers in my ear. I bite back a yelp as he hoists me up on his shoulder, my butt up and head hanging down. "Nice ass," he laughs as I wriggle to get free. I slap his back, hard, but he just laughs.

"Let me down," I whine.

"Not just yet," I can hear the smile in his voice. He steps outside. Oh no.

"You wouldn't," I stare daggers at his back, guessing his plan.

"Wouldn't what?" he feigns innocence.

"If you drop me in a pile of snow, I'm going to strangle you," I warn him.

"So violent," he grins.

"I'm serious." I am. The last time I ended up in this precarious position, we were at our lake house and he dumped me in the lake. It had been summer, then. It was not summer now. I lift my head and see we're indeed closing in on the high pile of snow on the side of the road. Shit.

"What if I say you're the hottest guy in the school? So handsome, and that body...wow," I bite the inside of my cheek.

He stops. "In the school?"

I pause. "In the planet?"

He pretends to think about it. "Okay, fine." He puts me back on my feet and I push back my hair and scowl at him.

"Would you really have done it?"

His smile widens. "I guess we'll never know."

I shake my head and playfully smack him on the chest. "You're crazy."

"You're one to talk," he snorts. I roll my eyes and we make our way back inside to the warmth.

---

"There you are!" I wrap my arms around Miranda, who just arrived with Brett in tow. They are two hours late and the rest of us are already well on our way to drunkass.

"Yeah, sorry, had some business to take care of first," she apologizes, her eyes flashing to Brett.

"Ugh, no need to share," I hold up my arms, pretend gagging. She nudges me in the side and I hand her a drink. "You're well behind the rest of us."

"I can tell," she raises her eyebrows at Gabriel, who's entertaining a group of girls by doing a handstand on the keg. I watch him appraisingly. Maybe I should try that. Seems like fun.

"Oh no" Miranda snaps her fingers in front of my face.

"What?" I innocently ask.

"You're not drinking from the keg while upside down," she purses her lips, giving me an amused look. I pout at her like a child. Just then we hear a crash. I turn around to see Gabriel sprawled on his back, laughing drunkenly.

"And that's exactly why," she laughs.

"Fine," I give in, watching as Gabriel tries to get up, his legs wobbling.

"I'm on it" Brett grins and goes to help his friend, leaving us alone. We watch for a while as Gabriel tries to convince him he's fine on his own, right before taking a sidestep and almost falling on his ass again. Brett shakes his head and mutters something inaudible, pulling Gabriel's arm over his shoulders.

"So," I can feel Miranda's eyes on me. "How is... everything?"

I avoid her eyes, knowing she means the stupid panic attack. We haven't really had time to talk since I called her shortly that morning, given our rigorous studying.

"Fine, " I tell her, not really knowing what else to say. Am I fine?

"Well, I'm here if you want to talk about it," she squeezes my shoulder gently. "I know this time of the year is hard for you as it is and the panic attack just made everything worse so—"

"What panic attack?" a voice asks behind me. Shit.