The Gold and the Forest

XXII

Chapter 22: Kissed

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They arrived to party guests milling about the front porch. A guy in the front received a fist bump from Declan before they made their way in. The lights were moody with fairy lights strewn about, there were cans of beer being quietly passed around, and Carl ended up getting one from a tipsy girl who touched his arm eagerly.

"You're so tall..." She marveled.

Vivi tugged him away from her, taking the beer can out of his hand with a pout on her face.

"You don't need that." She wasn't looking into his eyes. "After all, we know what you're like after a few drinks."

"Right." He mumbled, clearing his throat quickly and following Clan who was waving out to them. In the back of the house, the party girl was dawdling about, hosting her guests. Clan tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned around with a primed smile. Her eyes widened when she recognized Declan and she instantly went to fixing her dress.

Her eyebrows scrunched down. "It's you—You came."

"I brought some friends if you don't mind."

Iris' eyes darted to behind him and caught Carl and then Vivi, where her frown deepened.

"Happy birthday, Riz." He opened his arms for a lazy hug. She took a moment to register his gesture before breaking out into a blush. She pushed him away and he started laughing at her antics.

Carl grunted at this scene, reminded instantly of Kade and Min.

"Aww... Young love." Vivi cooed.

"This must be a joke." Carl sighed.

Vivi rolled her eyes at him and pressed the beer against his neck. "Maybe you do need this after all."

He flinched at the sudden cold pressed into his neck and took the can from her, glowering.

Vivi sauntered off to go check out the rest of the party, leaving Carl alone for a minute. She has been to a few parties before, but they were usually conservative and very business-like. She remembered the party where she met Kade, there they only had fine wine. A few minutes into walking around, a few guys hanging about started hitting on her. They offered her some beer.

"Aren't you getting warm in that?" One of the girls commented, pointing at her kimono.

"I'm fine," She reassured, fanning herself with a light laugh. With some more pushing from the girl just trying to make some conversation, she was given a scrunchie to tie her hair up. While she was twisting her hair into a ponytail, she met the eyes of a cute freckled guy who was looking at her, his expression growing increasingly interested.

He was decent looking, but too young for her to go for!

A few other guys started asking her what high school she was from, and she laughed. "I'm in college."

They hushed, suddenly they started nudging at the guy who she had made eye contact with.

"Aren't you into older girls?" She heard the girl laugh. The boy looked flustered.

"His ex was a college girl, but they broke it off after she moved out for college." One of his friends informed her.

"Hey—we don't need to tell her that much." He scolded good-naturedly. She laughed quietly.

"We should respect his privacy." Vivi shot him a smile. "Maybe that girl was special."

He gave her an appreciative smile.

She started noticing how nice his eyes were.

---

He had been looking for her for a few minutes when he found her seated next to a guy talking about something. The guy had his eyes trained on her face as she was taking a sip out of the beer can in her hand. His cheeks flushed, he leaned in closer towards her.

What if they hit on us, Carl?

More like, what if they hit on you. Carl felt awkward watching the scene. She turned to face the boy, and their lips accidentally brushed. She moved back, surprised but laughing it off. The boy inched closer to her, trying to narrow the distance between them.

The beer threatened to spill as she moved back.

Carl walked over to them, this time he took the beer out of her hand. Both of their heads snapped up, like they were caught doing something wrong. Vivi instantly stood up, looking sheepish. She touched the necklace at her neck.

"Who's this?" The boy asked quietly, hope washing in anxiousness.

Vivi looked at the boy and then at Carl, indecision in her eyes.

"C-Cousin." She answered quickly.

The boy looked doubtful but was inclined to believe her.

Carl frowned, he drank the rest of the beer from the can in one go, feeling it burn his throat. Vivi's head swiveled back to him in alarm.

"Carl! What are you—"

"Time to go home."

The boy stood. "She's an adult, she doesn't need to be monitored all the time."

Carl wanted to end the conversation before the beer inevitably fills the rest of his veins. The only way he thought of to achieve that in the moment was to grab the other guy by the collar and glare.

Vivi grabbed his arm, crying out in surprise. He didn't register what she said over the music. The can fell out of his hand when she touched his bare skin, and he went back to her. She started tugging him away from the action.

"I'm sorry..." He mumbled, massaging his temple. "That wasn't the right move."

She led him outside of the house, where the cold air seeped into their warmth. The porch was now devoid of people, since everyone went inside to party. She had him sit down on the bench.

"I told you not to drink beer." She scolded. "You don't know this but—I have higher alcohol tolerance than you, you sheltered puppy."

"I'm not drunk." He retorted.

"That was not drunk?" She plopped down next to him, grabbing his shirt collar in demonstration. "This was not drunk?"

He blinked at her and nodded.

"My gosh." She bumped her head against his shoulder in exasperation. "You—"

Her fingers tightened around his shirt.

"He kissed you." Carl mumbled.

She looked up at him, startled.

"It wasn't really... It was an accident."

"No." Carl's eyebrows furrowed. "He did this to you."

And with that, he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers.

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