Surrender Your Sensations

I looked at my reflection in the mirror with satisfaction. I was wearing a black little dress, reaching half of my thighs. The long sleeves of my dress hugged my arms, showing a perfect line of symmetry. The low necklines showed enough skin and perfect cleavage to capture everyone’s attention.

I chose to wear light make-up with bright red lipstick. My high black pumps made my build more intimidating. My hair, curled at the end, hung freely on my back, following every move I made.

This was definitely how a woman should look at a party. Beautiful and a complete head-turner.

To complete my look, I put on a simple pair of black heart earrings. I smiled at my reflection for one last time before I exited my room.

“Finally! I thought your closet had swallowed you up,” Bailey, my dear best friend in her usual leather jacket and denim pants with white shirt underneath, exclaimed. She immediately walked to the front door of my dorm room, the heels of her leather boots tapped on the hardwood floor. “I only gave you five minutes to prepare for yourself, didn’t I? Goodness, Edith. Maybe the party is over when we get there.”

I giggled with how irritated she got. I just winked at her, definitely disregarding her frowning face. I excitedly followed her and she huffed a deep breath before shaking her head, maybe realizing that there was no way I would be scared of her.

It’s a breezy Sunday night. Bailey and I were invited to attend a house party. Nah. Scratch that. Bailey was invited by her friends and she asked me if I wanted to come along. Well, the party was hosted by Calvin and it would be held at his house. He was the guy whom I recently met last Tuesday and turned out to be a common friend of Bailey and Rupert.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Actually, Rupert also invited me to attend but since I had already said yes to Bailey, of course I decided to come with my bestfriend. She fetched me in my dorm and while I would meet Rupert at the party.

From what Rupert said, Calvin’s house party was a form of welcome for the new members of their fraternity. Yes, that bad rockstar belongs to this frat called Phantom Omega.

I don’t know much about frats. As for Bailey, she said she met Calvin because of her older brother who turned out to be a member and had a high position in the fraternity.

The ride to Calvin’s house did not take long. Bailey remained quiet and really looked pissed off. I sighed before I immediately approached her the moment we got off of the car.

“Don’t be such a grump, Bailey. I did not take that much time. Look. We were just on time,” I teased her before I anchored my right hand around her arm but she immediately removed it. “Bailey! I’m sorry! You know I’m a girl! I can’t get ready in just five minutes,” I excused myself before clinging to her again. I could not help but to softly laugh when I saw how her lips pursed.

She ignored me but this time, she did not bother to remove my hand.

“I’m sorry. Don’t be mad, Bailey! Please!” I asked her while we started to walk towards Calvin’s front porch.

She swatted my arm again when I tried to hold her with both hands. However, this time it’s quite harder and my damn pumps with its seven-inch wedge didn’t help me to maintain my balance.

“Meredith!”

I really thought I was going to fall to the grass lawn but there were arms which quickly wrapped around my waist. For a moment, my breath stopped because of fear- then, I realized I didn’t fall.

“B-Bailey…”

Bailey caught me. Both of her arms were around my waist and my arms were wrapped tightly around her neck. I took a deep breath then smiled at her. “Thank you for catching me,” I said, looking at her with gratitude. “I thought I was going to fall and get hurt. But you’re there, being quick to catch me.”

What I said was supposed to be a joke, but then Bailey’s face remained serious. I suddenly realized our closeness. Her face was only an inch away from mine as I was slightly bent and held by her arms. Gradually, my grin faded, when I noticed the strange emotion in Bailey’s eyes. I could not name the emotions in her eyes.

But somehow, the way she was looking at me gave me warmth.

“B-Bailey … What … I’m going to get up-”

“I think I’ll be the one who will get hurt between the two of us, Edith.” Then, she smiled sadly before helping me to stand up.

“What do you mean?” There was no way I would hurt her. She’s very important to me. “Bailey?”

“You’re always making my heart beat faster than normal,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. And then, she turned her attention to me.

I was stunned when she cupped my face with both hands. I didn’t know what she was doing. I was caught off guard.

She leaned closer until the tips of our noses touched each other. “You’re driving me crazy, Meredith. I’m not sure how long I can stop this.”

My mouth dropped open and I couldn’t believe what my best friend had just said. I gulped by the way Bailey was looking straight to my eyes. Her cheeks were blushing and her eyes… her orbs were giving my body an unexplainable warmth. “Bailey… W-What do you mean?”

Was my head giving me the right interpretation with what Bailey could mean? Did she like me more than friends?

“Let’s go? We might really get late.” Bailey straightened up again before tapping the top of my head. “Don’t mind what I said. I can still hold back. Let’s stay like this- best friends.”

***

Bailey and I didn’t say a word until we got inside Calvin’s house. I don’t know what to say. I mean, she didn’t say it directly earlier but it’s the same thought as ‘she likes me’. Right?

I bit my bottom lip before looking at Bailey’s back. She was walking slightly ahead of me. I was not sure if it was because I was walking a bit slower or she was walking faster so she did not have to walk beside me. She did not talk to me again after what she said. It’s pretty obvious that there was an awkward atmosphere between us. I don’t like this.

I sighed before roaming my gaze at the big mansion where Calvin was living.  The guy was filthy rich, judging the sophisticated and obviously expensive furniture and design. But I can’t stand that we’re like this

“Bailey,” I called her as we approached the crowded living room of Calvin’s house.

I could not let this awkwardness ruin us. If she likes me, that’s okay for me. But if it goes more than the ‘like’, I have no choice but to turn her down. I’m not against her gender preference but I am sure of my preference- I’m straight.

She stopped walking towards a crowd of people and then turned to me. I thought she did not hear me because of the noise around us. I couldn’t see her face clearly but I could feel her gloomy aura. “Uhm?”

There were already people holding red cups, standing on every corner of the house. The others also greeted Bailey when they saw her. The loud and booming EDM music playing in the house was not really pleasant for my ears. It looked like the party had really started.

“Bailey, about earlier-”

“I told you, don’t mind what I said.”

I took a deep breath. I needed to say this.

“Let’s stay as best friends,” I said, taking a few steps towards her. I took her hand and then kissed her cheek. “I want to keep you for the rest of my life. So, let’s stay like this, forever?”

She was stunned. A few seconds also passed before she gripped my hand tightly. She shrugged her shoulders before tapping my head. “Sure thing, Edith. Let’s stay like this.”

With that, we continued walking, holding each other’s hands like we always do… as best of friends.

Booming music intensified. The wild dancing crowd, and smell of alcohol, weeds, and cigarettes welcomed us.

“Hey, Cortez! It’s good that you made it,” said a man who immediately approached Bailey and put his arm around her shoulders. “Where is your vice mayor brother? It’s been a while since the last time I saw him. Oh, let me correct that. It’s been a while since he did something for the brotherhood. The bosses are not happy about his absence, you know,” he added with an obvious mockery in his voice.

Bailey removed his grip around her shoulder. There was no hint of being threatened in her. “That’s why I’m coming for him while he still could not come. You know how busy it is to be the vice mayor, Ezekiel.”

The guy named Ezekiel laughed before he nodded. I was suddenly taken aback when I felt him look at me. “Your girlfriend?”

Bailey’s grip on my hand tightened. He stepped forward to block me from Ezekiel’s view. “She’s my best friend.”

“Hmnn … Just a friend?”

I cowered behind Bailey when the Ezekiel-guy stepped forward and whispered something in Bailey’s ears. Then, he tapped her shoulder, “Tell Exodus that he has a bigger role in our organization than being a vice mayor. If he has any plans to oppose Mayor Lorenzo, he will need the help of the Phantoms.”

I was surprised when Ezekiel passed Bailey and grabbed my shoulder.

“Do you have some time for me, Miss?” Then he squeezed my shoulder.

I was horrified by what he said and was about to remove the grip on my shoulder when I was shocked with the arm that wrapped around my waist, possessively. He swatted away Ezekiel’s hand that rested on my shoulder before pulling me away closer to him.

Someone’s shadow towered me from behind.

“I’m sorry, Ezekiel. She’s mine already.”

I turned to the one who spoke and immediately sighed with relief  when I saw him. “Rupert.”

“Hey, sweetie. I’ve been waiting for you for a while.” He pulled me closer to him, his arm around my waist possessively pressed my body against his. “You look beautiful tonight, Meredith. As always,” he added before averting his gaze back to the guy named Ezekiel.

“You’re really fast, Santos,” Ezekiel said before laughing. “When you’re done, maybe I can have her later?”

I frowned and immediately felt annoyed at what he said. I was not a girl like that. I was about to say something back when Rupert chuckled. “Funny. But I don’t think I will let anyone touch what’s mine.”

I looked at him. As usual, his hair was a complete mess but it suited him. He’s wearing the usual plain black shirt, fit enough to show his toned arm muscles. I could see the shiny piercing on his face and his natural manly scent invaded my nose. I guess he really stopped using that perfume he used to have.

“I said I am willing to have her after you. When you’re done, you can toss her to me. Dude, like those old days,” Ezekiel said.

“Like the old days? Hmnn… I’m sorry but Meredith is not like those hoes.” I felt him start caressing my back and then sniffing my hair. “I also think there’s no way I will be done with her because I don’t have any plan on ending this. So, back off. My sweetie is definitely not available, Ezekiel.”

With that, Rupert slightly guided me to walk away from Ezekiel. I even looked at Bailey over my shoulder who just nodded at me. I waved at her before I let Rupert gently push me to wherever he would bring me. I came here to spend the night with him, in the first place.

We passed so many people who, if not drunk, were obviously high. Clashing bodies, loud screams and cheers, and crazy dancing people greeted me and Rupert as we passed through the crazy party crowd. Rupert  hugged me as he shielded his body so that I would not be hit by anyone. Then, the noise slightly subsided and when I raised my gaze- I thought we were in the kitchen?

“What do you want to drink?” Rupert asked me before he trapped me on the counter, my back leaning on it, while he was standing in front of me. He gave me a short peck before he reached behind me. “We have vodka, gin, and tequila.”

I sighed as Rupert leaned his chin on my shoulder, handing me the stacked red styro cups. My heart beat erratically as my body reacted to our closeness. He was too close. It was making me sweat and my adrenaline was rushing through my body.

“Can I have juice or water?” I asked him. I made sure my mouth was close to his ear so he could hear me.

“Juice or water?” He slightly pulled away before placing one of his hands on my waist. “Goodness. How did I forget that you were under treatment? I’m such an idiot.”

I hesitated to smile. “I can’t have too much alcohol in a month,” I said as he nodded.

“Wait for me here. I’ll get some juice.” Then he kissed me on my lips. I felt the cold metal ring on his bottom lip as his lips stroke against mine. Then, we were both heaving deeply when the kiss broke. “Don’t leave here. I’ll be back immediately, sweetie.”

Rupert went to the sink and I was left leaning against the counter. While waiting for him, I roamed my gaze around the whole kitchen. My cheeks immediately warmed up when I saw a couple making out and the woman was almost topless. Not too far from them was a gay couple, also making out. I bit my bottom lip when a topless lady, cheering and holding a red cup, entered the kitchen. I was still not relieved when I turned my gaze to my left and I noticed a man with his back to me and facing the wall. At first, I didn’t get what he’s doing not until I noticed how his cargo pants started to get wet from the apex of the pants. Did he urinate? Oh gosh.

Everywhere I looked, everyone was busy with their own businesses. Everyone was doing something crazy, out-of-this-world and unconventionally acceptable. Woah. This was a real party, I guess. People were high and drunk. Couples were making out or having sex. And there were those who didn’t mind going crazy in front of everyone else.

I lost my attention on the craziness in front of me when I noticed Rupert was back. I smiled when he stood in front of me. He leaned closer and that’s when I saw his boyish grin.

“Here’s your pineapple juice,” he immediately handed me the red cup, “and here’s your kiss for staying here like what I said.” Then he kissed my lip.

I responded with the same passion and need. When we stopped kissing, Rupert immediately intertwined our free hands and then he raised his cup. “Cheers!”

“Cheers!” We clicked our glasses before we left the kitchen, holding hands.