“No I won’t.” He pouts but his smile is slowly returning.
“Why’s that?”
“Because he gets your attention when I don’t.”
I giggle and slap his arm.
“Abuser! Abuser!”
“Stop it!” I slam my lips onto his, still laughing. “Quickie before class?”
“No.” He’s pouting again.
“Since when don’t you want a quickie?”
“Since you started dating another man.”
I laugh harder, my entire body shaking with it. “Then you’d better mark me where he can see and cover me in your scent. Just in case.”
His grin is wicked and alluring. I want to lick the seam of his lips. “Hell yeah.” I’m up over his shoulder before I have a chance to blink. He slaps my arse and carries me, kicking and screaming with glee, up the stairs. “By the time I’m done you aren’t even going to remember his name.”
“Whose?”
“Good girl.” He smiles, pushing inside me after moving my pants to the side. “That’s better.”
“Mm.”
A year goes by. I’m officially twenty and Caleb has thrown me a party. I feel bad because he looks a bit peaky, but he insists he’s okay. He’s been suffering with migraines a lot recently but his mood seems to pick up when he’s ill, rather than get worse. It’s weird. I’m a raging bitch when I’m poorly or hungry.
I’ve never known a person be so happy about being ill. Maybe it’s because of the way I slave over him.
I decide that that’s probably it. I spoil him too much.
“Over here!” Sasha screeches from the stage. We’ve hired out a bar for my birthday bash and I’m happy to see all of my friends have come. “You look absolutely gorgeous.”
I look down at my tight, gold dress and nod my agreement. “I know, right?”
“SHOTS!” I hear Tommy shout from somewhere near the bar.
I dance with my girl and wave at Caleb, who is stood by Tommy. He winks at me, throws his head back and cringes as the fluid burns his throat. Tommy laughs and slaps him on the back. They turn away from us. I can’t hear what they’re saying but I can see them talking about something. Hm. What’s that all about?
“Oh my god, Stacey just fell on her face!” Sasha starts pointing and laughing along with the rest of our group. That’s kind of funny.
“You’re such a bitch,” Stacey jests and elbows Sasha in the ribs. “I’m getting another round.”
“Can you handle it?” I giggle, which earns me a glare from our friend.
We climb down from the stage and head to the bar. As soon as I make it to Caleb’s side, Caleb walks away and Tommy wraps his arm around my neck.
“What’s up with Caleb?” I ask, trying to crane my neck to see him, but Tommy’s arm is too tight. “You can let go now.”
“Nope.” Tommy says and sways a little. Sigh.
Sasha hands me a pink cocktail. I sip it sparingly, not wanting to get too drunk. It’s my birthday. I want kinky birthday sex. I can’t have kinky birthday sex if I’m half unconscious.
Speaking of birthday sex, where is my partner?
“Okay, so… ha, I almost fell.” Oh god, what’s he doing on the stage? “So, well… It’s her birthday… Gwen’s I mean.” He scratches his head. Tommy actually releases me so I assume I’m allowed to watch this. “And for her birthday I got her a gift.” He looks me straight in the eyes. “Come here, Gwenny.”
I shake my head and take a step back. There’s no way in hell I’m going up there.
Seconds later Tommy has my arm and forces me towards the stage. Oh god.
My palms are sweating. What’s he doing? “Are you crazy?” I hiss as Caleb tugs me up to his side.
“For you,” he responds into the microphone and a collective ‘aww’ can be heard.
I’m in hell. “Stop it.”
“She hates being the centre of attention,” Caleb tells everyone, like this trait is adorable. I’m mortified. “So I’ll do this as quickly as possible.”
“No sex on the stage,” Tommy shouts, making everyone laugh and me blush further.
“Shut up,” Caleb responds and looks at me. He turns me to face him and grips my hands in his. His lips move but I’m too anxious and nauseous to catch what he says. I manage to refocus just as Sasha begins to make a scene.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Sasha shrieks and my eyes go to her. “All of the planning, all of the preparation and that’s how you’re going to ask her? You’re hopeless.”
Ask me what?
Caleb’s eyes go wide and the room goes silent. Did I miss something?
“Fuck,” he says and takes a step back, looking panicked and dejected. “Seriously?”
I blink in astonishment. “What? Do I have something on my face?”
“I ask you to marry me and that’s all you have to say?”
Oh.
I mean... what?
He wants me to marry him?
“You want me to marry you?” I cry and take my own step back. “But…”
“You didn’t hear me? How could you not hear me? I was standing right here.”
“I was too busy thinking you wanted to have sex on the stage,” I mumble so only he hears me. He laughs and pulls me into his arms.
“So, will you?”
I chew on my lip and nod slightly. “Only if you let me off this stage.”
He smiles; it’s wide and brilliant and his eyes glitter with happiness. “She said yes.”
There’s a roar of sound as everyone screams together. Caleb lifts me and kisses me deeply. I return it before pushing him away, heat bubbling in my cheeks.
“Where’s the ring?” Tommy shouts.
“Fucking hell!” Caleb curses and sways a bit. “I have it, one second.” He pulls a small box from his pocket and falls to one knee before me. Oh dear god.
“Will you marry me?” He asks again. Why is he asking again?
“I’ve already said yes,” I laugh and watch as he places the ring on my slender finger. It’s beautiful, gold with a single diamond. We can’t afford much but if we were able to afford the most expensive of rings, they wouldn’t even rival the beauty of this one. “I love it.”
“And I love you.”
“Ugh, cliché, I hope you know you ruined this night for me.” Sasha pouts, slaps Caleb upside the head and stomps away, leaving us laughing in each other’s arms.
“I did mess it up a bit,” Caleb admits, his body swaying again. “Dance with me, Precious.”
“Kay,” I agree. We don’t dance, however we do kiss… a lot.
I’m engaged.
Oh my god. I’m engaged!
I’m marrying the man of my dreams.
Three shots later I stand on a wobbly chair and announce this to the entire room.
Caleb gives me two more shots and an hour later I’m announcing it around his dick… in the privacy of our bedroom.
******
I pace back and forth, my teeth nibbling on my fingers. This isn’t happening. This can’t happen.