Page 5 of Afterglow
So, our last name came with expectation. And although my parents have never put any pressure on Jay and me, sometimes I think they didn’t need to.
Once I came home with ninety-six percent on my english essay, yet all they were excited about was Jayden being selected for the under seventeens national ice hockey team.
Everything seemed to be about him. I don’t hold this against my brother, but my brain decided my marksweren’t good enough and I needed to be the best. So, academic validation became the drug I needed to survive. It still is.
The clanking of a pool ball sliding into the pocket brings my attention to Theodore. He moves around the table, a smile clinging to his face. Smugness radiates off him, I stop myself from rolling my eyes. There is no way I’m giving him the satisfaction of winning. Or giving him my number.
I told myself I am swearing off guys for a while after Justin—my high school boyfriend, not only cheated on me, but broke up with me in front of the entire ice hockey team. Fucking asshole.
Theodore reminds me of him, whether it’s the cockiness or his presence, I’m not too sure but for me, that is enough of a sign to stay the fuck away.
“Your turn Princess,”
That stupid nickname. It conjures bad memories from high school. Even though I worked my ass off to earn all my achievements, people always thought I would receive an award because my last name is Allen.
“I told you not to call me that,” I spy the white ball and line my cue up to make a shot. My ball falls short of reaching the pocket. “Argh,”
Our game continues, ball after ball, eventually we both dwindle down to the black ball.
No pressure.
Knight just missed; I have the chance to win. I visualise the blonde-haired boy singing on stage for everyone at the bar. A smile dances across my face as I take my shot.The white ball knocks the eight ball into the end pocket leaving me the winner.
My head is high as I walk over to Theodore. “I hope you like Taylor Swift, Pretty Boy.”
“I knew you thought I was pretty,”
How does someone have an ego this large? I clutch the neck of his shirt; it bunches in my hand as I drag Theodore to the edge of the stage. Losing my grip on his shirt, I step up one stair to gain more height.
Although I’m taller than your average girl, Theodore has at least three inches on me. My pointer finger jabs his chest, making the toned muscles underneath his shirt obvious.
“Stay,”
Theodore’s ocean blue eyes ignite flames in my core. His pupils expand and his tongue brushes along his full lips. I can’t stop staring.
God, this is such a bad idea. Theodore’s fingertips trail down my bare arm, his calluses are rough against my skin. His cologne invades my senses as he moves closer.
“Should I mark my territory before you go?”
Tingles bolt down my spine while my cheeks heat as a blush rushes from my face to my neck. The thought of him marking me—his full lips edging along my upper thigh, the anticipation building as he reaches my—.
Stop. Theodore is a stranger. He is definitely a playboy. The last thing I need is to have casual sex and get attached. I know that is exactly what would happen as I have never had sex outside a relationship, even then it was only once. My insecurities in combinationwith overthinking every situation, make me the worst candidate for a one-night stand.
“Be a good boy and stay,”
Quickly, I walk onto the stage. My body is alive under Theodore’s lust hooded eyes. I may have my back to him but every inch of my skin is ablaze.
The girl controlling the karaoke laughs as I explain my bet. Knight follows my signal to come onto stage without hesitation.
I place the microphone in his hand as the instrumental forCruel Summerby Taylor Swift begins in the background. Theodore, however, doesn’t start singing. Instead, he asks for another microphone, passing me the second one.
“I’m not singing with you. That wasn’t part of the bet,”
A pout forms on Knight’s lips, resembling a cute puppy that you are guilt trapped into adopting.
“Please, I was such a good boy,”
I take it back. Theodore Knight isn’t cute; he is a combination of sin and sex. As soon as he laid his eyes on me earlier tonight, something stirred in my stomach. Resisting his flirting is extremely hard and right now, as he continues to hold out the extra microphone, it's impossible.
