Rush
Istayed rooted to the floor in the dark hallway, the image of Scarlet walking away replaying over and over in my mind. A voice kept yelling at me to go after her, but what would I do if I did? What would I say?Hey, don't go, but we still can't be together.
Turning, I finally made myself walk away, heading toward the opposite staircase as Scarlet. The noise level got louder and louder each step I took down. The party was in full swing now, with a game of beer pong going on in the kitchen, other people tossing back shots, two guys holding up another guy as he guzzled beer from a keg, and people making out on the couches.
Noticing Slate at the beer pong table with three girls hovering around him, I made my way over to him.
"Hey, where have you been? I needed a reliable partner." He looked at me for a second and then shook his head. "Don't tell me you were with her."
I shrugged and looked out at the table. "Fine. I won't tell you then."
"Gah, man, I've told you to stop torturing yourself," he said, swaying a little as he hit me in the chest. Even when he was tipsy, he still wouldn't stop getting on me about Scarlet. "But I guess for some reason you enjoy it."
"I don't enjoy it," I said curtly. "I just..."
How did I finish that sentence? I just what? I just felt drawn to her, that there was something about her that was unlike anyone else I'd ever met, that when she was in the room I couldn't think about anything else?
I wasn't about to say all that out loud, so instead I said, "I just have a hard time staying away, is all."
"Maybe you just need another girl to take your mind off her," he suggested, and not for the first time. "There are plenty of sexy women here who would love to help you forget about her."
That's what Slate didn't understand. Scarlet wasn't the type of girl you forgot. She was the kind of girl that stuck with you forever. I was positive that even if I never saw Scarlet again after tonight, that when I was old and gray, I'd still have the memory of kissing her in that Little Red Riding Hood costume. I'd lost all sense of my reasonings and surroundings once she'd wrapped her legs around me. It had only been her and me, wrapped up in each other. The image of her eyes closed, her mouth slightly parted on a moan, and the way her skin had felt on my lips would forever be seared in my mind.
Being with another girl held absolutely no appeal to me. All I wanted was Scarlet. I wanted to know everything about her. What her favorite song was, if she loved or hated scary movies, what her favorite dessert was, if she preferred a date night out or a date night in. All the random things you get to know about someone the more time you spend with them.
"Not interested," I told Slate. "Where's Wilder?"
"He and Olivia snuck off somewhere, haven't seen them for a while."
I wondered if Scarlet had been able to get a hold of Olivia and if maybe they'd left to take her home. Since Scarlet was gone, I wasn't too interested in staying any longer. Going home sounded better than sitting here watching people get wasted.
"I'm going to head out," I said.
"You're leaving already?" Slate asked. "The party is just getting started."
Slate partied and went through women more than anyone I'd ever met before. I didn't know how he kept up his grades while also having enough energy to play football as well as he did.
I slapped him on the back. "You can party for me."
He raised his red solo cup in a cheers motion. "Will do." He brought the cup to his mouth and finished off whatever was left in there.
Weaving through the crowd, I finally reached the front door, which was wide open, people filling the porch and front yard as well.
A red cape and curly hair caught my attention at the foot of the porch. Sitting on one of the steps was Scarlet, her chin resting in one of her hands.
Stepping down I sat next to her. "Couldn't find Olivia?"
"Nope." She sounded annoyed, and I didn't know if it had to do with me or Olivia. Possibly both. "And I'm not about to walk home alone on Halloween night."
I was glad she hadn't attempted to walk home, because looking as good as she did and with all the drinking going on, it wouldn't have been safe.
"I can give you a ride," I offered.
She raised an eyebrow at me. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"
I chuckled. "Probably not."
Images of kissing her as I held her up against the wall filled my mind. We'd proven more than once that being alone together led to hot make out sessions, and although I loved every second of them, they were risky and only made things more complicated between us.
