A Touch Of Sin [BxB] - Chapter 26: Chapter 26

Jake-
"You're here!" Ellie squeals, running down the driveway before hurling herself into me.
We collide roughly and I laugh, picking her up. I spin her around. "Hey."
She grins up at me. I shake Haze's hand and Jake gives him the finger, before walking to Ellie. She gives him a big hug, which he returns, melting my heart which is already dripping into a pool after the car trip. We stopped at a stall that was selling sugary donuts, which made me full and happy and a little high on life.
Haze lives in a share house but the two other guys he lives with are currently in the midst of a three-week USA trip, so he has the house to himself. We spend the first half an hour drinking coffee and catching up. The conversation of Jake and I's fight didn't come up which I'm thankful for. I don't want to be reminded of the anger.
"This is the spare room, no one sleeps in here," Ellie says after giving us a walk-through. "Will you be staying together or...?" She quirks an eyebrow.
"Together," Jake says.
She can barely contain her grin. "Okay, cool."
I roll my eyes and wander into the room, dumping my bag onto the bed.
"What time is the concert?" I ask.
"Doors open at seven. Thought we could have some pre-drinks here and then head out about then?" Ellie answers.
"Sounds good."
Ellie exits the room after Haze calls out to her. Jake strolls over to me, a mischievous look on his face.
"Looks like we're having a sleepover," he smirks. "Should be fun."
***
The floor of Haze's house vibrates underneath us as we all dance around each other. Well, Ellie and I are dancing, Jake and Haze are drinking off to the side. I move towards the dining table and pick at a few of the nibbles that Ellie has put out, reminding myself not to be too drunk when we line up.
Ellie loops her arms around Haze, peeling him from the wall and forcing him to dance with her. He drains the last of his beer, before setting his hands on her waist and smiling down to her. He wouldn't dance for anyone else.
Jake saunters over to me and plucks the grape from my fingers, shoving it into his mouth. He grins.
"Tastes better because it was yours," he smirks.
I roll my eyes. "Dance with me."
"I don't dance."
"Tonight, you do."
I grab his hand and pull him to me. His eyes dart to Ellie and Haze, who are engrossed with themselves. I pull him to me and kiss his cheek. His face flushes but he doesn't pull away. This seems surreal to be doing this with him when there's someone else around.
We get so wrapped up in catching up and dancing that it's 7:15pm before we know it. Suddenly, everyone is rushing around, gathering their last minute things.
"It's so good to have you here," Ellie says to me, wrapping an arm around me as we walk to the venue. Her long hair flaps around her face in the cold wind. I give her a squeeze.
"It's good to be here."
"Ignoring everything that has gone down between you two, you and Jake are seriously adorable together," she gushes. I don't think she realises how loud she's talking because Jake, who is in mid-conversation with Haze, glances back at us. "He's different when he's with you."
We drop back a little bit, our voices lowering. "He's hard work."
"You two in the same room..." she trails off as if trying to figure out how exactly to word what she wants to say. "It's really obvious that there's something there, you know? It's like you're in sync. I don't know how to say what I mean but basically you two are made for each other and need to hurry the hell up and realise that."
"Trust me, I know," I sigh. I fill her in with the Rhett situation while we have some privacy.
"Oh, that's a shame. He seemed like someone who would have been a great friend," she replies once I finish.
I nod. "I agree."
"You did the right thing. You were honest from the start and that's all you can do," she says, resting a hand on my shoulder.
I smile at her. She always knows what to say.
The line-up is short when we get there, because we're late. Haze goes to the bar immediately and buys everyone a round. I feel rebellious as he hands it to me casually. I have an under eighteen stamp on my wrist but it looks like I'm drinking coke.
The support band is currently playing and none of us know their songs so we find a small, and extremely sticky table to sit at right at the back. With us all together, I don't think it's very obvious that Jake and I are that much younger.
"You keeping out of trouble?" Haze asks Jake, before he takes a sip.
"Somewhat," he shrugs.
"How's Janet and the others?" he asks.
"Okay."
I get so wrapped up in the anger I feel about Jake that I often forget he's closed off to everyone. It makes me so angry that he pushes me away when really, I'm the one he's kept the closest. I should really be grateful for it, rather than saying it's not enough. At this realisation, I reach under the table and find his hand. He looks to me and I give him a smile.
We have a few more drinks as the support band plays. When he begins to wind down his set, we manoeuvre through the sweaty bodies, trying to get close to the front. We manage to snag a decent spot that's close but not too jammed with people.
It only takes ten minutes or so for the band to come out. The crowd goes wild, us included. Ellie turns to me and screams. I laugh at her before she turns back to the front.
Bright, neon lights flicker behind the stage and a smoky effect is pouring from the sides of the stage, bleeding the colours together.
We lose ourselves into the music, the lyrics, the dancing. I close my eyes, feeling the vibrations underneath my skin, the lights when my eyes are closed and the pulse of everyone's rapid heartbeats in the air. I feel delirious.
Haze and Ellie have inched closer and closer to the front and now a few other people separate us from them, but I don't worry. They're still in seeing distance. Two young girls stand in front of us. One of their pony tails keep swishing me in the face. As if sensing my eyes on her, the girl turns, giving me a slow smile. The lights roll over her face, revealing wide, brown eyes and a sparkling septum piercing that really suits her.
Without a word, she leans forward and closes her lips around the straw of my drink. I think she's trying to be sexy but instead I'm annoyed that this stranger is drinking my drink that just cost me nine dollars.
"Hi," she smiles when she finishes.
I pluck the straw from my drink, look her in the eye and flick it away. Her face falls for a moment before she shrugs it off.
"Want to dance?" she yells at me.
I try to ignore her, looking over her head and back to the lead guitarist, who's fingers are dancing artfully across the strings.
"Hey!" she grins up at me and touches my face, trying to get my attention.
Glaring at her, I half-turn to Jake, who is watching this scene with an amused smile on his face. I grip my hand around the back of his neck and kiss him with all I have. He stiffens in surprise at first, before responds, his tongue snaking between my lips. I let myself indulge in the kiss, jolts shooting through my body.
We breathlessly part. I face the girl once more, who's mouth is now in a big 'O'. She grabs her friend's hand and pulls her away, a mix of shock and embarrassment flooding her face. Jake and I look to each other before bursting out laughing.
"Her face," he grins at me and I feel relieved he didn't snap at me. We don't know anybody here but it's still a big thing.
With the lights flashing across his skin, his eyes on me and his genuine smile on his face makes me realise, again, that he is absolutely everything to me. I lean in and kiss him again. His fingers sink into my hair as he wraps his arms around me. Everything – the music, the crowd, the people, it all melts away. His hand runs down my chest and I grip his shirt, wishing right now we were away from everyone else.
When we step away from each other, our eyes stare back at the other's with longing. Heat has spread across my body, making me feel a little dizzy.
He gathers my hand in his and tugs me forward.
"Come on," his wild grin is contagious and I feel my own forming. "Let's get to the front."
I don't want this night to end.