Chapter 7: Closing One Door and Opening Another
I walk away from Justin with no intention of going to find Heath. I never promised to kiss him at midnight. I’m not quite sure why I even said that; it just sort of came out. I guess I was just trying to get a rise out of Justin. Ugh, that is the second time that I’ve almost allowed him to kiss me—what is wrong with me? I’m too weak and I’m still attracted to him. I just need to get the hell out of here. I frantically weave my way through the crowd, my mind still spinning.
“There you are,” Heath’s silky voice breaks me from my thoughts and stops me in my tracks. “I thought you’d left.”
“Nope,” I smile back awkwardly still eying the door which only a few feet away. If I made a break for it now I bet I could make it out the door and to the stairs before anyone even got the idea to follow me. “I needed a cigarette.”
The words taste like acid on my tongue. Cigarette—I can’t even remember what made me start smoking. When did I become one of them? I hate smokers with their bad breath and yellow teeth and the way that they just always reek of smoke no matter what they do. It’s a disgusting habit and I think that maybe it’s about time I quit.
“You should have told me,” He smiles. “I would have joined you.”
“You smoke?” I ask sincerely shocked.
He laughs sweetly and looks at me somewhat strangely as if he can’t figure out why I’m so surprised or at least why I’m asking. My stomach does a flip-flop when his fingers skim down my arms to my own fingertips where he laces our finger together. I’m sure I’m blushing.
“I was hoping to find you before the ball dropped.”
“You were?” I swallow nervously.
“I was hoping that you would let me kiss you at midnight.”
“Sorry you didn’t find me in time.” I look at him through my eyelashes, giving him a shy, apprehensive look.
“Well it is only,” He stops to look down at the watch on his left wrist. “Seven minutes after. We could still be each other’s first kiss of the New Year.”
I laugh lightly and take a step closer to him and nod at his suggestion. He shows off that megawatt smile of his and slowly drapes my arms around his neck. His right hand falls at my waist while his left tenderly cups the side of my jaw. I moisten my lips and close my eyes in anticipation as his face begins to near mine. His lips graze mine just barely before he slips his hand into my hair and presses his lips fully against mine. The kiss is sweet and simple and just everything a first kiss should be.
My New Years is really starting to look up.
~*~*~*~
This night sucks.
Liz is having sex in our room right now. How do I know this? I walked in on them. I shudder at the memory. That was an image I certainly wasn’t prepared for nor do I ever want o see again in my lifetime. She didn’t even notice when I came in. I went back to my part of the room and tired to burn the image from my mind. Unfortunately I could hear them, which is nearly as bad as walking in on them. I tried stuffing tissue in my ears and covering my face with a pillow and turning on the radio, but I just didn’t work. I gave up and now here I sit, leaning against my door with my legs stretched straight out in front of me. I’ll just have to wait until they’re finished.
“You having a slumber party in the hall?”
“Are you stalking me?”
“I should ask you the same question. You’re the one camped out in front of my room.” Justin points behind him at the door directly across from mine. What are the chances? I’m beginning to wonder if I’ve been set up yet again tonight.
“This is my room.” I sigh tiredly motioning behind me.
“What were the chances we’d be just a few feet away from each other?” He grins as he casually unbuttons the top two buttons of his dress shirt and removes his dress jacket.
“I guess I’m just lucky like that aren’t I?” I answer back sarcastically.
“As much as I would love to continue this playful banter we have going on here, I’m tired and I‘m gonna head to bed.” He smiles and pulls out his key. I watch in jealousy as he inserts his key-card into the slot before pulling it out when the light blinks green. He opens the door and walk in, but turns back to me before he closes the door. “Are you locked out of your room?”
“Sort of.” I groan, not want to divulge the details as to why I’m really out here.
“Do you want to hang out in here until Liz comes back?” He offers kindly and I honestly don’t think he has some hidden motive behind that invitation.
“She is back.” I answer, “ She’s got a guy in there.”
He nods in understanding seeming to catch onto my meaning almost immediately. “My suite has a pullout in a completely different room from where my bed is.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Alright,” He concedes still wearing that damn grin of his. “If you want to sleep out here in the hall go right ahead. You feel like coming in just knock.”
When I don’t answer he shrugs and fully enters his room closing the door behind him. I throw my head back into the wall with a loud thud. This night just keeps getting better and better doesn’t it?
(Justin’s POV)
I give her ten minutes before she comes aknockin.’ She can’t sleep out there in the hallway. She may hate me right now, but she’ll give in. She wouldn’t have talked to me so much tonight if she absolutely hated me. I think she even flirted a little with me and then there was the near kiss. Of course she did leave me to go find Heath, but I knew that kiss wasn’t going to happen. I don’t really know what I was thinking. I should have known better then to try something like that. Elli and I are far too screwed up for anything even remotely romantic to happen between us. And I’m not sure I want anything too. I mean sure I’m still attracted to her, but this Elli isn’t the same one I knew three year ago.
Did you hear that? That was a very quiet knock. I told you she would give in. I casually stroll to the door opening it just enough to peek my head out. She’s looking down at her feet as she scuffs her shoes against the carpeted hallway.
“Can I help you?”
“May I use your phone?” She asks politely though I can tell it’s killing her to have to ask me for a favor. Instead of giving her a hard time by giving her some smart-ass response I simply open the door wider and motion for her to come in. “Thank you.”
She follows me inside, stepping out of her shoes in the process and leaving them at the door as she ventures farther inside. Her eyes scan the room in interest and I can’t tell if she’s searching for the phone or just being nosey.
“The phone is right there.” I point to the side table next to the sofa.
“You room is smaller than mine.” She comments as she sits down at the desk and picks up the receiver. I know she’s not trying to show off, but is just making an observation. I nod and move towards the bedroom area as I start to shed my shirt. I know she can see through the mirror across from her and I can feel her eyes watching my every move. I turn quickly and catch her eyes in the mirror. She looks away quickly and busies herself with dialing. I chuckle to myself as she blushes in embarrassment. It’s nice to know she’s still attracted to me.
“Heath?” I hear her question. She better not be calling him to spend the night with him. She doesn’t know this guy well enough to spend the night with him. “Hi, it’s Elli from the party. I know this is going to sound, uh, a little strange but I can’t really get into my room right now.”
She’s going to ask him to let her stay with him. I can’t f**king believe this. I know she’s pissed at me, but she can trust that I won’t try to take advantage of he while she’s sleeping. She can’t trust Heath Ledger, she doesn’t even know him.
She laughs at something he said—I’m sure it was stupid and not really funny at all.
“So you wouldn’t mind?” She asks twirling a lock of hair between her fingers. She’s flirting with him right in front of me. “Great, thank you so much. What room are you in?”
Unable to listen to this anymore I throw my hands up in frustration and stomp into the bathroom. I quickly change from my clothes into a pair of basketball shorts and beater. I splash some cold water onto my face trying to calm my raging temper. I don’t know what has gotten into this girl. She never would have done something like his when I knew her. She didn’t even want to spend the night with me when we were dating—at first at least.
I run my hands over my face before leaving the bathroom to go try to talk some sense into Elli. When I come out I see she’s not on the couch anymore. The sound of the door closing startles my attention. Without thinking I rush out the door. I look to the right first, but don’t see her so I look to the other side. I catch sight of her standing at the elevator.
“Elli!” I call out as I walk briskly towards her. She rolls her eyes and begins pressing the elevator button repeatedly. “Where are you going?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but Heath offered to let me stay in his room tonight.” She answers haughtily, still pressing that damn button.
“You don’t even know him.” I state in an outrage. I grab her hand to stop her from pressing the button anymore. “Pressing the button doesn’t make it come any faster.”
“Get your hands off me.” She growls ripping her hand from my grasp. “I know him well enough.”
“You just me him tonight!” I jump in front of the open elevator doors to block her form entering.
“And you’ve never spent the night with some girl you picked up at a party one night?”
“That’s different.”
“No it’s not.” She answers back with pure attitude. “Now get out of my way.”
“What if he tries to hurt you or force himself on you?”
“First of all Justin,” She begins, counting on her fingers. “this is none of you damn business. Second, I’m a grown woman and if I want to go spend the night with a guy I barely know I’m going to and you’re not going to stop me. And thirdly….” She trials off and then suddenly jabs her heel into my bare foot. I jump out of the way holding my foot in pain as I hop around the hallway.
“Say out of my way Justin.” And with that said she steps into the elevator and disappears.
(A few hours later….)
“Hi,” Heath greets me awkwardly. I’m sure he wasn’t expecting me to show up at his door; I’ve never even spoken to the guy before.
“Hey, is Elli here?” I ask casually glancing over his shoulder.
“She’s a little preoccupied at the moment.”
“Well then can I come in until she un-preoccupied?” I ask, starting to push past him.
“Heath, I can’t figure out how to turn on the show—er.” She stops mid-step and sentence when her eyes land on me. She’s in a bathrobe and I don’t think there’s anything under it. And he’s just in boxers and a t-shirt. Did I just interrupt bath time? Elli’s eyes narrow angrily as she steps to stand in front of Heath. “What are you doing here?”
“You forgot your purse.”
“Can I have it?” she asks shortly.
“Can you have it….what?” I grin playfully.
“Now.” She grins right back.
“That’s not really the word I was looking for.”
“Well that’s the only one you’re getting, now give me my purse.” She answers back, the teasing smile now gone from her face as she thrusts her hand at me again.
“It’s in my room.” Okay so it’s really behind my back, but she doesn’t have to know that. If I give her the purse now she’ll have the option to stay here with Heath. I don’t want her spending the night with him.
“Then you can keep it.” She says in all seriousness and begins pushing me towards the door. “I’m fine here with Heath so you can go.”
“Elli,” I begin to whine just as she pushes me all the way outside the door.
“Don’t,” She interrupts pointing her finger into my chest as she speaks. “I know what you’re doing so just stop it.”
“Do you really think you should be spending the night with a guy you just met?”
“I said it before and I’ll say it again, this is none of your business.”
“Elli, I’m just trying to look out for you.”
“Look out for me?” She asks incredulously. “It’s a little late for that.”
With that said she backs back inside and slams the door in my face.
TBC......
