lonelylaws-blog

[lonelylaws-blog]

Protecting her honour

Becca x MC (Quinn)

You rest your back against the door frame, wedging the door open with your foot as your guests begin to arrive. Your hands are tucked under the small of your back in an effort to retain some heat. A convoy of cars, almost identical with their pink fluffy steering wheel covers and matching fluffy dice hanging from the mirrors, had pulled into the street a few minutes ago. You’d decided greet your guests as they arrived, not wanting anyone to have to wait on your doorstep in the bitter cold. It seems Becca had gone to the trouble of ensuring the entire sorority turned out, a small olive branch held out to Madison, even if they weren’t ready to speak to each other yet, at least they were able to be in close proximity. One by one, in small groups and large, familiar faces began to enter your home, Chelsea, Madison, and Claire. Others began to wander in, too. Tyler, Zig and Aaron, the entire football team. As your house filled up and guests arrived more sparsely, you decided to leave door duty and mingle among your friends. Before you had chance to scan the room for her, a pinkie finger hooked through your own for a lingering second, before releasing you. She found you first, of course she did.

“You’re freezing, Quinn, and do not tell you don’t own gloves. You wore them to the library the other day. They’re those vulgar rainbow things that look childish even on five-year olds.” Becca said, trying not to stand obviously close to you.

“If this is your way of offering to warm me up, you only have to say,” You lean in and speak softly in Becca’s ear.

“Like you could handle this heat,” Becca’s gaze seems to wander away, running off to some fantasy land, before snapping back to herself. “Anyway, when you’re done playing ‘hostess with the mostess’, come find me.” Discreetly, and almost imperceptibly she spanked your ass, and with a sly grin, disappeared back into the crowd.

You try not to bite your lip, then compose yourself as best you can, before setting off through the crowd yourself. Across the room Abbie and Tyler keep stealing glances at each other, both unsure how to approach the other. Ugh, this love Guru deserves a break tonight. Maybe next time, guys. You smile at Tyler across the room and offer him a little wave, he offers you a meek smile in return. Yeah, this love Guru is definitely off duty. Zack better have some shots lined up for me. You head in to the kitchen, your eyes roaming until finally they rest on his all too familiar ice-cream shirt. In his hand, thrust above his head, is a bottle. The Bottle. Tonight, that bottle is the symbol of your salvation.  

“Oh, sweet Tequila. It’s been too long, my love. Bestow yourself upon me, for I have suffered in your absence…” You think back to recent events, Battle of the Bands, James’ graduation, Becca’s stunt at the sorority. Yeah, tonight I deserve to let loose for a change, and not worry about other people’s problems. Mom is off duty, kids.

“Well, I can clearly see your degree hard at work. ‘What did you learn in your four years of college, Quinn?’ ‘Well, Ma, I can wax lyrical about tequila.’” Zack sniggers, but pours you both a shot anyway.

“Shut up.” You punch his shoulder lightly.

“No elegant come back? Way to prove my point.” Zack clinks his glass against yours and unison you drink your shots. Zack winces, and struggles to retain a cough. “Poison. This stuff is poison. Why?��

“Woo!” You slam your glass down and bite on a wedge of lime, while you pour yourself another shot. Zack covers his glass with his hand, his eyes still squeezed shut. You quickly down another shot of tequila, savouring the sting of alcohol as it burns its way down your throat.

“Try and save me some.” You grin at Zack and make your way over to where Zig is stood in a corner, keeping a watchful eye over Manny.

“Hey,” you lean in and give Zig a small hug, but he’s barely able to reciprocate. “That bad, huh?” You say, as Zig turns his attention to you.

“I’m not sure yet. Maybe.” Just then, Manny’s voice rises above the others in the kitchen.

“I don’t ask what you and your sorority sisters do together when you’re not hosting all your prissy parties…” Manny’s arm was wrapped around Chelsea’s waist, pulling her uncomfortably into his side, as he grinned at a couple of the more forgettable football players.

“Um, you asked if we had sexy sleepovers like last week.” Chelsea grimaces, moving to disengage herself from his grip.

Manny’s presence at these parties is inconvenient at the best of times, but tonight he seems out to antagonise. He’s intolerable at the best of times, but tonight he seems especially malicious.

“I mean, I heard that Becky chick who got kicked out is pretty freaky.” Manny smirked.

“Oh, that’s it.” Zig says, as you both make your way across the room to Manny and Chelsea,

Under your breath, you mutter “This isn’t your fight zig.” You catch Zig’s arm as he surges towards the self-proclaimed ‘Manny the Man’, putting yourself between the two men.

“And, like I said- Chelsea began.

“Manny, I think it’s time for you to leave.” You say, you can feel your throat closing, sweat forming on your brow. Get the fuck out of my house and stop making derogatory remarks about my girlfriend, you dick! No Quinn. Stay calm. Don’t say that.

“Yo, sweetheart, can you chill? We’re trying to have a conversation here.” Manny scoffed.

“Yeah, back off!” Chelsea hissed.

“Wait, why are you taking his side? He was being a jerk to you. And objectifying you, not to mention Becca. She was supposed to be your friend, Chelsea. Besides, you’re standing in that ‘Becky chick’s’ house right now, so you better check your manners, Manny. And while you’re in our house, you do not get to pass derogatory comments about anyone, especially not my girlfriend. You know what? Get out. Seriously, Manny, get out of here. You’re not welcome here.”

“I’m outta here. C’mon babe.” Manny huffs, muttering under his breath, but ultimately storms his way through the sea of guests, Chelsea following at his heels. You stare at Manny until he and Chelsea have fled through the door.

“Girlfriend?” Zig chokes out. Oh shit. You wince, pinching the bridge of your nose. Well, maybe nobody else noticed? You urge your eyes open in time to see Becca storming up the stairs, the rest of the room stood staring at you.

You feel the heat of the room run into your cheeks, a burning sensation running from your face and travelling down your neck. So much for secrecy. The room has gone silent at your outburst. Beyond the crowd of friends, you hear the stomp of footsteps climbing the stairs before you see Becca ascend, her brow creased, neither angry or upset, but definitely not happy, either. On your way past, you feel fingers curl around your bicep.

“Really, Quinn? Becca?” Kaitlyn’s fingers dig into your arm, holding you in place. Her eyes glistening as she speaks.

“I don’t have time for this.” You shake your arm free, and carry on walking, heading up the stairs. You can’t deal with Kaitlyn’s unresolved issues tonight. She’s been blatantly flirting with Anissa all night, but god forbid you move on.

You stand in front of Becca’s door, hands balled into fists, trying to steel yourself before you enter Becca’s room. This is the calm before the storm. What am I going to say? ‘I don’t want this to end’? It might be too late for that. You can hear whispers rise up from downstairs. Shit, shit, shit. The previous song cuts out as an Alyssa Griffin song starts up, the volume turned higher than before.

“ZACK, DANCE WITH ME!” You hear Abbie awkwardly shout. Thank you, Abbie. You can hear the gentle shuffling of feet, presumably the awkward dancing of your best friends trying to detract attention from your drama.

“YES! GRANT! JOIN US!” Those two are the best. You can hear the panic in both their voices, trying to pull the focus away from whatever drama may be unfolding upstairs. Slowly, but surely, you can hear bodies start to move again downstairs, and eventually the rumble of conversations restarting.

Time to grovel. You don’t bother to knock, you walk straight in to Becca’s room, ready for resistance. Instead, as soon as you enter the room, she throws herself against you, her lips crashing against yours as you both fall back against the door. I wasn’t expecting this. Your hands cup her neck, roaming through her hair and pulling her closer to you. Eventually, you have to pull away in order to catch your breath.

“Becs, I’m so sorr-” You search her eyes, looking for some indication of what she’s thinking, what she’s feeling right now.

“No one has ever stood up for me like that before.” Becca cuts your off.

“I’d take on the world for you, even if you hated me for it.” Please don’t break up with me.

“I could never hate you, Quinn. It’s just…”

You run your thumb across Becca’s cheek, and press your foreheads together. “Talk to me.” She takes your hands and starts playing with your fingers.

“Your stupid friends, then nerd herd, what if… no. They will tell you that you can do better. That you deserve better. And they’d be right. Look what I did to Madison the other week? What kind of friend am I?! I’m never going to live up to their impeccably high standards. I’m scared of how much I love you and how protective your friends are and that you deserve so much better than me and that one of these days you’re going to wake up and realise that and you’ll kick me out of your bed, and then you’ll probably kick me out of the house too and you make me feel so vulnerable, but that’s okay when I’m around you, because when I’m with you I know I’m safe and I can let my guard down and... shit.” Becca finally pauses to catch her breath, the horror of what she’s said finally reaching her eyes as she shifts her gaze to the floor beneath your feet. Her eyes flick up to meet yours for a brief second, before flicking away again. Her cheeks are flushed. You’ve never seen her look so – so scared. She clasps your hands in hers, her fingers and yours entwined and pressing into her chest.

“You love me?” Out of all the words Becca has just thrown at you, they’re the ones you caught and held on to. Love.

“I… No?” Becca says, her face drains of colour. She obviously didn’t mean to say those three little words, not yet, but she definitely meant them.

“You love me.” You can feel your smile spreading across your face, your jaw aches with the force of your happiness.

“I do not! You mean nothing to me!” Becca stomped her foot.

“If that were true, you wouldn’t be gripping my hand so tight.”

Becca looks at your intwined fingers and quickly thrusts your hand away, only for you to immediately lace your fingers back with hers.

“I love you too, Becca.”

“Ugh, you’re so romantic I could vomit. Fine. I accept your declaration of undying love for me.”

You roll your eyes and lean in, gently pressing your lips to hers.