Five minutes later, when the mansion’s power had been rebooted, the ten teenagers stood staring… or maybe glaring, at each other.
“What in the world are you guys doing here?” Nicky glared at the boys.
“And what’s that supposed to mean? We came to visit Ricky of course!” Jeffrey shot back.
“But you three…. Or rather, four musketeers barged in here together!” Natalia accused.
“So? We met him at the door.” Arian yanked back and she rolled her eyes.
“Don’t tell me you came to ‘visit’ Ricky as well.” Elva turned to Selena and Leo. Selena suddenly turned interested seeing her jealous look.
“Mhn. He came for Natalia and since you know why I came, there’s no need stressing. My brother told me about your sleepover so I invited myself. Obviously, he wasn’t kidding.” She gazed at the room.
“Whatever! You three are officially uninvited!” Nicky snapped and they started pushing Arian and friends out.
“I could leave if you want me to?” Leonardo played the cute card and Natalia flew to his side in a minute.
“Of course not! My boy bestie is always invited!” She grinned and tugged him further into the living room.
“And we’re not leaving either!” Arian yelled from across the door…
.
.
.
And they didn’t.
Sighs.
The group assembled in another living room where there wasn’t balloons all over the floor to play a game of truth or dare. Selena started first.
“Nicky, if Leonardo and Jeffrey were hanging off a cliff and about to fall to their deaths….”
“God forbid!” They echoed simultaneously making the rest chuckle.
Selena glared at their immaturity while Nicky rolled her eyes.
“…. and you could save one of them, who would you save first at the expense of the other?”
“Leonardo.” Nicky answered like it wasn’t even supposed to be a question.
“And do you think I’ld let you?” Jeffrey snorted.
“Yo, you’ld have been dead by then!” She stated and he scoffed. Nicky spined the bottle and it landed on Damon.
“Dare.” He smirked. Nicky returned it more evilly.
“I dare you to have the best score in next week’s maths test!” Damon drank the entire vodka without hesitating and they laughed again.
Damon Lorenzo plus maths indeed!
He spined the bottle and it landed on Natalia.
“Nataliaaa?” He sang devilishly which made her giggle. Arian who’d been boredly typing away on his phone looked up at the mention of her name.
“Truth.” She replied with a shrug making his grin double.
“In five seconds, blurt out what kind of relationship you and Arian share.”
Everyone’s eyes flew to her instantly. One, two, three… They counted under their breaths.
“We’re friends.” She mouthed on the fifth second.
Elva wasn’t sure of what she’ld say. She knew Natalia and Arian had a complicated relationship. She glanced over at Arian whose features were cold and unreadable and felt pity for him.
“Time for the next thing on the agenda!” Nicky announced and stood up, stopping others from asking Natalia any more questions.
“A game of hide and seek!”
Damon groaned and fell on his back. Arian didn’t move an inch. Ricky huffed out and laid well on a couch pillow. Jeffrey looked uninterested and Leonardo looked to and fro at all of them.
“Damon!” Nicky yanked. “Since you’re the first to ‘show’ interest, you’ll have the honor of being the first seeker!” She bossed and he cocked an eyebrow.
“And if I don’t?”
As a response to his question, Nicky creepily grinned and picked up her huge teddy bear.
“What are y’all waiting for?! Go hide already!” He gushed and jerked up. The rest grudgingly stood up too.
“Y’all got twenty seconds!” He yelled after them.
Natalia squealed excitedly and skipped up the stairs while Nicky and the rest followed other routes.
“Why are you following me around?” Nicky whisper yelled to Jeffrey who stuck to her ass like glue!
“What do you mean? I’m hiding.” He casually said and pocketed. She rolled her eyes and entered into a guest washroom but guess what?…. the twirp followed behind!
“Get out or I’mma kick your creepy ass out!” She whispered. He ignored her and went to seat on the counter.
“Are you crazy? I’m darn serious!”
“If you keep on talking, we’re gonna be caught first!” He sounded righteous.
Nicky gasped and stormed over to him. She tugged him down roughly and pulled him towards the door. But before she could toss him out, he effortlessly flipped her over and switched off the lights. Nicky gasped wide eyed.
“What the….” She started but he covered her mouth and signalled her to keep quiet. She did and three seconds later, Damon stealthily passed by.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are.” He sang out.
Nicky’s breath hitched when she saw him stop and face the washroom door. How she knew?
The door was made of glass and due to the lights in the hallway, they could see the blurry figure standing outside.
Nicky’s heartbeat thumped loudly when Damon began turning the door knob. She exchanged panicked looks with Jeffrey as the door opened slowly.
With every inch it moved, Jeffrey leaned in closer to Nicky and her back pressed against the wall because they were directly behind it.
“Aw! I thought I heard voices in here!” Damon disappointedly whined and she almost laughed out. He shut the door and went on.
Hearing his receding footsteps, she breathed out and leaned her head on Jeffrey’s chest to steady her erratic breath.
“I told you… you were gonna get us caught.” He whispered, his soft breath fanning her hair. Nicky hit his chest but he caught her.
Her face flew up instantly and in the process, their lips brushed. Nicky’s breath caught in her throat. From the dim lights penetrating the glass door, she could faintly catch his ocean blue eyes, though a shade darker, lurking in hers.
A silent message was communicated and they both leaned forward slowly. She stood on her tip toes as his arms snaked around her bare waist, pulling her warm body to his excited one.
The sexy little shirt and shorts nightie Nicky wore gave him enough passage to dig his fingers in. They had barely touched lips when a loud voice interrupted them.
“Woo-hoo! Selena I caught you!…”
It was obviously Damon croaking out a terrible song! Nicky came to her senses and jerked away from Jeffrey. She lowered her head and fled from the washroom feeling heat crawl up her cheeks.
What the hell was she thinking?!…
***
“What were you thinking clutching onto that freak’s arm like that?!” A fuming French hissed. Natalia ignored him and walked ahead without a word.
“Boy bestie?? Boy bestie my foot! You were seriously gonna choose him over me?” He seethed on relentlessly and followed her into a room. She turned around and grinned sheepishly.
“Actually, I already did. There’s no need for the ‘were’. You invited yourself in.”
He gasped in disbelief.
“If I didn’t, who’ld have protected you throughout the night!” She rolled her eyes and went to her sleep bag.
“Protect me from what?? It’s not like a pack of hungry wolves are coming to eat me.”
“They’re certainly on their way! How could you agree to a sleepover crawling with boys and alcohol and sex! Who’s spoiling you for me?!” He scolded angrily. The princess turned around instantly.
“Who said anything about having that ‘word you just said’ with a bunch of drunk teens? Have you been drinking??” She squinted her eyes.
Wait!
Did that mean…
“Ricky!” He murderously growled under his breath like a curse and glared sideways.
“You’re acting weird.” Natalia pointed and looked away.
“Even at that, why did you say we’re just friends? That jerk of yours might be thinking he’s got a shot!”
Natalia tried not to scoff as she folded her arms. Arian blinked and forced his sinful eyes away from her chest. It painfully reminded him of that rainy night in the jungle where they were almost on full display.
“What did you expect me to say, huh? That we’re… kiss buddies? And besides, you’re exaggerating on the ‘just’. I never said that!” She said and he gritted silently.
Darn it!
She was always right.
“So? Why are you even dressed that way in front of those perverted vultures? It comes with a jacket. Put it on.” He walked over to her.
“I don’t want to!” She finalized and sat on the bed, folding her arms and crossing her sexy legs to prove her adamance.
Natalia was putting on a silky nightie which stopped mid thigh. The peach material did an alluring job on her glowing light brown skin. The tentative slit on the side sat directly on her left leg which she’d crossed over her right, and it drew up till it was in a seductive fraction up her legs!
Arian didn’t know if she was aware but he’ld be damned if any of the jerks downstairs shared in on his hard on!
He dropped on his knees and made an extremely cute face, his anger and arrogance completely forgotten!
“Sugar, just put it on! Do you want me to die from hypertension? I….”
“…. and jealousy?” She cut him off still looking away stubbornly.
Arian bit his lips.
“Fine! And jealousy….”
“…. and anxiety?” She added, still not looking at him.
The young French grumbled within and she bossily turned to scowl.
“Okay! Hypertension, jealousy and anxiety. Happy now?!” She looked thoughtful for a moment.
“I’ll just manage it.” She pouted with a shrug and he stupidly grinned.
“Help me wear it.” She ordered and stood up, stretching out her hands. Arian hastily grabbed the jacket with a relieved smile and stood up too. He wore it on her and pulled the fabric very low before tying the jacket straps tightly!.
Natalia smiled and he returned it, feeling more relaxed. Just then, they heard Damon shrieking out a song about finding Selena first.
Natalia walked over to the door but Arian got to it first.
“One more thing. Stop clinging onto anybody’s arm except mine, okay?” She rolled her eyes but nodded anyway.
Arian took her delicate hand and led them outside. Thank goodness she’s covered well. He breathed.
Wait!
Why did the dress slide up again??!
Chapter 73