“Culture Code,” she says. “Did you choose the song?” A loose long blonde strand of her hair gets stuck to my stubble.
“Yes.” I feel odd. And a fuckload of other things – breathless, anxious, hot, frightened, excited, arrhythmic, drunk, restless – but talkative is not one of them. As we dance, the tight black dress offers peek-a-boo hints of some red lace beneath.
“Because of what I said.” Her breath fans into my neck, and my everything-in-between hardens.
“Yes.” This one comes out in a meek hoarse pitch. My dick is so hard I swear it can hammer through a wall.
Oh, I, I’m on it, I want it
But why do you seem to call in your eyes?
I can’t tell if you’re here or you’re out there … Do you wanna be out there?
Her eyes nearly bug right out of her head. Yeah, it’s not easy to dance so close and hide the world’s biggest boner. She definitely felt it.
“Damion.”
“Right here.” Leaning even closer I dip my head.
“I think you have a unique little problem,” she whispers in a bedroom voice that raises the problem.
“Yeah, young celibate male … easily excitable,” I lower my head, leaving my lips a millimeter from the soft skin of her shoulder. “But there’s nothing little about it.”
She makes a sucking sound like a lamb latching on to a tit. And I nearly blow off in my pants like a nerdy virgin at a strip show. Fuck.
You don’t need to be Prince Charming to me … I just need this to be real …
I don’t need no fairy tale
You don’t need to kill a dragon for me … ooh, ooh … I don’t need no fairy tale
“You know it’s just a weird chemical reaction because your hypothalamus floods your body with, in your case, testosterone. It’s natural.” There’s nothing natural about her ragged breathing. Or the hungry look in her eyes.
This girl is driving me bat-shit crazy and I need to do something about it. But not now. Not with her psycho brothers mere meters away. I would like to be alive when I celebrate my 22nd birthday.
We run and go still … every time
Whatever it is I keep on trying … ’cause it ain’t hard to forget …
When you know what it’s like
That’s why I’m better with than without you
Oh, I, I’m on it, I want it
But why do you seem to call in your eyes?
I can’t tell if you’re here or you’re out there
Do you wanna be out there?
“So how was puppy class with Mr. Stick-up-his-but?” I ask because a diversion might relieve my tension, and I really want to know. That guy touched a nerve.
“Who, Alejandro?” she giggles. “He’s super great.” Like a cold bucket of water in my fucking face.
“In fact, he reminds me a little of you.” No way. He’s nothing like me.
“Because I’m super great.”
“No, you’re both hot and you have the same hair.” Seriously. That’s it. At least she thinks I’m hot.
You don’t need to be Prince Charming to me … I just need this to be real …
I don’t need no fairy tale
“WHAT THE FUCK!” Enrique jumps up in shock tipping his chair and it falls to the ground with a ‘thud’. Mel freezes and turns simultaneously, tripping over her own feet. Going into an uncontrolled freefall, she grips my bicep with one hand, my cloak with the other. Being caught off guard and in the middle of a dance step, I too lose my balance and we go crashing to the ground.
“Jackson? Blood? What … where are you? … JACKSON!” Enrique swears and it’s as if everyone is struck by lightning. The room goes deadly quiet.
You don’t need to kill a dragon for me … ooh, ooh … I don’t need no fairy tale
You don’t need to be Prince Charming to me … I just need this to be real …
Mel’s sharp intake of air breaks the spell. Everybody goes into panic mode – one half starts moving, and the other half starts talking.
I jump up, pulling her with me, and grab her hand, leading her back to the table. The boys stand around Enrique, waiting with strict faces for him to say something.
I don’t need no fairy tale
“Fuck!” he swears “Something is wrong. He’s in the bathroom.” We all start running to the stairs.
You don’t need to kill a dragon for me … ooh, ooh … I don’t need no fairy tale
I don’t need no
“If our stupid brother passed out from seeing blood, I’m going to kill him,” Ilkay chants, throwing his keys to Logan. “Bro, go grab my emergency kid quick.”
“Maybe he got his penis stuck … you know, like a dog,” Axel chimes in, probably to lighten the mood. That’s exactly something Jackson would say.