Dirty Little Secret

God-awful music blasts through the speakers and stretches throughout the neighborhood. The otherwise well-manicured lawn is littered with cups, cans, bottles, and is that a pair of panties?

They would have a fit if they saw what had been done to their yard. I'm glad I won't have to be the one to tell them.

Adrian's folks will lose their mind when they see this place. So many hours were spent meticulously grooming every inch of the lawn just to be drowned in cheap beer and trotted over by all too-tall heels.

I can’t believe that I’m here. Being recently single and ready to mingle, except since everyone knows what he did I can’t get past the looks and whispers. Why is it that when the guy cheats, he’s a hero but the woman is treated like a leper?

In hindsight, the red flags were practically flashing in my face like that guy on TikTok with the giant red flag, yet I chose to ignore them all. But he was so good at fucking. “Asshole,” I grumble while looking at him by the pool table, surrounded by his friends and wanton girls. His black hair is slicked back, his brown eyes are sparkling... Stop it, Ivy. The asshat does not deserve you. But the sex, my goddess the sex...

I turn around and grab the closest drink I see. It just happens to be in a guy’s hand as I snatch it away and turn it bottoms up. I don't bother apologizing or even spare him a second glance. My recent misfortune has turned me bitchy but maybe I'm entitled to some sass after all.

“Hey!” He sneers while giving me a once-over. He then quickly starts laughing at me “Fine, I guess you need it more. I can get you another if you want.” His demeanor changes quickly as he pulls me close to him by my waist, his drink is still pouring down my throat. Vodka... blah.

The music blares through the speakers, making it difficult to hear anything but I make out the general idea from his gestures and by watching his lips move.

I finish the drink and hand him the cup. “Something a little stronger, please.” I bat my eyes. “And in an unopened bottle.” I quickly add. It has always baffled me what people will do when they think it will end up in sex. Fools.

“Wait here.” He yells over the awful music and then disappears inside. I take the time to study the people around me. Adrian’s place is full of college students, most I have never seen before. Scantly clad girls hanging over any rando's arm. Drunken frat guys screaming the newly made word of the day that no one really understands and can't be found in any dictionary, not even the urban one. And then there are the wall flowers that whisper to their friends and gaze at the others, never brave enough to make a move.

The man himself disappeared with a girl, the flavor of the week, upstairs a while back and left me on my own. Not even his best friend of 10+ years of misery can get between him and his conquests. Am I really that surprised? Not really.

"Why did he have to invite asshat?" I grumble.

The drink guy reappears with a fresh drink in a cup. “Here you go.” A smirk on his face and eyes filled with lust. Not a chance, buddy.

“Thanks. I need to find Adrian, but I’ll definitely come and find you later.” I wink at him and then push past him. Yeah, not gonna happen. I put the cup down on a table. I’m not about to drink something that I didn’t see him pour. The only reason I drank the first cup was because he wouldn’t spike his own drink, now would he? Or maybe he would? Whatever... too late now.

The group around the pool table cheer and dickwad wraps his arm around a blonde and kisses her. Why am I here? That's right because Adrian practically begged me to come. "The best way to get over someone is to get under someone new." He said. Except, I've been doing just that for weeks and I'm still fuming from his betrayal. How much sex is too much sex? If you ask Adrian, there is no line drawn for that.

It's not that I loved the vermin or anything because I didn't. It's the fact that I took a chance on him, deciding to put my wild ways aside for him, and he cheated. I deemed him worthy and boy was I wrong. Maybe I'm better off alone.

Most of the girls are drunk at this point so the mandatory and embarrassing drunk girl dancing has commenced while the guys stare at them like starving wolves eyeing their last meal. Thank God that I never cared for dancing. Yeah, so maybe I’ve turned a tad cynical the past few weeks, sue me.

One of the guys yells “Pool party!” and that’s my cue to high tail it out of there. Alcohol + water = bad idea. Nakedness, unprotected sex, vomit, and then there's also drowning. Can't forget about that one.

I push my way past drunk frat guys, careful not to get caught in the horde heading to the water. The crowd grows thicker and it gets harder and harder to push past them so instead of heading for the front door I hide behind the basement door instead.

I close the door behind me. The deepest breath of my life, to my knowledge, is released as I realize that I managed to escape the crowd. The party noises fade away, instead, I hear a noise below. Xander, Adrian’s little brother is home and playing one of his video games. Figures that he would rather be down here than at a party full of horny girls. Between the two, Xander was always the shy one. And the adorable one.

One step at a time, I make my way down. I’m careful not to make any noise. Xander is sitting with his back to me, shirtless, on his two-seater couch, talking to some guys online through the game. The muscles on his back ripples with every movement. Growing up has done him good. The girls would line up for him like they do his brother if only he would speak to them.

“What’s that music?” One of the guys asks.

“Just my older brother’s party,” Xander replies into his mic. "Ignore it."

“A party? Are there girls?” Another asks.

“Yeah, loud, drunk girls,” Xander says with a bit of disdain.

“Then why the fuck are you down here?” The first guy chuckles.

Xander laughs. “I’d rather be down here. Besides, there is only one girl on my mind.”

"Oh, do tell..."

By now, I’ve made it all the way to the couch and I’m standing close enough to touch him. I carefully run my hand over some strands of hair that are sticking straight up. He's always had a wonderfully thick head of light hair.

Xander swats the area. It's difficult to not giggle out loud. Really difficult. After grazing them a few more times, Xander lets out a frustrated cry while swatting the area like a madman. "Son of a Biscuit, leave me alone you devil spawn."

One of the guys in the game laughs. "Biscuit? Devil spawn?"

I graze the hairs again and Xander yet again swats at it. I graze it again. “Hold up. I need to kill this fly.” Xander pauses his game and the others groan.

He stretches and then turns around. As soon as his body faces me I yell “BOO!”

“Cheese on a cracker!” Xander shouts and I giggle. “Ivy? What the Hell?”

“Got Ya!” Xander’s hand is on his heart and I practically hear it racing. “What ya doing?” I smirk.

“Dying early from a heart attack. My mom would weep and it is all your fault.”

“Aw, baby. Want me to kiss it and make it better?”

“Kiss my heart?” Xander arches an eyebrow and smirks. He swiftly snatches his t-shirt from the arm of the couch and pulls it over his head.

“Nah. I’ll settle for your lips.” I tease. Not that the idea of kissing him is repulsive but it's not what we normally do. Xander furrows his brows.

“Who’s that?” One of the guys from the game asks.

“Ivy. My brother’s best friend.” He replies.

"Is that the gi..." One of the voices is cut off by Xander.

“I’m going to log out. Later.”

I go around the couch and flop down on it beside Xander who has turned around to face the screen with me. He switches over to a streaming service and hands me the controller.

“Hm, what should we watch?” I rest my head on his shoulder and sigh. Xander's scent permeates the air and I can't help but relax.

“Don’t matter. Adrian isn’t here so at least you don’t have to fight him over the controller.”

That’s true. The three of us have had many movie nights and even sleepovers but this is the first time I’m left alone with Xander in a long time. “Excellent. Muahahah...” I do my evil villain laugh.

Xander looks at me with a smile and then shakes his head. “Action it is.”

"You know me so well." I smile, happy that at least some things never change.

We're halfway through the movie and I’m bored. Xander is sitting close to me, our legs touching. I start to fidget and he grabs me on the thigh to stop me.

"You're restless." It isn't a question, just a mere statement.

He got me there. “So... who’s the girl?” Maybe talking about his love life will distract me from my lack of one.

“What girl?” He looks at me confused. Even in the darkness, his handsome face with that chiseled jaw and beautiful brown eyes stands out. His blond hair reflects the light from the TV, enhancing his allure. I’ve always thought that he was cute but as the years went by he surpassed cute and became hot. Why is he single?

“The only girl on your mind.” I tease him.

“I... what?” Xander blushes and suddenly becomes very interested in the movie.

“Don’t worry. I’ll stop teasing you... and I won’t tell Adrian either. We, lonely people, have to stick together, right?”

“And what if I don’t want to be lonely?” He whispers.

"Then do something about it."

"Ok." He says before leaning forward and pressing his lips to mine. “You did offer me a kiss.”