The Way We Burn

Ten: Gigi

I had precisely zero words as I watched Sully disappear around the side of my parents' house. For  first time in probably my entire adult life, I was left utterly and completely speechless. The man that had just kissed the everliving life out of me was not the same man that had refused even the idea of a Thank You drink just a few days earlier. I wasn't sure what this 'good friend' of his had said, but whatever it was had done the trick. Hell, I owed this friend a drink of their own because that?

Wow.

This Bennett Sullivan was a new man, strutting away with the swagger of a drunken frat boy about to take the pick of the litter when it came to sorority girls. And, goddamn, it was hot. His poise, his assurance, his stature, his whole being was different. If this was how the man usually approached dating, I didn't stand a chance.

He looked entirely too proud of himself as he walked away, and on any other day, I would've considered it my duty to knock him down a peg or two. However, that sinfully delicious man had just turned my brain into literal mush, so I just stood there, blankly blinking after him while internally counting the seconds until I saw him again.

Next time, on a date. A real date.

After a few minutes of staring googly eyed into space I started to remember just how frigging cold it was, so I gave the snowy alley one last dreamy glance and then turned and headed back inside. Instead of making a beeline directly to my friends, however, I headed toward my parents' upstairs bathroom to compose myself a bit before rejoining the festivities.

I dodged the partygoers and made my way upstairs through the kitchen, smoothing down my dress with every step I took. But the second I raised my hand for the doorknob, it opened, and in the doorway appeared my sister and both of her blonde cronies.

I couldn't stop the roll of my eyes. "Missed the meeting of the minds, did I?"

"Are you done pouting?" one of the blondes retorted as she folded her arms over her surgically enhanced chest. "The fireman shoot you down?"

I snickered and shook my head. "Oh, honey, you're hilarious. Could you move? I have to pee."

Apparently this angered the Becky and she rose up on the toes of shoes her daddy likely spent too much money on. "I don't know who you think..."

"Stop," my sister finally interrupted. "Can you guys give us a minute? I need to talk to Gigi."

Both of the Beckys (I don't know that either of them was actually named Becky, but I also didn't care) glared and turned their noses to the air as they clacked their way back to the party and their next unsuspecting victim, I was certain.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "You really know how to pick 'em, Maya. Where'd you find these two? Mean Girls Club?"

"You really wanna call anyone a mean girl after the show you just put on?" Amaya hissed as her eyes raked over me. "What the hell did you think you were doing down there? You can't pick fights at my engagement party, Galena!"

"I wasn't picking any fight. I just said what was on my mind," I argued. "Can you lecture me for my behavior later maybe? I'm genuinely about to piss my pants."

Amaya once again rolled her eyes at my general existence, but stepped to the side, finally allowing me into the bathroom. Instead of leaving me to my own devices though, she followed me in and shut the door, turning the lock behind her.

"Jesus, Maya! Can't a girl piss in peace?!" I exclaimed.

"I'm not going anywhere so you'd just as well do what you came in here to do," Amaya retorted, leaning against the vanity counter and checking her nails as if we watched each other in the bathroom every fucking day.