Little Big Problems

Chapter 13: A Stupid Mistake

My breath hitches as I hear the soft click of door getting locked. The music from outside becomes muffled. A warm yellow bulb hanging above us is the only source of light in the otherwise small dark room.

I take a step back as Adrien turns around. His eyes shamelessly rake my body head to toe, making it heat up.

"You're all dolled up," he says, stepping forward, "just like a little attention seeker that you are."

I take another step back. "I don't need to dress up to have attention. I already have it from a certain asshole who can't mind his own business." Even though I'm scared, the alcohol in me doesn't let me back down. "And it's very irritating."

Fury flashes in those dark eyes and before I can further step back I'm yanked by my elbow and trapped against the wall. It doesn't hurt, physically, but my whole body fires up... in fear. It has to be fear.

"What are you doing?" I gasp. Adrien's face is inches away from mine. A jolt goes through my body at his close proximity.

"So Miss Peppa finds me irritating." I smell whiskey on his breath, letting me know he's drunk. "But swoons over a man-slut like Raphael." He sounds, dare I say, jealous.

"What is it to you?!" I ask, glaring at him.

"What is it to me?" He grits, his eyes roaming all over my face. "Seeing you so desperate that you go for any guy makes me pity you. Isn't it why you're strutting around in this dress? You want a man to touch you." His grip on my elbows tightens. "Someone to kiss you, feel up your body, squeeze your-"

"Adrien!" I snap. My face is bright red by his words. "You're crazy."

Something feral swirls in his eyes as they drop to my lips. The air between us becomes heavy. "I am," he rasps, looking like a man possessed, "you drive me crazy."

"Wha-"

Before I know his lips are smashed against mine. For a second or two I stand still, shocked. His lips moves against mine, ravishing them like he has all the right. Like he owns me. The taste of whiskey and alcohol mingle. His hand comes up to my head and pulls my hair to angle my face and let him kiss me better. 

I find my eyes closing and giving into him. My whole body buzzes, falling into sync with him. He groans and bites my lower lip gently and I gasp, allowing his tongue to delve inside my mouth. There's so much hunger and possessiveness with the way he's kissing me.

After what seems like eternity, he pulls away. Our breaths are heavy as we stare at each other in daze. Before my brain can get back to functioning and make me panic at what the hell just happened, Adrien's lips are again over mine. He wastes no time and dives back into my mouth like he's starving. 

His body is pressed against mine. I feel something hard poke my belly through his jeans. Somehow knowing he's turned on turns me on too. My mind is numb, all it knows is passion that's flowing between us. He tugs my short hair and I whimper clutching onto his shirt and pulling him closer. He's ferocious and dominating, and I find myself loving it.

"We get it you guys are enjoying in there but your seven minutes are up!" A voice from the other side of door laughs, making me pull away from Adrien. 

The moment between us is gone and the realization dawns on me. I look at him wide-eyed. Even though lust still gleams in his eyes, he looks surprised too.

I push him off me and stumble out of the room without any word. My hands are shaking and legs feel wobbly as I walk out. Many pairs of eyes are on me, some teasing, some judging, and some curious, adding to my heightening anxiety. I see Raphael, who is watching me closely. I look away, unable to meet his gaze.

I stiffen when I feel a presence behind me. I don't have it in me to face him after what we did.

"I-I'm going to get a drink," I say and dash out of the living room to the kitchen. I blush as hoots and whistles of my peers follow me.

I lean against the kitchen island and finally allow myself to catch breath, but I can't relax. That kiss keeps replaying in my mind. My lips still tingle thinking about it. The pleasant feeling doesn't last for long as guilt and self-hate swallows me for letting him do that to me, and enjoying it. I am so pathetic.

I kissed the guy who bullies me, fat-shames me. I kissed Adrien fricking Augustine. Maybe he's right, I am desperate.

"Harper," someone calls and I turn around to find Raphael. "Are you okay?" he asks, walking to stand in front of me.

"Mhm." I nod. His concern makes me feel guilty. I know we don't owe each other anything, but I spent the whole night with him only to end up kissing some other guy. That's highly inappropriate in my dictionary.

"Adrien and his buddies left the game right after you walked out," he tells me, "I think he left the party too."

"Oh." I am curious about Adrien, though I don't let it show on my face.

"He looked agitated," Raphael continues, "I don't mean to overstep but I want to know if something happened between you two in the room. Did he force himself on you-"

"No," I cut him off immediately. Adrien initiated the kiss, but didn't force it. Ashamed as I am to admit it, we both were equal participants. "He didn't force me. We kissed." My cheeks flame and heart clenches with guilt. I sound like a five-year-old who stole cookies from a jar.

"I thought you two didn't like each other. What I remember from last time, he's not very good to you." 

"I don't know why we kissed. I didn't mean it to happen, but it's just...happened." I try to defend myself but there's nothing to say except, "I'm sorry."

Raphael sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "You don't have to be sorry to me Harper."

I shrug. Maybe I am sorry to myself. 

"Don't sulk, ma chérie. We are young. Things like this happen all the time," he comforts me. A moment of silence passes before he speaks again. "This party is now getting too loud for my taste. Do you want to get out of here?"

"Yes please." 

"How about I walk you to your dorm?" He suggests.

This beautiful guy is godsend. It's like he read my mind. I want nothing more than to curl inside my blankets and sleep on the mortifying act I committed.

"Raphael DeRose, you're very sweet," I say shyly.

Raphael grins and then winks at me. "That I am." He takes my hand and rubs circles at the back soothingly as we walk out. "We all make stupid mistakes Harper Young. Some lead us to wonderful things while others are better to not be repeated." He over-exaggerates his wise tone. 

I can't help but chuckle. Everyone's Master Oogway when drunk.

We leave the apartment filled with drunk students and head toward my dorm. It's past one now. As we stroll through the empty streets with flickering lampposts, I am taken back to the night when I was running away from some creep and Adrien helped me. When he walked me to the dormitory.

I shake myself out of his thoughts when I feel Raphael's fingers fiddling with my hand. I am with Raphael, I remind myself.

Perhaps Raphael is right. Kissing that devil was a stupid mistake.

A very, very stupid mistake. A mistake that is not to be repeated. Ever.

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