Cliché with a player

Chapter 21 - The other kiss

A/N: Back to Laken's POV, people.

No matter how much or in which direction I turn my head, Nessa and Dan are nowhere to be found. A jolt of excitement spreads trough me; maybe he finally asked her out. I swear, I ship them harder than I do Chaol and Yrene.

"Who are you looking for?"

I spin around and come face to face with Byron. He is standing really close, a bit too close if you ask me, since our chests are almost touching. I don't like that kind of closeness, because it makes my chest hurt and I don't feel safe, so I take a step back but he takes one forward.

"Emm..., I was looking for Nessa."

He looks up, around us, and then back down at me. He is really tall, maybe even taller than Matt.

"Well..., she isn't dancing."

Yeah, no shit, Sherlock.

I try and take another step backwards but I bump into a bar stool with my back. I look behind me at the surprised bartender and apologise. He glances behind me, spots Byron and leaves.

"Why are you backing away from me?"

I have a feeling there is a giant lump in my throat. I'm really not up for debating my problems.

"I don't like people being this close to me."

"You had no problem with Matt?" He isn't mean or accusing, just curious.

I look over to the dance floor, where Matt and Ophelia are dancing — very close to each other, might I add. But that shouldn't bother me, I was the one to break it off. I have no right to feel jealous right now.

"I guess."

Byron tilts his head and then turns back to the bar.

"What do you want to drink?"

Something stings inside of me at the thought of Matt moving on so quickly. He has every right to, but he made it seem like he doesn't want that and now he is dancing with some girl, practically R rated — like that scene from Dirty Dancing where everyone is grinding against each other. We could never possibly work out, which doesn't mean he should be doing this right in front of me. It's possible he doesn't know I am here, although, judging by the fact he looks at me when I glance back there again, that is not likely. Two can play at that game.

"I've always wanted to try a martini," I say to Byron, who is still patiently waiting for my response.

"A martini it is."

He tilts his head and sways his hands in a way, that reminds me of detective Watts in Murdoch Mysteries series.

"I feel like James Bond," I squeak excitedly when we get our drinks.

Byron laughs and takes a sip of his drink.

"You certainly look like you have a license to kill, you just need a beautiful man now."

I try to laugh like a hot girl would, and almost choke on martini and saliva.

Great job, Laken. You obviously can't play that game.

But that makes Byron laugh so hard he spits out his drink and it goes flying all over the wooden surface of the bar.

"Shit, I'm sorry," he apologises to the bartender and takes some of the napkins, folded next to us, to clean the mess. When he's done, the bartender takes the paper from his hands and throws it in the trash.

"I guess we are both incompetent."

"It's funnier that way."

He winks and takes a seat, this time leaning closer to me. He props his elbow on the counter and leans his head onto his fist. His eyes are shining from alcohol, his hair is messy but in a hot way.

"You wanna go dancing?" he asks, looking over his shoulder.

"Sure."

He takes my hand and pulls me after him and into the crowd. It's pretty late and people are slowly leaving, some tired and ready for bed, while for some the night hasn't even properly began yet.

We dance for a while, when the song ends and a slower one starts.

"I thought this is a club?" I ask with scrounged eyebrows.

"At the end of the night, before they close, they always play one slow song. Our dad did this, because he kissed our mother for the first time in a club like this to a slow song, this one in fact, at the end."

The song playing is Wonderful Tonight.

Byron places his hands on my hips and I hesitantly put mine on his shoulders. His gaze softens, when he pulls me even closer, so my arms slip and I have to wrap them behind his neck.

"I love this song," I say in a whisper, although I didn't intend to sound so scared. Something about the way he is looking at me makes me giddy, while at the same time his hands burn on my body.

"Me too."

We sway from side to side, he is looking in my eyes the entire time and I somehow can't take mine away from his face. He is painfully beautiful and I can't believe he has eyes only for me in the moment.

But I've seen this haven't I? Matt made me feel this way and he only wanted sex.

I have to stop thinking about this, I chose to forgive him.

I pull myself back but his hands won't let me go and I am presses up against his chest once again.

"What are you afraid of?" He asks softly.

I'm surprised I even open my mouth, much more that I tell him anything.

"Are you just trying to sleep with me? Because that is not going to happen."

He looks taken aback for a second, before he smiles widely. His fingers brush my cheek when he moves a loose strand of hair from my face. I tremble all over for a moment, his touch sending jolts of electricity trough me.

"I'm not. I just think you are beautiful. I like you."

I can feel my face heat up and I look away in embarrassment.

"Laken, look at me."

After a moment of consideration I lift my face and he brings his closer.

"Why are you embarrassed? I gave you a compliment, you should be confident, not embarrassed. There is no need for that."

Byron comes even closer, and I can feel his breath on my lips, tingling me.

"May I kiss you?"

What is happening?! A very hot bot wants to kiss me!

And there is a question of do I want this boy to kiss me? Matt moved on, so should I.

I nod and he closes the distance between our lips. His are soft and gentle, he goes slowly, carefully, like he wants this to be as sweet as possible. Well, it's working, because I might as well melt in his arms. He nibbles my lower lip and makes me moan, which surprises me to the point, where I almost clasp a hand over my mouth, but he smiles against the kiss and I forget about that. His hands move on my ass and I inhale sharply, when he still doesn't move away.

No one notices us, because most of the people are too focused on their partners to give a damn about two kissing teenagers.

"As much as I enjoy your sounds, you'll have to be a bit quieter. We are still in public," he mumbles against our connected lips.

And in that moment I realise how much I wanted Matt to be standing in his place all this time. That I want Matt's arms to be on me. I want him talking to me, kissing me. I know it's not possible anymore, but I still want it. So, I can't do this, I don't want to do this.

My eyes fly wide open and I push him slightly away. He grins, running fingers trough his hair, and then planting a peck on my cheek.

He just pulls away, when a hand pushes me behind and a fist lands in Byron's face.

A/N: Someone is getting jeeeeellyyyy.