It all started with Joy.

Chapter 11: Britney, glitter, and...lap dances.

*From this chapter onwards, intimate scenes will be described in detail. These will not be in every chapter, but definitely in a few.*

Jesse.

This has been the worst week on my life; since last Saturday night, Lily has been giving me the silent treatment, and I have yet to muster the courage to tell her how I actually feel about her. She has left early in the morning, before I even woke up, and she has come back late at night, walking straight to her bedroom where she has eaten and spent most of her days. I have seen Sam's car coming and going a few times, and I have heard his voice in the kitchen, but I kept myself hidden in my room. The last time he has come over, he made Lily laugh, and I hadn't heard that magical sound for a week, which made my eyes water; I am the one supposed to make her laugh, but here I am, making her upset.

Nick and Millie are finally getting married in a few weeks, and today is their hen and stag do, and we will be out late while my parents babysit my niece. We haven't planned a joined one, but we both will be going clubbing so there is a chance we will meet. I wanna drown my sorrows in alcohol and get blackout drunk so I decide to eat dinner before I leave because nothing will land in my stomach but spirits. I drag my feet to the kitchen, and, for the first time in a week, Lily is there. She has her back turned to me as she gets a pizza out of the oven.

"Fuck!" she swears as the hot trays slips out of her grip, burning the side of her hand.

"Here," in one stride I am next to her, grabbing the towel from her hands before setting the tray down on the counter.

She eyes me up and down, letting her gaze follow the trail down my chest and my stomach to the pristine, white towel loosely hanging around my waist. "Thank you," she murmurs as she swipes the tip of her tongue on her cracked bottom lip, leaving a wet path behind. I close the space between us until our fronts are flush, and I am close enough to be able to count every little hair on her head. Keeping my eyes locked into hers, I open the cupboard and grab a plate; I lean forward over her shoulder and drop the plate on the white marble before locking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"This is how you are going out tonight?" I whisper close to her skin. From the corner of my eyes, I can see Lily closing hers and nodding. The boys' theme for the night was to get wasted, but the girls decided to go with a Britney-inspired outfit. Lily is wearing a green top that is more a bra than anything else and a pair of shorts with a blue see-through material draping over it that barely covers her butt; she is just missing the yellow python, but she had been venomous enough this week. Yeah, alright, I am to blame. Both my hands roam her naked legs, and I can feel the goosebumps forming under my touch; I reach the hem of her shorts, and I slide a finger underneath, teasing her. I can feel her hot, heavy breath on my neck, and the excitement travels fast around my body but I have to keep a clear head.

"You shouldn't," I warn as I bite the skin around her jaw, and I squeeze her firm ass. Then, I steal a slice of pizza from the tray, and I go back to my room before I ruin her costume, which would be a pity because we could put it to good use one day.

I arrive at the club at 10 pm, and when I get off the Uber, I spot Tristan, my soon-to-be brother-in-law, and a bunch of his mates at the entrance. I hurry as I cross the road, and I catch up with them as they descend to the club where we have booked a table for the night. There is going to be alcohol, and there is going to be music and dancing, it is going to be banging, and I will forget about this twisted fantasy of me and Lily. As soon as we sit, a young waitress rocking a bob brings us the complimentary drinks, and a howl erupts from the table, directed at her. I shoot these wild brutes a death stare, and I am already prepared to throw punches because it's disgusting, and that poor soul is just trying to do her job. Yes, I have hit on girls quite a lot, but being slimy is not one of my techniques; I do respect women, even though one wouldn't say that considering what has been going on. I guzzle the fizzy liquid, and we put in the first order of drinks of the night. As I wait for my cocktail to arrive, I slouch back on the velvet sofa, and I take in the room around me that is slowly filling with people. Other parties have occupied the empty sofas, and thank goodness, my sister's is not one of them. The music fills the space, and sticky bodies are already rubbing against one another while others lean over the bar to request more drinks. A few of Nick's friends have joined the strangers on the dance floor, and I can hear them cackling from our booth, while the groom and Tristan are dancing near our table in their little party of two. As a liquid slides down my throat burning the flesh it finds on his path, I hear a familiar voice behind me.