Young Lust

15 - What's the Big Deal?

"What's brought this on all of a sudden?" Steven asked with a frown.

"Nothing, just, I noticed last weekend when Erin left for the bathroom, you did too, and you both did the same thing just now."

"So? What's your point?"

"I... don't really... have one? Kirsten brought it up, all I said was that I heard you and Erin used to be involved. To strike up a conversation... I'm sorry I asked," I turned on my heel and went in the other direction. He gets so damn defensive, I thought.

I kept walking until I got to the fence line, out of Steven's sight.

"What's happening over here?" I heard the unwelcome voice once again.

Johnny slid next to me and attempted to put his arm around my waist.

"Nothing that concerns you," I grunted and spun out of his grasp.

"No you don't," Johnny muttered and grabbed me back towards him.

"Uh, yes, I do..." I tried to get out from under his arm again, but he wouldn't allow it. "You right there?"

"I am. Come with me," Johnny started walking down the fence line. When I wouldn't budge, he swung me over his shoulder. "I've had enough of this,"

"Enough of what? Put me down!" I shouted. He didn't, so I kicked and threw punches at his back.

Johnny did exactly what Steven did that time he carried me down the street; held my legs to the front of his body and kept walking. And he was much stronger than Steven.

"Let go of me!" I screamed.

"It's okay, you're drunk," Johnny shouted back so other people could hear, "I'm taking you inside!"

"I am not drunk! Put me down!" I continued pounding on his back, but it made no difference.

"Yes you are, miss. Don't worry, I'll look after you."

We reached the house and Johnny carried me inside.

"Let me go!" I tried again, but he kept going until he reached a door down the hall that I'd not been in before.

"Get some rest," he whispered. I could only just hear his words over AC/DC's "She's Got the Jack" belting loudly from the living room.

Johnny opened the door to a dark room, stepped inside and shut the door behind us.

"Put me down!" I hollered.

"What the fuck?" an angry voice cracked in the dark.
Johnny reached for the light switch and flicked it on.

"What the...?" a female voice gasped.

I couldn't see who they were because Johnny still had me over his shoulder. He seemed to realise this too - he put me down, so gently that my red shoes didn't make a thud on the carpet.

I turned to face where the voices came from. Two people were looking startled on a bed; one was Susan, and she was trying to pull a chocolate brown blanket up to cover herself.

The other person was Joe - and he wasn't bothering to try to cover up.

Without saying anything, I turned back around, opened the door and left the room.

I began to make my way to Steven's bedroom to get some peace and quiet, but as soon as I started to move I ran into someone.

I looked up to see the familiar blonde hair and bright smile. "Tom, thank God." I sighed and grabbed him by the arm for him to follow me.

"What happened in there?" Tom sounded worried.
We got to the basement door and entered Steven's room. Surprisingly enough, there wasn't anyone in there.

"Jade?" Tom pressed.

"I don't know. Steven got up me so I walked away and then Johnny swooped in on me, literally carried me inside and took me to that room - by the way, was that Steven's parents' room?" I took a breath after speaking so swiftly.

"It was, yeah," Tom looked a bit confused and sat on a beanbag.

"Okay. Anyway, we got to the bedroom - Johnny was still carrying me at this stage - and someone goes "what the fuck?" as if we've just interrupted them, right? So Johnny let me down so I could look around, and it turned out to be Joe and Susan." I took another deep breath.

"Wh-... Wait, Johnny carried you off to a bedroom? What the hell does he think h-"

"Doesn't matter," I mumbled, "stop clenching your fists, man."

Tom looked at his balled up hands and relaxed, exhaled and closed his eyes.

"I know he isn't the best person to be alone with, Steven warned me." I slouched onto the end of Steven's bed.

Tom looked at me from his beanbag. Only then did I notice an almost fluorescent yellow drink in his hand.

"What?" I frowned.

He sighed. "If you don't mind me asking, what did Steven get up you for?"

"Oh. I mentioned him and Erin," I said casually, and sat up properly.

"Bad move," Tom shook his head. "Here's that vodka cruiser I went after for you. Pineapple flavoured,"
Tom handed me the bottle after removing the cap, and I took a sip.

"Tastes like soft drink." I took a bigger mouthful. "Hold on, why's that a bad move? What's the deal with Steven and Erin, anyway? They're always so awkward around each other."

"I don't think anyone would appreciate or benefit from me talking about it." Tom avoided.

"Tom, please, I'm only curious." I wondered and kept on drinking the pineapple flavoured cruiser.

Tom frowned a little and licked his lips, as if he was thinking about changing the subject or something. "Fine,"

I adjusted myself to a more comfortable seated position to listen.

"I mean, there isn't much to tell, just... well Erin and Steven dated, yes, forrr about three months. They were pretty infatuated with each other, too." Tom paused.

"There's more, right? What's so bad about it?"

"Why are you so interested?" Tom frowned at me.

"I... don't know, I guess because Steven was so... uptight about it," I frowned too.

Tom was beginning to seem a little annoyed. "I'm telling because you asked, Jade, and you didn't hear this from me, alright?"

"Sure, whatever," I didn't understand the big deal.

"Steven dropped Erin before the end of the first day he met you. He really does like you,"

Now I understood the big deal.

"So he did dump her for me," I muttered. "But she's so... beautiful and nice, why would someone leave her for... this?" I motioned at myself.

"Well, because you're beautiful and nice." Tom sighed and shut his eyes again.

I just looked down at Tom sitting on the beanbag. He opened his eyes and made eye contact with me straight away. Tom stood up quickly and walked to the bottom of the stairs. Instead of ascending them, however, he returned to me. Before my brain could register what was happening, Tom leaned down and softly kissed me on the forehead.

I could feel the heat and colour rushing to my face as Tom turned away and almost ran up the stairs.

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A/N: There are certain scenes that I've changed/removed from this story, but haven't deleted from the face of the earth. I had the idea of posting them some time, much later on - towards the end of the story - as a bit of an extra little something. What do you think of that? Or should I leave the story as it is without making anyone wish certain scenes went certain ways?