Acting On Temptation (Temptations) (4 page)

I storm from the food court.  The door leading outside bounces off the wall behind it as I bust through it.  Who in the hell does everyone here think they are?  What gives them the right to dictate my life?  I lived that way with my parents, but not now.  I’m done living like that.  I’m walking so fast I walk right into someone.

“Whoa there.”

I look up and see Skylar, “Oh I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention I guess.”

“
Its fine princess, how about I walk you to your next class?  You know so you don’t run into any other unsuspecting people standing in the corridor minding their own business.”

I chuckle, “Okay, I guess you can.”
 
He’s kinda cute.
 

“So are you really coming to Gainer’s party or was Russ just playing big brother?”

“Yes, I’m going…Russ, just tries to look out for me…that’s all.”

“So are you two really just friends or are you
friends
?”

“We are just friends.” 
Even though I think about ripping his clothes off daily…
  I know I can’t be with Russ and he doesn’t seem to look at me that way.  He actually seems to get annoyed with me most of the time. 

“Well in that case would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

“Where at?  Like a date or something?”

“Yes like a date or something…there is a little café off campus, they have the best desserts in town.”

“I guess that works for me, but I don’t live on campus.  We live off campus.”

He grabs my phone and puts his contact info in it, “Oh well text me your address and I’ll pick you up around six.  No excuse you have my number.”

“Yeah that works.”  I smile, “See you at six.”

*****

No one at my house is extremely thrilled with my date tonight.  I’ve tried to explain that I have to start dating.  I have to move on from the past and start my new life.  I hear someone knock on the front door and I bounce out into our living room.  I decided on a pair of low-rise jeans and single shoulder shirt with kick ass boots I got at the mall the other day.  Daria beats me to the door and I hear Skylar, “Hey I’m here to pick up Anna.”

Daria turns around and is about to shout my name as I walk into the living room.  Skylar looks at me, “Well aren’t you just the prettiest thing ever.”

I smile, “Thanks.”

“Are you ready to go?”

I nod, “Sure.”

On the way out the door we meet Russ on the front walk, with a bottle of
Johnnie Walker
in his hand.  He throws up his free hand, “See you guys later. Oh Anna do you want me to wait up for you in my room or yours?”

I.
Can. Not. Believe. He. Just. Said. That.  I spin around, “Fuck you Russ. Don’t wait for me at all.”

As we get into Skylar’s truck he turns to me, “So was he just making that shit up or do you guys have some weird kinda fucked up relationship I should know about?”

I shake my head, “I have bad dreams sometimes, so Russ crashes with me sometimes…just so I don’t wake up alone.”  God I sound like a freak.

“Oh, well you know if you need another snuggler…I’m good at the job.”

Did he just pull that out of the worst pick-up line ever book? “Thanks but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

*****

Surprisingly dinner went great.  I had my doubts when we first left the house, but Skylar made me laugh and it was great to meet someone new and have a good conversation.  He got out and walked me to the door and gave me a polite kiss on the cheek and asked if he could meet me for coffee in the morning. 
I accepted!

Gabby is waiting for me when I come in, “So?  How did it go?”

I shrug, “He was nice and funny.  I had a good time I’m meeting him for coffee in the morning.”

“Okay, well just a heads up.  He’s kind of a player from what the guys told me so just keep your eyes open.  I’m not going to preach at you because 1.  I know it will do no good, 2.  Russ already feels bad enough for being a jerk about it and 3.  You need to experience new things.”

I kiss my sister on the cheek, “Thanks Gabby, good night.”

I walk back to my room and find Russ asleep in my bed, the closer I get the more I realize I think he’s passed out more tha
n asleep.  I change into my PJs and climb under the covers, I feel Russ snuggle up to me.  His lips briefly touch my neck and he lets out a huge sigh.  I know he’s just drunk...and I drift off to sleep, but not without a tingling sensation between my legs.

I woke up this morning alone…I don’t know where Russ went, but he was already gone from the house.  I met up with Skylar like I promised for coffee.  I order my usual caramel and hazelnut chocolate frappe’.  Once Skylar gets up to the counter, I expect him to order like black coffee or something.  He looks at the girl, “I’ll have a non-fat double espresso
cappuccino with hazelnut flavor and try not to screw it up this time cutie.”

“Wow you’re serious about your coffee huh?”

He looks down at me with his hazel eyes, “I’m serious about a lot of things princess.”

I shake my head, “Why do you call me princess?”

He smiles and touches my arm, “Well, because I saw the way Russ worships you.  I figure that there must be something about you.”

“Well, Russ doesn’t worship me, we are friends and some days that’s questionable.”

He laughs and brushes the hair from my face, “Well that’s good to know I guess Anna.”

*****

I’ve had lunch or coffee with Skylar everyday the past two weeks and tonight is Gainer’s party.  I’m kind of excited…I have butterflies in my stomach.  He asked me a few days ago to be exclusive with him and I said sure, because it’s not like I’m going to have sex with him or anything.  He says he understands that I’m not ready to take that step yet and that he won’t push me.  Daria and Gabby find this hard to believe, but I don’t. He seems genuine about it.  They are all kinda pissed that I said I’m going to the party with him instead of riding with them.  But I can’t ride in the car with Russ after the way he has been acting.

Russ has practically ignored me for the past two weeks. I’ve slept alone and dealt with my own nightmares.  I think everyone in the house has noticed the tension between us, but I’m just trying to have a life and he’s made it clear that he doesn’t want me like that…he would rather boss me around.
  So for now I’m going to see Skylar, he likes me and isn’t afraid to show it.  He doesn’t treat me like I’m some broken debutant fresh from the farm.  I can’t help but notice Russ not being around the house much this week, I think he’s went back to his old ways or something.  I never really knew he quit them, but from what the girls say he had. 

I take one last look in the mirror before I go out to meet Skylar.  I decided to go with a cute denim skirt and off the shoulder orange top.  Last minute change of plans with the shoes, I was going to go with knee high boots, but I decided on
some killer platform cork bottom sandals I bought the other day. As I walk out of my bedroom door I glance Russ walking into his and shutting the door immediately.  I wish I knew how to fix this. He literally hasn’t spoken to me in the past five days.    I shake my head as the doorbell rings, I open it to see a handsome Skylar. 

He smiles, “Hello there princess.”

I smile, “Hi, I’m ready to go if you are.”

He nods, “Sure.”

Russ

I cannot believe she’s actually going to the party tonight with that douche’ Skylar…
Really what were his parents thinking?
  My story with Skylar goes back a long time.  He was a fucking prick then and he’s a fucking prick now.  He might have Anna fooled but not me.  Someone knocks at my door, “come in.”

In walks Linc, “Hey man.  How are you doing?  We haven’t had a chance to talk much and I know this ‘thing’ with Skylar and Anna has to be bothering you after what happened before.”

I flop down on my bed staring at the green curtains my Mom sent me, “Man she’s an adult. She can do what she wants.” I rub my palms over my face in frustration.

He props back against the door,
“Seriously Russ, it’s me here.  I know you were in love with Sabrina and I know what she said shook you to the core.”

“Whatever man, it doesn’t matter now.  Anna is not for me.”

He rolls his eyes at me, “Do you remember how you made fun of Gab and me for being blind?  Now who’s being blind?”

  I shove myself up from the bed,
“I’m not blind dude she’s fucking awesome, but she’s not into me.  Plus, I can’t ever give that girl what she deserves and you know that.”

“You are such a dumb shit sometimes man.  She wants you, but she’s like you tiptoeing around here.  All I’m saying is…just give it some thought man.”

I almost growl out of frustration, “FUCK Linc, don’t you think that’s all I freakin do is give it thought…that’s why I know it won’t work.  Now if you’ll get out I have a date to get ready for.”

He pushes off the wall,
“A date…with who?”

“A cutie from Bio class.  I just need some strange…a palette cleanser of sorts.”

He starts shaking his head, “Russ don’t do this shit man.  You’ve worked hard to come from being the man-whore.”

I look over at him as he’s walking out the door, “Yeah and what did it get me?”

I shut my door and go by to pick up Carrie on my way to the party, she’s kinda cute has nice legs, a great rack and an ass that could work a pole in a heartbeat. 
I mean her ass or tits aren’t as great as Anna’s but…
Fuck I gotta get her out of my head.

As we drive up to Gainer’s I can hear the music pumping from the street.  Carrie runs up the hill,
it’s obvious she’s a freshman and new to parties…I bet her Daddy is a preacher or a cop…maybe a judge.  I keep trying to imagine her naked little ass up under me, but all I keep seeing is Anna.  I walk over to the keg and fill up a cup and practically drain it with one swallow.  I spend the next few hours watching my
date
grind up against half of the guys and girls here.  Yep definitely
daddy issues
.  I have to watch Anna with douche’ bag and it makes me want to throw up.

Cocky little assholes like him send me reminders daily that I don’t belong with someone like Anna. 
I remember it like it was yesterday.  Sabrina and I had been together since our freshman year in high school and at the end of our sophomore year Skylar moved in town.  The conversation she had with me still plays in my head….

“Russ, I just think we need to take a break.  See what else is out there you know.”

“I don’t need to see what else is out there…I see you.”

“Look, I really didn’t want to say this but, Skylar has asked me out numerous times and we have more in common than you and I do.”

“What do you mean more in common, you just met?”

“Well I mean our parents are in the same social circles and stuff.”

“Oh so this is because he comes from money…”

“Look Russ, my parents have been giving me crap all year about us seeing each other…they just feel I could do better.  I know you’re a good person Russ, but that doesn’t make money.”

“Yeah well…you are no better than Jules except you aren’t opening your legs for everyone in town.  But you are still a money hungry whore.”

With that I walked off.  After that I said I’d never get attached or emotionally involved again.  I just couldn’t bring myself to that point anymore…until Anna.  I’d never been ashamed of where I came from or what kind of home I came from.  My parents worked their asses off.  Linc’s dad my uncle just lucked up and served the right debutante a sweet tea at the Country Club.
  My Aunt she’s a genuinely nice person…a little inebriated most of the time, but I think that’s the only way she can deal with my uncle.  When I told him what Sabrina said thinking he would understand…He told me that I really should’ve expected something like that to happen, that I could probably never give her the life she deserved? That I was the poor boy they told their daughters about later in life
the stud
.  I was a dirty little secret. After that I knew I just needed to freelance my body to willing women and enjoy life.  I had to chuckle a few months later when Sabrina walked in on Jules riding the shit out of Skylar.  Linc was super pissed but I kind of thought Jules and Skylar deserved each other.  Once again though Linc took that bitch back and Sabrina’s dumb ass went back to Skylar because her Mom said he was a good boy
just sowing his oats
.  God I hate fucking Skylar.

“RUSS!”  Linc is waving his hand in front of my face.

“What?” I snap.

“Hey man you okay? You’ve been sitting over here while that chic you brought grinds up against every swing dick and split in the place.”

“Yeah, I should ask her if her Daddy is a preacher, cop or a judge.”

Linc rolls his eyes, “Whatever man, lets go do a couple of shots.”

I walk in the back door of Gainer’s to see a pile of people dancing…Anna is included in that group, she looks like she’s having a good time.