Beautiful Mess (27 page)

“Okay. 
But just to warn you, that doesn’t mean I won’t try to push those boundaries,
just a little.”  She could hear the sly smile in his voice.

“Well,
you wouldn’t be a guy if you didn’t try,” she laughed.  For a moment, her
naked Cole fantasy floated through her mind.  She really needed to stop
thinking about that.  Her heart picked up as she wondered what Cole’s
“trying” would entail. 

“Wow,
you really are one of a kind,” Cole marveled.  “I don’t deserve you.”

“Yes,
you do,” Bri pressed softly.  “You just need to start believing that.”

“I’ll
work on it,” he promised.  “Well, I’d better go.  I think we’ve had
enough awkward conversation for one night!”

“Yeah,
it’s probably best to quit while we’re ahead!  Goodnight, Cole.”

“Goodnight,
Ambria.”

Bri
hung up, flopped back on her bed, and thought about her unusual conversation
with Cole.  She was still on her bed when she heard the front door open,
and she jumped up to go greet her family, oddly excited they were home. 
The twins barreled in and rushed her, almost toppling her over with their
hugs.  She squeezed them back and followed them into the kitchen as they
told her all about their adventures in Fresno.

New
Year’s Eve was surprisingly chilly for California.  And with Natalie’s
party looming, Layla and Bri had to quickly revamp their outfits.  After
much deliberation, Layla decided that Bri should wear a red turtleneck, that
set off her auburn hair, with a black and red plaid mini and black
tights.  Bri thought it made her look a little too catholic school girl,
so she topped off her outfit with her knee high combat boots.  Layla went
with a black turtleneck and a nude pencil skirt with a black lace
overlay.  Her long legs were bare and ended in a pair of peep-toe
stilettos.

The
girls pulled up to Natalie’s house, and Bri got out with a sigh.  She
still wasn’t sure she wanted to be here tonight.  The house was further
inland, and not nearly as big as Trey’s, but that didn’t stop the majority of
the senior class from cramming their way inside.  Bri and Layla forced
their way through the crowd, searching for Devon, Jess, and Maddie.  The group
had claimed a few chairs out on the patio, amid the numerous heat lamps keeping
the chilly air at bay.  Devon pulled Layla down to his lap and kissed her
hello.  Bri averted her gaze, and greeted Jess, Ethan, Maddie, and Corbin,
before taking in Natalie’s backyard.  The clear blue pool sparkled
invitingly, and the chairs set up around the perimeter were full of
people.  As soon as the make-out fest was over, Bri turned back to Layla.

“Okay,
so what’s so great about this party?  So far it seems pretty
average.”  Bri was sure to let her displeasure show.

“Just
wait,” Devon smiled.  “This is just the pre-party mingle.”

“But
it’s already 10:00.  How long does this thing last?”

“The
pool opens at midnight, and that’s when things really get fun.  People
don’t usually start leaving until dawn,” Layla smiled evilly at her. 
“Hope you had your caffeine tonight!”

Shocked,
Bri turned to Maddie.  “She’s not serious, is she?”

“Really
Bri, it’s fun!” Maddie reassured her.  “You’ll see.  You did bring
your suit, right?”

“Um,
no.  Layla forgot to mention the swimming part.” 

“Oh,
well, skinny dipping is always an option!”  Bri shot daggers at Layla with
her eyes.  “Hey, lighten up,” Layla conceded.  “I packed you a bag
with your bikini and a change of clothes.  I wouldn’t leave you hanging
like that!”

“Sure
you wouldn’t,” Bri muttered.  “I’m going to go grab something to
drink.  I’ll be back in a few.”  Layla better not have been
serious.  There was no way Bri was staying until dawn.

Attempting
to calm down, she walked into the kitchen where an array of snacks and drinks
were set out.  To her great relief, Bri found up an unopened can of soda
and took a sip.

“Careful,”
a snide voice said behind her.  “You keep drinking your calories like that
and you’ll be too fat to fit into your dance routine costume.”

Bri
tuned to find Natalie eyeing her with hate, Erica right by her side like a
well-trained dog.

“Well,
at least I’d still
get
to squeeze into that costume, unlike the two of
you,” she quipped back.  There were only so many positions in each dance,
and not all the girls got to dance in all the routines.  Bri had no
problem flaunting the fact that she was in all the routines, and Natalie and
Erica were not.  She earned a pair of glares from the other girls.

“You
know, I don’t remember inviting you to my party,” Natalie replied
nastily.  “So why are you even here?”

“I’m
crashing.  But, from what I’ve seen so far, it isn’t really even worth
crashing.  So congrats, Nat, on another mediocre party,” Bri gave her a
fake smile and turned on her heel and walked away before the other girl could
respond.

Bri
felt a little better after insulting Natalie, but her mood was ruined when she
walked into the next room and found Cole with his evil cheerleader date perched
in his lap.  The girl was really working it, laughing at everything Cole
said, and taking any excuse she had to touch him.  Bri about lost it when
Slutty draped her arms around Cole’s shoulders.  Luckily, Cole immediately
shrugged her off, before Bri went all feral on her butt.  She was turning
to leave when Cole caught sight of her.  He gave her an apologetic smile,
before turning his attention to Serena, who had just walked over and said
something to him.  Unable to handle any more, Bri went back outside to
find her friends, wondering for the one hundredth time why she had agreed to
come.

A
few minutes later her phone vibrated with a text.

Sorry
about that, Bri.  You may be onto something with the whole cheerleader
promiscuity pledge thing. Just know that there is only one girl I want
manhandling me, and that is you! 

This
made Bri smile, and she felt her anger start to ebb. 

Well,
you know I’m always good for some manhandling.
 
She texted back.

Would
you be willing to meet me at my truck at midnight?  I’d like to ring in
the new year right.

Isn’t
that kind of risky, considering where we are, and all these people?

This
will be our first New Year’s together.  If you think I’m going to miss
kissing my girl when the ball drops, you’re crazy!

Bri
couldn’t help but smile. 
Well, when you put it like that, how can I
refuse?

Good! 
I can’t wait!

Bri
spent the next hour talking and laughing with her friends. 
Surprisingly, she was actually beginning to enjoy herself.  Natalie got up
and  announced that midnight was just five minutes away and directed
everyone to head outside to the pool.   Amid all the ensuing
commotion, Bri managed to sneak away unnoticed, and headed out to meet
Cole.  She found him leaning up against his truck, already waiting for
her.

“I
didn’t know you still drove this clunky old thing,” she teased.  She
secretly loved Cole’s truck.

“Well,
I didn’t want Megan on the back of my bike.  This seemed safer.”

“Ah,
good call.”

They
stood looking at each other for a moment, and then Cole pulled Bri into his
arms.

“I
miss you,” he breathed in her ear. 

She
looked up at him.  “I miss you, too.”

The
sound of everyone counting down from the back yard reached them.  Bri
lifted her lips in anticipation.

“This
is going to be
our
year, Bri,” Cole promised her.  “You and me,
together.”

Bri
felt a warm shiver race through her at his words.

“Three,
two, one...”

Cole’s
lips met hers gently, sealing his promise with a kiss.  Then they quickly
grew more aggressive, as his passion took over.  Bri could feel it in
him.  He wanted her, he needed her desperately, and she met his urgency
with her own.  With Cole she felt complete.  She felt, for the first
time, truly alive.  They kissed unabashedly, under the slight scattering
of stars that were visible above them.  They stayed locked in each other’s
embrace, neither willing to pull away, until the sound of Natalie’s voice
announcing that the pool was officially opened caused them to return to reality. 

“Well,
I guess we’d better get back,” Cole reluctantly pulled away.  Sadly, Bri
nodded.  She started walking away, when he pulled her back.  “I
forgot to tell you how hot you look tonight.  Those boots are driving me
crazy.”  He gave her one more kiss.

“I’ll
have to remember that for the future,” she smiled.

She
headed back to the back yard and slipped back among her friends.  Layla
tossed Bri her bag, and they went off to change.  She was relieved to find
that Layla had also packed her black cover up.  They returned to the back
yard to find that Natalie had turned on the outdoor stereo and the party had
officially moved out to the pool.

The
pool looked inviting, but Bri didn’t feel like getting wet, despite being
assured the pool was heated.  After lounging on a chair for a while, she
shrugged out of her cover up and settled for sitting on the edge and dangling
her feet in the water.  She waved to her friends, who were splashing
across the pool.

“You
know, you’re in a pretty precarious position right there,” a glistening dark
head swam up to her.

“Oh? 
And why is that?” Bri laughed back.

“Because,
anyone swimming by could easily grab you and pull you into the water.” 
Cole’s eyes glinted mischievously.

“You
wouldn’t dare,” she admonished him.

“Only
because I’m
really
enjoying the view from down here.”  He
grinned. 

Bri
felt herself blushing under his gaze.  Remembering where they were, she
glanced around quickly.

“I
thought we weren’t supposed to be talking to each other in public,” she nodded
over at Serena and her cronies, who were eyeing them from the other end of the
pool.

“Well,
we are going to be friends at school now, right?  What better place to
meet than at a midnight pool party?”  He pulled himself out of the pool, and
Bri couldn’t help but admire his bare, muscular chest.  He sat beside her,
water dripping tantalizingly down his body.  Again, Bri blushed.

“So,
how has your night been?” he asked, shaking the water from his hair. 

“Um...
uh, good I guess,” she replied, distractedly. 

Cole,
catching her staring at him, gave her his signature cocky smile.

“Well
good.  I’m glad you’re having a good time.”

“I
am now,” she replied softly.  It was nice, sitting next to Cole, talking
to him.  Unfortunately, a shadow fell over the two of them, and Bri looked
up to see Cole’s date, Megan, looming behind them.  She looked pissed.

“There
you are, Cole.  I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”  Megan
plastered on a fake smile that did nothing to hide her anger.  “I thought
I’d lost you.”

“Well,
I’m right here,” Cole shrugged, making no attempt to move.

“Yeah,”
Megan laughed tightly.  “Well, a bunch of us were going to play Chicken,
and I need you to be my bottom.”

Bri
about choked when she thought about Megan sitting on Cole’s shoulders, her legs
wrapped around him.  Cole must’ve noticed.

“Um,
that’s okay.  I don’t really feel like playing.  Why don’t you find
someone else to be your partner.”

Disappointment
crossed Megan’s face, but she quickly smothered it.

“Okay,
but could you um, go get me a drink?  I’m really thirsty,” she glared at
Bri, then eyed Cole pointedly. 

“Um,
sure, I guess.”  He grudgingly stood and gave Bri a sad smile.  “It
was nice talking with you.  See you around, Bri.”

“See
ya,” she returned and watched him walk away, Megan trailing right behind
him.  She forced herself to remember that this was the last time she’d
have to watch Cole with another girl.  It was the only thing keeping her
from rushing Megan and yanking her hair out.

Deciding
she’d had enough party for one night, Bri climbed out of the pool and grabbed
her bag. After making sure that Layla could get a ride home with Devon, she
headed out to her car to go home.  As she pulled away, she saw Cole
standing out on the front lawn, looking forlorn as he watched her drive away.

All
too soon, winter break was over and it was time to go back to school.  As
Bri drove through the dark on her way to dance practice Monday morning, it hit
her with a sudden force that this was her last semester of high school. 
The familiar pattern of her life that she’d become accustomed to would be over
in five short months, and then her life was going to change dramatically. 
It would soon be time for her to go off and face the unknown, her future, head
on.  Surprisingly, that wasn’t the comforting thought it usually
was. 

So,
after dance, as she headed to her second period class, she promised herself
that she’d try and enjoy every minute left of her high school career. 
Because, with college applications, dance competitions, basketball halftimes,
AP tests, finals, and graduation, she had a feeling that the next five months
were going to fly by.

As
she approached her AP Calc class, she noticed Cole walking towards her down the
hall, and her heart started thumping.  A second later, he saw her and
smiled.

“Hi
Bri,” he winked at her as he passed.

“Hi
Cole,” she returned his smile.  Yep, that was definitely better than
ignoring each other.  She resisted the urge to turn and watch him as he
continued down the hall.  But, as she turned to enter her classroom, she
cast one more glance his way.  She found him watching her from the other
end of the hall.  Her heart leapt in her chest, and she gave him a smile
before heading into class.  She did notice that Cole was standing with
Serena, and she thought she saw Serena scowling at her.  But then again,
Serena was always scowling, so it could’ve been nothing.

As
Bri went through the rest of her day, she couldn’t believe how much better she
felt.  She hadn’t realized exactly how much it had taken out of her to
pretend that she and Cole meant nothing to each other.  Just being able to
acknowledge each other lifted a huge weight off her.  Especially now that
she didn’t have Ceramics with him anymore.  Her class schedule had stayed
the same except for her seventh period.  This semester she had
Drama.  She liked Drama, but it just wasn’t the same.