7 Chapter Seven

Walking through the common room, people wished her a happy birthday. She thanked them all with a smile but her mind wasn't there.

Jayden filled her thoughts even as she opened the door to her room. Was it some freakish trick of the light or had his eyes just switched between two colors?

"Surprise!" Gasping she looked up in time to see the confetti rain down on her. She grinned at her roommates as she saw the beautiful works they've done to their room.

If the party looked anything like her room, she was definitely looking forward to it.

"Guys this is so nice." They all came to hug her. Her bed had been decorated with different signatures all signed in paint.

She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face when she saw Jayden's signature. He'd also left a wink for her and a heart.

"You guys didn't have to do this." She sniffed, the tears threatening to spill.

"Sweetheart we're here for you no matter what," Lucky said.

"Girlfriends for life!" Becky piped.

"We're happy to help Adriel," Victoria said smiling looking more laid back than she'd ever seen her.

"Thank you, guys." Adriel sniffed.

They all shared a moment before Becky clapped to catch their attention.

"Okay, guys. We only have one hour to the party. Let's get started!"

Adriel gulped. First, she took a shower for about fifteen minutes per Becky's request.

She'd blushed furiously when Lucky teased her from the bedroom about how floored Jayden would be when he saw her in her birthday suit.

She'd told her off from the bathroom immediately.

Then they worked on her makeup for about another thirty minutes before handing her dress for the night.

The gown wasn't her usual style. She was usually conservative and the gown was too tight and too revealing. She didn't think she was confident enough to wear it.

"I don't know guys, I don't think I can wear that...obviously." She gestured unimpressed at herself.

"You can Adriel. You have a hot body. I know Jayden's totally smitten by you and he won't be able to take his eyes off of you tonight."

She blushed as Lucky wiggled her brow suggestively at her.

"He won't be able to resist," Victoria smirked, crossing her arms.

{¶{¶{¶{¶{¶}

Thirty minutes into the party, the birthday girl arrived looking seductive in a black thigh long gown that had its back completely non-existent.

Adriel fidgetted slightly. She knew she looked okay by most people's standards, but this wasn't her.

The neckline was horrifyingly low. She looked around the dance floor. If she thought the dress she was wearing was provocative, then she was completely at a loss of words to describe the dresses she saw around her.

"Hey birthday girl, you look amazing." She turned to the voice. It was Ian. He stared down at her appreciatively.

Even in the dark lit living room, he looked dark and handsome. His gold-blond hair was combed to the side in a quiff such that it almost covered one eye.

She saw how the other girls were ogling him like he was candy, and he was in fact one. He was eye candy.

"Hey, Ian." She smiled back at him.

"Everyone's waiting for you." He ushered her to the front of the crowd, where Jayden and the rest of his friends stood to wait. She nearly fainted when the guys started whistling.

"You look hot," Tyler commented, checking her out.

"Damn Adriel, I should have snatched you when I had the chance," Jake said smirking, a beer in hand. She was shy all of a sudden and was flattered by their comments but Jayden hadn't said anything yet. She shifted slightly.

What did he think? Was it too much? Did he like it?

She chanced a look at him and her heart missed two-beat. She gasped. He looked speechless and dazed. She shifted uncomfortably as his eyes raked over her.

"Wow." He breathed. She couldn't help but blush.

"Do you like it?" She cursed herself. Her voice came out as a peep rather than actual words.

"I love it. You look so beautiful, baby." He came and kissed her and much to her disappointment, it was short. The DJ was asked to stop the music, so a toast could be made to Adriel. Jayden took two open beer cans and handed her one. She smiled taking it. He held his up and everyone followed suit.

"To the most special girl in my life. To the woman who's managed to steal my heart."

"To Adriel!" He toasted.

"To Adriel!" Everyone replied.

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Jayden looked down at Adriel seemingly getting lost in her eyes.

"Happy birthday Adriel. Love you to the moon and back."

"Cheers baby." He hit his beer can with hers. She smiled.

"Cheers. I love you too."

Things kinda took off from there. Everyone had fun and she'd saved a dance for the girls. The DJ was awesome and the music kept rolling in.

Tired from all the excitement, she sat down to take a breather, taking mouse sips at her drink. She'd been carrying the same glass around since the party started.

"Adriel." Her eyes widened as she heard her name. Someone took a seat beside her at the bar.

"Alex." She said.

To be honest she hadn't expected him to come. She'd received a text from him that morning wishing her a happy birthday and that he'd be coming to the party.

But she didn't think he would have actually come because of what had happened with Jayden at her house. But she couldn't deny the happiness she felt when he did.

Adriel's brown eyes meet his blue ones and she tried her best to ignore the slight tug she felt in her chest.

It was a bittersweet feeling.

His blue eyes were watching her and she wondered how he could still make her feel that way.

His fiery red hair lit the whole place up and she didn't miss the not so subtle glances girls were throwing his way.

As usual, his face didn't give away much, but she saw his blue eyes as they flashed with worry.

Alex watched her take yet another sip of her drink.

"This isn't you Adriel. I thought I'm supposed to be the reckless one." He said softly.

"I'm not a kid anymore Alex." Adriel murmured not looking him in the eye.

Alex sighed. She's changed and he knew why and yet somehow she still felt the same. She was still the same kind and gentle girl he knew but something's happened—Jayden happened.

"No, you're not." He sighed. He brought out a present from his back pocket and gave it to her.

"Happy twenty-first birthday Adri."

She was surprised. She took the small box from him. It was wrapped and tied with a bow at the top. She unknotted the box and opened it. It was a bracelet, but it wasn't just any bracelet.

"Alex. This is-" Adriel breathed. She held a hand to her mouth.

"This was Luke's." She choked out.

"How-where did you get this?" She looked up at him. When she was thirteen and Alex and her brother had been sixteen, Luke had made them all three identical bracelets. Each one of them had only been slightly different by a design.

She'd lost hers a few years ago but here it was sitting perfectly untouched in the box.

"I found it at my house. You guys used to come over a lot then and we'd searched everywhere. I found it last month in my room." A fierce blush crept up her neck.

Her crush had run deep then and she'd always sneak into his room and fangirl over his things whenever they came over.

She must have lost it during those times.

"Oh." Adriel eeped. Alex had on a knowing smile.

"I wonder how it got there." He said playfully. She cleared her throat.

"Yeah, I know right?" She mumbled nervously.

His eyes turned serious.

"I've missed you Adri." He said.

"I know I left-" He exhaled.

"I left you when you needed me."

"Eight months." She whispered seeming to remember everything.

Those months proceeding Luke's death had been the worst months of her life. He'd left her to deal with the pain all alone.

He'd never even told her why he was leaving or if he would ever come back.

She felt that painful tug again. Alex clearly saw the pain in her eyes and his face fell.

"I'm so sorry Adri. I'm so sorry I hurt you." He apologized.

She felt him hold her hand and she felt her heart lurch.

Adriel remembered how safe they used to make her feel.

"Alex-" She started but a deep voice cut them off.

"What are you doing here?" It was Jayden. Adriel remembered the last time they'd confronted each other.

"Jayden, I'm okay. He only came to give me a present." Adriel quickly said.

Jayden's eyes quickly flickered to the small box in her lap.

"You've given her, now f*ck off." He said glaring at the redhead.

"Jayden please stop. He's still my friend." Adriel said.

Jayden cast Alex a murderous look. His red hair made him stick out like a sour thumb.

"He's not your friend. You know that. I sure as h*ll know that."

"Dri, let's go." He held her hand and pulled her up. Alex protested standing up as well but two guys stopped him from taking another step.

"Throw him out," Jayden ordered. But none of them dared touch Alex which was strange. They only stood there waiting for him to comply.

Adriel caught Alex's eyes and she could tell he didn't want to leave without her.

"You're not safe with him Adri. He's going to hurt you. Please come with me and I'll explain everything to you." Alex pleaded. Adriel didn't miss the glare Jayden shot at him.

"The only one who's hurt me here is you." She told him.

She cursed herself for letting the words come out so shaky.

"All he's done is protect me Alex and love me. I'm safer with him than with you." She said.

She looked away, swallowing the slight guilt she felt.

"Come on Dri, let's go." Jayden held her hand. She turned, following him without looking back.

"Adri, please I-" Alex tried to say but Jayden was already out the door, taking her with him.

They hung around a few more minutes later before leaving the party. She entered Jayden's car with his jacket firmly around her. It was already getting unbearably cold.

It was nearing midnight but everywhere was still buzzing with life.

Driving with one hand, Jayden held her hand with the other. She noticed they weren't taking the usual route to her dorm.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"My place." He answered.

She was shocked but she nodded. She trusted him. Her bed was definitely inhabitable at the moment, but still, her stomach twisted in knots. She'd been to his place a few times before but tonight felt different.

Oddly enough, the dorm looked deserted. They passed the common room. Everyone seemed to have left for one party or the other.

He unlocked the door and led her in. He switched on the lights. It was a typical guy's room but only neater. He'd put in a lot of extra effort but something else caught her eyes.

On his own bed, there was a present wrapped in blue. She walked towards it. It was oddly shaped.

She looked back at him, he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I got you something. You seemed to love nature a lot and I figured you were an aesthete." She unwrapped the present and she found a Canon camera inside.

It wasn't too big or small. It was perfect. It was the most thoughtful present anyone had ever given her.

"Do you like it?" He asked unsurely. She looked at him, happy.

"I love it, it's perfect." He was so attentive. She didn't deserve someone like him. He was as handsome as the first time she saw him, even more so now. She wanted to resist the pull to him but as if an imaginary force was pulling her to him, she walked towards him.

He had on an expression on his face that she couldn't quite read. He walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her.

A shiver immediately went up to her spine when his hands touched her bareback. How the jacket she'd been wearing had found itself on the floor, she didn't know, but before she could think much of it, his lips found hers. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss.

After that, she didn't have any will to resist him. She succumbed to the desire he'd ignited in her and before she knew it, she was on his bed with him hovering over her.

She looked up at him through the haze she felt and she saw his eyes change again. And before she could question it, she felt his lips on her neck and she closed her eyes succumbing to the pleasure he was making her feel.

She felt a bit of pain briefly before hearing him murmur her name against her neck.

As he began taking the remaining pieces of clothing off her, she felt something wet drip down her neck before she felt his tongue lick it off. She heard him whisper a few words to her.

Then he became all she could see and feel for the rest of the night.