"Human games?" I repeated in my head, puzzled, but didn't question him. Noah looked seconds away from snapping, and I didn't want to be the one who push him.
We crossed the living room and it wasn't until we started ascending stairs that I decided to speak. "Where are we going?"
"Away from crowd," he gritted.
I didn't say further and let him guide us. I wanted to get away from the crowd too. I had never mingled with any of the people present here and my encounter with Jason's friends left a bad taste in my mouth to even try.
Noah pulled us into a room upstairs, and before I could blink I was trapped between him and the slammed shut door.
My breath hitched and stomach fluttered uncontrollably. He was so close. His hands were on either side of my head, keeping his body inches away from mine. Our faces almost touched. He smelled of whiskey, expensive cologne and very addictive musky scent that only belonged to him.
"So tell me Martin why some stupid jock managed to bring you here but not me?!" He hissed, making me realize now wasn't the time to admire him.
"B-because he asked me," I replied and cringed how tiny my voice came out.
"He asked you?" His brows knitted further.
I straightened my spine and finally recovered to meet his angry gaze head on. "Yeah. He asked me and wasn't a jerk about it. Unlike someone else." I jutted my chin which was a wrong move because our noses brushed.
His nostrils flared and pupils dilated. His eyes dropped on my lips and I almost expected him to close the remaining distance between us. But suddenly he pulled away, leaving the cold empty air before me.
"So I'm a jerk." Noah scoffed, now standing few feet away. "If Jason is such a nice guy then why did he let his friends talk to you like that?"
I didn't have the answer. Jason's silence disappointed me too. But more than that I was disappointed in myself. I didn't have the guts to stand up for myself. I was tongue tied, cowardly looking for a way out, as they put me down. Their comments about my family and my weight hurt. They clawed at my biggest insecurities.
"Don't fret over it. You're not any of those things they were insinuating," Noah said, his face softening as he studied me. It seemed I wasn't good at hiding my thoughts. Or maybe he was just good at reading me. "Abigail and her bunch are bitches to say that kind of shit to you."
"Well, I am poor. And fat," my mouth moved before I could stop.
Noah shook his head. "You're perfect."
My heart skipped a beat.
He didn't flinch. His intense green eyes watched me, prodding me to spill every deep embarrassing thing that went inside my mind. And I wanted to. There was some connection that pulled me to him, made me trust him with all my secrets.
A knock from behind me broke whatever that held us. I stepped away from the door and opened it. Silas's smiling face greeted us.
"I hope I'm not disturbing anything," he said and entered inside without any reservation. I noticed a bottle of gin and liqueur in each of his hand as he strutted to a glass cabinet on the other side of room.
"What are you doing here?" Noah asked him brusquely.
"I thought why stay downstairs when my friends are here." He kept the bottles on a side table before rummaging through the cabinet and pulling out three glasses. "Besides real party is going to be here."
"Leave."
"Don't be a kill joy Sylvan. Elijah and Gordon already left me. Now not you and Giselle too." He threw a teasing smirk. He walked to me, took the fruit punch out of my hand- that I had forgotten about- and replaced it with a glass.
"What are you planning?" Noah narrowed his eyes at his friend, who gulped down my cup of fruit punch.
"What it looks like? I'm setting the mood." Silas threw the empty cup in trash and walked back to settle himself on a chair next to the table where he had kept liquor bottles. "Giselle, join me." He gestured to the queen size bed beside him.
I looked at both of them confused. "Uhm..."
"Silas, this isn't time." Noah glared at him. "Besides I'm done following your bullshit."
Silas rolled his eyes, annoyed. "If not for my bullshit you wouldn't be able to do anything and pine away like a fool."
"Shut your mouth Rowan," Noah gritted.
"I will, once we start with our party." Silas waved a bottle in his hand before pouring it to his glass. "Come on Giselle, what are you waiting for? Don't mind this grumpy man, he's always like that."
Getting drunk with two rich guys alone in a room wasn't a good situation to be in for so many reasons. But somehow I trusted Noah, and also maybe Silas. There was this strong belief they wouldn't hurt me or take advantage of me. Plus, I didn't want to go downstairs and deal with people like Abigail or Jamal. Drowning out their insults playing in my head with alcohol seemed more appealing right now.
So I shrugged and walked over to Silas. "Let's do this," I muttered, slumping down on the bed.
"Great!"
We both looked at Noah, who let out a sigh before joining us. He sat next to me, raising my pulse. I was very aware of our closeness.
"I hope you can hold your alcohol," Noah warned me.
"Try me."
"That's the spirit." Silas grinned evilly.
*******
I couldn't hold my alcohol. I might've have overestimated my limit. But to be fair, I didn't have many experiences in either alcohol or partying. Besides Silas never left my glass empty, filling it each time I gulped down the last drop. Not that I was stopping him.
I also noticed now there were four bottles on the table instead of two.
"You should slow down Martin," Noah whispered in my ear.
After seventh cup of alcohol, it became uncomfortable to sit upright, so I had thrown my legs over tidy bed, and also dragged Noah with me. Drunk Giselle, not-so-shy Giselle.
Now we were sprawled on the bed side by side with our backs against the headrest. Noah's arm was wrapped around my shoulders and I felt his fingers playing with the ends of my curly hair. I didn't mind. It felt so natural being in his arms. So safe and warm.
"No, you slow down," I slurred, giggling. I am so drunk.
"Okay, you had enough." Noah snatched the glass out of my hand when I moved it toward Silas for a refill.
"Give it back to me," I whined, reaching for my glass, but he raised it out of my reach.
"No." His tone was final. Jerk.
"You're such a party pooper." I pouted. "He's such a party pooper Silas." I looked at Silas, who was comfortably reclined in his chair, and again pouted.
"You don't even know the half of it," Silas muttered. He turned to Noah. "Let her enjoy without you dictating her Sylvan."
"I can already predict a mean hangover on her next morning," Noah countered. I grunted moodily and his green eyes met mine. "Don't sulk Martin. I'm trying to take care of you." He nudged my nose.
"You don't have to be so bossy about it," I mumbled, laying my head on his chest.
He chuckled. His fingers gently stroked my cheek, leaving behind pleasurable sparks. "Please don't drink more Princess. I don't want to hold back your hair when you puke your guts out," he said softly, but teasingly. "Is that better?"
I nodded. "Much better. And by the way, if you can play with my hair, then you sure can hold them back when I puke." I patted his chest.
Noah chuckled again. "You're chatty when you're drunk. It's cute."
"You're surprisingly okay when I'm drunk," I added, "it's cute." He barked out a laugh, his chest rumbling under my head, and I loved the sound of it.
"I expected her to be a drunk blabber," Silas commented offhandedly, taking a sip from his glass. Suddenly his eyes lit up and he sat up straight. "So tell me Giselle what do you think about our Sylvan here?" He asked.
I felt Noah's finger curling around my hair still.
"He's kind of an asshole," I replied without thinking, not that I could think much with the amount of alcohol in my system. I heard a sharp intake of breath above me.
Silas nodded, grinning. "Yes, he is an asshole," he agreed and urged me to continue.
"He's been so unnecessary rude to me, and he's bossy. Very bossy." I played with the hem of Noah's cardigan as though he wasn't the person I was bashing. "Like I just lost my brother in the woods, can you be little nicer? Nope, instead he manipulates my brother to get me to ride his Ferrari. I mean I don't mind the Ferrari, still a nicer attitude is better appreciated... And how arrogant can you be while asking a girl to be your date?! I felt like I was in a game show, deal or no deal."
"Of course, he needs to work on attitude," Silas said, his eyes flicking between Noah and me. He seemed to be enjoying himself.
"Shut it Rowan!" Noah growled and I felt a tug on my hair strand. I winced and he immediately let go of my hair. An apology almost left his mouth but he stopped himself midway. I guess he didn't like me calling him asshole.
"Yeah, you aren't any better Silas Rowan," I said. "You're cryptic and just as arrogant like him."
"What? Me?" Silas gasped dramatically as though horrified of my accusation
"Yes. But maybe it's not only your problem. All you rich people are like that: arrogant, entitled, bitchy." I frowned as my mind took a different turn, and continued. "You all are pretty, exclusive, unattainable, very pretty, classy, draped in designer clothes, too pretty... I envy you all. It'd be so much easier if I was one of you. I'd be accepted, less lonelier, and not a loser. Right Noah?" I looked up to find Noah's scowl softening.
"You're not a loser Martin," he said, his hand back to caressing my hair. "You don't need to be like someone else. You're beautiful as you are. Like I said, you're perfect." The sincerity in his eyes had me. My heart fluttered knowing he found me beautiful.
"Maybe you're not so bad either," I mumbled.
"As for you being lonely, you always have me."
"Okay. I mean I'll have to learn to put up with your attitude, but it's still good to know I have you." I felt more than just good knowing I had him.
"What about me?" Silas chimed.
"No one cares about you," Noah grunted.
Boys fell in their own banter and I was too tired to stop it, or enjoy it. Few minutes later my eyes turned heavy. Noah's soft caresses on my head were lulling me to sleep. He was too comfortable, so using his big chest as a pillow I let myself drift off. But before I lost myself completely to unconsciousness, my ears picked up some of their conversation.
"Claim her Sylvan. She's yours."Â It was Silas.
"She's human," Noah replied.
"So."
"Don't play dumb. You know what it means."
"It means many things, but you can make it work instead of putting yourself and her in misery... In fact, look at yourself right now, you're already attached to her. We both know you're not letting her go. So stop avoiding the inevitable and embrace her. Claim her."
There was no reply.
********
You can read two chapters ahead on inkitt. Link is in bio.