Chapter 18: Bad Dreams And Swollen Eyes

Sorry, y'all. I know I haven't updated in forever. This story only has a few chapters left and it'll be complete. ^-^

—————————————————

Still shocked from the other day's events, I couldn't bring myself to go to sleep. Rico was knocked out cold, lying on his back and snoring obnoxiously. I lean over and observe him more closely. God, he's so handsome.

The smell of the body wash gave his body this scent that wasn't too heavy or too light – the smell suits him. I lean over and smell him like a creep.

He murmurs in his sleep. I grin in delight, inhaling a tremendous whiff of him. He smells so damn good, I could eat him.

He turned over on his side, facing towards me.

~*~

"What are you doing, Jake?" I mumble, feeling him breathing on my neck. It took me a few moments to realize he was sniffing me. I chuckle, "Do I smell good?"

He sniffs my neck, "God, yes."

"Creep," I laugh, scooching closer to him and resting my head on his chest. Jake embraces me and rubs my back. He unabashedly lowers his hands. "Your hands are resting on my ass," I point out, "Perv." He squeezes me. "Now, you're groping? Ultra perv." I cried out in shock when he smacked my butt hard. "Kinky perv." I feel his hands rise off my butt again. I try to turn over but he keeps me in a tight hold.

"If you call me a perv again, I'll bend you over my knee and beat your ass," he threatens.

"I understand," I reply in compliance, with a grin, "I won't call you that anymore." I feel him tense up.

"If you ever submit like that ever again, I will pounce on you."

I laugh, "Sorry I'm that irresistible to you."

He kisses my forehead. "Yes you are."

~*~

It doesn't take long for Rico to fall back asleep.

I hear him murmur cutely again. My smile diminishes when I hear him mumble Calen's name.

Fuming, I hold him closer to me and fall asleep finally.

~*~

I see Calen talking to Rico and Rico laughing afterwards. I then see him hug Rico. A little too comfortably. Rico hugs him back. I feel my face boil as I witness Calen place his disgusting hands on my boyfriend's ass.

I storm over their way and force myself between them and makeout with Rico instantly.

He pulls away from me and eyes me in amazement. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he snarls, which takes me aback. Why is he so angry?

I'm suddenly shoved from behind. "Who the hell do you think you are, kissing my boyfriend?"

"Your boyfriend? He's mine!" I pull Rico towards me.

Rico pushes me away. "You broke my heart, asshole," he says with tears welling up in his eyes.

I become filled with puzzlement. "What did I do?"

I suddenly see an angry Rico above me from the ground and realize he just punched me. "You know what you did to me!" he cried, swinging at me again. I stay frozen in shock, not fighting him back. Calen pulls him off me. "I hate you!" he said, sobbing.

I feel tears well up in my eyes as I witness Rico hurt by me somehow.

"Don't you dare cry!" he tries to come after me once more, but Calen holds him back. "You have the nerve to sit there and cry as if you're the victim in all of this?"

Rico began heaving, as he sobs in front of me. His inhale and exhale patterns quickened, as more tears escaped his eyes. I stood up and become stagnant; I didn't know what to do.

Calen releases him, makes Rico face him and grabs his face. "You don't need this," he coaxes him, "Baby, breathe. Breathe. I'm here." Calen comforted him until his breathing became normal again.

Rico kissed him. "Thanks, babe," he embraced him. "Without you, I don't know what I would do." His attention shifted back to me. "Do I need to take you to court for violating your restraining order?"

"Restraining order?" I am baffled.

"Just stay away from me!"

He stormed off with Calen following behind him. Calen scowled at me as he walked off.

I stood there in place, shocked for several passing moments, until I feel someone grab my hand. I tense up and turn around to face Veronica.

"Hey, Jake," she greets, kissing me. Her face fell. "What's wrong?"

"Rico has a restraining order against me," I cried, "He hates me and I don't know why."

She hugs me, comfortingly, "Come on." She pulls me away until we're behind a stairwell. She began making out with me and unzipping my pants.

"Wh—" I inhaled quickly, as she did her sexual deed to me on her knees. When she's finished, she gets up and kisses me.

"Are you better now, Jake?" she asks. "If not, we can take this further," she says in a suggestive manner, "We can do it here, but it'll be uncomfortable—whatever, I don't care where we do it."

"Rico hates me," I cry, "I'll never be better!"

She rolls her eyes. "I'm your friend with benefits, not your girlfriend. You need to cool it with the mood swings. Get over Rico. You did the damage. He moved on. You should too."

"What damage?"

"You slept with me the day after you and Rico had sex to see if you still liked girls—you do."

I shook my head, "I love him."

"Yeah, you realized that after you broke up with him and he started dating Calen. Because of you, he now has an anxiety disorder he has to go to counseling and take antidepressants for. After he and Calen started dating, you keep trying to get him back; you wouldn't leave him alone so he put a restraining order against you and switched out classes he shared with you."

"Do he and Calen have sex?"

"Lots."

My heart drops.

"But you and I," she rubs my chest, "Have tons too, probably even more."

I shake away the hurt and wipe away my tears, "Well, what are we doing while conversing here? Let's do it here." I lift her into my arms and grab her legs.

"That's what I like about you—you move fast," Veronica giggles.

The entire time we engaged in sexual intercourse, I imagined her as Rico.

~*~

I wake Jake by sitting on top of him and plastering his face with kisses. "Wakie, wakie, Jakie Jakie," I bounce on him. He wakes up and blinks at me. I kiss him one last time and get off him. "Go fix your friend in the bathroom," I eye him between his legs.

"Of course," he responds, laughing lightly, "You're responsible for it."

"Oh, shut up," I roll my eyes, playfully.

He gets up and goes into the restroom without another word.

What, no sexual joke afterwards from him? Weird.

When he comes out, I jokingly tell him to wash his hands before he touches me. He complies, to my shock.

"Jake."

"What?"

"Am I losing it or is something wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong," he replies, "I'm fine."

"No you're not." I go into the bathroom with him. "The Jake I know would've put up a fight before ever obeying my demands."

"I am okay, I swear," he laughs, "Today is just a meh kind of day."

"Is there a reason?"

"No."

"Want to take another shower with me, after we eat?"

"We wouldn't need a shower, since we took one last night," he left the bathroom and fixed him a batch of carrots and yogurt. "Want any?"

"Yeah, sure," I respond.

As we ate in silence, I awkwardly tried to focus on objects around us to keep from making eye contact with Jake.

After eating, I pulled out a board game and started playing by myself. I attempted to evoke a desire for him to join me, but he didn't read the signs and decided to read a book from the shelf.

In boredom, I played a two-player board game, acting as both Jake and I. I imagined us playing this in a childish manner—me or him intentionally cheating to get on the other's nerves and laugh it off later and maybe even kiss between playing—but, the thoughts weren't enough. I wanted his company. I wanted him to play this board game with me.

"Jake, I want you to come and play with me," I blurt out, "A board game is meant to be played with by more than one person."

"Okay," he agreed. He joins me and we play in an uncomfortable atmosphere. Jake was playing fairly and quietly. I purposely cheat and he doesn't bat an eye at my blatant actions. I do this several times and even slide in, "I'm going to win" comments, but he remains unbothered. I began to grow frustrated.

"Jake."

"What?"

"Why aren't you reacting?"

"What do you mean?"

I sigh and repeat myself in annoyance, "Why aren't you reacting?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Why are you being standoffish?"

"I'm not."

"Yes you are," I argue.

"Typical Rico—always wanting me to engage in pointless bickering to get a rise out of me."

"You know what? I AM trying to get a rise out of you. Right now. Because the person sitting in front of me has fallen and I don't know why."

"Nothing is wrong. Let it go." He moves his game piece on the board.

"I'll let it go after you kiss me," I propose.

He retorts, "So, you'd let go of something that's bothering you in exchange for a kiss?"

"No, of course not," I remark, "I was just jok—"

"That's the problem with you—with us—everything is a joke."

I grew even more frustrated. "Jake, what is the matter?"

"I keep telling you: nothing."

"Then, why are you so serious right now?"

"Rico, let it go!" he snaps.

My face pinches in anger. "You keep to yourself then, asshole!" I throw my game piece at him in fury and storm away.

"Last night was a mistake," he reveals, "It shouldn't have happened. This—us being locked in here—shouldn't have happened. None of this should've happened. "

I stop on my tracks and stood there for a few moments, trying to register everything that has happened. I feel tears amplified in my eyes until they rolled down my cheeks. I locked myself in the bathroom without another word and sobbed until my eyes were swollen.