I was dancing with Matt when we heard Joey calling for him.

"Hey, Matt!"

"Pretend you can't hear him." He lowered his head to speak to me, raising his voice so I could hear him over the noise. His hands rested on my waist and we carried on swaying, bopping slightly to the music. I've had a couple drinks, ones Matt and I got ourselves because Theo never came back. Hopefully he found Katie.

Seconds later, a small blonde girl came over to us, tapping on Matt's shoulder.

"Joey wants you to play with us."

He looked at me apologetically before placing his hand on my back and guiding me to the seating area. "Just know I would much rather be dancing with you right now."

I giggled and gave him a smile as we sat on the sofas, and I quickly met eyes with Theodore, sat beside a tired looking Katie. He seemed bored or annoyed at something, but his mood changed when I sat across from him. He raised his eyebrows questioningly so I returned a nod. I glanced across to see Katie almost passing out, so I gestured and he signed a drink like we're playing charades.

"Camila Young, haven't seen you for a while." Joey interrupted, smirking at me as he held eye contact with my dress. Matt shuffled slightly so I relaxed my body towards his, hoping it would keep Joey from trying to get in my pants. "You playing?"

"Sure, what are we doing?"

"Truth, dare or drink. Truth or dare, La-La?"

"Truth."

"Are you a virgin?"

I love this question. Yes I'm a virgin. I haven't even had my first kiss yet. I hate to be basic and say 'I'm waiting for the right person', but I am. I don't want to be the girl who gets her heartbroken by a boy every week so I just avoid boys in general, apart from Theo, obviously. But that's just platonic.

I can't say 'I'm a virgin' because to the boys in this circle will think I'm just another thing they need to conquer. My innocence will be a competition for them.

No one knows, they presume I'm a whore because I'm a female. I like my position, and I don't fancy changing it anytime soon.

I giggled softly and reached down for the bottle of vodka on the table. I tipped the neck in Joey's direction before latching my lips around it and gulping down the strong liquid.

"Interesting." He took another inhale of his joint before offering it to Theo.

"I'm good thanks." Theo rejected. I don't think he's drinking and I really hope it's not because he feels the need to babysit. I put on a short skirt and suddenly he's playing big brother. He's too protective sometimes, but I'm kind of grateful for it.

"Matt, spin the bottle, seven minutes."

He picked up an empty beer bottle and spun it on the small coffee table in front of us.

The bottle spun at least 5 times before slowing down, the neck ending in between us.

"Ooh, you got lucky mate." Joey winked at Matt who was giving me that sympathetic smile again.

I trust Matt, plus, I'm not that drunk, so I agreed.

We made our way towards the stairs, and I think someone began talking to him because he dropped back slightly. They're probably giving him a condom, sick fucks.

We walked into one of the bedrooms. Joey's house is quite big, full of guest bedrooms.

"We don't have to do anything, don't worry." Matt closed the door behind us.

"Thanks."

I sat on the left edge of the bed and he sat on the other side.

The closed door drowned out the music but it was still audible in the background.

"You look really pretty tonight."

"Just tonight?" I joked.

"That's not what I-"

"I'm kidding. Thank you."

"I didn't think you'd come."

"I wasn't going to, not until I spoke to you."

"Well I, glad I could change your mind."

We sat there awkwardly for a few seconds. I've never been close with Matt, we only ever really talked for school purposes. "So tell me about Europe..?"

I began explaining my summer, wasting the seven minutes.

*

Time finished and we made our way back downstairs. My eyes immediately noticed Theo and Katie, completely eating each other's faces. Ew. At least they worked things out.

That's one of the differences between Theo and I. He has girls left right and centre. He always shuts down when I ask him about them, sayings it's irrelevant or awkward for us to talk about that. I don't think he's a virgin, but even if he wasn't, he'd never tell me.

"I think that's enough, yeah?" Joey broke them up.

I avoided looking at him to avoid awkwardness, and the fact that I'd burst out laughing.

Theo began whispering with Katie, something I hope he'll explain later.

Matt's hand found my thigh, caressing it gently until we were interrupted by two angry looking adults. "Joseph!"

Joey jumped out of his skin as people rushed out of the house.

"I'll text you later." Matt said goodbye as we parted, Theo and I leaving out the back to his car.

"He's in shit." I climbed into the passenger seat.

"How much did you drink?" Theo said sternly.

"A few cups, not much."

"How many?"

"Three and a half of punch, and that gulp of vodka."

"Did Matt touch you?"

"Why are you acting like a Dad?"

"I've barely seen you all night."

"I was with Matt while you were eating Katie's face off." I chuckled.

"No- it's not like that-"

"Mhm sure." I joked.

"You're drunk."

"Because I laughed?"

"Did Matt touch you?"

"No, ok? We literally just talked, can you drop it now?"

"Ok, sorry." He loosened his grip on the steering wheel. "I stopped things with Katie earlier, it was just a dare when we kissed."

"Why'd you end it?"

"We both agreed it was a summer thing."

"Is that why your pants are in a twist?"

"No."

"Because of Matt? I thought you were friends-"

"We are. I was just worried about you."

"Why?"

"Because you- you're out here looking like this while you're drunk."

"Looking like what?"

"Did you not see the way they were eying you? Since when did you talk to Matt anyway? You put on a short dress and suddenly you're friends?"

"Fuck you, Theo! You're the only one who's commenting on the way I look! No, I wasn't friends with Matt, but I was dressed like a catholic forty-year-old woman when I met him this afternoon, not a stripper. So get your ass out of 1950 and grow up."

"Cam- I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"Yes, you did."

"I was just worried about you."

"Not an excuse. You're allowed to devour Katie but I can't even glance at any boys."

"No..."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

"Ok, fine! But it's completely different!"

"How? How is it different? You can be a womaniser but I can't even flirt with someone. We're literally the same age and we've been friends for years, I leave for one summer and come back to this overprotective asshole who thinks I need protecting."

"That's because I know what the boys are like-"

"You're just as bad as them. Just as bad as Joey."

He sighed and threw his head back against the seat as we made it into our estate.

"If you want to be with Matt, that's fine-"

"I talked to him for a few hours we're not getting married-"

"What am I meant to say now Cami? Hm? I'm sorry that I give a shit. I'm sorry, but don't come crying to me when they fuck you over. I'm being an asshole because I don't want that to happen to you and I know it will."

"Thank you, but you know you don't have to be my big brother all of the time."

"Ok."

I sighed as we pulled up beside my house. "Thanks for bringing me home."

"Yeah."

"Night."

"Night Cam."

I walked up to our doorstep and checked in the plant pot for the spare key, just to find out it was missing. "Fuck-"

I frantically checked all the possible spots but I remember we left the spare key inside while we were away. "Shit."

Lights were off and Zoe clearly wasn't awake.

"What's wrong?" Theo rolled down the window of his car.

"I forgot a key and Zoe's asleep."

"Wanna text her? If not you can stay a mine?"

"Ok..." I pulled out my phone and texted Zoe. I'm not in the mood to spend the night at Theo's after our argument.

I waited outside my door for her to reply, but she didn't.

"Get in the car Cam, it's cold."

He's not wrong, my legs are freezing right now. I debated with myself before climbing back into the passenger seat of his car.

"The house is completely locked and she must be asleep."

He turned the car back on and pulled into his drive. "Look I'm really sorry, just sleep at mine."

"Alright."

*

"We haven't had a sleepover in a while." He flung himself on his bed as I took off my heels.

"We haven't actually."

"Do you mind sleeping here or do you want me to take the couch?"

"What? No, it's fine honestly, we just bickered, nothing's different."

"You are." He laughed slightly as I lay beside him, shuffling so my breasts don't fall out of this dress.

"How?"

"I don't know yet, it just seems different you know? It's like we've aged 3 years or something, it's just strange."

"I leave for 3 months and you loose your head." I joked.

"Nah, shut up."

"I know what you mean. I feel like I've changed too. And we are getting older..."

"We're not twelve anymore." He recited.

He turned his head to me and his eyes didn't even reach mine before he quickly glanced to the ceiling. "This feels illegal. You want to borrow a shirt?"

My hand slapped over my cleavage and I laughed at his bright red face. "Ew you pervert!"

He got up and pulled a black t-shirt out of his wardrobe and tossed it at me, along with a pair of black sweatpants.

"Thanks dickhead."

"Anytime." He smirked as I went into the bathroom to change.

It's the same as always, random bottles of aftershave and shower gel were on the edge of the sink.

"What time is it?"

"Just gone midnight, you tired?"

"Not really actually, are you?" I slipped off my dress and pulled the t-shirt over my head.

"Nah. Hot chocolate?"

"Always."

I heard him leave the room and i finished getting dressed. His clothes aren't a bad fit on me and they're comfy as fuck. I waited on my bed and scrolled through my phone, waiting for Theo to come back.

I was scrolling through when I got a message from Matt.

*hey, you still up?*

I left it a second but I couldn't wait to reply, so I clicked onto the message and began typing.

*nope, I'm fast asleep.*

*XD I had lots of fun tonight, even if it was cut short.*

*me too, it was good.*

*we should meet up again sometime.*

*sure, can't wait.*

*goodnight Camila*

*goodnight Matthew*

"You alright?" Theo came back into the room, he had changed his jeans into grey sweatpants and was carrying two hot chocolates and a bag of marshmallows.

"Yep."

He sat down beside me and handed me a hot mug of the melted chocolate and milk.

He looked and me sincerely before taking a deep breath and sighing.

"I'm really sorry for getting mad earlier."

"All's forgiven and forgotten." I took a sip on my drink.

"I overreacted. I am really glad you're back."

"You should be." I smirked.