"I shot you again!"

Marco gives me a victorious smile and I look down at my chest. "How many bullets do I have in me now?"

"Hard to say," Max says pretending to be thinking hard as he stares at my boobs. "Let me get a better angle." He puts his feet up on the couch and rests his head on my lap, then tries to lift my t-shirt and look up, but I swat his hand away.

"Wanna play again?" Marco asks, restarting the game.

"Sure."

"And then you can play with me later, Amelia," Max smiles.

Someone clears their throat to the left, and we all look to find Alex standing there with a glare focused on Max.

"Move, dick," he pushes Max's shoulder and he lifts his head from my lap. I look at Marco, then back at Alex.

"Don't say that in front of him," I lift my leg and gently push Alex back with my foot on his stomach.

"Exactly, Alex," Max puts his arm around me.

"Get all your body parts away from her before I hit you."

Max takes his arm away and rolls his eyes. "Always with the violence."

Alex leans down, putting his hands on the back of the couch to support himself and kisses me. He makes a show, using plenty of tongue and I just let him do it because he's told me many times about how annoying it is when I'm with Max, and he has it in his head that he likes me.

"Stop it," Marco says disapprovingly. "Alex, we're trying to play a game."

"Alex is playing games too."

He glares back at Max then gives me two more short kisses before sitting down in the space beside Max.

"You're shit at this," he comments when Marco finds my guy and kills me within fifteen seconds of the game starting.

"Screw you."

"Yeah, screw you Alex," Marco repeats.

"Yeah, screw you Alex," Max also says.

Alex is about to say something, but then Yasmin and Jace come in the front door and his attention focuses on them.

Jace pokes her in the stomach and she hits his shoulder as he laughs, then Yasmin goes upstairs and Jace comes over to us and sits beside Alex.

"Hey, peeps."

"Jace do you want to play? Amelia sucks."

"Hey!" I give Marco my best fake offended face.

"Sure, little dude. And let's just hope Amelia swallows too."

Max laughs while Alex and I shoot daggers at Jace.

"Gross," Marco says, and I snap my head round to him. He knows what that means? Well I guess it's no surprise considering he lives with this family.

"Okay, that's my cue to leave." I throw the ps4 controller at Jace and stand up, fixing my shorts that are riding up my ass from sitting down too long. Suddenly someone comes behind me, lifting me up and walking away from the couches.

"What are you doing?" I squeal and see it's Alex when he puts me down.

"Max and Jace were looking at your ass so I got you away from them."

"Seriously, Alex? Are you just gonna be my body guard now and take me away from any guy that looks at me?"

"Yes, I am actually." He leans down and kisses me, his hands going around my waist and sitting on my lower back.

"Get a room!" Jace shouts.

I put my arms around his neck, jumping up and wrapping my legs around his torso and he starts to walk up the stairs.

"My room or yours?" He breathes against my lips.

"How about none?" I hear Isabella say and Alex sighs, putting me down.

"Bustedddd," Val teases, standing beside his Mom.

"Quiet, Valentino. Alex, why don't you and I have a chat?"

Val giggles and takes my arm. "She's mine now." Alex just rolls his eyes and walks down the hall with his Mom, and Val let's go of my arm when he's gone. "C'mon, Yas and I are watching a movie and you're joining." He pulls me into Yasmin's room, not giving me an option. "I got an extra human."

Yasmin looks up from her phone. "Oh hey, A."

"Ooooh that rhymed."

I sit down on Yasmin's bed beside her and Val goes downstairs to get drinks and popcorn. "So what's with you and Jace?" I ask straight away as she smiles to her phone.

She looks up. "Uh, we're friends, why?"

"It's just Alex and Jace were talking about something that happened between you two."

She bites her lip, her eyes down casting. "Oh, that. It's stupid."

"Did you guys used to date?"

"Well, sort of." She puts her phone on her bed. "When I was fifteen I had a huge crush on him, and I thought he liked me too, and we were sneaking around, having secret make out sessions and all that. Then we hooked up, and he took my virginity." She takes a breath. "When I went to his house two days later, I walked in on him screwing another girl."

"Wow... That's rough."

She shrugs. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? Besides, he's paying for it now." I don't bother to ask in what way she means.

"How can you still be friends with him after that?"

"I've tried staying away from him, but it's a lot harder than it seems. We argue a lot but we're really close."

"Do you still like him?"

She takes a moment before answering. "Of course. I love him."

"You talkin' 'bout me?" Val says, pushing the door open with his foot and carrying two water bottles half filled with Cola. He throws them to the bed and then pulls a tiny 5cl vodka bottle from his pocket. "I made you a cocktail, Yas." He throws the small bottle at her and she catches it.

"What is it?"

"Tequila, vodka, Mom's ratchet wine and the flavoured vodka that was left in that."

"Gross."

"Drink it."

She opens the cap and empties it down her throat, making a disgusted face. "I'm gonna puke."

Val laughs, going under her bed and pulling out a large bottle of vodka. They both pour vodka into their Cola. I didn't know when they say they're watching a movie, they mean getting drunk.

"Sure you don't want to drink?" Yasmin asks me.

"I'm good, thanks." Yasmin's been drinking a lot heavier since getting taken by Cal last week, and seeing her in a drunk mess so much is beginning to put me off drinking.

"Come onnnnnnn, don't be a bore," Val hands me the vodka bottle. "Drink it! Drink it!" Yasmin laughs, joining in with him.

"I believe this is what's called peer pressure." I sigh. "If I take one shot, will you guys shut up?"

They both nod eagerly and I hold the bottle up to my lips, my face already screwing up from

the smell, and I take a fast gulp of it.

We watch the movie 'Before I fall', and by the time we're half way through, Val and Yasmin have encouraged me to take five more shots, and Val is crying at the screen, Yasmin just eating popcorn and commenting on how annoying people in the film are.

"Ugh, Kian Lawley is so hot." Yasmin shakes her head.

"He's a fucking ass in this," Val sobs. "He totally only wants to fuck her."

"Seems exactly like you with every girl you meet."

"Not true. I have girl friends that I've never slept with."

"Like that Montana girl? She's really pretty."

"Yeah, she's my bro. But I would really like to fuck her."

By the end of the movie, Val is full on crying and Yasmin and I are hugging, taking drunk selfies.

"Valentino, get in here." She moves her phone over a little so Val's tear covered face is in it.

"That's highly inappropriate, Yasmin," he cries, wiping his eyes.

She starts to laugh. "Shut it."

I giggle like an idiot. "You guys are sooooooo cute."

"Hey, what's the english word for sandía?" Val asks Yasmin.

"Watermelon, why?"

"Oh yeah, and I dunno I just gotta weird craving for one so I'm tellin' Diego to bring one home." He shows us his phone on the chat with Diego, his message reading:

I start laughing uncontrollably. "That's so random."

Yasmin's bedroom door opens and Alex is revealed, looking sexy in joggers and a black t-shirt. "You guys okay? Sounds like you're dying."

"You look sexy," I say my thoughts aloud and everyone laughs.

"So do you, princesa."

"Ohhh it's sexy when you call me that too. Or when you just speak in spanish ever."

"Tienes un culo caliente."

"That was sexy. What does it mean?"

"He said you have a hot ass," Yasmin clarifies. "Now go flirt somewhere else."

I giggle and get up, running to Alex and jumping on him, but accidentally ramming my knee into his crotch.

"Ahh, fuck!"

"Sorry! Want me to make it better?" I whisper the last part.

"That was very loud!" Yasmin shouts and I give her an innocent look. It's hard to tell if what you're saying is quiet or not when you're drunk. Give me a break.

"Hey, Alex? Do we have any watermelons?" Val asks amongst his pain.

"I don't fucking know." He pulls me out of the room and slams the door.

"Are you okay?" I not so subtly look down at his crotch.

"Yeah. I can't believe you got drunk with them."

"It was an accident."

"I'm sure it was." He puts an arm around my waist, leading me to my room.

I fall down on my bed, then put my hands at the waistline of Alex's joggers. I look up at him with a devilish smile, and he just sighs, taking my hands away from his pants and intertwining his fingers in them. I pout.

"You'll thank me tomorrow for not letting you do anything to me."

"I don't think I will." I take one of my hands out of his and run it over his crotch, getting myself turned on.

"Amelia, I'm serious. Sex isn't even as good when you're drunk."

I sigh. "Fineee. I'm going to sleep." I think of something, standing up and stripping to my underwear. He watches with a frown, and then closes his eyes when I take my bra and panties off.

"I know what you're doing," he says, his eyes still closed.

"Is it working?"

"I'm trying to think of non-sexual things."

"Look at me." I put my hand under his chin, standing close to him.

Eventually, he does, but only stares into my eyes. "I'm not having sex with you, so all you're gonna do is give me a hard-on and I'll get no sleep."

I finally give in, pulling the covers back and getting into bed. Alex makes a move to the door. "Where are you going? Aren't you gonna stay with me?"

"Fine. But no funny business." He gets into bed without taking off his joggers and shirt, even though he usually sleeps in underwear, but I don't say anything.

After turning off the lamp, I put my leg on his stomach and nuzzle into his neck. "Alex?"

"Hmm?"

"I can't sleep."

"We've been lying here for literally three seconds."

"You don't have to be mean about it, gosh."

He turns his head and kisses my forehead. "Sorry, babe."

"Gross. My Dad kisses my forehead."

"Where do you want me to kiss then?"

"I have a few ideas."

He laughs quietly, then kisses my nose. "There?"

"No."

"There?" He says after kissing under my eye.

"No."

He moves around a little until he can kiss my neck. "There?"

"Maybe."

"What about," he kisses my lips slowly. "There?"

"That's a good place."

He smiles, putting his head back on the pillow. "Goodnight."

I pout even though he can't see me. "Alex?"

"Yes?" He's trying not to sound annoyed.

"I love you."

+++

the L bomb has landed, people!

teaser: alexia goes on a date that ends in amelia running into the last person she wants to see

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also, thank you so much to my active commenters. your comments make my day. and also thanks to my ghost readers, i love u guys too and i hope u are enjoying the book.

ly

-e