I blink a few times as I shake sleep from my eyes.

I remember our alcohol binge from last night and I groan. It had been a sad sight. But if last night proved anything, it was how deep we were in on both ends.

I know there is nothing we can do about betraying her, it has to be done but my heart breaks for her all the same.

My feet touch the cold floor and I walk to my bathroom. I bath and then I go to my closet to find something to wear. Her clothes from Friday placed on top of my t-shirts, I washed them for her, and I get an idea. I get dressed and I grab an apple as I rush out.

Its 6:30 and I know she's probably getting ready. Seeing her may make me feel better.

I push everything out of my head as I walk her corridor and I stand at her door.

I knock lightly. I hear the shower running. I knock louder. The shower stops and I hear footsteps.

"Somebody better be dyi-"" she halts when she sees me. I can’t help my gaze taking her in. Her hair is wet. She must have took off the braids last night.

Her beautiful face looks so ethereal, and it looks like if I licked her, she'd taste of honey. Her perky breasts look perfect and I remember her naked body from Sunday and I get harder. Her towel only goes mid-thigh. Jesus.

"Are you going to stand there like a creep all day?" her words snap me out of the trance.

I grin. She moves and I walk in her dorm room for the second time. I feel a pang in my heart when I remember the last time I was here.

"Make yourself at home. I have to go." She says as she disappears to her bathroom.

I move around and I really take in her room. On her bedside table is a picture of her and her mom. I take it. They are both smiling. It must have been taken a few years ago. She's a bit younger than she is now. Maybe 15/16.

Another memory I missed.

I hate her father. He did all this.

I place it back and I walk to her desk. She must have been doing homework last night. Something catches my eye. I reach for it; it’s a journal. I open the first page and my heart stops. It’s a picture of us, taken when we were 5.

The water stops running and I quickly put the journal where it was, and I go back to the bed. She emerges a few moments later.

"My mom talked my ear off, and she made me late." She sits next to me with her body lotion. My gaze is intent on her. I can't look away.

"Jose, are you sure you can be here without mauling me?"

I snap my eyes to hers. I chuckle. "I'm a big boy, baby."

Her body shudders and I can't help the smug feeling. She rolls her eyes and begins lathering her body with moisturizer.

I realize in the middle of her getting ready that maybe she had been right. I want to maul her. I watch her wear her underwear and its honestly the hottest thing I've ever seen. Zaza is the sexiest and most beautiful woman I've ever laid my eyes on. My cock is painfully hard as I can’t tear my eyes from her.

I can’t escape her allure. I try adjusting my pants and all brain power leaves my head. I shake my head and I close my eyes. Maybe if I tried to breathe or count to 10.

"Joseph?" she calls, and I groan

"Just finish so we can go, please." I beg her

After a beat I hear a chuckle. She is laughing at me.

"I'd be careful with that laugh if I were you. Everything you are doing is turning me on. My eyes are closed for your benefit and you laugh."

"My benefit? You are being dramatic."

My eyes fly open. I rise slowly. "Zaza," I warn as I advance on her on measured steps. She steps back. My cock twitches in my pants as she does exactly what it wants. I continue until she is at the door and looking at me like a deer in headlights, lips parted.

She feels it too. This intense attraction.

I run my thumb on her wet, soft lips.

"The things I want to do to you, little star. I'd take you away to a faraway place if I could. Far from all our bullshit." I confess something I hadn’t meant to. The fact that I wish I could save her from us and the pain we come with.

That sobers me. I close my eyes and I shake my head once more. I need to get my shit together. I step away. She frowns but she doesn’t ask anything thankfully.

I help her pick her outfit and we leave her dorm hand in hand. My foul mood because of last night forgotten as I bask in her. We only separate for our different classes, but I wait for her after every class and we go with Leo to the library after school.

I stare at the screen not believing what just happened. The celebration going on here by Bas is honestly annoying.

So, he won a game of NFS, big whoop. I cross my arms and I roll my eyes.

"Babe!!!! Don’t be a sore loser." He comes to touch my cheeks, but I swat his hand and I move my face and I pout hard.

"We should do a rematch, I can't...I don’t lose." I say

The others chuckle. I just lost my second game in a row. Jose and Bas both whooped my ass. I thought I could turn luck around when Jose beat me first and I asked to play Bas, but I should have known better. Sebastian is a big 'ol nerd and video games are his thing. I should have challenged Mason.

Leo hugs me from behind and he kisses my cheek. "Don’t look so sad, Hoshi. Think of all the fun we will have when we watch you pay the man." He says with a grin and I elbow his mid-section. He lets me go with a chuckle.

"No need to get abusive, sweet stuff." Mason blows me a kiss as he heads to the kitchen

"Hmm, what should we collect for our prizes?" Jose tilts his head looking at me up and down with a lustful gaze.

"Well, it won’t be tonight cause I have homework."

I move to go to the bag rack and Leo blocks my way. "No, you don’t."

I look back and it seems they all have the same idea. They all stand with victorious smirks. Assholes.

"I really have homework. You want me to fail?"

Leo arches his eyebrows. "I was with you at the library just this afternoon."

Dammit.

I plop back in the couch. "Fine, but what are we going to do. Do you want to collect now?"

"There is something I want." Bas says and Jose looks back at him like he knows, before he narrows his eyes at him. Bas just smirks.

"We can’t both choose the same thing."

"Are you both fucking kidding me?" Mason says coming from the kitchen with a soda in hand and he gives it to me

"That’s too bad, cause that’s mine too when I win against Zuzu." Leo says

I couldn’t be more confused. It’s like they are all speaking a foreign language.

"Can someone tell me what it is."

"We all want to claim your virginity." Mason answers

I slap my forehead a few times. Why are men so dumb? Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"Don’t I get a choice? It is mine?"

“Not since the tournament, no." Jose says

I laugh.

"Wait so your plan was to win against me and all of you wanted my virginity?" Ideas are beginning to flow in my head. Perhaps I can use this to my advantage.

"I don’t like whatever is brewing in that head of yours." Mason says

I just smirk.

"Gentlemen, there is an easier fix to this."

They look at me, suspicion taking over their handsome faces.

"You play for it."

"Nah, Bas is better than all of us."

"Then how about taking it back old school. Rock paper scissors."

They all laugh.

"And I want in the action too."

They look my way with question.

I shrug. "It’s my virginity, I should get a chance to play for it too."

"And what if you win?" Jose asks

"Then I choose whether I lose it and to whom."

"No." They all say in unison

"Come on."

"No, Zar."

I roll my eyes. "Fine. But I still choose the if and when."

“No, babe, just the when.”

Bas breaks down in a dance when he beats Leo in the final round. It is my turn to laugh at them because all of them aren’t as happy at Bas winning the deflowering contest.

Leo pouts and he sits next me and pulls me to his lap. He looks kinda bummed.

“Stay so I can hold you and feel better?” he whispers in my ear and I look at him

“You sure you don’t want to steal Bas’s prize?”

He smirks a little and I shake my head at him.

“I still have my own winnings for tonight and I would like to collect.” Jose comes to sit on my otherside

We all look his way. “I am bummed, and I want to spend the night with you.” He looks around the room. “Just us 2.”

Bas narrows his eyes in slits at him and Jose just smirks.

“Don’t do anything that will make me sell your whole phantom dagger collection, Bowie. You know I will.” Bas threatens

Me and Jose go to bed and he holds me all night, giving me all his tenderness and pleasure with his mouth.

"Can you fucking hurry." I knock at Jose's door

"Calm the fuck down, asshole." He calls from the other side of the door.

I push his door, and just like I thought, he isn't dressed.

"Dude! We need to be out of Charlotte in half an hour or we'll be late."

"Is he still not dressed?" Leo comes from the stairs looking annoyed

"Yeah, has Mason got her?"

"Yeah, she just texted."

I smile. Getting these tickets was very last minute and I'll be damned if we don't take her to do something for her 18th.

We were limited because of school and she was adamant to not miss today so we have a tight schedule.

Flying to LA will be just over an hour and the show starts at 8pm. I hear the car downstairs and I descend. The door opens and she walks in.

I stop dead in my tracks. She looks...fucking breathtaking. She smirks that smug smirk of hers and I can’t help my grin.

"You look like the heavens, babe."

She jumps when Mason spanks her ass and I collect her in a hug, and I squeeze her ass. I groan feeling her, and she smells so good.

I pull back. She has makeup and a bold red lip. She is wearing a red dress and she looks like temptation personified.

"Thank you. So, are you also going to not tell me where we going?" she pouts

I pull her to the kitchen. "That’s how surprises work."

She folds her arms and I give her my winning smile. Jose and Leo come from upstairs dressed and I pull her out. She sits between me and Mason at the back and Leo drives.

We are in the city of angels after 2 hours and half an hour before the show. We make it on time, and we take our front row seats.

It was all worth it when she laughed till she cried. Even though I wanted to throw tomatoes at the guy for making my girl laugh harder than me, but I was just happy she was happy.

Even though we can’t prevent her eventual heartbreak, but we can make the now a happy one. But seeing her this happy makes me feel shittier knowing the end.

We take her to the Malibu mansion where we have the second part of the night prepared. A chef has been flown in from New York to prepare her birthday dinner and he made all her favorite foods and desserts.

“Oh my god, I love all of you so much.” Her eyes roll back as she moans, her mouth moving, enjoying the sweet creamy delight.

“Don’t give us ideas, babe.” Jose looks at her with a hunger we all share

"Oh, come on, that is moan worthy.” She points to her mouth

We finish dessert and our waiter brings us the champagne. Mason pops it and

pours our glasses. We lift our glasses.

“To you, sweetheart. Welcome to the land of adults.” He pauses, face turning serious. “To us. To now. Happy birthday, our beautiful star”

His words mean more. Now is all we have. “To star.” We say in unison

We drink more champagne over lively conversation and roasting. When we settle in the couch, she sits on Leo’s lap as we look at the moon's reflection dancing on the ocean waves making everything feel outer worldly and majestic, giving perspective to our small lives when you put the universe in play.

"So, is there anything else you wanna do for your birthday?" Leo’s question pulls me out of my thoughts

She nods thoughtfully. We all look at her waiting.

She shrugs and says casually. "Lose my virginity."

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