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JAE

Downstairs the party was just beginning with people still arriving. I let my girl go over to my sister and the friends she’d invited from school while I snagged a beer from my brother.

“We hanging for this thing or we going to the club room to shoot some pool?” Joongki was ready to get his game on it seemed.

“Pool, let’s just make mom happy and hang around for an hour at least, by that time her friends should be here and she won’t miss us.”

“Yeah but dad’s gonna be pissed if we leave him stranded with the geriatric brigade.”

“That’s on him. He should stay with his wife that’s his responsibility.” I snickered.

Dad hated parties, mom loves them. She loves throwing them, going to them, planning them, anything to do with parties. Every time she had one of these get togethers, us guys would sneak off somewhere and do our own thing. Dad has a habit of joining us, last time mom laid down the law. Me and Matt escaped unscathed but dad didn’t fare so well.

He’d tried to pull us down with him but we’d played the young teenager card, mom bought it and that was that.

I kept my eyes on my girl as she talked and laughed with Shinhye and her friends. She was easily the most gorgeous one of the bunch. I tensed a little when Jessica approached the group. She wasn’t known to hang with other girls outside her own group. I got even more suspicious when whatever she said caused Dara to turn and look my way with a wary look on her face.

I was at her side in three seconds, leading her away.

“What’s wrong, why that look on your face?”

“Uhm, nothing.”

“Cut the bull, Dara. Talk.” I was back to being the controlling jerk that she accused me of being. Who cares?

“Is this last year’s dress?”

I laughed at that, so that was Jessica's game? So middle school.

“Babes that dress isn’t even on the market yet, won’t be for another month or more.”

She looked at me quizzically.

“Really, so how did you get it then?”

“My mom is one of their special clients. She gets invites to private showings, and like that, this dress was in a magazine with some other things that I’ll show you later.” I kissed her shoulder.

“Anyone who told you that is just jealous, ignore them.” I didn’t let on that I knew it was Jessica who said it, but I’d definitely be keeping my eyes on her since she seemed bent on causing trouble.

We hung around for about an hour before heading to the club room, dad gave us a puppy dog look which we laughed off as we disappeared.

───

The room was packed with kids, the two billiard tables the first to be confiscated, there were darts and chess, a card table, board games, plenty of things to keep us occupied for a while.

I kept my girl with me as we played, not only because I wanted to keep her near, but because I didn’t want to knock out one of the many motherers that kept giving her the eye. The ?

“Shinhye and I are going to the rest room, be right back.” she said

I stole a kiss before she walked away and a nice rub for those who were watching to let them know she was off the market. Disrespectful s.

I might have to Jay Park and that Nickhyun boy up before the night was over if they didn’t stop ogling her like it was their next ing meal, just try it s.

They weren’t gone five minutes before we heard the commotion outside, then I heard a voice that I hadn’t expected to hear again, at least not here and not this soon.

Dropping my cue on the table I ran out of the room and into the hallway.

“You’re just some little tramp that he’s using for his own amusement. When it’s all said and done he’ll always come back to me.”

Are you ing ting me? My heart was racing so ing fast I was afraid it would give out. What bull was Tiffany spewing, and what the was she doing here?

“Tiffany,  what the are you doing here?”

“Oh hi, Jae. Jessica invited me, you forgot to tell me about the party the last time we talked.” She sauntered over to me, her hand going to the middle button on my shirt.

I pushed her away. My eyes never leaving Dara. She looked ing gutted, somebody was gonna pay for this .

“First of all, don’t touch me.” The hallway was now full of people who had obviously heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. What I was about to do would be embarrassing as but she brought that on herself. I guess she really didn’t know me like she thought she did.

“Second, what bull are you out here spewing? I’ll always come back to you? Since when? I told you it was over, whatever ‘It’ was, why would you come here and start some with my girl?”

“But you always came back to me after......”

“I liked talking to you. I ed you, yes. You’re the only girl I still kept in contact with yes because we had an understanding and you know that, why would you lie now?”

“But I thought.......”

“You thought what? That when I said I wouldn’t be calling you anymore that I was playing?”

“But you always come back to me when you’re through with one of your s.” She sneered at little lamb.

“....” Dara took a step in our direction.

“Daraa.” I gave her a warning look hoping that this once she would obey me.

“Tiffany, go home. There’s nothing here for you. I can’t help what you believe but I never lied to you and for you to come here like this proves to me that we could never be friends. I didn’t want to say this to you but Darsa is the only girl I’ve ever wanted to have a relationship with. She’s it, I’m sorry you came all the way here for nothing but I think you should leave.”

Her face was red with embarrassment but that wasn’t my problem. I’d told her over the phone weeks ago that our little thing was over. I knew what she’d been after, but I’d thought it was harmless. Knowing Dara’s past, I’d ended my communication with Tiffany because my lamb would never accept it. She didn’t realize it yet but she was as territorial about me as I was of her so I’d tried to do the right thing and end it.

Tiffany turned and walked away her head down, fists clenched. I would almost feel bad for her except for the fact that he’d called my girl one of my s. 

Before I could move to get to Dara she was on Jessica. She slapped her so hard her head turned.

“That’s for ing with me, next time I’ll kick your ing , pathetic .”

“Touch her Jessica and you’ll never set foot in this house again.”I got between them before she could retaliate. I was so ing pissed, what was this ’s problem?

“But she hit me.” She held her face where Dara’s palm print was beginning to show.

“Everybody out.” Joongki got the stragglers to disappear back into the room, the show was over.

“Jess, what the ?”

“But love......”

“No, I told you to leave my brother alone, what are you deaf, what the is your problem, you on my brother’s or something?”

“What, no!.” She turned up her nose like she smelt something vile.

“Then what the is your problem?”

“Her, she’s my problem, can’t you guys see through her bull, she’s a gold digging, wanna be.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. If only she knew how hard this girl had fought against me. I don’t think Dara’s mind even ran to money or how much I had she was more about getting out and making her own. The girl was independent as .

“Joongki handle your . That’s the last time, anything else and you’ll have to her on the football field because she won’t be coming back here.” I didn’t even spare her a glance as I took Dara’s hand and dragged her back upstairs.

“Let go of me, I’m going home.” She went for her overnight bag as soon as we got in the room.

“No you’re not. You won, right? You finally got to meet, Tiffany. You now know you have nothing to worry about on that issue. You slapped Jessica , which I’m sure you’ve been wanting to do since day one. And you got me to declare my feelings for you in front of half the school. What’s the problem?”

“What’s the....?” She threw the ing lamp at me. I deflected and it fell onto the mattress thank God, I loved that thing. As she was looking around for another missile to launch at my head I came around the bed and tackled her.

“Get off me, .”

“Language.”

“ you.” I laughed as I rolled her under me, her hands held hostage over her head.

“You’re gonna get an whipping you keep this up.”

“Try it .” She pushed up against me trying to throw me off, but it had the opposite effect.

My , which usually got excited when she was having one of her fits, was ready for action.

It was an easy thing to hold both her hands in one of mine, raise the hem of her skirt with the other, pull down my zipper, and ease into her.

“Mine, always.”

I moved in and out of her, our eyes connected, I bent to her lips, lifting her hips up to meet my as I cautioned myself to go easy, softly, gently.

Her legs wrapping around my drew me deeper into her as we rocked against each other.

“, baby. Why do you feel so ing good under me?” I didn’t expect an answer as she was too caught up in her own feelings, milking my for her greatest pleasure.

The way she enjoyed me went to my head, if anyone else had ever worn that look on their face as I ed them before I never saw it. It was as if everything that came before her was a blur, a pale pencil shading compared to a masterpiece.

Seventeen years old, , who’d tamed who?

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