Are You Always So Scared?

Jake's hand was warm and steady as he guided Alanna down the dimly lit hallway of Derek's sprawling house, a labyrinth of laughter and teenage recklessness.

The scent of perfume mingled with the musky tang of spilled beer, creating an intoxicating aroma that clung to the air like a second skin. Alanna's heart kept time with the thumping bass of music that seeped through the walls, her pulse quickening with each step toward privacy.

"Here we go," Jake murmured, his voice barely audible over the din as he pushed open a door.

 A shriek pierced the semi-darkness, and the sight of a knotted pair of bodies scrambling under sheets startled them both. Laughter bubbled up from their chests, a shared hiccup of amusement as they backed out, closing the door on the embarrassed couple's protests.

 "Sorry!" Alanna managed between giggles, her cheeks flushed with warmth. The laughter between Jake and Alanna was a bright thread woven through the cacophony of the party as they stumbled upon their intrusion into someone else's private moment.

 "Oops! Wrong room!" Jake chuckled, steering Alanna back into the corridor as the startled occupant's shriek faded behind them.

 "Come on, there's another one here," he said, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes that both excited and unnerved her. The next door creaked open to a silent sanctuary bathed in moonlight.

 "Lucas' room," Jake whispered, as if sharing a secret, "but it's fine—Derek said we could crash in any room tonight."

His words hung in the air, a subtle invitation laced with ambiguity that sent a shiver down Alanna's spine. She clutched the strap of her purse tighter, seeking some semblance of control.

 They stepped inside, and Alanna's gaze swept across the expanse of Lucas' universe once Jake turned on a night lamp.

Shelves lined with leather-bound spines and gleaming trophies sculpted an image at odds with the Lucas she imagined—a jock enshrined in glory. Instead, this was the den of a scholar, an athlete, a dreamer. Her fingers itched to trace the spines, to discover the worlds he held dear. 

"Wow, I didn't expect—" she began but was cut short by Jake's gentle tug on her hand. 

"So what do you want to do?" he asked, his voice low, inviting her into the moment, away from the shelves of unread stories. 

Alanna's heart fluttered, caught between the urge to explore and the pull of newfound freedom. "I just... I thought maybe we'd talk, get to know each other," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, hoping her words would bridge the gap between her expectations and the night's unpredictable rhythm. 

Alanna's hesitance hung in the air like a fragile mist, her green eyes darting around the room as if seeking an escape from the question.

"Eh, just... hang out?" Her voice was tentative, betraying her unease.

 "Let's dance," Jake countered with an ease that seemed to brush away complications like cobwebs. He dove into Lucas's collection of CDs with the enthusiasm of a child rummaging for hidden treasures. "Wait here," he commanded before slipping out the door.

The muffled chaos from next door seeped through the walls, punctuated by a sudden scream. Alanna flinched.

Across the threshold, Jake's muffled voice cried out, humorously loud, "I'm not looking!" Laughter chased him back into the sanctuary of nerdy accolades and leather-bound escapades. 

With a triumphant grin, he brandished a Def Leppard CD, its cover worn from use. The player accepted the disc with a mechanical whir, and moments later, the power chords of rock anthems filled the room.

"Don't know how you're supposed to dance to this, but whatever." Jake shrugged, the gesture dismissing any notion of rules or rigidity.

The music swept them up, a tempest of guitars and drums. Alanna found herself jumping, the rhythm infectious, her usually reserved self dissolving in the cacophony. They danced—a pair of silhouettes against the dim light.

Dancing with a stranger in Lucas' room. She wouldn't have imagined this would happen even in her wildest dreams. 

Jake's movements were fluid, almost hypnotic. In a swift motion, he shed his belt and jacket, revealing arms laced with ink, stories etched in skin.

Amidst the whirling tattoos, scars whispered tales of hidden pain. Alanna noticed, but the words to address it flew away, unspoken and lost in the music.

He offered her a flask, similar to Sasha's, a silent toast to their revelry. She accepted, the liquid courage warming her from within. Between the songs and revelry, Jake had lost his shirt. Alanna, emboldened and dizzy from drinking, did the same. 

She felt self-conscious for a second, particularly when Jake's eyes briefly settled on her breasts, but he kept dancing and made no attempt to touch her. 

The songs marched on, a relentless parade until exhaustion claimed victory.

They fell onto the bed in a heap, gasping for air, laughter mingling with the fading notes. Alanna's purse toppled, spilling its contents between them as she sat up to corral her belongings. 

Jake, too, rose, his fingers closing around an unexpected find—a condom held aloft between them. His eyebrows arched in playful curiosity, a silent question hanging in the balance.

 Jake dangled the foil packet before Alanna, his grin teasing and a sparkle of mischief in his eyes. "So, you don't do this in general? Or not with me?" he asked.

 Alanna's face flushed hot, her throat tight as she fumbled for words that wouldn't come. "That—it's Sasha's," she finally mumbled, her slurry voice barely above a whisper.

 How could it not be suggestive? The two of them were shirtless, sweaty, and obviously varying in degrees of drunkenness.

 He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement as he tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. "You're cool, Alanna," Jake said, his tone genuine, disarming her defenses.

 Curiosity overcame her embarrassment. "How come I've never seen you around before?" she asked, trying to steer away from the awkwardness.

 "Ah," Jake scoffed playfully, a lopsided smile gracing his lips. "I'm a public school guy, not yours and Derek's fancy academy."

 Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached out, curiosity piquing as she plucked the condom from his grasp.

Breaking the seal, she winced at the slick texture of latex stretching between her hands. "I've never even seen one of these before," she admitted, her voice tinged with a mix of wonder and distaste.

 "Being very suggestive there, aren't we?" Jake flirted, leaning back on his elbows, his gaze flitting between her hands and her face.

 She couldn't help but notice how toned his chest was behind the dark ink that spread from his shoulders to his navel.

 A nervous laugh escaped her, the sound more air than humor. "I'm just glad you wanted to chill." She glanced at him, trying to read his demeanor.

Sweat clung to their skin, a testament to their earlier abandon. The room was a mess of scattered clothing—her shoes lay discarded like afterthoughts, a vivid contrast to the order they had invaded.

 He studied her for a moment, his voice dropping to a soft rumble. "Not really. I mean, I'd rather be doing other things, but..." A pause hung in the air, charged and heavy. "I could tell you were a little scared. Are you always so scared?"

 "Scared isn't quite the word," Alanna murmured, meeting his gaze with a mixture of defiance and vulnerability. "Maybe just...new to all this."

 Their breaths mingled, the space between them filled with unsaid words and unexplored possibilities.

 Jake's hand slowly clasped her chin, and just as he pulled in closer to her, the door swung open with a force that seemed to slice through the music.

 Lucas stood there, a storm of indignation in his stance, his eyes blazing like twin sapphires in the dim light.