04

It wasn’t very hard for Steven to notice the gripping presence of the girl he had been anticipating the whole night.

Her being there brought a small smile to his face, a smile which would have been so big if it wasn’t for the fact that everyone would become scared of him. Smiling like the Joker and whatnot.

He quickly tapped the blonde girl sitting on his lap, an indication that she should get the fuck off of him. She’d been sitting there for an hour and he’d been trying to get aroused by her to no avail, yet just the fact that Tasha was standing a few feet from him was already making him hard.

Plus, she had on the tightest tube dress he’d ever seen in his life. She was not even wearing any type of jacket to cover her shoulders and back.

« Holy Mother of God. » Steven had suddenly become thirsty.

He couldn’t stop staring at her. He was glad that she hadn’t seen him yet unless he would have to cut the staring, he really didn’t want to do that yet.

Body by Dreezy was thumping through the house, causing girls to start throwing it back heavy. Steven lost sight of Tasha and Kennedy, it seemed like they had vanished completely.

He stood there, on the sides of his living room, now a dance floor, looking for a girl that was probably hiding from him.

« Yo, Steve ! » Malik, one of Steven’s good friends, came up to him.

« What’s up, man ? » They both had to yell in order to hear the other, the music was so loud.

« We running outta beers, it’s your turn to go, man ! »

Steven nodded in understanding and Malik patted him on the shoulder before moving away from him.

Steven sighed and looked for Tasha for a little while, before finally finding Kennedy. He could ask her.

« What’s good, Harris ? » The two shared a side hug.

« Fun party you got here, Morrison. »

Steven chuckled. « Glad you having fun. I’m tryna have fun too, I need to know where Tasha is though… »

Kennedy sighed and shook her head. « I’m sorry, Steve. But I promised I wasn’t gonna tell you where she at. »

Steven tried to give Kennedy puppy eyes. « Please ? Any favor you ask for, I got you. »

Kennedy sighed. « Alright, alright. I don’t want you kneeling down. I can only tell you the direction she went in. » She pointed toward the door, earning a grin from Steven.

« Thank you, Ken. I owe you one. »

Kennedy just waved him away but made sure to say, « You better not hurt her, Steve. She deserves only the best. »

Steven just nodded understandingly at Kennedy and hurried to find Tasha, so he could go get more drinks before Malik noticed him still at the house.

Outside, people were also gathered, perhaps even more than inside. Still, it was easy for him to find her. Her carefree laugh hit him, even if she was far from where he stood. Observing her, he noticed that she seemed way more free than usual, and that scared him.

Was she drunk ? It couldn’t be, Tasha was too much of a good girl for that.

He made his way to her, getting more and more furious as he saw the fucker who she was laughing with touch her leg. A leg he had no business touching.

Containing his anger, he called Tasha when he got close to where she was seating. « Tasha ? »

Tasha’s eyes widen in shock. Steven, who she was trying to hide from, had found her. And, he was mad. She didn’t even try making eye contact.

« Steven, » she whispered, falling in a fit of laughter a second later.

Steven looked at the dude seating next to Tasha and glared at him. « What the fuck did you give her ? »

The guy had a joint in his hands, held it up to Steven and chuckled. « Nothing I wouldn’t smoke myself, man. »

« What the fuck is wrong with you ?! » Steven could feel himself getting mad as he stared at the fucker, Tasha was still laughing, now at a unicorn in the sky.

« What ? She was so nervous and shit, so I told her this would make her calm down and chill. No harm is done. »

Steven decided against punching the guy, but instead, he approached Tasha and held out his hand for her.

« Come with me, princess. » He couldn’t help the softness in his voice, Tasha just did things to him.

She shook her head. « You’re a bully. You wanna bully me, I’d rather stay with Greg. » She took Greg’s arm and wrapped around it.

Greg looked beyond satisfied with himself, his arm being pressed up against a fine girl like Tasha wasn’t a thing that happened on the regular for him.

Now Steven was mad. « Greg, you better move away from Tasha right now. »

It took Greg only a second to get up and move away from an angry Steven. He didn’t need Steven to kick him out and fuck up his face.

Now Steven and Tasha were by themselves. The people around them loud and happy, as they stared at each other, a battle of wills.

« So… » Tasha was still feeling high as a kite, way better than she’s ever felt in a while. But Steven’s presence brought some steadiness to her.

Steven held out his hand again, this time though, Tasha didn’t refuse his offer. She put her hand in his and he pulled her up to her feet. Very close to him.

« I see that you aren’t as innocent as you make it seem, Tasha. »

Tasha tried to remove her hand from his, but he held on to it like a lifeline. There was a weird buzz in the air between them. Something was being created, Tasha had no idea what though.

Her brain was too fuzzy.

Steven now had one hand on her waist, the other touched her cheek. « Hey, you okay, beautiful ? »

Beautiful ? She thought. What a strange word. « Why is it beautiful and not fullbeauty ? Would have made more sense if you ask me… »

Steven stared at her for a second then laughed. « You’re even cuter when you don’t completely hate me. »

Now Tasha was the one touching his cheek. Who would ever think that Steven’s skin was so soft ? Tasha at least didn’t. « I don’t hate you, Steven. You’re annoying ass hell, but I don’t hate you. You on the other hand… »

A wave of goosebumps passed through her whole body when Steven’s face was suddenly leaning on her collarbone and neck area.

« Steven. » She’d never been so close to him. His arms around her, her arms around his neck, and his breath on her skin.

« How don’t you still know ? » It didn’t seem like he was questioning her, more as if he was talking to himself.

« I don’t know ? » She was confused. Why was he so close to her ? Was this some kind of side effect of smoking weed ? Having fantasies of your enemies ? She’d smoked before, but this was different. What the fuck had Greg given her ?

He sighed, bringing more goosebumps to her body. « I don’t hate you, Tasha. I could never. » He wanted her to know he was serious, so he looked at her face.

Tasha didn’t know what to say, so she just didn’t say anything. She was definitely dreaming, it was impossible that Steven Morrison was telling her he didn’t hate her while holding her as he cared about her.

She shook her head though. Even if this wasn’t a dream it did not change anything.

« It doesn’t matter if you hate me or not. We’re always gonna be at odds, especially in a place like Crest Bay, Alabama. »