He didn't stop. He continued the kiss, his lips still moving against the girl's, while his eyes remained locked on mine. It was impossible to look away, the stare was strange, magnetic, and completely devoid of the shame a person should feel when caught in a moment like that. We stayed like that for maybe twenty seconds, but the air in the kitchen felt like it had been sucked out, stretching the moment into an eternity.
Finally, I snapped back to reality. What the hell? I cursed under my breath, forcing my eyes away from the sight. I turned and walked well almost ran out of the room. My breathing was labored, my chest tight as if I'd just sprinted a mile.
I pushed through the front door and practically gasped as the cool night air hit my face. Damn Charlie, I thought, leaning against the siding. Damn her and her stupid plan to drag me to a frat party of all places. Fumbling through my purse for my phone, and as I pulled it out, I spotted Adam's tall frame in the distance. He was scanning the lawn, likely looking for me. I didn't think; I just dove behind a stone pillar, pressing my back against the cold surface. I was in no mood for a second round of awkward small talk or "apologies" for his ex.
A text from Charlie vibrated in my hand. She was at the backyard bonfire and told me to find her. Of course, I thought, looking toward the sprawling grounds. Of course, this house has a separate section for a bonfire.
I found them a few minutes later, tucked away from the thickest part of the crowd. Edd and Charlie were talking quietly, the firelight casting long shadows over them. As I plopped down next to her, Charlie took one look at my face and knew.
"What happened?" she asked, her voice laced with immediate concern.
I recounted the drama with Adam and Natasha, conveniently leaving out the part about the guy with the dark hair and the soul-snatching stare. I wasn't about to share that. It would just make me sound like the creepy one, the girl who stands in kitchens and watches people make out.
Charlie frowned as I finished, her gaze shifting to Edd. They started a hushed conversation about how they shouldn't have pushed the setup, and for once, I was just glad the message had finally gotten through her head.
But later that night, as I lay in the silence of my apartment, the guilt-free safety of my bed didn't help. Every time I closed my eyes, that scene flashed behind my eyelids, the dark hair, the blond girl, and the eyes that hadn't let me go.
I was still seeing them when sleep finally took me.