Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding 1)

Ramsey grabbed both of his roommates by the back of their collar and yanked them off of her. "Hands off. She's never been to one of our parties," he said roughly pushing them to the side.

"All the more reason," the one dressed in navy said.

"Agreed," the other in a Georgia Tech polo approved.

"Uh...I don't think so," Lexi said pushing her hands out in front of her. Then she caught a glimpse of Jack's face. He wasn't doing a very good job at hiding his displeasure. If she'd thought that he had been jealous earlier today, it was nothing compared to the waves of jealousy he was sending her way now. Somewhere deep inside, she knew that she shouldn't enjoy the fact that he felt that way, but she was pretty much ignoring all things that she was supposed to be doing and feeling. She was in Atlanta for Jack which was bad enough in itself. If Jack was getting some backlash for his bad choices, well then so be it.

"I don't even know your names," she said buying herself some time.

"You don't need our names," Georgia Tech guy informed her whipping around Ramsey and snaking an arm around her waist. So maybe his roommates weren't as handsome as Jack or even Ramsey, but they were still cute. At least cute enough that she would have flirted with them on any other night.

She thought she heard his friend whisper something derogatory into his friend's ear, but she didn't catch all of what was said. The end was something along the lines of "after we're through with her." But understanding the looks that were cast between the two of them, she probably didn't want to know the rest. She wasn't all that surprised since these two were obviously well passed hammered. She needed to say something to get their minds off of sleeping with her, because that would never happen.

"So explain this party to me. It's eight o'clock on a Sunday. Liquor stores aren't even open on Sunday's," Lexi asked glancing between Ramsey and his two roommates.

"Ramsey comes pretty stocked," Georgia Tech guy answered eye-fucking her clothing choice. It was a good thing she didn't do self-conscious.

"Oh does he?" she asked eyeing him suggestively. Jack coughed uncomfortably in the corner. Bekah had snaked an arm up to his hair and was gently twirling the longer strands in the back between her fingers.

"I thought we weren't friends," Ramsey reminded her pushing aside his roommates who looked all too ready to devour her.

"We're not," she said smiling coyly looking at him from under her long lashes. "I'm not this nice to my friends." This was better. She could avoid being rude to him for a few minutes while Jack watched. Though, she wasn't all too sure how long she could hold out the routine.

"Alright," he began, looking at her peculiarly as if wondering when she had become so nice, "I have a good deal of friends who work in late night establishments weekend nights. So, I host parties Sunday nights for them."

Well that was simple enough. "That's uh...nice of you."

Bekah giggled. "Nice is one word for it."

"Bekah," Ramsey said turning his attention to her. Though the tone wasn't sharp and the look he sent her was the same perfect Country Club smile that gave away nothing, she knew he wasn't pleased. She wasn't sure what it was about her that made her realize it. There was just a slight line of tension forming around his mouth, and his hands were curled into loose fists. Something about the way his eyes clouded over as he stared at her. Lexi seemed to have accidentally stepped into a family dispute, and was feeling all the more uncomfortable as Bekah returned his resolute smile.

Slowly, he shifted his gaze back to Lexi. "Anyway, what they meant is that I have a fully stocked bar," Ramsey said sweeping his arm out to reveal a black bar along the majority of the back wall. The only wall space not obscured by the construction was a black door with a large open window opening up to what looked like a small balcony.

"Ya know, I kind of figured that," Lexi said. A few people were already ordering drinks from a tiny blonde bombshell whipping up concoctions as fast as they were requested. Jack and Bekah sidled up to the girl hand-in-hand, and began swiftly knocking back their drinks.

"So what would you like?" Ramsey asked her. "Valentine can make you anything."

Lexi giggled a little at her name. Valentine really? God, that was awful. Sounded like a stripper's name or something. She quickly composed herself as Ramsey looked down on her fondly. She hadn't meant to giggle. "Oh well a Grateful Dead would be nice," she told the bartender picking a drink at random. Within seconds the drink was before her complete with a cherry and everything. She was impressed. "This is kind of awesome," she admitted. The smile she received from Ramsey was nearly blinding. He genuinely looked ecstatic that she approved.

Another uncomfortable cough emanated from behind them, and Lexi hastily turned around to find Jack looking between her and Ramsey. She wasn't sure why he was acting like this. Honestly, it was ridiculous. He was here with his girlfriend after all. She was the one who was supposed to be jealous. Not him. But it was kind of nice to have the upper hand every once in awhile.

"We're going to go dance," Jack said pointedly grabbing Bekah's free hand and pulling her into the crowded living room. Lexi watched their trailing backs immediately become enveloped in the mass. She hated how they were acting. Wasn't she supposed to be getting over Jack? She couldn't see that hanging out with him like this was helping anything. Quite the contrary. She felt just as compelled to him as she had when she had first glimpsed his brown hair at the coffee shop or those enticing blue eyes at the club. She had been right to say that things weren't different. And Chyna had been right to say that she needed some semblance of closure. She needed to be over him. She couldn't keep living her life hoping they would one day find the right moment to be together. Her heart told her that she didn't really want out, but she couldn't allow him to keep breaking her.

Turning back to face Ramsey's perfect smile, she downed her drink as fast as she could automatically reaching out for him to steady her weak legs. "Wow, that's the good stuff," she said returning his smile.

"Want another?"

"Mmm...sure. Wait," she cried stopping him before ordering, "let's do lemon drops! Those are my favorite."

The peculiar look he had given her earlier returned. She liked it. He was very cute indeed. He turned back to Valentine. Seconds later, two lemon drops were in front of them. The dizzying effects of vodka coursing through her body were helping her successfully escape from the hold Jack had on her. She needed another. After two more rounds of shots her mind was good and cloudy, and she was ready to dance. Ready to forget. Lexi grabbed Ramsey's hand and pushed her way through to the center of the crowd. He seemed surprised that she wanted to be around him all of a sudden, but quickly got over that as she began to shamelessly grind her ass against him.