Surrendering (Surrender 1)

Me: Truth, again.

Charlie: When you say you slept with someone- are you still a virgin?

The room goes still. This isn’t something Abbi and Ella know about me. I gulp my drink.

Me: Yep, still am.

The room erupts in catcalls and hollers and I want to crawl into a small space.

“Raven, you’re the fucking woman! You have the hottest ass around you every day and you’re still holding out. I love you girl,” says a buzzed Kendall.

We keep going with the game, but Ella and Abbi keep staring at me.

“Why are you looking at me funny?”

“You’ve never slept with a guy… I mean, you never had sex with Declan?” Abbi slurs.

“Nope.”

The doorbell rings and Ella jumps up immediately. “Let me get it.”

“No way, tradition says the shortest straw gets the door. I’ve never had the chance to see the expression on the delivery guys face before.” All the girls get up and surround me before I open the door.

I yank open the door and freeze. No, I think I almost faint. I feel his arms around me and my body sizzles. I can’t find my voice, but hear voices behind me. I see Ella out of the corner of my eye and she looks scared. He hands the pizzas to someone.

He pulls me towards him, but I stiffen in resp

onse. He feels it and loosens his grip, but doesn’t let go.

He growls to Ella, “You and I need to talk. Do you still need the condoms?”

She laughs in response, “No, it was a dare and you handled it awesomely.”

I know Harper and Charlie know him, but I hear Kendall say, “Is this really the pizza guy?”

I don’t move because Declan is still holding me. I catch my breath. I’m wearing barely anything and he is in ripped jeans and a faded t-shirt. He doesn’t have his lip ring in, but he’s wearing a new eyebrow ring. I can’t let go.

I hear a noise behind us and turn to see Abbi. And then I see all my other friends looking at us with questioning eyes.

“You’re not the pizza guy. Are you the one who broke her heart and cheated on her?” Kendall asks as she yanks me to her and I see her hazy eyes.

“No, I’m not the pizza guy; I was Raven’s boyfriend before I screwed up. I’m not sure if I broke her heart, but I know I didn’t cheat on her.”

“You want her back?”

“More than anything.”

Kendall lifts her chin and walks away with everyone else and we’re left alone in the foyer.

“You look spectacular tonight.”

“Well, this is for girls only. You kinda crashed the action.”

“I’m leaving, but I need to hug you.” Before I know it, he embraces me and my arms automatically wrap around his neck.

He loosens his hold and says softly in my ear, “I miss you.” Then he turns to walk away.

Hours later, we’re all completely shitfaced. My sides hurt from laughing and my head is pounding. I know tomorrow morning will be awful. I still haven’t gotten over the fact that Declan delivered the pizzas just so he could see me. When he left, my friends went straight into interrogation mode. I tried to dodge their questions, but after a relentless hour, I finally gave in and told them everything. I mean EVERYTHING…