What is it like to be high? It’s never the same twice, some people say. And others say it’s always the same feeling. Sometimes it hits you fast, sometimes it’s gradual. Some are tired afterwards, and some are more energized at that moment than they ever had been in their lives. Some are hungry or thirsty, some are dazed. And sometimes you’re everything, just overcome with feeling. Invincible.

But no matter how you feel, it’s what you do that matters. What you might slip out like you were drunk in front of your friends. Who you might see in a different light. What daring thing you might do that you would never have even thought about in your normal state of mind. Or maybe what you always wanted to do, now was your chance to do it… cause everything’s like a dream and you figure you’ll wake up anyways, no harm done.

Well, that’s kind of what I thought… or what I think I thought because I seriously have no idea what was going through my mind at that moment. Or any idea why I actually did what I did.

But all I know is that it definitely made my life a little more crazier than normal and set off a big chain of events.

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Chapter 1: High.

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“Come on, Callie!” Renee whined from the bathroom door where her best friend was hiding. “It can’t be that bad. And anyways, it’s not like you don’t have the body to pull it off. So please just get out here and let me see!”

Callie huffed and looked in the mirror one more time before opening the door and then cringed when Renee squealed and clapped her hands together. Something she always did when she knew she was going to be getting what she wanted.

“You look amazing.” she gushed, automatically straightening the shirt that was almost there.

Callie shrugged her off and crossed her arms stubbornly. “No. I look like a streetwalker.” she corrected.

Renee rolled her eyes, “And that is such a compliment, Cal, seeing as though you are wearing my clothes.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

Callie just smiled fakely and then groaned again as she looked herself in the mirror.

They were supposed to have a ‘Graduation, no more high school’ slumber party with just the two of them while Renee’s parents were out of town and they had the whole house to themselves. But as soon as Callie walked in the door, Renee had been shoving clothes and makeup at her and explaining the change of plans as she did so.

“I don’t see why we have to go to a party. Why can’t we just stay in and stick to our normal plans?” Callie asked, slouching against the wall, a hopeful note in her voice. She knew that any party where they were dressed like they were, and Renee was that excited, wasn’t going to be good.

“Because, do you know how rare it is to get invited to this party?” Renee asked as she added more glitter above her eyes.

Callie rolled her eyes and tugged at her shirt. Or was it a shirt? There was no back, save for a few small straps that went across her back that were there more for show than anything since they looked like that were going to snap at any stopped at the bottom of her stomach, showing a bit of skin, and was made like a corsette so everything look ten times bigger on top and had two very small satin straps wrapping around her neck that she also knew were there just for show. Add that to the dark midnight blue low riders that were a size too small and plastered to her skin, and she felt like she was going to try out for a dancing audition at the local strip joint instead of going to a party.

“No I don’t know how rare it is.” Callie muttered. “I don’t even know exactly where we are going.”

“That’s because I haven’t told you yet.” Renee grinned and then looked back at Callie with that glint in her eye that always made Callie feel anxious about her best friends antics.

They might have been best friends since they were in diapers, but they were practically complete opposites. The same height at about 5’7’’ was their only physical similarity. Callie had the long dark brown hair with nose length bangs that she usually tied back with her hair and never wore down, and pale green eyes. Where Renee had the bleach blonde shoulder length hair that was all curls and big brown eyes. When Renee was wild and guy crazy, Callie was relaxed and more subtle.

“So?” Callie questioned. “What party is it?”

Renee grinned and then looked back at her friend and sighed and motioned for her to come to her which Callie did, reluctantly.

“What if I told you it was a surprise?” Renee asked, biting her lip, as she put more black liner on her friends eyes.

Callie pulled away and glared. “Last time we went to a surprise party, Jason’s house got raided and we almost got caught.”

Renee laughed at the memory and shook her head and sent Callie a pointed look. “Hun, that was a high school party. This party tonight is going to be our first official non-high school party.” she informed.

“You’re kidding.” Callie sighed. “So you got some 30-year-old from work to invite you to hang out with him and his buddies. Come on, Renee, I thought you had more sense than that.” Callie teased half-heartedly, reminding her of the time it had happened.

Renee mimicked her face and rolled her eyes making Callie crack a smile. “Actually no, he’s… 20? 21?” she said as a small smirk slowly crept to her face and she finished Callie’s makeup and then tied her hair back for her.

“And you know him?” Callie asked, sliding on her only won argument, her converses instead of Renee’s heels she had picked out for her.

“Oh yeah. You do, too.” Renee’s smirk was now full blown.

Callie shifted to look at her friend as she pulled on a pair of red knee high boots that matched her red halter and white skirt.

“It would be so much easier if you would just tell me where we are going, that way, if we get murdered or sacrificed, I would have written the place down and set it on the table so when your parents come home tomorrow and we’re gone, the police can have a head start.”

Renee glared. “You my friend, need some serious help.” she shuddered. “And they don’t sacrifice people there… I don’t think.” she added with a laugh and made Callie’s uneasiness escalate.

“Renee…” she started but her friend just smiled and grabbed her purse and took Callie's arm to lead her out of the room.

“Come on, it’s going to take about 20 minutes to get there.”

“It’s out of the city?” Callie protested. “Where the…” she started but then just gave up and glared as she climbed in the passengers seat of her friends car. “You better be sure about this.”

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“I feel like we’re driving into one of those movies where the two innocent girls get invited to the party out in the boondocks and it’s really a vampire feast and at midnight they lock all the doors and eat.” Callie said as they took a side road and headed further out of the city.

Renee laughed and turned down the radio and checked the address that was given her on a small napkin. “Well, I can promise they’re not vampires, but I can’t promise he won’t bite.”

“Won’t bite?” Callie echoed, knowing her friend was throwing her a clue and then her mouth dropped as she turned to Renee’s amused face. “No.”

Renee laughed. “Oh, yes.”

“How? Why? What?” Callie sputtered. There was only one person who she could be talking about, a guy that had a tattoo of a bite mark on his neck as a joke and had graduated from their school 3 years earlier and was notorious for his exclusive ‘invite only’ parties.

“He came into the restaurant today…” Renee started.

“Figures the one day I have off.” Callie muttered and Renee laughed and continued.

“Anyways, we started talking, well, he started flirting, and naturally I flirted right back.” she laughed. “And then he’s asking me to his party tonight since we just graduated and we can celebrate there. He said ‘I was cool.’ and that I could bring my friend, you, too. And also that he would see me there.” she squealed and Callie shook her head in disbelief.

“Surreal.” she muttered and then sucked in a breath as they pulled in front of a huge house, completely deserted of any other houses. Cars parked everywhere, music blaring, people yelling.

“Wow.” Renee whispered. “We’re at a Carson Fosters party.”

Callie just nodded. All throughout high school everyone who was anyone knew about Carson Fosters, and Callie and Renee had just been lucky enough to have attended school when he did, although they were freshman when he was a senior. He was notorious for throwing the wildest amazing parties, ever. People older than him even agreed.

“I haven’t seen him in…” Callie started.

“Like 3 years.” Renee finished. “Since they all graduated.”

Callie smirked and shook her head, still sitting on the side of the road in the long line of cars as people walked passed them, heading to the house.

“He still has the hair?”

Renee laughed. “Dyed bright yellow like the sun? Yup.”

Callie took a deep breath and then glanced at Renee who was already smirking at her and she bit her lip and turned away. One thing about her best friend, she seemed to always know what she was thinking, and it got really annoying.

“He said he was.” Renee said as she grabbed her purse.

“What are you talking about?” Callie asked, opening her door, her eyes not leaving the house.

“Don’t act so innocent, Cal, I know exactly what’s going through your head right now. Ace. He’s going to be here, seeing as though he’s Carson’s best friend, it’s not a surprise.” Renee informed as they walked the ways to the house.

Callie stopped and rolled her eyes. “Will you ever stop with that?” she groaned. “There wasn’t one girl in our school that didn’t have a crush on him, okay? And anyways, that was how many years ago? 3?” she played it off cool as her nerves jumped as they got closer to the house.

Ace Gregory. The only person more well known than Carson. His best friend. Biggest badass their town had ever seen, and the guy every girl wanted. It might have been the bad boy appeal, or the outright gorgeous rugged look he always had, or his careless attitude. But for Callie, it was everything. Every girl had a crush, and hers, being a freshman, was Ace the senior. Which was a far fetch since he didn’t know who she was.

Renee laughed. “You’re right. But you still used to be in love with him.” she said in a dreamy voice that made Callie punch her in the arm and laugh.

People all around them were dressed to impress because no one got into a Carson party in sweats and sandals.

Carson Fosters. You would think from his popularity that he was a jock or some rich prep, but he was actually something totally different. He was the outcast, the punk, the troublemaker, the freak. Him and his group of friends wore black, were known for partying constantly, getting high and their daring escapades. Hated by the popular kids, and worshipped by everyone else. They practically ran the school before they graduated and paved the way for other kids like themselves.

He was notorious. And they were going to one of his parties. A rarity.

“Okay.” Renee breathed as they walked to the door and saw one of Carson’s friends, who they also remembered from school, Tiny. Which was an irony in itself seeing as though he was about 6’5’’ and close to 350.

A few people walked by and he greeted them by name, obviously already knowing them and Callie’s nerves jumped. How would he know them? He wouldn’t let them in.

When they approached him he eyed them over, his eyes narrowing as he crossed his arms.

“Um… hey, I’m Renee, and this is my friend, Callie.” Renee started but he raised a hand.

“You two work down at Vinnie’s, right?” he asked, referring to the restaurant they had worked at as waitresses since they were 16 and they nodded. “Carson told me about you. Welcome to the House Of Madness.” he said and stepped aside, already turning to the next person coming to the door.

“Thank god.” Renee muttered as they stepped inside, their ears already filled with the music coming from a room to their left. The place was crowded and they moved through the crowd as they were pushed aside by someone else.

Renee grabbed Callie’s hand as they reached a far wall and pulled her next to her. “This is awesome!” she said and Callie grunted, eyeing a person who passed them wearing tight black pants with a million zippers and a black mesh shirt. Definitely a friend of Carson's. He usually dressed the same.

“Yeah.” Callie agreed as she watched some people dancing, wondering how anyone could do that in public.

So this was a Carson party, she thought. Most people had no idea, and those who did get lucky enough to get invited were sometimes said to exaggerate. But looking around and seeing everything going on around her, she knew that they told nothing but the truth. People jumping off the second landing of the stairs, people dancing as if they were the only ones there, people going at it against the walls, smoking, drinking, some already sleeping. In the other room there was smoke, obviously from a smoke machine coming from it and a strobe light flashing, and a guy standing, guarding another door and people slipping him bills and he let them pass. She caught sight of a table inside where people were playing cards. Gambling room. Serious, honest to god, big money gambling. And she almost laughed when she noticed there were adult men in there, not just college or high school kids or friends of Carson’s.

“Let’s get something to drink.” Renee yelled in Callie’s ear but she only heard it like a whisper and Renee pulled on her hand and led her to the kitchen.

When they finally broke through the crowd, the kitchen was more spacey and they each took a deep breath and moved towards the keg at the far corner where a guy was handing out drinks.

“You go ahead and drink, I’ll drive home.” Callie told her and Renee shrugged and grabbed an offered cup.

“Hey, Porter, you want to do that shit, you go find a room!” the guy by the keg yelled and Callie and Renee looked over to where a guy had a small rectangle compact mirror on the counter and was taking a film canister from his pocket and a small razor blade.

“Whatever.” the guy said, shoving it back in his pocket and picked up the mirror, making his way out of the room.

“How much do you want to bet that wasn’t film in that canister.” Callie muttered to Renee and her friend bit her lip and shrugged.

“What do you want to do?” Renee asked and Callie shrugged and opened her mouth, but before she could say anything she was interrupted by a voice she remembered like she had just heard it yesterday.

“Hey, Renee!”

Callie and Renee turned to see a head of bright yellow approaching them and Callie heard Renee squeal under her breath although she kept her face cool.

“Hey, Carson.” she greeted as if they were best friends.

His grin was huge, his black eyes had crinkles at the ends, proving that he smiled a lot. And he was exactly how Callie remembered him. Black eyeliner, black pants and a bright long sleeve yellow shirt that matched his hair with a short sleeve black one over it. Decked out in combat boots, and a leather chocker. Yup, exactly like high school.

“You came,” he said, his eyes twinkling at Renee and then he glanced at Callie and grinned again. “And you must be her friend, Callie. What’s up?” he asked and Callie blinked once before shrugging and send a small smile his way, surprised he remembered Renee’s name, let alone the name of her friend.

“Great party.” she told him and he nodded.

“You know it.” he smirked and Callie was surprised at how easy going he seemed. She thought he would be as scary as he looked sometimes, or he wouldn’t be a talker, since he seemed like his head was in the clouds half the time anyways.

“I didn’t know if you would come. I hoped.” he said and winked at Renee and then turned back to Callie with laughing eyes. “Just so you know, your friend here is officially the only girl who can toss out lines as quick as I can. So you two are officially honorary guests. Anytime you want to come.” he said and Callie wanted to snort. Well, him and Renee were made for each other then. Who knew that one day Renee’s overly flirtatiously personality would lead them here?

“What were you guys doing?” he asked as he wrapped an arm around Renee and Callie noticed a few girls shooting glares at her friend and wanted to laugh. Oh yes, this was exactly like high school. Carson was obviously still a wanted man.

And she would admit, probably more so now. High school had done him well but apparently manhood had done better because somehow he was even more cute than he was then and still had that sexy, crazy vibe coming from him.

“We were just going to walk around.” Renee shrugged and Callie rolled her eyes as the two of them smirked at each other. How unreal was this? Her best friend was flirting with the guy she had dreamed about since freshman year.

Carson grinned. “Come with me, you guys can hang out with us.” he said and began leading them through the crowd as it seemed to part for him.

“Us?” Callie echoed and Renee laughed and locked her elbow in hers while they walked.

“Isn’t he so cute?” she asked but Callie was still pondering over what he said as he led them to a door and down into what seemed to be the basement of the house.

“Oh god.” she muttered when she saw even more of Carsons group sitting on a few couches that were all facing each other in a square and had a coffee table in the middle with drinks and ash trays on it, music coming from speakers and a few people walking around, but it wasn’t as packed as the upstairs. It was apparently a more exclusive spot.

“Where did you go?” a guy called with dark brown hair that was spiked about 3 inches from his head.

Carson walked over to the couches with a grin, “Had to go find my guests, Tiny told me they came. This is Renee and Callie.” he said and Renee waved hi and grinned as Callie froze and crossed her arms self-consciously as everyone’s gaze turned to them.

“Ah, the sweettalker.” a guy said and Carson wrapped an arm around Renee.

Callie smiled at how easy Renee was chatting back and fitting in and crossed her arms and looked around and caught a pair of silver gray eyes looking right at her and her breath caught in her chest.

Sitting on a couch, laid back with one arm thrown over the back, was Ace Gregory. She couldn’t avert her eyes when they met with his but knew her face was slowly turning red as he looked her over from head to toe.

“Come sit down.” Renee grabbed her hand and led her to the couch opposite Ace where Carson was motioning for them to sit and she broke her gaze and quickly moved to the couch and sat down, looking at her hands and everywhere else but at the person sitting across from her. Could she be anymore of an idiot?

“You guys just graduated?” a guy asked as he lit a cigarette and broke her from her self mockery.

“Yeah, last week.” Renee informed as she let Carson’s arm come around her.

“They go to Alastor High. Or went.” Carson corrected as he picked up a drink.

“So you were there when we were?” another guy asked. “What, freshman?” he asked and Renee nodded. “That school still as shitty as it was then?”

“Oh no, it’s worse.” Renee said making everyone laugh and even Callie smiled herself.

“I bet. I fucking hated that place. Only reason we stuck around was because some queer ass football player said we wouldn’t graduate and we had to prove the loser wrong.” Carson informed.

“That’s the only reason you stayed?” Callie found herself asking, remembering freshman year. “I thought you guys just stayed to make Principal Durham go into early retirement.” she said and then flushed when she realized she had said it outloud, but everyone was laughing.

“Fuck yeah, and he did, too. That year at graduation he announced it.” the guy with spiky hair laughed.

She smirked and looked up to find Ace smirking at her and then turn his head as one of his friends addressed him. And she took that moment to look him although she didn’t think she could turn away even if he was still looking at her.

Letting her eyes roam slowly she let out a breath. No wonder he was well known. Wanted. He still had that midnight black hair that fell just a bit in his eyes and still gave off that raw sex appeal and the ‘don’t mess with me’ attitude. Black baggy jeans and a black band shirt was the contrast he wore to Carsons outfit and he wore old and torn black boots and a watch on his wrist. And she realized in an instant exactly why she had liked him her whole freshman year and even after he graduated and left school.

“No, I remember one time we went to school after hours and painted all the doors pink. We were all wasted and blown out of our minds and it took forever and we all had the shit on our clothes, but Durham never could pin it on us.” a guy with long black hair said with a smirk. “They tried to repaint them the next day but when the white paint started dripping off they realized we used sealer and they had to scrape all the pink paint off first.”

Callie laughed, remembering the pink doors.

“We had one hell of a time.” Carson added as he reached forward to grab a cup off the coffee table.

A couple of the guys continued to talk and a few others were drinking and she was amazed at how natural and comfortable it felt being there.

“Okay, if I don’t get high soon, I’m going to fucking flip. Where the hell is Marsters?” the spiky hair guy asked, twisting his hands, his eyes darting around.

“Right-fucking-here, asshole. You can get it next time. I couldn’t find a fucking place to park.” a guy with bright-fire engine-red hair said as he walked in and threw a bag at the guy he was talking to before flopping down onto the couch. “Who’s this?” he asked as he smirked at Callie and she blushed as his eyes connected with hers before looking her over.

“She’s with me.” Carson told him, sending him a glance.

“Ah, the girl from Vinnie’s. I knew you looked familiar.” he said as he glanced at Renee and then back to Callie. “What’s your name?”

“Callie.”

He nodded. “You legal?” he asked with a smirk.

Callie narrowed her eyes slightly but Carson cut her off as he moved an arm out from around Renee and grabbed a joint that was handed to him. “Piss off Marsters. They’re 18. Not young enough for you.” he said and everyone laughed.

Marsters just glared at Carson and remained smirking at Callie. “You want some?” he asked, offering her the bowl in his hand and she stared at it for a second before shaking her head.

“No, thanks.” she took a deep breath. She had gotten high once, and that was with a joint Renee had found in her older brothers room when they were 16, and it wasn’t something she ever really bothered to do again. She didn’t see the point, although she was tempted to take the offered one to calm her nerves, right then.

“Oh come on, cutie. Are you scared?” he taunted but before Callie could retort a deep voice cut her off.

“Fuck off Gary. Leave her alone.” Ace interrupted, looking directly at the guy but Callie got a shiver up her spine just from the look. It was more menacing or lethal than any glare he could have made.

The guy raised his hands in defense. “Just asking man.” he said, playing it off and starting a conversation with the guy next to him.

“You okay with this shit?” Ace asked and Callie blinked when she realized he was talking to her and her eyes locked with his deep silver ones.

“Yeah.” she said, noticing he was motioning to the people around him getting high. “I’m fine.” she blushed, feeling like a freshman with a crush again. And then the embarrassment of him obviously thinking she was too immature to care about what they were doing.

She looked over to see Renee accept a bright green and purple colored bowl from Carson, taking a drag and she shifted in her seat as she felt Ace’s eyes on her still.

“Here, Cal.” Renee said, handing it to her.

Callie resisted rolling her eyes. “Someone has to drive home.” she told her although with Ace’s eyes on her and the taunt that was now getting to her, she wanted to take the offered relaxer.

“I can get someone to drive you home if you want.” Carson offered, inhaling deep and laying back on the couch.

Callie went to protest but Renee was already pushing the bowl in her hand and agreeing for her.

This was all too much. They were supposed to be at Renee’s house, wearing tiaras and watching old tapes of them growing up and pigging out on pizza and Chinese, but instead she was here, about to get high at a Carson Fosters party, sitting across from Ace Gregory.

It was like a warped dream.

Shaking her head at herself she brought it to her lips without thinking and tipped the lighter upside down and lit it, inhaling and closing her eyes as she did so. What the hell. They just graduated. Might as well celebrate.

She held it in as long as she could before blowing it out and gasping for air, coughing a little and receiving a few laughs but otherwise no one really said anything. It was common knowledge that no matter how often or how many times you smoked the stuff, every now and then even the biggest stoner hacked up a lung.

She felt the small relief slowly slide through her but it was too soon for anything real so she took another long drag and then exhaled slowly and reopened her eyes to find Ace watching her curiously with a small smirk.

Five minutes passed, everyone silently inhaling and passing around joints and bowls. A few guys to her left were smoking a bowl that smelled faintly of blueberries… or so she thought. Someone would say something every once in a while but she was just easing into the slow gradual change she was beginning to feel.

Looking up she caught Ace’s eye, still watching her with an amused, curious, and surprised look and she raised an eyebrow curiously at him.

“You’ve done this before.” he stated and she nodded, feeling more and more relaxed and her body was starting to feel a bit heavier.

“Once.” she informed raising one finger and he raised an eyebrow before shaking his head with a small smile.

“Yeah, she’s not very tolerant to it though, we were lucky we were the only ones at home.” Renee laughed, a look in her eye that proved she was already way passed gone. “She’s crazy when she’s high.” she added laughing and a couple guys hooted.

Callie rolled her eyes and took another drag as it was passed back to her, the bowl having been refilled by someone. “Maybe. But you’re even more so when you’re drunk.” she replied. “One time we were at this party at one of the guys on the basketball team, or football, or something to do with a ball…” she said and there were some laughs around her which she joined in with and she saw Ace smile at her and got a fluttery feeling in her stomach. “Anyways, Renee got drunk, and she started talking to things, and professing her love to this kid who didn’t even go to our school. And then… she said she wanted to dedicate a dance to him and got up on the table,” she motioned with her hands. “And then started to dance… to the Macarena, with a serious striptease twist.” she laughed and the others joined her, a couple guys rolling over with a drug induced laughter.

“Damn!” a guy laughed. “Somebody go get the chick a drink.” he called and more people laughed.

“Thanks a lot, Callie.” Renee muttered, her face pink but she was laughing too.

“Holy hell, you want to do something like that for me?” Carson asked, laughing and taking a drag. "I always liked that Macarena dance."

“We’ll see.” Renee said and more people hooted and Callie laughed. Everything was slowly starting to come more normal and clearer, at the same time becoming more blurry and she felt more relaxed than she ever had been in her life.

“So, where do you guys go to college?” Callie asked, making conversation as she took one more drag. Just one more.

“College?” the spiky haired guy laughed. “Funny.”

Ace smirked. “We don’t. Never did. We own a Auto shop downtown.” he informed in his deep bone chilling voice that sent shivers down her spine. Or maybe the basement was just cold.

“Yeah, we specialize in classic cars. Mustangs, Monte Carlos, ‘Vettes.” the guy with long black hair added. “Don’t need some fucked up school classes for that, yeah?”

“I have my ‘Vette right outside, want to go for a ride?” the red headed guy asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Maybe later.” Callie told him, rolling her eyes with a smile. He was definitely amusing. Just looking at him made her want to laugh for some reason.

Ace smirked, his eyes more clearer than hers, obviously it wasn’t having the same effect on him as it was her. He was obviously used to it.

“You going to college?” he asked.

Callie nodded and took a big gulp of Renee’s drink she had brought down with her, feeling like she hadn’t drank in days and hoping it would get rid of the sudden hunger that had her stomach aching. “State. August.” she said, smiling at him and his grin widened and his eyes glittered but she didn’t look away.

“We’re happy high school’s over. None of the guys are worth it there, the teachers are boring, the classes are boring, and nothing exciting has ever even happened since… well, you guys left.” Renee said and some of the guys chuckled.

“Oh yeah, when you guys were there, it was fun to go to school.” Callie added, nodding enthusiastically.

“Yup. We freshman admired you.” Renee said smiling at Carson.

“Everyone admired us.” Carson laughed and moved closer to Renee as she snuggled under his arm.

“Especially Callie.” Renee continued and Callie turned her gaze to her as she heard her name. “She really admired Ace.”

Callie’s jaw dropped and she hit her friend in the arm and knew she should feel embarrassed but really didn’t for some reason.

“Is that so?” Carson laughed, looking at Ace and Callie, amused.

Callie rolled her eyes and inhaled the smoke that had the room cloudy, feeling weightless. “Every girl had a crush on him.” she said and then turned back to Ace to find him smirking at her, his eyes dancing and she just smiled. “I don’t anymore.” she told him.

“Really?” he asked, letting out a laugh he was trying to hold in. “Why not? Did I get ugly or something?”

Some more people laughed and Callie grinned and shook her head. “Oh no. you didn’t.” she answered and more people laughed and she joined them, not believing exactly what she was saying.

“Oh, don’t believe her, she still does.” Renee said.

“Renee.” Callie scolded and elbowed her. “Really, I don’t.” she insisted, turning back to Ace who was still watching her.

“That’s too bad.” he said shrugging and she noticed his eyes looked her over again.

Callie found herself nodding and sighing sadly. “Yeah, that’s too bad.” She said and then stood up and walked over and sat down on the couch next to him and looked up at him with a genuinly worried face. “You’re not sad are you?”

He laughed. “A little.”

She frowned and looked around, Renee and Carson were talking and a couple of the guys were passed out and then turned back to Ace.

“Sorry for that then,” she apologized nodding, feeling like it was the right thing to do. “Here,” she said and before she knew it, she had her hand on his chin and was pulling his face towards hers and pressing her lips to his quickly. Sighing she pulled back and looked up at his eyes, even more dazed than she was before. “Better?” she asked in just a whisper.

His eyes had gone nearly black as he looked at her. “Almost.” he said and then bent down and caught her lips in his again and she moved her hand around his neck and locked her arm there as he pulled her onto his lap suddenly.

Sighing into his mouth she ran both her hands in his hair, feeling like she was treading somewhere in between worlds. She heard the lyrics from Buckcherry in the distance somewhere but focused mainly on drowning into the soft hot lips that seemed to be devouring hers.

“Better now?” she asked in a whisper against his lips without opening her eyes, her head was spinning.

“Yeah.” he said, just as breathlessly, his lips still touching hers and his hot breath dancing across them, his hands planted firmly on her hips, holding her in place. She could feel his heart beating erratically in his chest that was heaving, just like hers, as he caught his breath.

“Are you sure? Cause if you’re not…” she started but then brought her lips to his again and lost herself. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was screaming at herself that she was doing something wrong but she ignored it. It felt too right. She reached out and tugged on his lips, as he did the same to hers and then opened her mouth as he slid his tongue in to touch hers and immediately, chills raced up her spine. As the kiss deepened, everything else disappeared, the blaring music was a quiet distant sound, the rest of the world was black and everything she felt was coming from the pit of her stomach and the chills she got up her back as he ran his thumbs on her exposed skin at her waist. Feeling his reaction against her thigh as her hips involuntarily grinded in his lap made her gasp and fall further into the kiss.

It did seem like a dream.

When she pulled back again, she just laid her forehead on his shoulder as he ran his hands up her back and then back down and chuckled breathlessly in her ear. “You always kiss this good or is it a side effect too?” he whispered against her neck and then laid hot openmouthed kisses on her shoulder and trailed them up to her ear.

Callie found herself laughing too. “Oh, I always do.” she replied with drug-induced confidence and he laughed again. A masculine sound of satisfaction that made her insides go crazy.

“You don’t know what you’re doing.” he whispered in a sing song voice in her ear and then took it in his mouth and made her moan.

“Yes, I do.” she insisted and leaned into him.

“No, you don’t.” he said again and she heard the curse in his voice. “But next time we do this, you will.”

“Next time?” she asked, only half listening to what he was saying.

“Yeah. But right now. You should go home before I forget that you aren’t exactly aware of what your doing.” he whispered and brought his mouth to hers again and his words were wiped away as her mind went blank again.

He pulled back and cursed once again and then stood up, lifting her with him with ease and setting her feet on the ground as she braced his shoulders, realizing at that moment that he was definitely over six feet.

“Carson, who’s on drive home tonight?” he asked, his voice rough and even lower than usual.

Carson broke away from Renee and looked up at Ace for a minute before blinking and shaking his head to clear it as Renee nuzzled his neck. “Um… Matthews?”

Ace nodded and motioned for him to follow him and grabbed Callie’s hand as she ran her other hand through her hair, slowly coming back to reality as he pulled her up the stairs.

People called out to him and girls glared but all Callie could think about was his hand, big and strong, holding tightly onto hers and keeping her steady as her feet kept losing balance as she walked.

A few minutes later they were outside and walking up to a red corvette with a guy standing by it.

“Where do you live?” Carson asked Renee and she sighed against him and muttered their street and he nodded and helped her into the backseat as the guy went to the drivers side.

Carson grabbed her purse and took out her keys and pressed the button until her lights flashed a ways down the road and then he tossed them to another guy but Callie barely noticed, everything was still a dull haze.

Ace walked her around the car but before he opened the other door for her to climb into the back, he pushed her against it and bent his head to hers in a fast deep kiss and then pulled away and opened the door and helped her in as she tried to catch her breath.

“I’ll see you around.” he said before closing the door and walking over to the driver and telling him something.

Renee looked over at Callie as the car started up and started to pull away from the house. They both looked back to see Carson and Ace watching them drive away and then Renee’s car pulling out and following them.

Turning back around, slouching in the back seat and listing to the Adema song playing in the speakers as they headed home they both looked at each other with smiles.

And at the same time, still dazed and their minds still clouded, starting laughing.

What a night.

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