Althea Rogers

"I swear we weren't doing anything that you're thinking." Lia burst into my room while saying so and I laughed.

"I don't mind at all even if you guys were....doing the "it". But next time lock the door for precaution."

She smiled and nodded awkwardly while taking a seat on my bed. I was moving my study desk to clean the litters behind it when suddenly the piled up papers on my desk spill it's way to the floor.

"Ah, man!" I groaned before kneeling to grab them together.

"Let me help you." Lia gave me a hand to collect them and once she got to hold a paper she was reading, she stopped working.

"Thea, you applied for Queens?" She read it out, eyeing me in shock.

I gasped as I wasn't ready to share this to anyone.

"Urmm....it's....nothing." I attempted to snatch the paper and I stood up to get it away once I had it.

"I thought you are going to UCL?" Amelia questioned with her gaze following every moves of mine.

"Althea?" She called me after not getting the response she needed.

"I....I don't know, okay? Yes, I got into UCL but I'm not sure whether I'm ready." I tried to tell her.

"Ready for what?" Lia asked with her arms now coming across her chest.

"To leave....home."

"To leave home or to leave Damien?" Her question shocked me for once because it was indeed true.

I felt vulnerable, I never knew how it feel to have someone read my thoughts after my mother passed away. It was then, I see Amelia in such a place like a big sister who truly sees me inside and out.

She came in for a hug and begin saying, "Thea, I can see what you have been going through. I have been away for years since your brother and I started dating. You think I never felt this kind of insecurities when I need to leave him everytime? He's my boyfriend and he loves me a lot but still, as a woman....sometimes we tend to overthink stuffs, which makes us insecure. But we shouldn't let them to get in our way from achieving our dreams. Just like what you're doing right now, I know that you have been yearning for an enrollment in UCL and you got it. So why push this away because of some guy?"

Though it wasn't convincing at all and Damien isn't some guy to me.

"Damien is not some guy, Lia." I whined while pushing myself out of her embrace, not liking the way she's addressing him.

She sighed and rested one of her hand on my shoulder.

"Althea....I think you should really tell him as soon as possible. You guys still can do long distance like Atlas and I did, right?" She pushed the few strands of hair that escaped my hair tie behind my ear and I swooned onto her sweet affirmation. I nodded my head slowly after acknowledging the fact behind her words.

"Just four years and you will be back in his arms. Maybe later you can have all your ways with him so you can f-" She exaggerated in a dramatic tone, which eventually made me smile and I managed to shush her before she could say anything erotic that would be painted in my head.

Actually Queens was my back up plan but after getting associated with my feelings for Damien, the thought of leaving him irked me. But maybe just maybe, what if my love life turn out to be just like Atlas and Amelia's? I can hope on that, right.

*****

It's the weekend and I just hit the shower when Amelia stunned me with her bursting through the door.

"Geez, Amelia! You almost gave me an heart attack. Won't you ever knock?"

"Next time lock your door for precaution." She wiggled her eyebrows at me while imitating what I told her last time and I threw my pillow at her.

"So what made you to rush in like that?"

"It's because, I have a bad news. A very, very bad news." She seemed pretty serious with her message and I knew that this is something to do with my brother.

"What did he do?" I was straight with my question because this must be about him.

"Althea!" She warned, looking at me tentatively. Her hands now coming up to my arms. "The boys, they are going to be AA club."

I think my still-not-getting-it face infuriates her when she started fiercely shaking my body as if she's trying to knock some sense into me.

"I have no idea whether I'm the one who have been away for so long or it is you. Ugh, Thea....it's the AA club. You remember, the illegal stripe club down the Ville Street?"

"Oh my God, that one?"

She released a loud relieving breath when I finally got my head into it. The club she's talking about is the one key for heaven people said, or at least that's what I heard in high school. They are quite the eye of the town for their illegitimate service such as having stripers, soliciting, casual hookups and even some rumours about drugs supplies. But this was rumoured since years ago and I heard recently that the place had been reinforced to legally approved environment.

"They were hiding it and you know how I found it? Your brother, that idiot, had some nerves to lie on my face." Lia groaned in annoyance.

"Wait, what do you mean by they?"

By any chance, can Damien be one of them? Of course, it should be. She told me minutes ago that it was the boys, not Atlas alone.

"They, as in Damien and your good-for-nothing brother!" She fumed with her arms tightly clasping one another.

"Amelia, but the place is renowned. You can put a little bit trust on your man, right? It's a just a birthday party anyway." I made my point because I had no idea what to do to stop this. They are adults so they should know how to take care of their situations especially since if they are in a relationship.

But what about Damien? He's still single and he's a walking chick magnetic machine!

He's not committed and he has all the rights to be wild on his sexual life. Not that it bothers me. I mean....I can say that it does a little or more that I think it does. But the point is, there's plenty of chances for him to get laid today and I can't let that happen!

"W-What....What should we do now?" I was too anxious already when I pictured him among these bunch of bimbos showing their boobs and legs. God, I had to save my man from this piranhas.

"We should tag along."

"What?!" I asked her, nearly surprised.

"What is the problem here? We tag along so we can keep an eye on them." She said as if it's a piece of cake.

I let out a nervous laughter. "It sounds good but....would they let me in?"

"Lady, you just turned eighteen like three weeks ago. So yeah, your legal now." She snorted, walking pass to my closet.

"Lia, but I don't think it's a good idea. The boys would be so mad, they would really freak out if they caught us." I told her but she seemed to be so focused on tossing out some clothes for me.

"Oh, come on. Remember when you used to ask us about going to a club just for once to know what is exactly inside there, well we should really use this opportunity."

"Yes, I did. But not to this one." I whined.

"Thea, relax. I'm going to be there with you and you sure you don't want Damien to hook up with someone tonight, do you?"

"Yes, of course." I replied quickly and she laughed.

"So get ready in that dress and I will be waiting for you downstairs." She said and disappeared behind my door.

I looked at the dress and it got my eyes widen. I had never wear this before as it meant to be sleeping in my closet. It will be a little too revealing for my two buxom because mine is naturally big and this dress would only outrageously embossed it out.

*****

All dressed up and I still got a little hesitant to show up like this. The dress fit me like a second skin and all my roundness which I had tried hiding before were standing out right now.

"Yeah, coming." I was responded to Amelia's calling on my name. While going down the stairs,  I saw her by the end of the stairs and she looked exactly like she got caught red handed. It was too late for me to hide when I saw my brother with his eyes almost popping out as soon as it landed on me.

Sounds of door opening echoed from our main door and Damien walked in. "What's up, man? You called me and asked me to come in hurry. Is everything all-"

He quit speaking when he looked at us. Especially on me. I notice him gulping when he took a full vision from my top to bottom and I got a little bit anxious. So many "what ifs" railing in my brain.

"What the fuck is this, Althea?!" Atlas screamed, his hands pointing to my dress.

"Stop crying like a girl. What's wrong with her? She's beautiful and perfect in every way." Lia whined while crossing her arms, getting on front me.

"She's still a teen! How come she's allowed to wear something like that?!" He was furious to be sure and it scared me.

Lia though on the other seemed annoyed and she rolled her eyes. "She's 18, which means she's allowed to wear whatever she wants."

"She might be 18 but she's not allowed to wear that....thing to a club. There will be perverts everywhere and I can't even enjoy my friend's birthday party while having to keep an eye on my sister." He yelled in outrage.

"Nonsense! I'm also going with her so what's wrong with that? You can enjoy the party all you want and we don't need you to worry about us. Understood?!" She growled, equally towering to his eye level with her serious death glare.

"And, who's going to keep an eye on you? With this....miserable dress." His voice lowered but he remained cold, eyeing her up and down.

The uncomfortable silence swaying into the room with no care and I had it.

"Guys, it's enough. I'm not coming, okay? I'm going to get out of this dress if that's what makes you happy." I ranted in anger, offended that they are arguing because of me and this stupid dress I'm wearing.

Not wasting another second in their presences, I begin walking upstairs again when I heard a firm someone who had me halt on spot.

*****

Damien was driving the car and my brother is the grumpy passenger princess. While me and Amelia were seated on the back with her sulking on the side as well.

"Remember your promise, man. If I see you slacking off with anyone, I swear to God I'm going to come for you right there and then." My brother warned as soon as we reached the destination.

"Cool. You have my words." Damien said smoothly while fist bumping my brother.

Yes, it was Damien who made this happened by playing the knight.

He volunteered to keep an eye on us and he even passed a compliment on the dress I'm wearing that it shouldn't be in issue to someone over my age and that's it's my choice to wear whatever I want.

Atlas had no choice but to gave up at the end and sorted on being petty about the dress.

I had to take a two before hopping out of the car because it would be my first time getting in a club. With a dress like this and most importantly, I'm wearing heels for the first time. Which is quite a task for me but I managed to get myself together with the minimal training I had around my room.

Amelia was not herself, she even ignored any of us and started marching inside the building. Atlas acted reluctant to go after her but at the end, failed his ego when he ran behind her. There they go, disappearing inside that building while not giving a heck about my first time-r self.

Here goes nothing.

I had to breath in and out because every clicks of my heels from here onwards should be precious to fixate my walking posture. I prayed a lot and a lot to never trip again like I did back then on my sophomore year's fundraising event.

With much confident, I continued walking step by step but just like a sudden breeze of jinx, I tripped. All of sudden with my heavy weight pulling me to the ground. I was ready for the embarrassment as the clumsy me always does. Especially in front of Damien.

I closed my eyes, ready to endure the impact but embraced by a warm strong arms instead that calmed my inner sense.

"Clumsy as ever. You know heels isn't your thing, princess."

Damien.

I felt as if my lungs were dysfunctional, which is not from the sudden fall that I almost had but for his hot breathing near my skin. I had a tie knot on my stomach and I can't fathom the idea of feeling him skin to skin.

He held my arms and kneeled down casually to check on my ankle. "Did you twist your ankles?" No answers were given as my mind was still clouded by desires and he never insisted any as well before applying his sloppy tricks on massaging my feet which only tickled me.

"I'm doing something my best here and you're laughing?" He scoffed playfully, going back to his so called massaging skills.

"Damien, I'm fine." I giggled, patting my hands on his shoulders to get him up.

"You sure?" He raised a serious eyebrow on me and I nodded with a smile.

"All right." He stood up in front me with his eyes scanning my face for confirmation. When he get that I'm speaking the truth, he relaxed. "Looks like there's no sprained ankles. Anyway, here take my arm." He held out his arm for me to grab onto and I took it without a second thought. Feeling all giddy out of nowhere.

We walked in, hand in hand and I almost passed out after I realized the long queue up. I couldn't imagine standing all over from the end with this damn heels. Now I regret not carrying the clutches that I always used to wear.

While registering the reason why I had to tense a stop, Damien started laughing. I untangle our arms together to pull myself away for for fun but once again, the history repeated with my feet fedding up from these heels. My knight in a black shirt came to my rescue once again but this time he had to pull me directly onto his chest. I could hear the beating of his heart racing with mine.

Don't you dare look up onto his eyes.

I was chanting. Because I knew once if I did, I will be having our lips together. Which I shouldn't, yet.

I'm on the verge of losing it, but miserably I couldn't listen to that little noise in my head anymore.

So I had to do it and....I did it.