A/N: To those who may bitch – again, this story is based off actual events/personal experience/real life. If it moves fast, well, a lot of things in life do. Most things you're not prepared for, or don't expect. Although the thrown-in yaoi angle is fictional. I wish it wasn't, but the personalities are still dead-on, I think. Does that make sense? -TPP

Reckless

"The sweetest submission, drinking it in

The wine, the women, the bedroom hymns."

-Florence + The Machine 'Bedroom Hymns'

Chapter 3.

10th Grade / 16 years old.

"Oi, fuck head, we're gonna be late," Grimmjow said, running a hand through his tangled mess called hair.

"Tell your boyfriend to hurry the fuck up, then," I spit back, flipping my blue-haired best friend off as he scowled at me. I'd just dropped my black rosary around my neck, the finishing touch to my outfit. I was rarely seen without it, fuck if I gave a shit about religion, but I felt weird without it. Dunno.

"Fuck both of you!" Ichigo called from the adjoining bathroom. The hairdryer was on full blast.

Jesus Christ, if Ichigo didn't come out of the closet soon, I was gonna drag him out.

We weren't going anywhere special. Lake Lobos was kind of the local teen hot spot for getting trashed without the threat of getting busted by cops. We'd only been raided twice, and the one time Grimm had nearly gotten himself arrested, but that had been months ago. It was off the highway and most of the land was protected for tortoises and other wildlife shit, so the small brown lake was a good place to party. There'd be plenty of liquor, fires, music, and horny teenagers.

What else was there to do on a Friday night when you didn't have a car?

Grimmjow was kicked back on my bed, his white Sick Puppies t-shirt we'd gotten at a concert ridden up just enough to see two black studs in his belly button. He was smirking at me as he wiggled a cigarette carton out of his pocket, pulling one out with his teeth, "What's up, T?"

I crawled onto the bed and pulled the unlit cigarette out of his mouth, tucking it behind his ear, "You know you can't smoke in my house. My mum will flip."

"I know," he said, leaning up and pecking me on the cheek, "So what's up? You're looking extra good tonight. Thunder Tits gonna be there tonight or what?"

I leaned back on my bed next to Grimmjow as we stared up at my popcorn ceiling, waiting for Ichigo and his stupid hairdryer.

Grimmjow had assigned the nickname to Halibel after watching her run at that track meet last year. I couldn't really blame him, and it had become our code of sorts.

"I dunno," I said honestly. Grimmjow was always straight to the point, but there were moments where he got pretty serious. Half a year had passed since I started noticing Halibel a lot more. At first Grimmjow and Ichigo had teased the ever-loving shit out of me about it, but now that we had just started tenth grade, gotten a year older, discovered sex and other shit, they weren't sure how I was going to approach the situation.

Because my infatuation hadn't died. I wasn't stalking her, but I sure as hell wasn't ignoring her either.

Sometimes we'd run into her at parties, most of them at Lake Lobos. The seniors would usually bring coolers and tailgate and charge under classmen for cheap liquor and people would smoke and drink or dance or just fuck around, figuratively and literally.

And Hal would smile at me, hold up her beer or something like that and I'd get all heated and nod back and then Ichigo or Grimm would look at me like I'd just found out my dog was going to die.

'Cuz the truth is, no matter how tough I act or look or how many people tell me I have a bitch face, I'm shy as hell.

"She's gorgeous, Grimm," I said, running a hand through my growing spikes. I couldn't wait to graduate so that I could dye it and shave it into a proper mohawk. Goddamn private academies, "like I can barely look at her without swallowing my tongue."

"She's delicious," Grimmjow nodded sagely, hooking an arm around my shoulders as the hair dryer finally turned off, "but shit, T, you really gonna pass that up? I mean, how many times we seen her? S'not like anybody's hitting that; would'a heard something by now, you know? Renji says she's a stone cold bitch, but she's always smiling for you, baby cakes."

"Knowing that shit, you probably could'a been in her pants last semester," Grimmjow finished, cackling with laughter as I launched myself at him and we wrestled against my green sheets.

"Oi! No! Stop! AHAHAHAHAHA!" he screeched. The bastard was so ticklish it was pathetic.

"Fuckin' idiots," Ichigo scoffed, emerging in all his glory: cargo pants, white button-up shirt, and brown Dockers. We kept telling ourselves it was a phase Ichigo was going through, but we were beginning to wonder if Ichigo would start listening to mainstream pop crap next like the rest of the idiots in our class if he was starting to dress like the prep robots of the private academy. We could smell the expensive polo cologne on him from here. Of course Grimmjow had to tell him he looked like he was about to get on a sail boat: we always teased him for being a prep, but he didn't dress like a twat one hundred percent of the time.

"Whatever, fuck face. We can't all look like we're homeless," Ichigo said, baiting Grimmjow as he picked up a dime bag of weed from my dresser and put it in one of his pockets to be consumed amongst our crew later.

"I'll take homeless over American Eagle Whore any day of the week," Grimmjow threw back, hopping up from the bed to throw a striped black and grey hoodie over his classic jeans-and-tee ensemble, his high top baby blue Chucks already on his feet.

"I second that," I said, sticking up my middle finger at Ichigo as he stuck his tongue out at me. If I wasn't wearing jeans and a band t-shirt or a hoodie I was in the shower. No exceptions.

"So, we ready to go, ass holes?" Grimmjow leered, texting Renji to pick us up. He'd gotten close to the loud-mouthed redhead because of the football team. He was pretty fucking awesome, and it wasn't just because he and I had identical taste in music or shared a mutual love of tattoos. He was a genuinely sweet guy and a senior, so it didn't hurt to have him as a friend since we were still sophomores and didn't get complete respect yet.

If I was being honest with myself, I was extremely attracted to him, but I was pretty sure Renji was into somebody right now, and I always felt weird thinking about him in an intimate manner.

There was no doubt in my mind I'd have sex with him. Just…it would happen. It would. I know myself well enough to know that I'd let it happen if the opportunity ever came up.

But…

Blue-green eyes and tan skin and light hair. A husky laugh. Legs for days.

No, I'm not crushing on Hal, not at all.

Renji blasted a mix cd covering everything from Black Sabbath to 3 Days Grace as we headed out to Lake Lobos. Grimmjow popped open a water bottle he'd filled with vodka and took a long sip before passing it to Ichigo who passed it to me. Renji didn't drink, which I thought was ludicrous for a male his age, but we respected his choices. He'd smoke with us, though, so it was always fun having him around. Plus that meant we had a designated driver who could pull us out of shit if we needed him to.

I'm pretty sure he knows he's our big brother figure. Ichigo had always wanted one and hung out with the red head more than Grimmjow did and he wasn't even on the football team. They'd actually dated and fucked the same girl, Rukia Kuchiki. I still kicked Ichigo in the balls over that relationship. What a little cunt. No love lost there. I'd never liked her.

"So you fucking that Spanish skank now?" Grimmjow asked as he finished rolling a joint. It pissed me off that he could roll a joint in a moving car so quickly. The dude had talent, "What's it like south of the border?"

Renji laughed and stared at Grimm through the rearview mirror of the Honda, "Nah, man. She's into me but I've heard some crazy shit about her. I don't want drama in my life right now."

"But crazy in bed is the best," Grimmjow said, blowing smoke out his cracked window before passing it to Ichigo.

"You'd know, man whore," Ichigo said, blowing smoke into Grimmjow's face.

It'd been about a year since Grimmjow had lost his virginity and already he'd managed to sleep with half a dozen girls. Maybe it doesn't sound like a lot, but for our tiny academy it was a big deal and gossip was Godzilla. He'd even gotten two boys who claimed to be straighter than arrows to suck him off, which I knew pissed Ichigo off but he never talked about it.

Ichigo had only ever slept with Rukia, but they'd dated a good solid amount of time and Ichigo was the loyal type, so I think it hurt his pride a little bit that Grimmjow was racking up experience when all Ichigo had been offered was tit-less vanilla sex.

Or it was because Ichigo wanted to fuck Grimmjow's brains out but Grimmjow was too fucking dense to see it.

I smirked: Ichigo was so hot for Grimmjow it was retarded.

I'd given Grimmjow hand jobs a couple times over the past year. We'd make out when we got really high, but Ichigo didn't know that. We were still best friends. I guess it's weird, but we definitely weren't together and it didn't hurt our relationship at all. Ichigo is my best friend, too, but Grimmjow decided that Ichigo didn't need to know that we were so open-ended about sexuality.

We love Ichigo, but he doesn't understand stuff like that. He's not a prude by any means, but he's just so loyal he can't wrap his mind around why something like that wouldn't make us boyfriend and girlfriend: that acts like that call for a label, an established relationship.

It doesn't, and when I say I can have belching competitions with Grimmjow and then give him a hand job later when he's too drunk to fuck somebody and he's whining at me that he'd do it for me, I'm serious, it's just the way it is. He even managed to talk me into a tit fuck once since he found out the damn things grew and I went to a 48D in less than two months.

So whatever. Guys were always trying to touch them anyway.

And then we smoke a cigarette, listen to Eminem, talk about celebrities we would fuck, and nod off to sleep. Me and Ichigo practically lived at Grimmjow's house 'cuz he had a basement room with a pool table and Nintendo and we'd been having sleepovers since middle school. I was never home on weekends. I don't think I've slept in my house on a weekend in years: it's always Grimmjow's big bed or a couch or something when we get stranded at a house party.

Renji finally pulled over off the gravel path, parking in some semi-long grass. There were so many tracks through this field from teenagers that it was more dirt than grass anyway.

We all piled out, scoping the scene. Two fires had been lit closer to the mud hole called a lake and some seniors were roasting marshmallows. Everybody had cups in their hands, some top 40 bullshit bumping from one of the senior's big trucks.

As long as it wasn't country I wasn't going to complain. It had happened one time and we'd bailed so fast we'd nearly gotten whiplash. We came out here to chill, not have a hoe down.

Grimmjow passed me his lighter. I lit a cigarette as more cars pulled up and more teenagers emerged, most of them girls with boosted cleavage and short skirts or jean shorts so short they were riding up their ass cracks.

A grey Honda pulled up. It made me finish my cigarette in record timing.

That was Starrk's car. Starrk was probably the most popular person in the entire high school: a senior who made straight A's but slept through most of his classes, so he had the perfect balance of genius for teachers but the 'cool' factor for the students. He was kind of an enigma: gorgeous but humble. He got along with everybody and everybody wanted to be his friend. He's the person that gets asked to every party; he's the guy that everybody wants to be seen with because it'll make people talk.

And everybody knew that Starrk and Halibel had become pretty much inseparable. Halibel always got rides from Starrk, which made Halibel a heated target for rumors and fan-girl hate.

But Halibel was popular in her own right, so it was like having teen royalty when they showed up at a party.

Starrk was dressed in his usual get-up that got everybody's panties wet because he always looked like a supermodel with no effort: tonight he was wearing cut-off jeans and a plain green form-fitting t-shirt with his shark tooth necklace. His hair was getting long, just brushing past his shoulders, which should have gotten him in trouble at school because of the strict 'proper grooming' rules, but somehow Starrk always got out of shit like that.

Maybe it was because he was filthy rich and his dad had paid for new computers for the school. That was probably it.

"My man," Renji said, bumping fists with his best friend since elementary school, "Wondering if you were gonna show up tonight."

Starrk yawned, "Wanna drink. Then nap."

Everybody laughed, including Halibel.

I knew I was staring but I couldn't help it. She was wearing a white sundress that went just past her knees, her hair in a braid. She had slipper moccasins on her feet and a couple beaded bracelets on her left wrist.

"You got a lady boner," Grimmjow murmured in my ear, offering me a blunt of purple.

"Fuck off," I mumbled, puffing on the joint. A couple more of these and I wouldn't be staring so hard at her.

Starrk's eyes landed on me, "Got anymore of that to share? I'll spot you next time."

"Yeah, got two dimes," I murmured, pulling the joint Grimm had rolled for me from behind my ear.

"Thanks," he grabbed it and pulled a lighter from his pocket, taking a few drags before holding it towards Halibel.

I lifted a brow. I'd never seen Halibel smoke, but she was from California. Didn't everybody smoke over there?

She took a long hit and blew the smoke out, her eyes landing on me.

Was my mouth hanging wide open? I dunno. I didn't taste any bugs.

"Hi," she said, lifting her hand in a half salute, "Thanks. I needed that. Starrk made me listen to Backstreet Boys the whole way here."

Starrk didn't even try to defend himself when Renji and Ichigo burst into laughter, Grimmjow leering at Starrk. He was probably going to be the brunt of most of the jokes for the rest of the night, but Starrk could listen to anything, probably DO anything, and everybody would be tripping over themselves to be listening and doing the same things come Monday.

"Apparently his tastes haven't evolved past middle school," Halibel added, making more people hoot with laughter.

I nearly choked on the beer I had stolen from Ichigo. Halibel's eyes were on me again. Feeling self-conscious, I leaned back against somebody's SUV and stared at the grass by Grimmjow's feet.

I felt like an idiot, and I felt way too tense for somebody that had been smoking for over half an hour.

I finished my beer as people continued to talk and mingle. It didn't take more than an hour for everybody to get slayed: Renji, Chad, and this Hanatorou kid and his girlfriend were the only non-drinkers, so I think they were having an even better time watching everybody get trashed and start to make a fool of themselves. Some people even started dancing as more techno-y stuff came on with the late hour on the radio and couples started to make out or disappear. Grimmjow offered to get me another beer, but I shook him off and lit another cigarette, heading for the far bank of the lake. The lake was small enough that you could probably walk around it in about forty minutes. I liked to wander by myself, and there were some light poles around, so it wasn't pitch black. Besides, I was pleasantly buzzed from my eight or nine beers and two joints: life was alright. The stars were pretty awesome too, even though there weren't a million of them.

Weeds were crushed underfoot as I wandered and smoked a cigarette, wondering if my pack would last the night when I heard someone walking behind me.

"Want company?"

I turned. Of course it was Halibel, because that made sense, right?

"Um, sure."

She had a cup in her hand. She took a sip and fell into step beside me.

The night was pretty chilly with the wind. I was thankful I'd been smart enough to throw on my favorite checkered hoodie.

We walked for a couple minutes in complete silence, her bracelets clanking every time she lifted her cup to take a drink, and that made me stare at her bare arms: there's no way she wasn't freezing, especially since her legs were exposed as well.

Those fucking gorgeous legs. Christ almighty.

"Aren't you cold?" I finally asked, flicking my cigarette into the nasty water.

"Oh. A little," she admitted with a shrug, "It was a lot warmer earlier."

"California spoiled you, huh?"

She grinned. I think I stopped breathing, "Yeah, it definitely did. I was built for surf and sand."

I didn't know what to say to that because I was too busy staring at where her neck met her shoulder. Her braid was over that shoulder, and for some reason that area on a woman's body had always been a target for me. It was just so sexy.

"Tatsuki?"

"Hm?"

She laughed, "I'm guessing you didn't hear me."

"Oh, uh, what?"

She laughed again. I stuck my hands in my pockets and hoped I wasn't blushing.

"I asked if you were dating Grimmjow?"

I stopped in my tracks, "Wha?"

"Oh. So you're not?" she said, tossing her empty cup onto the bank. I should be concerned 'cuz I don't usually litter, but a part of me thought it was kind of hot. A little nerdy rebellion, "I thought maybe you were. You guys seem really close."

"We're best friends, that's it. I know him and Ichi are best friends, but he's my best friend. They're my best friends."

Awesome. I was rambling now. This is why I don't usually drink beer: it tastes like piss and makes me feel retarded.

"That's cool. They seem sweet."

I outright laughed at this observation, making Halibel smirk, "You sure we're talking about the same people? They're both fuck heads, but they put up with my bullshit, so…" I trailed off, kicking at some pebble shit as we continued our slow walk.

"That's how I feel about Starrk. He's like the big brother I never had, you know? It's weird how people start rumors about us. I love him, but not like that."

"People love labels," I said, unzipping my hoodie and holding it out towards her, "Here."

"No, I'm good."

"Hal, I can see the goose bumps from here. I'm good," and I was. I was wearing an undershirt with a grey-checkered flannel rolled to the sleeves, black jeans, and all-black Chucks. I was toasty. I could always roll down my sleeves if I needed to.

"Been living here almost three years, you'd think I'd be smarter at this time of year," she said with a grin. Goddamn that grin.

I shrugged, "Still a little early. Never gets cold this early in Florida."

"Yah," she agreed, pulling my hoodie on. My hoodie practically eats her arms, but she folds them over her chest to guard against the cold. My guts squirm.

"You dating anybody?" I blurt.

She grins, "No. Not right now."

Why? This girl is drop dead gorgeous.

She smiles at me. Fuck.

"Drop dead gorgeous?" she says.

I want to kill myself.

"Uhn, what?"

She laughs outright, "I can't decide if you're drunk or nervous."

Probably a little of both.

She laughs again. Why does she keep laughing?

Why do I have mouth vomit? Why does God hate me?

"You're funny, Tatsuki," she says, pushing into my shoulder. I don't know how much she's had to drink, but a wicked part of me is starting to give me ideas.

Fuck, when did I become such a predator? I'd never take advantage of someone when they're drunk, ever. She's not stumbling or slurring or anything, but most girls get touchy when they're drunk.

That's all it is.

"There's no reason for you to be nervous. You can get as drunk as you want, though. I give you permission."

I laugh. I can't help it. It comes out pretty loud and she's looking at me and shit shit shit I just wanna kiss her so bad but I can't.

"Why not?"

WHAT?

Hal leans into me.

She's warm. Her lips press against mine.

Holy shit. Holy fucking hell.

She opens her mouth. She tastes like cheep beer and tangerines.

She pulls away slightly, licking her bottom lip with a smile, "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

This brain-to-mouth thing is not working for me.

"A good thing."

She smiles and kisses me again. There's no way this is real.

I blame the alcohol. She's going to be embarrassed tomorrow. She'll make up a story about how she was so drunk she doesn't remember anything. Or maybe she's fucking with me. Maybe she wants to mess with the school-appointed dyke.

This sudden thought makes me mad. I pull away, looking in her eyes. Her pupils are dilated. She's definitely been drinking. Her face is flushed. It's cold outside.

"What's wrong?" she says.

"You're drunk," I accuse.

"Tipsy, not drunk. I know my limits," she says, touching the side of my face, "What's wrong?"

I like her touching my face. I do, but she's been drinking and I've been hurt this way before, thought I had chemistry with someone but they were just really drunk and wanted to make out no matter the sex. It happens. It always happens, whether it's high school or college, there's always going to be that attention seeker, that rumor starter.

I hate that shit. I hate the fakeness and the naivety of sexual preference being a game.

"I'm queer, this isn't a joke to me."

The words come out harsh even to my own ears. I think Grimm would be proud. He's rubbed off on me over the years.

Queer has always been my preferred definition: it avoids the confusion of strict heterosexual law. I don't consider myself a lesbian, I can't stand when people think I'm a lesbian, and if I had to label myself something, it would probably be pansexual (Grimm and me Googled a bunch of sexuality terms our freshman year because I wasn't willing to settle on a misconceived term like bisexuality). Not to mention our mutual friend Ulquiorra had talked to us about how he was more than sure he was asexual, not having an attraction to either gender. There were so many labels and categories for sexuality it was ridiculous, so even though I haven't come out to my family yet, queer has always been the most comfortable for me to explain myself.

Hal blinks, "It's not a joke to me either. I'm into ovaries."

She says this with such a serious face I'm pretty sure I'm grinning like an idiot because then we're both laughing.

"Oh," is all I manage after a minute as she tugs at some blonde tendrils that came out around her face. I reach forward and push some behind her ear, "Um, that's cool."

"Besides, you're the one that said you wanted to kiss me," she said in a teasing tone, "I would've slapped you or something, you know? Or do you think I'm some kind of drunk slut?"

"N-no, I don't think that," I said, feeling kind of retarded now. Kind of forgot the whole brain-mouth vomit thing.

She leaned forward and pecked me on the mouth, "Good. I've been wanting to do that for two years, you know?"

"Yeah?"

"Almost kissed you in the locker room. Remember? You were so cute that day, but I wasn't sure, and the school is so small and homophobes lurk around every corner, so," she shrugged, "Now I know."

Damn.

"Oh."

She grinned again, "So you freaked out now?"

"Why would I be?"

Hal shrugged, "I've only told Starrk. My parents know, of course, but this town, this academy…I was hoping the school had a GSA, but they don't. I mean, a tiny private academy with a Bible Club usually means nobody's out and proud."

"So what? You heard the rumors and came to investigate?" I said. I couldn't help it: my defenses were up. There were more than enough people in the academy that still bullied me verbally. As far as I knew, nobody else in the school got called a raging bull dyke and he-she.

"I heard rumors, but that's not why I kissed you. I talked to you, and I was hoping we would become closer friends, but I'm not the bravest person in the world. I thought since you never really talked to me, you weren't interested in me, as a friend or otherwise."

I feel like an idiot as she explains herself.

"And how close you seem with Ichigo, especially Grimmjow. He's much more touchy with you, so I thought maybe you had feelings for each other, but I'm not gonnna lie, I'm glad you don't."

Suddenly my mouth is feeling too dry.

"Oh."

Spectacular, Tatsuki. English is supposed to be my best subject. Writing and reading is all I do outside of fucking around with Grimm and Ichi, and my vocabulary is suddenly sucked away from me tonight.

"Do you want to get another drink?" she says.

Her hand slides against my arm. Goose bumps everywhere.

"Yeah."

We walk back to the group of rowdy, loud, annoying teenagers. I'm not surprised to see some slut perched on Grimmjow's lap, Ichigo chatting to a group of girls. At least two of them want to fuck him. Call it my Spidey senses.

"Oi, T, 'nother beer, yeah?" Grimmjow calls, throwing his empty cup towards me. It drops a couple feet too short.

"Go fuck yourself," I say, even though I'll grab him another one.

"I don't need my hand tonight," he said, the girl in his lap squirming as he kissed her neck, "maybe you don't either."

"Fuck you!"

Halibel just smiled. I wanted to punch Grimmjow. I should punch Grimmjow. I should knock him out, but his voice is screeching loud which means he's sailing drunk, and I instantly forgive him.

If he was a little more sober, he'd probably be trying to text me what the fuck is going on with me and Hal who is following close at my side. We were never by ourselves.

Ichigo, unfortunately, was a little more sober than his blue-haired best friend and kept eyeballing me as me and Hal headed for what was left of the alcohol. All that was left in the cooler was three Heineken bottles and a big can of some cheap Milwauke brew. I grabbed it all, dropped a Heineken by Grimmjow who kissed me on the forehead, the bitch in his lap scowling at the action.

"Enjoy him, slut. He'll only fuck you once," I said.

"Fuck you!"

"No thanks."

Grimmjow and Renji howled with laughter. Me and Hal took what was left of our shitty bounty and took a seat on a log by one of the dying fires close to the lake. Most everyone was back by the vehicles 'cuz that's where everybody had gotten drunk. Our only witnesses were two boys passed out in the grass, one of them sporting a sharpie dick on their face. It was probably Grimmjow's handiwork, fucking immature prick.

It's classic, though. It's always funny.

Hal opened a Heineken as I popped the Milwaukee brew, taking a long swig.

"Can I have some?" she asked.

"Be my guest," I offered, watching her take a sip of the death trap.

In my opinion, anything tasted better than Heineken.

It was a big can though, and I was really starting to feel how much I'd drunk when I realized Hal was touching my shoulder.

"You okay?"

"Mmhm," I mumbled. I hope I was in control of myself. Once I got drunk, I either got extremely sleepy or extremely wired: either one wouldn't be good in front of Hal. I'm not sure if she's ever witnessed me completely wasted, but I do remember her being at Cirucci's birthday party when some jack ass had been harassing me all night and I finally decked him in the face. He'd almost fallen in the pool. Too bad he hadn't. It would have been way cooler.

"You going to Starrk's tomorrow?"

"Um…" I had to think. Tomorrow was Saturday. I had work at a shitty fast food joint for a couple hours in the afternoon and got off around eleven. Starrk's parties always started late anyway, and I'd forgotten about it. His mom and dad were out of state for God knew what and he always opened up his house for a good party when that happened, which was about once a month. His parents were gone all the time, just traveling and shit 'cuz they had the money to do it. Since we'd gotten close to Renji, Renji always made sure we were invited.

But if Hal was asking me to go, fuck yes I'd be there. It was always a good time at Starrk's anyway.

"Yeah. Won't get there 'til prob midnight."

"Good," she said, her hand on my knee. When had it gotten there?

I crushed the finished can in my hand, throwing it at the dying flames. I kept looking at her as she finished off her Heineken. I missed her hand on my knee.

Feeling brave, or stupid, I asked her if I could kiss her.

She leaned into me.

It kind of took off from there.

One second I'm just exploring her mouth, just really enjoying it, you know? Who doesn't like kissing, especially if the person's tongue is pretty good? I mean, we're sixteen, so we can't be amazing at everything, but I think Hal knows what she's doing. I've kissed and fooled around with a few girls at this point, and Halibel is by far my favorite.

And the next second?

I realize I'm biting into her neck at that spot I like so much, the juncture between neck and shoulder. I lick over it, but I love to bite. It's kind of my thing. My boys make fun of me, call me a vampire, but I don't care. Biting is definitely my thing, but I'm kind of embarrassed at myself for being this bold so fast.

I pull away slightly, freaked out, drunk, rubbing at my face as my gut squirms with heat.

"Tatsuki?"

"Huh?"

She leans into me again, and then we're kissing again. I like how she grabs at my shirt. Then she's doing this really, really cute giggle and I feel like my head is gonna explode.

I mean, I've thought this girl was hot for two years, but Jesus, this cute?

She maneuvers a bit. Her weight settles in my lap. I'm gonna have a heart attack. She's in my lap and my hands are on her hips. I groan when I realize she's wearing a fucking dress, her legs on either side of my hips, and my soft hoodie. Goddammit. I'm extremely turned on right now, and I suddenly wish that I hadn't drank so much, because I don't want that to ruin what we've got going.

"This okay?" she says, adjusting her weight on my lap again.

"Totally," I reply, my hands going to her ass to keep her grounded. She had swayed a little bit, and I wasn't the most coordinated person in the world, and I didn't want her falling.

Or maybe that was my excuse so I could touch her ass.

She arches into my touch and nibbles on my ear.

God dammit.

This is the luckiest night of my life.

She laughs, "You're so fucking cute, Tatsuki."

Word vomit again. Brilliant.

Then we're kissing again and we're warm and she smells so good even under the beer.

And we must be drunk because the next thing I know, I hear whooping noises. I roll my head towards the noise. Of course it's fucking Grimmjow and a few of the other drunk retards.

"Get it, T!" Grimmjow crooned, thrusting his hips like he was humping the air, "About goddamn time!"

"Fuck off!" I yelled, ready to throw Halibel off my lap and beat the shit out of my best friend, but Hal is laughing and I like her weight on me so my hands stay on her hips as I contemplate how to get back at Grimmjow when we're all sober.

Renji's eyes are bugging out of his head. Well, about six guys that have stumbled over to the fire are all gawking. Guys love that shit. Well, straight guys. They don't seem too upset that Hal is swinging for team vagina, or maybe they think we're just drunk. This is the first time I've ever made out with a girl in full-out public. I'm not an exhibitionist. I've made out at parties before, but even if I'm with a dude, we're in a hallway or the bathroom or something.

But right now I'm feeling good and riding my Hal high, so I just flick the leering boys off as Hal climbs off my lap, sitting by my side, her head on my shoulder. My face feels like it's been rubbed raw and my lips are probably swollen as fuck, but I don't care.

Totally worth it.

Grimmjow stumbles over to me with what's left of a joint. How there's any weed left at this point in the night I have no idea, but I take it from him gratefully. Hal takes a hit as well, smirking through the smoke.

When I wake up, I'm sandwiched between Ichigo and Grimmjow in his bed. We all smell like something that pissed on a bonfire. Not my favorite smell.

Me and Grimmjow are still wearing our shoes, Ichigo Docker-less. None of us had managed to wrestle into more sleep-worthy clothes, but this happens a lot. Renji'd dropped us off around four or five. I glared at the alarm clock on Grimmjow's side table: almost eleven.

Fuck my life. Work in a few hours and my head is screaming at me.

For some reason beer gives me a hangover. Give me top shelf liquor and I'm bright eyed and bushy-tailed, but fucking piss somehow manages to give my temples a bass line.

I roll over and wiggle my way out of the bed. Grimmjow could sleep through Armageddon anyway, but Ichigo's a lighter sleeper and wakes up almost instantly when I brush past him to raid Grimmjow's bottom drawer for liquor.

"Shots before breakfast, Tatsuki?" he asks, rubbing at his face.

"Hangover," I mumble, pulling out a nearly empty bottle of Captain Morgan. I hate this shit, but it'll take the edge off. I take two pulls then dig through another drawer for Advil.

Mission accomplished, I pull off my shoes and wiggle back into bed.

I realize I'm not wearing my hoodie.

Hal was wearing my hoodie.

Hal's probably sleeping in my hoodie. Or naked.

My face must be red as hell because Ichigo is smirking at me and I wanna hit him but I don't really have a reason.

"What?"

"So last night was interesting," he starts, looking up at the ceiling as Grimmjow snores like a jackhammer and convulses before going limp again. He's such a fucking weird sleeper: it's why I always get stuck in the middle: Ichigo can't put up with the bullshit like I can.

"Fuck off."

"No, I think it's awesome," he says, rolling on his side to face me, "Seriously, nobody saw it coming. Except maybe Starrk. He was the only person not talking about it."

I pulled my head into a pillow and tried to remember the rest of the night. My muscles ached from the tumble/wrestle I'd gotten into with Grimmjow eventually after the boys discovered me and Hal, but we'd generally just fucked around.

Then we left. So people must've been talking about us during that.

Not that I gave a fuck. I didn't care if the whole student body knew by Monday. People were malicious but it wasn't like somebody was gonna run to the principal or a teacher and rat us out for girl on girl action. People would talk about it, act scandalized, probably stare or make crude comments for a few weeks, then move on. Probably less than a week: people got bored easily these days.

"Everybody thought Hal was straight, even though she's been shooting guys down left and right. I thought maybe she was into college guys or something, but…this is good, right?"

"Ichigo, can we not talk about it?"

I could tell how excited Ichigo was for me, but right now, feeling the way I feel, I'm feeling irritated and bitchy. I'm not a morning person.

"Yeah."

"It's all good, babe. I'm not mad or anything."

"I know. You getting hungry? My stomach is growling like a motherfucker."

"Soon as fuck head wakes up, IHop?"

It was the only food by my house close enough to walk to.

"Most definitely."

An hour and a half later we're sitting in a corner booth at IHop, all of us with sunglasses on, super inconspicuous with our hangovers. Ichigo didn't have a hangover, but he must've felt left out so he had his sunglasses on too.

I attacked my pancakes as Grimmjow mowed through a philly cheese steak and Ichigo drank coffee and complained about his bacon.

"You got work later, yeah?" Grimmjow asked, elbowing me in the side. I stole some of his fries in retaliation while Ichigo leaned over from the other side of the booth and swiped a bite of my pancakes.

"At four. Get off at eleven, I think."

"We'll pick you up," Grimmjow said. 'We' meant Renji, "bring clothes with you or something."

"I'm not going anywhere without a shower, retard."

I can't stand the fast food smell. I wasn't going to sweat on top of smelling like grease and then head to a party. That's just nasty.

"I'll grab a ride from Kaname," I said. It was convenient having a work buddy who lived close to me.

"Fuck Tousen," Grimmjow said mid-text.

"He's chill."

"He's fucking weird."

"Grow the fuck up. You just don't like quiet people."

"It's always the quiet people, isn't it?" he said, suddenly leering at me.

"Shut up."

"She'll definitely be there tonight," Grimmjow continued, ignoring my scowl, "No wonder you want a shower. Gotta look good for your girl."

"She's not mine, dick head."

Grimmjow wiggled his eyebrows, "Will be, though."

"Shut up."

Work was retarded as usual. By the time I left, I'd nearly gotten suspended for talking back to a customer in the drive-thru over fucking ketchup. What-the-fuck-ever. I get treated like shit and make minimum wage: suck my fat cock.

Kaname gives me a ride, bass bumping. Even though him and Grimmjow didn't get along for some stupid reason, we'd bonded over different rap artists and screamo bands.

I thanked Kaname and headed inside, getting a shower and getting dressed as Blink 182 got me pumped up. I threw on fresh black eyeliner, the only make up I wear, and slip into my black cut off jeans, black Bullet For My Valentine t-shirt, and black Etnies. I throw on my silver wallet chain which is my equivalent of a purse, spray myself with Axe, grab my cigarettes and phone and text back a complaining Grimmjow.

I don't know why he's always in a hurry to get to fucking parties. It's not like we don't stay all night, impatient fucker.

Renji pulls up to my front door not even ten minutes later, Ichigo in the passenger seat as I climb in back with Grimmjow.

Starrk's house is about a twenty minute drive. His mansion is in a big, gated community with its own police station. It's like its own small city.

Fucking rich people. The manicured lawns probably cost more than my house.

But I don't have beef with Starrk. His family's rich as hell but he doesn't flaunt it.

We all head inside the mansion, some dirty rap song bumping the walls as people mingled and drank. Starrk didn't care if we smoked but we had to do it outside 'cuz his mom was obsessed with her paintings and shit.

After hitting the set-up bar (Starrk always had good alcohol, the Goose had been calling my name) I headed out to the patio to smoke with Grimmjow. A few kids were seated out there, just shooting the shit. Me and Grimmjow lit a smoke each, sipping from our cups.

"What'cha starin' at, fucker?" Grimmjow growled at one of the boys in the corner of the giant patio seated on the plush chairs.

"Nothing."

They were dressed preppy. We tended to get stared at just because of how we dressed: apparently preps don't believe in smoking either. Whatever.

Maybe they'd be less snooty once they were drunk, but I was doubtful. Sometimes people ended up at Starrk's parties that were stuck-up ass holes: if they weren't here to party, why the fuck did they come? Staring at people and judging them for having fun was something that pissed me off.

I finished my drink, ready to get slayed as Grimmjow lifted an eyebrow at me.

We stubbed our cigarettes out into my now-empty cup and headed back into the house, Grimmjow heading for the bar again.

Jesus Christ.

Halibel was talking to Starrk, her back to me. Was she trying to give me a heart attack? She's in a pair of black leather pants that cut off just above the ankle and a white shirt that is shredded slightly in the back with black pumps.

I love pumps. They pop the booty.

I can't stop staring at her ass when Grimmjow bumps into me, whistling in my ear.

"If you don't hit that, I will."

"Fuck you."

Grimmjow just cackles, "And you thought she was hot last night."

I feel underdressed and retarded as I keep staring at her, but me, Grimmjow and Starrk tend to be the most underdressed at parties. Her hair is pulled back in a braid again: it's her preferred hairstyle. I suddenly wonder what she'd look like with her hair free, all loose and crazy and sexy.

No doubt that really would give me a heart attack.

"Go get her, tiger."

For once I can't argue.

A/N: Lots of tense changes in here, but I'm too lazy to go through it. I'm most comfortable in present tense, but I noticed there's a lot of random tenses in here. Hope it doesn't bother you too much.

Anyways, I should be updating Bands & Berries, Gasoline Sandwiches, and Tipping The Scales in the next few days. The poll winner was Gasoline Sandwiches, which surprised me, but I've got some spare time this week and will try to get it all done since I've got some inspiration for each. Hope everybody's having a decent new year. -TPP