4

"Ally!" I heard Caramel's voice jolt me out of the action I was about to take. I flinched in fear and moved out of Justine's grip. My heart began to race fast, had she seen me attempt to kiss him?

"We heard screaming, what happened?" She moved closer to me, relief written on my face as she did. That meant she had not noticed what I was doing. Becca ran out of the house, a spatula in her hand, she had come to scrutinize as well.

"I fell off the ladder." I swallowed, catching my breathe.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" She placed her hands on my shoulders, scanning me from head to toe with her eyes. "How did this even happen?" She gasped.

Becca stood by the door and placed one hand on her waist. "Uh, who would have thought you would fail terribly at something that isn't the kitchen?" She teased.

"You are a bitch, I hope you know this." I rolled my eyes at her and shook my shoulders gently to get Caramel's hands off. "I'm fine." I smiled at her.

She turned to her boyfriend who had not said a word about the incident the whole time. "Are you okay? Maybe we shouldn't hang a welcome sign after all." She placed one hand on his cheek.

"Yeah, we could just hold it out and scream surprise, when they pull in. What do you guys think?" Becca suggested. Caramel chuckled at her suggestion and shook her head gently.

"No it's fine, I'll hang it up. I just need to find something safer to climb while doing this." Justine shrugged and offered a smile.

"Come on Ally, join us in the kitchen." Caramel held my hand and pulled gently, "I'm sure Justine will handle this, I don't want you losing a bone." She said.

I didn't argue. I followed her lead and turned around to look at Justine one more time. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at me. What if he had realized what I was doing and had only kept quiet.

He looked away and focused on the sign he wanted to hang. I knew it would be better if I found a better distraction.

*

"Did you make sure to wipe the vase?" Becca threw at me, scurrying around to make sure everything had been done at the right pace.

"Yes I did. You asked me like five times already." I groaned, folding my hands across my chest and taking a seat on one of the kitchen stools. "I really don't see why you are panicking so much? I mean, it's just mom and dad, take a chill pill, bro." I pointed out mockingly.

"Why is the bowl of soup to the right?! Mom is left handed, why am I the only one that likes to have things done the right way?" She frowned, switching the position of the harmless bowl of soup.

"Probably the same reason you are still single." I mumbled under my breathe. She caught my words and threw a harsh glare in my direction. I raised my hands in defeat and looked away from her burning gaze.

"Seriously, you guys are awful. Caramel is the only one sho cares to help me but with her boyfriend around, she is like a whole new demon. I just can't with her!" Becca sighed, placing the wine glasses in an orderly form on the dining table.

"I know, right?" I smirked. If I were Caramel, I'd be the devil with Justine around. It hurt because I had known him first but had been too afraid to make my move.

Justine and I had the same college classes. We were both English literature majors. Caramel was a law student and Becca was a nursing student. Caramel always came by to see me in class and would often stalk the boy who had never noticed me.

Caramel, Justine and I were in our final year in college while Becca had a year to go.

I remembered how broken I was when she told me she was in a relationship with Justine Parker, the man of my dreams, the man that was supposed to father my unborn children. It was eerie.

"Ugh!" Becca groaned in frustration. "Caramel was supposed to get rid of this bag of trash. Mom and dad would be here any minute, where is she anyway? Who is going to yell surprise when they show up?" She yanked her ponytail gently.

"Why don't you stay calm and get a little of what you can, in order. I'll go get them. They had offered to clean out mom and dad's bedroom, I don't know why they are taking so long." I said, hopping off the stool.

"I'll be back." I announced to a frustrated Becca, wiping the already neat tables with a clean rag.

My mind went back to the kiss I'd almost had with Justine. It was dangerous to lose my emotions like that especially if I was this close to home. Things would not have ended well if Becca and Caramel had walked in on connected lips.

I made my way up the stairs, filling my head with images of what the kiss could have felt like, the spark of emotions it could have created in my body. The thought of it made me shudder.

Approaching my parents bedroom door, I began to slow my steps. There were soft moans coming from inside the room. Could Caramel and Justine be-

I leaned forward and placed my ears on the door. Caramel was trying her best to whisper, "fuck! You are so good." She cried.

I wanted to discard my mental image and see what he actually looked like down there but I warded it off. With a slight groan from Justine, my eyes reflexively closed and tingling sensations played all over my skin.

I replaced Caramel with myself and assumed that I was giving him the satisfaction that birthed his moans. I was going to slip my fingers down my skirt and provide myself the satisfaction that his voice provided, when suddenly, I leaned against the door with such great force, causing it to swing open wide.

I stumbled forward with the push of gravity and stood inside the room.