''Any time. You know my experience.'' He winks.
''I didn't realise your casual sex involved feelings!'' I gasp.
He scowls at me and hits me back with the pillow.
''Get ready. You'll be fine.'' Bing gets up and moves back to the door. ''You didn't see the look on Alec's face last weekend, Lexy.'' He looks at me over his shoulder, his mocha coloured eyes meeting mine. ''If you didn't need him, he would have killed that prick. I've never seen anyone so angry. Alec ain't gonna let anyone touch you other than him apart from me, Jen and Carl. Trust him.''
He disappears with his final words.
And the words are there again. Trust. Trust him. Will Alec let anyone hurt me? No, I know he won't. But it's still that word.
Why can't I still get over that word where he's concerned?
I sigh dramatically and reach under my pillow, retrieving my runaway mascara. I look at the tube and smile resolutely.
''Let's do this,'' I say to it and stop.
Am I really talking to mascara now?
Sheesh.
My door bangs open and Jen storms in.
''You would not believe the ass kicking I just got off my sister!'' She half shouts. '''Don't go and get drunk tonight. Don't forget you have to be up early, so no staying over at Carl's. I don't want you to be hungover for my big day.' Honestly, she's a f**king nightmare tonight. I am so glad to be out of that damn house. She's like one of those sniper guns, always on target with what to say to piss you off. Even Mum wants to get the frying pan out of the cupboard and knock her out until the morning. She is that bad.''
''She's just excited,'' I say, leaning over the mirror applying the mascara to my lashes.
''Excited? No, she's freaking. She's absolutely freaking out. And I'm talking a freak out of epic proportions. Like, I'm waiting for her Bridezilla horns to pop out the top of her head.'' Jen chucks herself on my bed and sighs.
''Are you breathing yet?'' I giggle and look at her through the mirror.
''Yes. Pretty much. Hey, does your Gram have any Vino around here?''
''Uh, yes. It's hidden, though.''
''Hm. No bother then.'' Jen shrugs. ''Let me guess, your brother is in the bathroom?''
''Most likely,'' I reply, returning to my make-up.
''Uggggh,'' she groans and grabs her bag, leaving the room. I hear her knock on the bathroom door.
''What?'' Bing yells.
''Get your fat ass out of the bathroom!'' Jen hollers through the door.
''Wait your turn, prawn-girl.''
''Oh, you're so original!''
I shake my head and step back. ''Bing! Stop being such a girl!''
''Alright, alright.'' He grumbles and opens the door widely. ''Happy, Jennifer?''
Jen smiles tightly. ''Yes, thank you, Samuel.''
She walks into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her, and Bing makes a gun motion at me with his hand. He cocks his wrist, blows imaginary smoke from his fingertips and saunters off down the hall. I stare after him, even now still perplexed at my brother's strange little quirks. I shake my head and blink a few times. He's weird.
~
I hug my arms around my waist tightly, looking out at the crowd gathered. As always, it's busy with both the local teens and their friends. It's definitely a weekly thing here.
Warm, strong arms wrap around my shoulders from behind. I tense.
''Relax, Princess,'' Alec says softly. ''It's just me.''
I relax back into him and he drops his arms to my waist, holding my back tightly to his front.
''You don't have to babysit me,'' I say to him.
''I'm not,'' he replies. ''I'm protecting you.''
''I shouldn't need protecting.'' I scuff the sand with my foot and hang my head.
''Even if you didn't, I'd still do it anyway.'' I feel him shrug.
''You don't..''
''I do it because I want to, okay, Princess?'' He interrupts me. ''No other reason than that.''
I can't argue with that logic.
''Okay,'' I agree. He tightens his arms around me and rests his chin on my shoulder, like he did yesterday at the aquarium.
Someone has a sound system set up - and I'd bet it's in someone's car. Lifehouse is playing - a remixed version, of course - and it's one of my favourite songs, Falling In.
I bite the corner of my lip. I can feel Alec's heart thumping against my back through his top. I move my arms and rest them over his, practically holding them to me. He tilts his face towards me and my head turns involuntarily to him. I can feel his breath fanning over my cheek, across my neck. I close my eyes, content with the feeling of safety swirling around me.
I feel myself trust him a little more. He really has no intentions of letting me go.
''Making your claim, Alec?'' One guy near us yells over.
''You bet I am, JJ.'' Alec replies, lifting his head and looking over him.
''Sweet!'' JJ calls back. ''Let us know if she's any good, yeah?'' He laughs.
Alec tenses. I turn my head and glare at JJ.
''You wanna watch what you're saying, JJ,'' Alec grinds out between clenched teeth.
''Feeling territorial?'' He laughs.
''I'm not a f**king dog, ass**le,'' I snap. ''But if you wanna see a human bitch, then keep opening your pathetic little mouth.''
''Oooh.'' JJ waggles his eyebrows. ''She's got a bark.''
I'm fed up of guys thinking they can get their way at these parties.
I spin around and Alec loses his grip. I march up to JJ. He's taller than me but I tilt my head back and glare into his eyes.
''I've got a bark, well done. But it's nothing compared to my bite, so give it a rest before I neuter you, you prick.''
Alec bursts out laughing behind me. ''Think the lady wins that one, JJ.''
JJ's eyes narrow and he looks between us. ''If she's stupid enough to go with you, Alec, then she must be London's bike.''
Alec makes a move behind me and I stand in front of him. His fists are clenched and I put my hands flat against his chest.
''Alec,'' I warn quietly.
''I'm not gonna let him talk about you like that,'' he manages.
''It doesn't matter, it doesn't bother me.'' I insist. ''Alec.''
He takes a deep breath and I put a hand against his cheek, pulling his face down so he's looking at me. He exhales and opens his eyes.
''He's not worth it,'' I say softly.
I can see in his eyes how much he hates hearing it when people disrespect me.
''I'm okay,'' he mutters. ''I'm okay.''
''Sure?''
He nods and pulls me tight against him. I rest my cheek against his chest.
''Good shout, Alec.'' Bing slaps his shoulder and walks past.
''Bing,'' I say, a warning in my voice.
''I'm not gonna go near the guy.'' He holds his hands out. ''You two sorted him out just fine.''
I nod at him and he winks.
''But that doesn't mean he shouldn't keep his snarky little comments to himself. Just cause the little boy isn't any getting.'' Bing smirks.