BAD REP(44)

Olivia rolled her eyes and pressed against him.  “We're having fun.  Don't be such a party pooper.  Now come on and do some shots with me.”  I could see the tip of her tongue glide along his neck and I wanted to punch her in the face.

Jordan stepped away from her.  I wondered if he would go off.  He looked like he wanted to.  But then he just shook his head.  “Enjoy the party,” he told her.  He grabbed a beer from the table and walked away, heading for the stairs.  I watched him disappear around the corner.  I turned back to see what Olivia would do, but she had already forgotten about him.  I watched in disgust as she crawled around on the floor looking for her lost shot glass.

I had had enough.  I put my cup down on the window sill and found myself climbing the stairs to the second level.  I didn't know what the hell I was thinking.  I had been adamant in my resolve to stay away from Jordan. I didn't want to play this game with him while he was involved with someone else.  But after witnessing the f*cked up dynamic between he and Olivia, my heart hurt for him.

I didn't want to find him to hook up or anything.  I kind of just wanted to hang out with him. For a little bit.  As a friend.  If that were possible.

There were four doors in the hallway and I had no idea which one was Jordan's.  So I started opening them.  The first was a bathroom where a girl was puking her guts out in the sink and a guy was passed out in the tub.  I closed that door quickly.

The next was a bedroom and it was currently being used. I caught sight of two girls and a guy naked on the bed before I slammed the door shut.  I might have to bleach my brain when I got home after the shit I had seen go down this evening.

I opened the third door and knew instantly I was in the right place.  A drum kit sat in the corner and a guitar rack hung from the wall above a double bed.  There were a few posters, each of a different band.  I recognized one of my favorites, the Pixies.

A door to the right opened and Jordan stepped out of an adjoining bathroom.  He looked up and stopped short, seeming surprised.  “Maysie.  What are you doing up here?” he asked, turning off the bathroom light.  A heated look flickered over his face as his swept over my body.

“You look amazing,” he murmured, his stare searing holes through my body.  I coughed in nervousness and Jordan looked away. I watched him cross to the other side of the room. He picked up one of the guitars off the rack.  He slipped the strap around his neck and sat on the bed as he started to tune it.

“Well, I promised you I'd come,” I said, still looking around his room.  I noticed several framed pictures on his dresser.  Walking over, I picked up one of him and Olivia at some formal.  They looked younger and were smiling at each other in a way that made it obvious they were in love.  I quickly put it down.

“Yes you did.  Glad to see some people keep their promises,” he replied darkly, running his hand down the length of his shiny Ibanez guitar.

“A little crazy down there, huh?” I asked, watching him.  He started twisting the tuning pegs, while plucking the strings.  Jordan grunted something unintelligible but otherwise didn't comment.

“I didn't know you played the guitar.”  I said, tentatively pulling up his desk chair and having a seat.  He looked up at me and gave me a halfhearted smile.

“Yeah, I don't play that well.  The drums are definitely more my thing.  But sometimes I just like to jam out for a bit.  It's kind of a stress reliever.”  He looked back down at the guitar in his hands and started to move his fingers over the strings.  I was tickled to realize he was playing the opening chords of Tangerine, one of my favorite Led Zeppelin songs.

“Don't play well my ass,” I teased, mesmerized as I watched him pull notes from his guitar.  Jordan looked at me and I couldn't help but smile at him.  Gone was the flirty, intense Jordan Levitt.  This Jordan was quiet and collected and perhaps even harder to resist.  He suddenly got up and shut his bedroom door.

My face flushed and I felt like I might hyperventilate.  Jordan must have recognized the look of panic on my face because he put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed lightly.  “The noise out there is giving me a headache.  Is this okay?” he asked and I appreciated him wanting my permission.  It was sweet.

And right then, I forgot about everything but being here with him...right now.  So I nodded.  Jordan dropped his hand and sat back down on his bed.  “You ever thought about learning to play?” he asked me as he continued to strum a tune.