Perfect Opposite by Zoya Tessi Page B

tonight?”
    “But I'm telling you really... don’t change the subject. I mean... How else could you explain...” I made a fist and demonstrated a straight punch Alex had used, “Just... Bang... and he went down... That’s still the same rock-hard Ty, you know”.
    “I don’t really believe all of this, but if you say so...”
    “It’s such a shame too... Ty had such a cute nose...” I sniffed again.
    Leaning back in the seat I closed my eyes, hoping my awful head might stop spinning. The alcohol was gradually wearing off as the hum of the car’s engine started to lull me off to sleep, and I was soon dozing.
     
    Roused from my slumber by the feeling that something had suddenly changed, I forced my eyes open to find that the car had stopped moving. Feeling disoriented, I opened the door and started to get out, but it felt like I was in some boat bobbing along the river. Luckily, my hands fo und a streetlight to hold on to and I threw my arms around it.
    “ I never applied for this shit.” I heard Alex growl as he took me up in his arms yet again and started carrying me towards the building’s entrance.
    Lacking any strength at all to protest, I draped my arms around his neck and closed my eyes against the walls spinning around me. My body ached from top to toe, and I felt I might fall apart at any second. Promising myself I wouldn’t go near tequila again, I buried my head in Alex’s shoulder.
    “What was that nonsense in the car? Magic potion?”
    “Well, you know... when you fell into it... I hope it hurt” I mumbled, my eyes still closed tight.
    “Jesus! I must have fucked something up real bad in a past life to deserve this punishment.” he sighed as he carried me up the stairs.
    “Alex?”
    “What?”
    “Why do you always look so serious?”
    “Because I like it that way.”
    He let my feet drop to the floor and supporting my weight with his arm, turned the key in the lock. Squeezing my arms tighter around his neck, I clung on to him and pushed my nose deeper into the fabric of his shirt, breathing in his scent.
    “Alex?”
    “What now?” he nudged the door open and lifted me again.
    “Do you have a girlfriend?”
    “That's none of your business.”
    “That means you do ." I yawned, “Well I feel sorry for her. Guess I’d want to off myself if I were going steady with a guy like you…”
    “Feeling is mutual. Trust me.”
    “The way you behave... You have a serious problem, you know that, right?”
    “How could I forget about it? It’s right under my nose and it doesn’t stop yapping.”
     
    When we got to my bedroom he took me inside and stopped by the bed. I willed my eyes to open and gazed, letting myself study his face, eyes, cheekbones, forehead, finally bringing my eyes down to focus on his mouth. It was as if a fire had started to glow warm in my belly and I felt all fuzzy from it. Without any thought or planning I raised my own lips to his and kissed him.
    I felt him draw back and noticed he wasn’t breathing, so I hugged him even harder and let my tongue move gently across his lips. To my disappointment, his mouth remained firmly closed. It felt like kissing a marble statue, so I moved my head back a few inches and searched for his eyes, but they too were shut tight. When he did open them, the lack of emotion there brought me back to reality with a crash.
    “You're playing with fire, Princess .” he said quietly, putting me down on the bed. “Don’t do that again.”
    Feeling like I’d been stabbed in the chest, I suddenly sobered up. Turning my face to the wall and closing my eyes tight, I cursed myself for being so stupid.
    “I hate you.” the words came from my mouth.
    “And so you shoul d...” he answered and left the room.

    Chapter 5 - Curiosity Killed the Cat
     
    Opening my eyes very slowly, my head pounding like it might explode at any second, I let out a stream of curses so obscene that even a sailor would have blushed. With a painful grimace, I forced