A/N ~ sorry it's late!!!

i know this chapter is late, so i'm going to do a double update tonight!! btw, thanks so much for all the reads and votes!  i love to interact, so feel free to comment!!

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"From Ted?"

"No," I correct, "From that situation." Back here, I can actually talk at normal volume and have the other person hear me. It feels off. "It's like.. every time I'm in a group of people, it goes sour."

He nods shortly before saying, "I get that, but it really isn't you. It's what you do to those two."

I'm trying to understand, but.. "I don't follow."

"Y/n," he chuckles, "You've got both of them wrapped around your finger already. They don't know how to handle that."

"What?" I inhale sharply. "No I don't! Cooper hates me." His eyebrows fold together, and my brain catches up with my mouth. Why would I say that?

"How? You guys just met."

I feel so stupid, but I tell Schlatt the truth anyway. What's the worst that could come of it? "No, actually, I've known Cooper since high school. We.. fell off."

"Oh.. Oh!" His laugh is so full and genuine. I actually really like it, especially how it takes some of the weight off my shoulders.

"Yeah," I mutter, not sure where to go from here.

"Well, it was high school. Young and dumb, right? Cooper doesn't hold grudges like that," Schlatt explains. "I mean, he's being super protective over you. Maybe he's jealous."

The thought hurts my head. "No way. What's there to be jealous of?" I ask unsteadily. "I mean, it's only when you say stuff like.. well, y'know."

"Pff, what?" he smiles, rolling his eyes. "He's just uptight."

"Cooper is the least uptight person I know," I try to argue, but a smile's finding it's way to my face.

Schlatt's smile is creeping up, too, as he continues, "Usually, but not with you, clearly."

I don't know what to say, getting distracted as I look over Schlatt. His scruff and mustache, his fluffy hair like Ted's, his Harvard sweatshirt, his crossed arms and red Solo cup.

"Got a staring problem?" he says before taking a sip from that cup again.

"Wh- no!" I laugh awkwardly. Was I really staring? At Schlatt?

"Yeah, you do," he breathes, putting the cup down on the table next to him and unfolding his arms. "What are you looking at?"

"I don't know," I huff, looking away to avoid any more eye contact. "Just your face."

"What about my face?"

"Why are you prying?" I try to laugh, but it still comes out too serious.

"I'm not trying to. Just curious." After a moment of my awkward silence, I have to look back up to Schlatt. He instantly smirks. Again. "So, what do you want to do while we wait for the nerds to get back?"

"Uh, I don't know," I giggle genuinely. "Anything you want?"

"Anything I want?" I'm not sure how to take the phrase when Schlatt's voice is always on the same sarcastic tone, but I give him a warning glance just in case. "Damn, calm down. I didn't mean it like that," he says, tone actually wavering to disgust.

My jaw drops, and I try to be serious but feel a smile slip when I joke, "Wow, rude."

"Not what I mean either, you bitch," he chuckles, deep and full.

The tensity feels like it's growing with every word between us, but I can't place my finger on why. I search Schlatt's face for a clue that I obviously don't get. I half expect him to ask if I have a staring problem again, but instead, he's scanning my face back. And I don't think he's trying to make a joke out of it. He's just looking over me.

Then, he looks me up and down.

And shivers shoot down my spine.

Is it that kind of tension between us? Or am I just over analyzing?

"You're really pretty, you know." Somehow, Schlatt's already deep voice is deeper as he utters this. And it makes my heart skip a beat. What's going on with me tonight? Is this the kind of guy Schlatt is? Has he drank enough to make him looser than normal? I have no way to know. And it's just us, all alone. No Ted to ease the tension, no Cooper to protect me. Nothing.

"You're not bad," I answer, holding back the urge to compliment him equally. It feels.. wrong. I was just running around with Ted. Hell, I have a date with him tomorrow! A voice in the back of my mind tries to convince me that's not important.

It's just a date.

You guys aren't really a thing.

You barely know each other.

You can still do whatever you want.

And I suppose it's true. But should I really be acting like this? This isn't me at all.

"That's all I get?" Schlatt smirks, breaking me out of my thoughts. "'Not bad'?"

"Fine," I sigh. "You're cute."

"Cute?" he laughs, even more outraged than at the 'not bad'. "I am by no means cute. I am a man, thank you."

I giggle a lot at his reaction, finally breathing out, "Okay, okay. You're honestly really good looking."

"You don't mean that."

"I do!" I try to defend, realizing I sound really whiny.

"Really now?" Schlatt teases. I know what he's doing, but it works anyway.

"Yes! I'm not a liar."

He doesn't answer, just staring down at me with his stupid smug grin. I really want to know what he's thinking, just looking at me. And it slips before I can stop it. "What are you thinking about?"

"You."

I blush hard, feeling the heat run through me. "What.. about me?"

Schlatt quickly grabs his Solo cup from the table and takes another swig before responding, "Lots of things." Once again, it's hard to tell if I should take this suggestively or not. But my body obviously does, making me feel even hotter. "You blush so easily."

"Do not."

"Then I guess I'm just good at it."

Feeling the heat rush through my face again, I whine with frustration, "Are not!" How can a guy make me act like this? I haven't know him but maybe an hour, and he's getting under my skin.

"Whatever you say, Y/n," he sighs, shaking his head as he puts down the Solo cup again. But this time, Schlatt moves closer. My heart moves up into my throat, where more butterflies are gathering. I can't breathe again, but I like it. "Y'know," he starts in that extra deep, smooth voice, "I saw you sitting with Ted."

"You did?" I ask with genuine shock, not sure how to feel.

"Mhm. How he was holding you. You like that?"

I'm blushing with every emotion. Frustration, embarrassment, shock, tension, and even that high school crush kind of feeling. What do I say to that? I've never been faced with such a sensual tone, such suggestive words. I'm clueless on what to do, so I opt for nothing.

"Well, do you?" he pushes, inching closer. "Because I could hold you like that, if you wanted."

I don't know how to signal to Schlatt what I'm thinking, how I'm feeling. Of course I like the way Ted was holding me, but Schlatt's a whole other world. I'm afraid of what he has in mind. All I can do is bite my lip and stare up at him through my eyelashes, hoping that's enough. But it doesn't seem to be, so I force myself to nod slightly. This is an all time high of nervousness coursing through my veins.

And for good reason it seems because Schlatt immediately takes the signal. Both hands land hard on my hips, forcing us together so that I can feel his heat radiating into me. I can hear my heartbeat in my ears, feel it in my teeth. We're pressed together, closer than ever, and I don't know what to do besides stare up at him and hold my lip between my teeth.

His hands start to move, one sliding to sit right between my shoulder blades and the other at the very bottom of my back. There's nothing I can do but stand there, feeling stupid and limp. So I try to let it come naturally, forget about the party going on around me, and melt into the moment.

My hands have no where to go but Schlatt's waist, holding on for dear life. And Schlatt's hand keeps sliding, up past my shoulder blades and forward to hold my jaw. I can feel his strength and delicacy all at once, and my body is buzzing with electricity. How did I get here? Where do I go from here? Why can't I breathe?

Schlatt speaks again, "Where are we going with this?"

I try to think, but it's difficult. We're pressed together like magnets, sharing warmth between us. I think I can smell the alcohol on Schlatt's breath, and his eyes are staring through my own and directly into my soul. I'm hypersensitive. I can feel everything, every curve of his body against mine.

My mouth bursts with my troubled thoughts, pouring words out. "I have a date with Ted tomorrow, and you're at least tipsy. I don't know what to do with any of this."

"Enjoy it," he simply suggests. "Think about it later. Live in the moment, y'know?"

"Yeah," I breathe, trying to take his advice. I barely catch his glance shift. From my eyes to my lips and back up again. And I think I get it, but I can't be sure. I dare take my own glance to his lips, feeling so out of place.

But Schlatt doesn't miss a beat, that hand holding my jaw forcefully tilting my head up. In an instant, he's bending down just enough to reach my lips and force us together. I let my body take over, shutting off my thoughts for the moment. His lower hand keeps moving down, our lips working together perfectly.

All I can do is feel. No thinking, no worrying. Just feeling the weight of Schlatt's hand following the curve of my body, feeling his scruff on my face as our lips move in sync. And before I know it, it's over.

Schlatt's leaning back, standing up straight, hands unmoving on my body. I'm sucking in air like I'm drowning, trying to turn my thoughts back on. And as soon as I do, it runs wild. I breathe lightly, "We have to stop before everyone finds us."

He only nods, slowly separating himself from me. It feels cold without the electric touch, but it has to be this way. I've done enough for a while, and I have to cut it here. I don't want to stir things up too much.

"Tell you what," Schlatt starts, voice still dark. "I'll give you my number, and if you ever want to hang just you and me, shoot a text."

I nod too eagerly at the offer, pulling out my phone. What have I gotten myself into?