twenty

"I'm not hooking up with him," Mandy huffed, pulling on her jacket two hours later, "Seriously, Roxanne."

"I saw you talking to him, you were close," Roxy insisted, "Stop fooling yourself."

"I'm making things work with Taylor, ok?" Mandy said, rolling her eyes at Roxy's reaction, "Just...go get in the car."

As Roxy headed to the parking lot, Mandy felt a pang of guilt in the pit of her stomach. She'd just lied to her best friend. To her face. And it had worked. That kind of scared her, considering she'd never in their many years of friendship lied to Roxanne.

Lies aside, she zipped up her jacket, trying her best to think of a way to sneak out later that night.

-

Roxy sat next to Jordan in the backseat while Taylor rode shotgun next to Mandy. Taylor was chattering happily with Mandy while Roxy was silent. Jordan seemed to pick up on the negative energy.

"You ok?" he asked quietly.

Roxanne said nothing.

"Dude, he's talking to you," Taylor said.

Roxy glared at him, "Don't call me 'dude'."

"Roxy..." Mandy warned.

"Lighten up," Taylor said with a shrug.

Roxy licked her lips, "So. How about Magnus' hattrick tonight? Pretty decent for a rookie. Someone who was picked, what, seventh overall?"

Jordan positioned himself closer to the window while Taylor looked to Mandy, who was starting to grip the steering wheel pretty tightly.

"I mean, not saying first overall picks aren't any good," Roxy continued, "No offense. I think it's just so ironic that Magnus was able to-"

"Shut up, please," Mandy snapped.

"I was just saying."

"Roxanne, if you have something to say, just say it now."

Roxy smirked, "If I have something to say? As long as we're being HONEST here, Mandy."

Mandy leaned over and whispered something to Taylor, who nodded.

"This is so kindergarten, you guys."

"Don't make me slam on the breaks."

"Yeah, well, you're gonna slam something else later."

As expected, Mandy pulled up to the sidewalk and stamped on the breaks. The city street was empty, so she unlocked the backdoors and put the car in park, "Get out."

Jordan started to undo his seatbelt, "No, not you. Roxanne."

Roxy snorted, "Very funny."

Mandy undid her seatbelt, jumped out of the car and ripped the door open on Roxy's side, "I'm serious. Get out."

Jordan sat there in disbelief, "Mandy, let's just go home..."

"No," Mandy said angrily, "Not yet." With all her strength, she grabbed Roxanne by the arms and pulled her out of the car, tossing her onto the sidewalk. She then closed the door and got back in the car, speeding off.

"Are you serious right now?!" Jordan screamed, looking back at the dazed Roxy on the ground, shrinking in the distance.

"It's fine," Mandy said calmly, "Lander lives in that building."

"And he should be home in about...thirty seconds." Taylor said, closing his phone.

Jordan settled back in his seat, "Um..."

"Don't. Say. A single word." Mandy said angrily.

Jordan didn't dare. The group was quiet for the rest of the ride, which thankfully wasn't more than fifteen minutes. Mandy stopped in front of the apartment building lobby to let the boys out, insisting to park the car and see them the next day.

"You sure you're ok?" Taylor asked before getting out.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Mandy said, giving him a peck on the cheek, "Have a good night."

Jordan waved to Mandy as Taylor shut the door. She huffed, heading towards the parking garage and waiting until she was out of sight before turning back onto the street. Guilt was starting to seep in, but anger was already overruling that. It didn't matter where she went, it was nobody's business, and right now there was only one person she wanted to see.

Moments later Mandy pushed the key into the lock and opened the door to Magnus' apartment, seeing a dark room. Haughtily, she removed her shoes and jacket and bounded into his room, flicking on the light and throwing her arms in the air, "Why are you asleep? I told you to wait up for me!"

The familiar messy head of curls emerged from underneath the dark blue duvet, showing a very tired Magnus rubbing his eyes, "Huh?"

"Ok, so it's probably almost 1am, but would you honestly give up on me after an hour?" Mandy snapped. Magnus blinked at her.

"I've been stood up before...so yes..." he replied, yawning, "Where did I put my shirt-"

"I hate her!" Mandy exclaimed, "It is none of her business who I talk to, or rather, who I sleep with. She doesn't have the fucking guts to tell HIM how she feels anyway, so why should it matter?"

Magnus frowned, standing there in his gym shorts and shirt, "Wait, what?"

"Roxanne," Mandy said with a sigh, "I threw her out of the car when we were driving home tonight."

Magnus was confused, "Threw her out?"

"She saw me talking to you after the game so she started going on about how good you played and kept putting Taylor down which pissed me off and I told her to stop but she didn't and she kept making it look like I was going to do something but I hate cheating and she never stopped running her stupid mouth and I told her to shut up but she didn't so I stopped the car and threw her out."

"Did you just say that all in one breath?" Magnus said with a smirk. His phone beeped and he flipped it open, peering at the screen curiously.

"Does it matter? Anyway she's-"

"-at Lander's. Yeah, he just texted me." Magnus closed his phone.

"I've never fought with her like this before. She just hates him."

"I don't think that's the case," Magnus said calmly, "I mean, she's worried because of what happened before."

Mandy crossed her arms, "Well, it won't."

Magnus settled himself down behind her on the bed, rubbing her shoulders gently, "You really need to just chill out."

"I know, I just have a hard time...trying to..." Mandy arched her back, a sudden wave of calm washing over her, "That feels really good..."

"Lay down."

"What?"

Magnus pushed her down gently on her stomach, "Trust me."

Mandy crossed her arms under her chin and closed her eyes, feeling his strong hands starting to work the sore muscles in her lower back, "You're...how did you...."

"It's a gift," Magnus said simply, "If it makes you feel better, Lander's just as bad as Roxanne at this point. If I bring her up, he gets all flustered. Sometimes he even mutters in Swedish about her...of course, I understand every word."

He pressed on a particularly hard knot in the middle of her spine, hearing a small whimper escape from her, "Sorry."

"It's fine," Mandy said groggily, "Could you...?"

"Yeah," Magnus replied, kneading it with the palms of his hands, "How'd you get so stressed out? Your back is a mess."

"I don't relax."

"Come again?"

"Not since my dad died. I had to take care of my brothers, take care of Roxanne, keep things running, try to make it through school...this job..."

"Well, as of right now, you don't have to take care of anyone or anything," Magnus told her simply, "All you have to do is stay still."

Mandy wasn't exactly listening to Magnus, and he knew that. Just the sound of his voice, combined with the soothing sensations of his hands, was enough to make her forget all her worries. He continued to talk aimlessly about nothing, listening for groans to make sure she was enjoying herself.

Everything was going great until he chose to run his hands along her sides, accidentally brushing his fingers along her breasts. Embarrassed, Magnus immediately withdrew his hands, "I'm sorry!"

Mandy sat up, "It's ok, really..."

"No, I didn't mean-"

"Pretty sure you've touched me there before."

Mandy grabbed his face and kissed him hard. Taken aback, Magnus parted his lips, feeling Mandy's hands venturing dangerously close to his swelling package. Once there, he exhaled a tiny moan, having hoped to keep in in, but she knew better. In a frenzy she pulled him down onto the bed, kissing him with everything in her. And just as quickly as it happened, it stopped.

"I shouldn't have done that," she said hastily, getting up, "I'm sorry. Let's just...let's just go to sleep."

Holding back his feelings, Magnus silently agreed. It was too late for anything big to happen. The last thing he needed was any more drama with the group.

"You can help yourself to one of my t-shirts in the closet," he told her, "I'm going to the sofa."

"Wait."

"What?"

"You're going to make me sleep in here?"

"You're the guest."

"Just...sleep next to me."

Magnus knew this was a bad idea, but seeing Mandy, in the fragile state she was in, made him give her the answer she wanted to hear, "Ok."

The lights out and the clock gleaming, '2:03 AM', Magnus crawled in next to Mandy and almost immediately she snuggled up to him. He awkwardly put an arm around her.

"You smell good..." she whispered.

"Thanks."

"Mmm..." she continued, "You know, I don't mind you sleeping with your shirt off..."

Magnus shrugged, sitting up and flicking on the bedside lamp. This was truly getting ridiculous. She blinked at him.

"Mandy."

"What?"

"Why are you here?"

She shrugged, "I wanted to see you."

"You see me every day."

"Well, in passing. When I'm handing out towels. Or water bottles. Or cleaning up your stall, which is a terrible mess, by the way." He smiled. "Is it wrong for me to want to come and hang out?"

"It's the middle of the night."

"So?"

Magnus gave her a blatanty obvious look. Mandy rolled her eyes, "So every time I come here, you think about...that."

"I wasn't, actually."

"You definitely were."

"It doesn't matter."

"See, I don't understand why you act so depressed whenever I talk about it, Magnus."

"Mandy, come on," he said slowly, "You know why you're here. I know it too."

Annoyed, Mandy stood up, "Don't flatter yourself."

"Does he know you're here?" Magnus asked.

"Does it matter?"

"I think it does."

"Ugh, you too!" Mandy gritted her teeth, heading for the door, "Like I need YOU accusing me of things."

"You wouldn't come here unless I could give you something he couldn't."

Mandy stopped in her tracks, "What?"

"You know how it goes," Magnus said quietly, "You ask for me to hold you, because you're afraid. So I did. Your hands will wander, so will mine-"

"Oh shut up!"

"No," Magnus continued, "It's 2 am now, Mandy. You wouldn't be here unless you needed some way to forget about what happened, about what happened with Roxanne, and Taylor. I'm not going to judge you, or say anything to hurt your feelings. But I know one thing I will do."

"And that is?"

He turned the light off again, "I'll make you forget about him."

Mandy frowned, hearing the covers rustle and feeling the bed move in the dark. Suddenly, she could feel Magnus' hands on her thighs, parting them gently. She closed her eyes as he removed her underwear, waiting patiently to see what we would do next.

She jumped, the warmth of his breath on her thighs. Gentle, tiny trails of kisses, her left to her right, kissing everywhere except where she desperately wanted to be touched. Magnus took his precious time before flicking his tongue lightly just beneath her sensitive hood.

He had her in his clutches. Holding her legs apart, Magnus started to tease her, continuing to hardly touch, making Mandy squirm. After several seconds, he pressed her mouth against her and began to swirl his tongue within her, driving Mandy absolutely crazy.

"Oh...wow..." she moaned, throwing back her head, "Oh god..."

Magnus was enjoying this; the simple act of pleasuring Mandy like this was so intimate, so...romantic. Mentally he knew Taylor hadn't done this, and if he had, never like he was. Magnus knew he had to pay attention to her movements in order to please her completely; he followed the rhythm of her hips to get her riled up even more.

Mandy herself couldn't believe what was happening. Of course, her boyfriend was in the back of her mind...but her body was overpowering her thoughts. Her lower half was in complete bliss at Magnus' expense. She kept trying to escape when it got intense, but his hands wouldn't allow her. It was only a matter of time before she'd reach orgasm.

"Magnus...I'm going to..."

He stopped, "Am I hurting you?"

"No, fuck, keep going!" Mandy commanded.

Expecting him to go back to his old ways, Mandy was shocked to feel his fingers enter her- along with his tongue still working on her! This boy had talent. Her back arched longingly as he pumped them in and out of her, hitting every single pleasurable nerve. Magnus had her in his grasp, she was his now. Mandy was spiraling into ecstasy.

In a shattering moment, Mandy let out a cry and Magnus felt her come. He smiled, crawling out from under the sheets, wiping the sweat from his brow, "Good?"

"There is...no way...you've never done that...before." Mandy said, her breath still heavy from her climax.

Magnus smiled, "Actually...I just read up on it." he blushed, "You know, just in case..."

Mandy sighed, "I need you."

"You have me."

"No...I mean...I need you. Inside me." Mandy pressed her hand against his hard-on, "Please. I can't wait anymore."

Being the gentleman he was, Magnus did what she asked. For the next three hours.