Original Sin

Sunday morning, Sin began to wake up slowly. As she tried to pull herself into a sitting position, she realized something was holding her back. Opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was Eddie’s face mere inches from her own. He was on his side, his arm slung across her waist. Suddenly, the night before came crashing back in memories, and Sin remembered falling asleep side by side with Eddie.

Unable to help herself, Sin took the opportunity to look at Eddie’s peaceful expression as he slept. His lips were just slightly parted, and his hair was messy. There was no denying that he was a very good-looking guy, but what hit Sin was the fact that, even sleeping, he looked exactly the same as he always did. It was something Sin wasn’t accustomed to; with Zip and Brian, and any of the other bad-boy types she had woken up beside over the years, Sin had always been taken by how innocent they looked while asleep in comparison to the cocky, smug, self-satisfied looks they had when they were awake. With Eddie, though, he was exactly the same person, as if he was always being himself, never trying to be anything else.

As Sin watched Eddie, she felt him begin stirring. Immediately, she closed her eyes and hoped he wouldn’t notice the flush that was moving over her face and neck at almost being caught staring at him. As she felt him gently lift his arm from her waist, she tried not to consider why her body was reacting with a bit of disappointment to the loss of Eddie’s embrace. She felt him slide over a little bit, further from her, and Sin finally opened her eyes, blinking a few times to appear like she had just woken up.

“Morning,” Eddie looked at Sin as she stretched beside him. He was glad that he had woken up first; he would have been supremely embarrassed if Sin had woken to find him wrapped around her protectively, even though the action had been unconscious and unintentional. What really was the root of his concern was that waking up like that beside Sin had felt wonderful. Her skin was so soft, and she smelled like honey. It had been a long time since Eddie had woken up in bed next to a woman, and it was hard not to notice that Sin had looked as beautiful as ever as soon as she woke up.

“Morning,” Sin smiled at Eddie. Turning onto her side to face him, she propped herself up on one elbow. “Thanks for last night, Eddie. You were a real friend.”

“I was glad to help,” Eddie grinned back at Sin. “Plus, I had fun. Despite your brash and sometimes bitchy demeanor, you are actually a pretty cool person to hang out with.”

Laughing, Sin already felt back at ease. What had she been thinking? Eddie and she were two completely different people. The fact that they were even friends was surprising; there would be no way that they would ever share more than that. “Yeah, well, to return the backhanded compliment,” she told him. “You’re not the worst-looking guy I’ve ever woken up next to after a night of heavy drinking.”

“Thanks,” Eddie replied wryly. He liked the way that Sin’s gray eyes danced as she teased him. “I’d say the same back, but it’s been so long since I woke up next to a woman, I have a hard time remembering what the others looked like.”

“All two of them?” Sin joked.

“Oh, that’s worse than having the laundry list of ugly guys you’re saying you slept with?” Eddie ribbed back, jumping as Sin pulled her pillow from below her head and hit him with it in one quick movement.

“Fuck you,” Sin said, her smile wide.

“Apparently, I’m too attractive for your tastes,” Eddie replied, then let out an ‘oof’ sound as he was hit with the pillow again. “Okay, okay, I give,” he put his hands up in surrender. “You win. Damn woman, is this how you treat all the guys you sleep with?” He jumped up and out of the bed before Sin could hit him again.

Pulling herself to her knees, Sin hugged the pillow she had been using to attack Eddie to her stomach. “Okay, enough with calling me a slut,” she rolled her eyes. “You want to go grab some coffee?”

Moving quickly back to the bed, Eddie sat down and looked at Sin seriously. “I never called you a slut,” he told her, looking into her eyes. “I would never say something like that, or even think it. So don’t joke about that, okay?”

“O-okay,” Sin was taken aback and couldn’t think of any other response. Eddie looked so intense, and yet so kind, as he made sure Sin understood that he respected her. “So, coffee then?” she finally choked out, torn between wanting Eddie to stop looking at her like something to care for and wanting him to never stop looking at her like that.

Nodding, Eddie’s face broke into an easy smile again. “Coffee would be great,” he stood up once more. “Mind if I take a quick shower first?”

Shaking her head, Sin pointed down the hall. “There are towels in the linen closet,” she told Eddie. “Help yourself.”

As Eddie walked out of the room and towards the bathroom, Sin let out a soft sigh. What was it about this kid that made her feel so confused? After all, she had let him into the darkest, most personal recesses of her mind the night before, sharing things she had never shared with anyone; she had reveled in the comfort of his embrace when she woke up that morning; and she had been touched at his protectiveness of her just then, how he wouldn’t allow her to put herself down. How was it possible some pure naïve midwestern boy could make Sin feel so normal, when compared to him and his apple-pie good looks and preppy attire, she stood out like a sore thumb? It didn’t make any sense.

-----

The semester was back in full swing the next week, and Eddie had so much work to do, his brain was swimming. He was, however, still in a great mood from the weekend. He and Sin had spent all day Sunday together, getting coffee and sitting in the park to see ‘clean snow’ as Sin put it. Then, going to see some indie film Sin wanted to see, and having dinner in a tiny Chinese restaurant that was one of Eddie’s favorite places in the city. By the time Eddie and Sin parted ways on Sunday night, what had begun as a boring and possibly uncomfortable weekend had turned into a few of the best days Eddie had had since he moved to New York.

So, despite his workload, Eddie had made time to have lunch with Lianna on Wednesday when she called and asked. He knew that she was getting apprehensive about Joseph leaving for tour the next week, and he wanted to take the opportunity to remind her he would still be around to hang out with as friends. Smiling to himself, Eddie thought over the words again: as friends. He felt good knowing that the phrase didn’t bother him in relation to Lianna anymore; her friendship was all he desired now. He wasn’t even sure how or when that change had occurred, but he felt deep down like he really was certain of this fact.

“Hello,” Eddie had a big grin on his face as he approached Lianna in the little café that had agreed to meet at. “I hope you weren’t waiting long. My professor was a little long-winded this morning.”

“I’ve only been here a few minutes,” Lianna smiled back at Eddie as he sat. “Speaking of school, how is this semester going?”

“I’m back into the thick of it,” Eddie admitted. “Papers, group projects, you name it. But at least the subject matter is interesting to me. So how is work going? Are you still having… interpersonal issues with your boss?”

Shrugging, Lianna looked a bit uncomfortable. After all, she wasn’t getting along with her boss, Sandy, because Sandy had spread some rumors about Lianna and Eddie to a reporter. The insinuations made had been embarrassing. “My job is good,” Lianna finally replied. “And Sandy and I are now on a need-based speaking level.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Eddie said. “And you and Joseph?”

“We’re doing good,” Lianna said slowly, studying Eddie. In the past, he had looked uncomfortable any time he mentioned Joseph’s name, but he seemed just fine now. “It’s going to be hard, having him away for three months, but we don’t have the same relationship we used to have; we’re much healthier now.”

“I’m so glad to hear that,” Eddie smiled genuinely at Lianna over his menu.

“Okay,” Lianna put down her own menu and gave Eddie a questioning look. “You are just far too happy for a busy grad student in the middle of a freezing cold New York January. What’s the deal? Did you meet someone?”

Blushing slightly, Eddie shook his head. “No,” he denied this. “No, I guess I just feel… I’ve been hanging out more… doing stuff I haven’t done before…”

One hand immediately flew to Lianna’s mouth. “Oh my God,” she grinned. “You slept with Sin on Saturday night after you guys left our place, didn’t you?”

“No, no,” Eddie sputtered nervously, feeling his cheeks heating even more. “Well, I mean yes, but not the way you’re meaning it. We hung out – as friends – and I crashed there. But there’s nothing between us. I mean, Sin’s all for the Harley Davidson riding, leather jacket wearing, tattoo-covered, rock and roll singing bad boy. I don’t own a car, never mind a motorcycle, my jacket is fleece, I’m afraid of needles, and I’m going to be a child psychologist. Not exactly a poster-child for the ‘born to be wild’ lifestyle.”

Biting her lip, Lianna tilted her head slightly. “But you like her, don’t you?” she asked in a sympathetic voice.

“Oh, don’t do that, Lianna,” Eddie begged. “I just went through all my self-doubts; don’t look at me like I’m pathetic.”

“I’m sorry,” Lianna immediately replied. “I didn’t mean to make you feel like that. I just… you’re such a good guy and such an amazing friend. I just want you to get all the wonderful things you deserve from life.”

“And, in truth, I’m really enjoying my life right now,” Eddie said, happy to be able to know that he was telling the truth to Lianna. “I’m not dating; I’m not even interested in dating. I’m just enjoying spending time with friends, including Sin, who has introduced me to some things – clubs, movies, what-have-you – that I never would have discovered on my own. And I enjoy hanging out with you, too – when you leave my non-existant love life out of it,” he teased her, seeing a blush rise in her cheeks. “Now, let’s just talk like we always have, and have a nice lunch.”

“Absolutely,” Lianna said. “I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions like that. It isn’t even my business.”

“Thank you,” Eddie grinned. “Now, let’s talk about the going away party. Do you need me to bring anything?

As they started discussing the party that would be held at Joseph’s condo for the band, Lianna suddenly realized something. Eddie hadn’t denied being interested in Sin; he had just said that he wasn’t Sin’s type, and had asked Lianna not to look at him like he was pathetic. Now, Lianna didn’t want to invade anyone’s personal lives, but she had also seen Sin look at Eddie with unquestionable attraction several times when they had been over for dinner. She wondered if either of them even realized that the other person might be interested…

-----

Sin was in her darkroom when her cell phone went off. “Hello?” she answered without even checking the caller ID. She was in too good a mood after seeing how well some photos she had taken earlier in the week had come out to worry about whether it was someone she didn’t want to speak with.

“Hello, Sunshine,” Zip’s voice came over the line, immediately making Sin’s mouth feel dry. Zip had called several times over the weekend, wanting to talk more about their dinner and what the kiss they had shared meant. But he had seemed to get the hint, and hadn’t called since Sunday. “You sound happy. Were you thinking about me?”

“I’m working,” Sin yelled at herself silently at herself for smirking at Zip’s brazen conceit. “There is only one way you know how to make me sound happy, and I’ve already told you that’s never going to fucking happen again.”

Chuckling, Zip would not be persuaded to give up. “Listen, Beautiful,” he began. “I still am not sure why you took off like you did last Friday. We leave this coming Monday, after all. I just want to see you some more before I go.”

“You don’t want to see me more,” Sin couldn’t help but joke with Zip. “You want to see more of me.”

“I have never denied how much I enjoy sex with you,” Zip said and laughed like he could see the blush creeping up over Sin’s face through the phone. “But I also want you to know that that isn’t all I want from you. So let’s go out… somewhere public, so you don’t have to worry about giving into my godly good-looks as soon as you see me.”

Rolling her eyes, Sin began chewing on her lip. It couldn’t be so bad to hang out with Zip if they went somewhere public, right? “Do you want to grab some dinner tonight?” she asked. “In a RESTAURANT, not at your place.”

“Sure,” Zip sounded surprised to have Sin concede so quickly, but recovered almost immediately. “Do you want to meet at Villapiano’s at seven?”

Swallowing hard, Sin wasn’t sure how to respond. “Oh,” she finally retorted sarcastically. “Is that where you take all your conquests?” Villapiano’s was a small Italian bistro that Zip had taken Sin to the night after their first time together. At the time, Sin had thought the quaint restaurant was a sweet choice for Zip, but now she assumed it’s where he took all the women he slept with.

“No,” Zip said simply. “Just you. It’s where we went on our first… I don’t know if you can call that a date, actually, considering we had been going at it like rabbits the whole night before and most of that day. But it’s the first time I took you out, just you and me. Then we went back at it later that night at my place, as I recall.”

Zip’s vivid memory drove Sin crazy. All the little facts he remembered about her and the time they had spent together made it hard to look at him poorly. “Actually, we barely made it back to your place after dinner,” Sin said a little softly. “The cab driver came very close to getting some show in the rearview mirror.”

“Oh, yes, I remember,” Zip chuckled. “Okay, so dinner at seven, then?”

“What the hell,” Sin said in response. “What have I got to lose?”

“Oh, I guarantee you won’t lose anything,” Zip said. “I’ll make sure you’re lucky, or at least that you get lucky, if you’d like…”

“You’re an ass,” Sin shook her head and laughed. “Bye Zip.”

“Bye Sin,” Zip replied, and Sin turned off her phone. Why had she just done that? Why was she in such a good mood, able to even spar in a friendly way with Zip of all people? Why had she agreed to dinner again? Was Zip just that charming, or was Sin just that stupid?

“Neither,” Sin decided, looking down in the red light at the photo she held in her hands of an older couple walking arm-in-arm down Broadway, looking completely in love. “My life is just getting better with work and friends. Not to mention how much better I feel having talked about so much shit with Eddie last weekend.”

Eddie.

That’s what was better in Sin’s life – a friend that she trusted, who never seemed to judge her or her actions. He was helping her start to like herself for the first time in a long time. And liking herself meant facing the feelings Sin had – in the past and present – for Zip.

-----

“This has been a surprisingly nice dinner,” Sin said as she put her napkin on her plate. She was being honest, too; Zip had been funny and interesting all evening, and had managed to avoid more than the offhanded dirty comment. He had even dressed down, managing to avoid being recognized throughout the meal. “I enjoyed myself, Zip. Thanks.”

“I did, too,” Zip smiled across the table as he reached for the bill. “No, no, my treat,” he insisted. “As far as I remember, the band was signed the last time we came here, but we hadn’t gotten any money yet and you paid for yourself. Let me this time.”

Smiling a little, Sin shrugged. She had to admit, she was glad she had agreed to dinner. Zip was being funny and easy to talk to. She was enjoying herself, and there had been no physical contact at all. It was shocking. “Well, thanks,” she told Zip as they both rose to leave the restaurant. “I hate to admit it, but I had a good time tonight.”

Putting his hand on the small of her back, Zip led Sin through the myriad of small tables in the restaurant, towards the front door. As they stepped outside, he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered one.

“What the hell?” Sin took one of the cigarettes. She hoped that it would calm her nerves some, because being in the middle of a crowded restaurant with Zip was one thing. Being alone outside with him was another – one that made her nervous, no matter how well she played it off. Accepting a light from Zip, she inhaled deeply. “So…”

“So…” Zip just smiled and took a drag of his cigarette.

“You know, it’s weird,” Sin rushed forward, not wanting any awkward silences that could lead to… anything. “I still have a hard time seeing you guys everywhere. I was standing at a bus stop today, and there you and Joseph and the guys were, ten feet tall, plastered on some building. The Spin magazine cover.”

Nodding, Zip said nothing for a moment. He took another drag of his cigarette and just studied Sin silently.

“Stop,” Sin finally said. “You’re making me really fucking uncomfortable.”

“I can’t help it,” Zip said easily. “Every time I look at you, I can’t believe how fucking stupid I was to let you go the first time.” Taking a step towards her as he threw his cigarette to the ground, he placed his hand gently on her shoulder. “I can’t do that again. I can’t fuck up like that again.”

Not knowing what to say, Sin hid behind her cigarette, inhaling deeply and slowly letting out the smoke. “Zip, I can’t do this again-”

“I think I’m in love with you.”

Stepping back, Sin’s mouth dropped open. “Fuck you,” she said immediately, throwing her own finished smoke to the ground. “You don’t even fucking know me, you bastard. Where the fuck do you think you get off saying something like that?”

Undeterred, Zip took another step towards Sin. “I’m saying it because it’s true,” he told her softly. “I think I felt it back then, but I was too much of an asshole to accept it. I didn’t want to give up the chance to be with other girls and live the fucking ‘rock and roll’ lifestyle. I was too young, too immature… too stupid to realize that the most amazing fucking girl I have ever met was standing in front of me.”

Sin was about to yell at Zip. She was ready to smack him. She wanted to knee him in the balls and take off down the street. But Zip moved too quickly.

Before Sin knew what was happening, Zip had pulled her to him. His mouth was on hers, his lips soft and firm at the same time. The way he touched her face… the way his tongue tasted her lips… the way he let forward a low growl from the back of his throat… it was too much for Sin. She couldn’t help but give in.

The kiss was as amazing as anything Sin had ever felt. Zip wasn’t trying to touch her – wasn’t trying to go further. He was just kissing her in the freezing cold on a city street in the dark. It was intimate and sweet and unbelievably sexy. Every fiber of Sin’s being was turned on when she heard her cell phone going off. Without thinking, she pulled back. Taking her phone out of her pocket, she saw who was calling.

Opie.

That’s what Sin had programmed Eddie’s phone number as. She had been teasing him how old-fashioned, Andy Griffith-innocent he was; that’s why she did it. Looking up at Zip, Sin couldn’t understand what she was feeling. One part of her wanted to give in to Zip; to say fuck it and have one amazing night, not expecting more. Another part of her, though, wanted to answer her phone, walk away, go to Eddie and talk to him. She decided to do neither.

Turning off her phone and slipping it in her pocket, Sin looked at Zip. “You’re still the best at that,” she smiled, motioning towards her lips to indicate that she meant his kisses. “But, like I’ve said before, I can’t do this again. You aren’t in love with me. I don’t even know why you said that; I don’t think you’re being vindictive, but I do think… I know this would be wrong.”

“I wasn’t trying to sleep with you,” Zip said simply. “At least, not tonight. I just wanted to kiss you. Kissing you gives me this tremor through my whole body; it’s better than the thrill I get performing on stage. It’s a natural high for me.”

Swallowing hard, Sin didn’t know what to say once more. “Well, I should go…”

“Are you coming to the party Saturday?” Zip asked, his dark eyes locked on Sin’s face.

Nodding, Sin bit her lip. What the hell was going on? Was Zip actually being sweet and sincere, or was this just another one of his ploys to get her into bed? “I’m not sleeping with you on Saturday either,” Sin added.

Letting out a short laugh, Zip’s face looked beautiful. “I say we wait and see what happens before making such blanket statements.”

A cab pulled up and Sin reached for the door handle. “I’m not sleeping with you ever again, Zip,” Sin grinned. “But I did have a good time. Thanks.”

Sin’s statement to Zip had startled the cab driver, but Sin didn’t care. She was proud of herself; she had managed to say no to Zip without losing her temper. Maybe she was growing up, finally.

Suddenly, a doubt started eating away in the back of Sin’s mind. “If I’ve grown up and matured,” she told herself. “Maybe Zip really has, too. Not that he’s in love with me – he doesn’t know me as I am now – but maybe he means it when he says he wants to try a real relationship.”

“Fuck,” Sin muttered under her breath. “Just what I need; to fall for Zip-fucking-Kopti again. Maybe I can wear a t-shirt with his picture on it at the mall with all the other thirteen year olds.”

“Did you say something?” the cab driver asked into the rearview mirror.

“Yes,” Sin replied. “I said I’m an ass.”

-----

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THAT HAVE REVIEWED. SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN POSTING. I’LL TRY TO DO BETTER NEXT TIME! NOW, A FEW WORDS:

LADY RAIN: IF ANYONE REFERRED TO ME AS SHNOOKUMS IN ANY WAY THAT WASN’T COMPLETELY IRONIC, I WOULD DUMP HIS ASS, TOO.

CD: I ALWAYS LIKED EDDIE, BUT THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF ZIP, THE MORE I LIKED HIM, TOO. WHATEVER SHALL I DO?

SESSHY_LOVER: I’M SORRY MY HIATUS LEFT YOU COLD AND DARK. HOPE THIS UPDATE HELPS!

MEMORY CHASE: EYE ACCIDENT? HOW AWFUL! HOPE YOU ARE FEELING BETTER NOW.