Matches | √

Chapter Twenty-Three

fire | a burning sensation in the body

• • •

4/2/17

MUSIC BLARES THROUGH the speakers in the party bus. The deep bass and smell of weed mix to cause a buzz of thrilling anticipation in the air. Bodies dance together in the aisle as bottles are passed around and flasks are being filled to the brim in preparation for the rest of the night.

I sit near the window staring out at the dark night sky as my date sits next to me speaking with a teammate that sits behind us. A cheerleader who sits nearby has been flirting with him all night even though she has a date, but I don't even care.

Before I can stop myself my eyes flicker over to see Asher and Francesca at the front of the bus chugging expensive champagne from the bottle like it's water. My best friend looks unbelievably gorgeous tonight and with Asher on her arm she looks even better. Most guys went with the classic black tux and white shirt, some guys in white tuxes with black shirts, but Asher chose to wear all black.

It matches the dark glare of his eyes and only makes him look sexier.

His eyes meet mine from across the bus, the colorful flashing lights that line the ceiling splay across the hard line of his jaw. He stares at me for a single intense moment letting his gaze rake over me as if he's really looking at me. Taking me in and leaving me almost breathless before he finally casts his eyes away.

"Are you excited?" Kevin, my date, asks me laying a firm hand on my knee. I tense under his touch not liking his touch the way I crave Asher's rough fingertips against my soft skin.

I twist my head to look at him and his blonde hair and light blue eyes. He's cute; no he's actually extremely handsome. I should be excited to go to my senior prom, let alone to go with a hot football player who's going D1 next year at that. But I'm not.

"Yeah," I mutter with a nod and a forced smile.

"Good," he begins. "Tonight's going to the best," he declares before sliding his arm around my shoulders to draw me in.

I nod again unable to form words as he takes a pull from his engraved flask.

Dinner had gone by quickly earlier in the night. We went to an expensive steak house downtown and Kevin paid for my meal. But all I had wanted was to spend a few moments with my best friend, but she was engrossed with Asher the entire time. Giggling, playing with her shiny hair, sending him playful looks. I could barely eat half of my plate from the way my stomach twisted with nausea, shame, and ultimately envy.

My gaze falls back towards the window to see we are nearing tonight's venue. As soon as we pull up my eyes take in the trees lining the walkway that are decorated in twinkly lights and the entrance that is draped in sparkling gold.

The theme for prom this year is starry night, and our senior class went all out. We rented out the grand ballroom of this gorgeous hotel just outside Easton, and as it belongs to the father of a classmate we received a lot of leeway in the decorating department.

I hadn't realized how warm the bus was until I stepped out onto the sidewalk and a gust of wind chilled my flushed skin. Chills spread over my body as my date steps up next to me and links his arm with mine leading us inside. The sound of heels clicking against the tiled floor echo around us as we enter the hotel. We are immediately led straight into the ballroom and it's honestly breathtaking. Lights cover every surface creating a warm ambiance. The tables are covered in midnight blue tablecloths covered with little gold stars and candlelight centerpieces. Stars hang from the ceiling and gold streamers tangle with them to create a beautiful sky. It is beyond everything I could've imagined for a senior year prom.