That Night

Prologue

It started with a one-night-stand.

"Do you want to go somewhere quiet?" I whispered huskily, allowing my breath to hit her ear.

She gazed up at me through glimmering blue eyes, filled with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty.

Well, technically it started before then, but that night was what put all my problems into hyper-drive. It was what ruined everything.

Taking my hand tentatively, her palm warm and clammy, she followed me towards the staircase.

She was just a girl; not a cheerleader or a party girl. Needless to say, she wasn't my type. She was just some timid, studious girl with whom I somehow sparked an unexpected friendship. But Harrison was convinced that it was turning into something more, no matter how avidly I denied it.

My heart beat faster as we walked down the dark hallway towards an empty bedroom.

Why did I let him pressure me so easily? If I had just stuck to my resolve and went on with my life, I never would have gone through with the greatest mistake of my life: that damn one-night-stand.

When we entered the room, she reached for the light switch, but I stopped her, taking her delicate hand in mine once again. A funny grin crossed her smooth, pink lips as she stared up at me curiously. I couldn't help but smile back, always feeling tickled by the sight of her dimples.

"What is it?" she asked me, giggling a little out of shyness. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, lowering her gaze and biting her lip coyly.

That was it. I couldn't help myself.

Tipping her face back up with the tip of my finger, I leaned down ever so slowly, anticipation flooding and swelling inside me.

I had never been friends – just friends – with a girl before I met her. I only ever had girlfriends or casual – for lack of a better work – fuck-buddies. But she was so different. She was the one to strike up our first conversation, and after that, I found pleasure in chatting with her about anything and everything. Weather, school, television, hobbies – you name it. I could still recall the first time we ever spoke, nearly word for word...

"Phew," she huffed, plopping down in the vacant seat beside me. She had said it loud enough to draw my attention, but quiet enough to show that she was probably talking to herself. "What a hassle!"

Amused, I turned in my chair, away from the other girl I had been talking up, and grinned at her.

"What?" I inquired, humoring both her and myself. This ought to be interesting, I thought to myself.

She looked over at me with wide eyes, as if questioning whether I was actually talking to her, and then smiled like I was an old friend.

"Oh, I just came from the theater," she began, waving her hands animatedly. I felt bad then, realizing that she actually thought I was interested. Nevertheless, I let her go on. "Apparently, the person who was supposed to make the flyers printed out five-hundred copies all with the wrong date." She laughed as if it was the funniest thing in the world, making my grin widen.

"Anyway," she went on, "they've already distributed a third of the flyers – all with the wrong date – and now the director is having a massive hissy fit."

"Wow," I replied, pretending to be in shock. "So, you're part of the production?"

She shook her head fervently, even laughing a little. "Oh, no!" she cried. "I was just passing by the music room when I heard all this shouting. I stopped in to see if everyone was alright, and then when I heard what happened, I offered to help." She then reached down and pulled a thick stack of paper out of her backpack. "See? I have to white-out the dates on these flyers and write in the correct one," she explained, acting like it was the simplest task.