Life As I Know It (Completed)

Chapter Fourteen - A Kiss

          I quickly hurried to the bathroom to freshen up. I was so confused right now, and dozens of scenarios were running through my head. I wanted to splash some water on my face to calm myself down, but that would have completely ruined my makeup. I didn't know why I even tried so hard tonight. Well, maybe I did. I was hoping to impress someone, but he hadn't even commented on how I looked.

          I took my phone out of my bra and quickly texted Kelley. I wanted to get myself to stop thinking about thoughts that would only depress me. Thinking about Drew often depressed me, because I knew the entire situation was hopeless. We were hopeless. Our parents were getting married for god's sake.

          Just saw Mr McKenzie, Maddy and Jason, with some other guy at the restaurant... :/

          I put my phone back into my bra and looked in the mirror to make sure there was no noticeable bump in... that region, and slipped back out of the bathroom. When I neared our table, I was regretting hurrying and wished I'd taken longer.

           "Really Drew, you can be so stubborn and insolent at times," Cassandra was saying. "You weren't always like this. I'm guessing it's your father's influence... among other people." She gave me a withering glance when she noticed my approach.

          Jack looked really pissed off by this, but kept his tongue bitten even though it looked like the effort to keep doing so was giving him a coronary. Everyone else looked even more awkward than they had when Cassandra was going off on Drew. I guess criticizing Jack's role as a father figure surpassed everyone's comfort zone. I didn't know why he even invited her to come over. Hell, knowing her for the brief period of time I had, she'd probably invited herself along. That sounded more likely than Jack inviting her to his engagement party which was in a few days time.

          As I was about to take my seat, I felt my phone vibrate. I turned around subtly, pretending to fix my dress and quickly took my phone back out. I noticed Drew quickly glancing away from me, the tips of his ears red, as I sat down and I wanted to die. He saw. Fuck my life.

           "Why didn't you bring a purse?" Mum murmured, leaning in closer to me. Great, she'd noticed too.

           "Didn't have one that matched," I replied. I leaned over and snatched up her wine glass and took a sip. She gave me an exasperated look, but didn't stop me. I smiled at her impishly. Cassandra had kicked up a fuss when the waiter had been about to pour some wine for Drew and I. Never mind that I was now eighteen, and Drew nineteen, and we could legally drink.

           I noticed Drew watching me with a strange look on his face. "Hey. It's alright for you guys, you have pockets to hold all your things. Do you see any pockets on this?" I gestured down my body at my dress, deciding that pretending I didn't notice Drew watching me would just be awkward. It was better to turn it into a joke.

          He looked me up and down slowly, leisurely. My breath caught in my throat at that smouldering look. His eyes lingered at the low neckline of my dress, and I would have slapped him upside the head if it didn't mean acknowledging he was checking me out in the first place.

          I gave my order to the waiter when he approached, and noticed Drew flushing as he glanced away from me from the corner of my eyes. Everything was so different with him. If it had been anyone else, I would have laughed, maybe flirted, but with Drew... I couldn't do it. I looked at Kelley's text to distract myself.