"Hey, Tris!"
I looked up from the book I was reading to see Lauren sit down across from me, a chirpy smile on her face.
"Hi."
"What are you doing this weekend?"
I shrugged. I thought it was a better response than telling the truth. Of course I was doing nothing.
"Well, you should find out." She dipped a french fry in ketchup. "I was thinking of having a little party."
I shook my head lightly and probably too fast. "No parties."
A small frown graced across her face. "Why not?"
I didn't answer, my eyes shifting down to my lap. Because lat time I was humiliated in front of bunch of strangers and the person who I really like, who just happened to play a big part in the humiliation.
Lauren seemed to catch on. "Hey, this will be nothing like Christmas, I promise. No Connor, no Levi, no mistletoe. The drinking will even be light. Just close friends." She paused, giving me a chance to say something, eyes eager and hopeful. "Pretty please? It'll be fun!"
I smiled lightly. "I'll think about it." I knew Lauren wouldn't give up without some sort of an answer. She could be so damn persistent.
She clapped her fingers together, smiling with her teeth. "Yay! I hope you come."
I laughed at her and stabbed my fork through a mini corn dog.
"I've told you this before, Tris. This is a finger lunch. You don't need a fork to eat mini corn dogs!"
-
I looked at myself in Lauren's bathroom mirror. I had somehow let her talk me into going to my second high school party. And I was currently on my eighth minute of hiding in the bathroom.
Lauren was true to her word; there weren't a ton of people here. Some I didn't recognize, but I knew everyone for the most part. I leaned my hands against the counter, trying to work up the courage to go 'mingle,' as Lauren is always suggesting I do.
Just before my tenth minute arrived, there was a knock at the door. I made eye contact with myself and wiped my face with both hands, messing my hair around to try and make it look better. I flushed the toilet with my foot, let the sink run for a couple seconds, and went to the door.
The bathroom lines must be long if people needed to use the one attached to Lauren's bedroom, which was a closed door room. (Lauren says closed door rooms are off limits at her parties, but she let me regroup in here.)
With a deep breath, I swung the door open. I kept my eyes down and began to mumble out an apology for holding up the line. When I looked up, I nearly ran into Brad.
It felt like all of the breath had been stolen from my body. My words trailed off mid apology.
He looked good.
His boots were well worn, his jeans fit him perfectly, his shirt was unbuttoned just enough to expose the space below his collarbones. He had a silver chain with a cross pendant hanging perfectly by his throat.
When my eyes finally met his, he had a cheeky grin on his face, curls perfectly messy.
He looks amazing.
And he was so close to me.
He looked behind him, fake confusion plastered on his face. "What line? This line?" He pointed to the empty room behind him.
I could feel my cheeks flushing as I gave his shoulder a little shove. "Do you have to go?"
"No, I'm okay." His smile grew wider, his eyes soft. "Lauren said you were in here. I couldn't find you."
