Chasing Astrid Malone

19. TEASE

After telling my best friends, and Steve, every detail from the night before with Tristan. I texted Josh letting him know I was almost there.

Josh: I'll meet you on the front lawn.

"So A, do you think now that I'm 18 your brother will give me a chance?" Brenda was wagging her eyebrows at me.

"Stop! He's my brother, it would be weird if he started dating my best friend." I'm sure Josh isn't interested either, but she doesn't need to know that.

Carly wasn't even in the same world as us right now. She and Steve have been lost in each other's eyes for most of the ride, whispering to each other. Nothing between them, my ass.

"That's not fair, his best friend is your future husband remember?" She doesn't hide her support for a guy she's never even seen. It doesn't help that I was smiling and blushing through my recollection of last night.

I kissed Cameron.

I know the whole thing with Molly made me take a step back, but when I'm with him it's like I'm on fire. He makes me nervous and unsure of my thoughts and actions, but at the same time his eyes burn into me and I feel exposed and beautiful.

Sure, Tristan is handsome and funny, he could easily be a better choice. My family loves him, he's sweet and easy to be around, but I don't feel the same fire. The fire that makes it hard to breathe, clouds my mind and raises my body temperature. The question is, do I want to get too close to the fire?

The limo stops. I can hear the noise of the party before I see it. Josh is waiting for us on the lawn, with Tristan by his side. He looks good in his baggy dark grey sweatpants and a tight black T-shirt. I can't see his face under the shadow of his black baseball hat, but I know it's him.

I wish I'd thought to bring a change of clothes, no one else is dressed in formal wear. Well, this is embarrassing.

"Hey, Sis! How was your prom? I have a few guidelines I want to go over before you head in." Of course, ever the protective older brother. I rolled my eyes.

"One. Don't take drinks from anyone, unless you're hoping to get date-raped. Get your own drinks."

"Two. Don't drink. I can't watch you every second and I expect you will, but to cover my ass with Mom, I told you not to."

"Three. Don't embarrass me, or make me regret this. Got it?"

"Got it." My friends said in unison. I folded my arms over my chest and glared at Josh.

Tristan walked closer and I saw his face. The cut on his lip wasn't the worst of it, the bruising around his eye looked painful. I walked up to him, looking up at his bruised face. "Are you ok?" This was all because of me.

"I'm better now that you're here. Don't look at me like that, this is nothing. I don't want you to worry." Cameron did this to him.

Brenda loudly cleared her throat beside us. "Is this him?" She might as well have been drooling.

"Oh, so you've heard about me? I'm Tristan, you must be Astrid's friend." He reached out to shake her hand.

"I'm Brenda, that's Carly and her boyfriend Steve." She emphasized boyfriend to embarrass Carly. "Can we go in now? It's cold out here and this dress is not helping." I was shivering from the cold air and agreed.

We followed Tristan and Josh In the house, there were people everywhere, so we had to push our way through the crowd. Josh went off without us, and I lost sight of him in the crowd.

We ended up in the kitchen with Tristan. "Okay, now that big bro is gone, let's get you all some drinks." He poured beer into plastic cups from a keg and handed them out. Steve declined and Carly followed his lead. They really are cute.