Lizzie

Why is he even here? I'm waiting for my breath to come and for my heart to stop freefalling. He winks at me. The cheek of it, I wish he knew exactly what that does to me. It makes me melt when his electric-blue eyes meet mine. I can feel my palms beginning to sweat.

"What are you doing here?" I ask Brandon, who has one arm draped around Jennie's shoulders. He has no idea how I feel about him, and I am trying my damn best to keep it that way. Only it is so fucking hard.

Hard.

Hard.

"Thought I'd just drop by since Denver was coming to meet Lilly." He drawls. That soft, sexy voice of his. Jennie pushes herself closer into Brandon and lays a possessive hand on his chest. The bitch. I hate her for standing so close to him. I want it to be me.

Brandon is wearing black jeans, a black Versace t-shirt and black desert boots. He looks so frigging hot that if I wasn't so angry at him for being here with her I'd probably be lusting after him more than I am right now. My heart is in pain, my chest feels like it's going to break in two.

He doesn't pull Jennie in closer, but I can sense she is staking her claim on him. Like she's got a chance for a long-term relationship with my best friend. Surely she knows he's only dating her for fun, nothing more. Besides, his parents would go insane if they thought their son was going to hook up seriously with someone like Jennie. She's from the wrong side of town for a start; her mother is a drunk, and nobody really knows who her father is. She's just a regular good time girl. She's even proud of it. What's her favorite saying? Oh yeah, that's it.

"Men are all fuck-ups, you use them, and you abuse them, then leave them standing. Ain't gonna be no man who's gonna get me pregnant then leave me high and dry as my old man did with my ma. I'm not that stupid." She bangs on about it all the time. Lilly glances at me. Tammy is nowhere to be seen; she's probably in a bedroom somewhere with the fella she met by the pool. A fella that looked a couple of years older than her.

I just want to get out of here to be honest. "Right," I say in response to Brandon.

"Let's get us something to drink." He nudges Denver who now has his strong arm wrapped around Lilly. She looks up at him with adoration in her eyes.

"Good practice?" She asks, beaming at the man of her life. Yeah, I suppose I can see them getting engaged, married and having kids. The whole shebang. It wouldn't surprise me if Denver and Lilly got pregnant before he finishes college. I don't think, in all honesty, that Lilly can wait that long to be a mother. She talks about it a lot. I mean A LOT.

"It was okay," Denver says as he kisses the top of her head. She snuggles into him.

"You guys get some beers. I'm driving Lilly home later." Lilly says. Brandon is still staring at me. Why is he staring at me? He's making me feel uncomfortable. Him standing there with bloody Jennie is making my blood boil, and my heart whimper all at the same time.

"C'mon babe, let's get slaughtered." She says. And yes, I am thinking, like mother like daughter. Jennie isn't exactly going to amount to much as she gets older. I already know the ending to her story. A typical putting-it-around kind of girl, she'll get knocked up, end up being a drinker like her ma, hopping from one man to the next. I daresay by the time she's thirty, she'll have at least three kids, all by different men.

Her red faux leather skirt skims her ass, her crop top only just holds her tits in. I suppose I can see why Brandon is with her. Even though I really hate to admit it, her curves are in all the right places, and I understand he's eighteen and all that guys that age think about is sex, sex and more sex. Well, unless you're Tobias. He doesn't date; I never see him hanging with a girl. Hell, aside from Lilly, Tammy and myself, I don't think I've even seen him talk to many girls. He's kind of sweet, shy and introverted.

"Nah," says Brandon. He pushes her hand off his chest. "I don't feel like getting hammered tonight now. I'll drive Lizzie home." He tells Lilly.

"Are you sure?" she says. Brandon just nods. Jennie looks as if someone has slapped her hard around the face. I want to giggle. If she was expecting a rigid rod between her legs tonight, then she's shit out of luck. I have to admit I am surprised that Brandon has offered to drive me back. Only the thought of sitting in the seat where Jennie's been sitting grosses me out slightly.

"What about us?" She sounds whiny. God, somebody slap the bitch already.

"Change of plans. Go grab yourself a drink; I'll catch up with you in a bit." He pushes her; she looks dumbstruck but moves away and follows behind Denver and Lilly to the kitchen area where the drinks are all set up.

"So," I say.

"So," he says back.

"I thought you were on for a hot date tonight. Listen, you don't need to take me home. I had it all sorted with Lilly, and you know Dad will come and get me."

"I'm taking you home." His tone is abrupt.

"Fine," I say, biting my lower lip. God, I want to kiss his full lips so badly I can feel warmth creeping up from the pit of my stomach. He looks so hot I bet my fingertips would be scorched just touching him.

"Fine." He says flatly, his eyes so intense as they hold mine. I gaze away and then remember the whole reason I'm even at this dumb party is to seek out Dexter and ask him if he'll take me to the prom. Is it sad, right? You'd think with just a few weeks to go, I'd already have a prom date.

"Who are you going to prom with?" I ask Brandon. He shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly.

"I need to find Dexter." Brandon is making me feel uncomfortable. "Can you stop staring at me? Have I sprung a second head or something?" I say and swipe his arm playfully.

"Just looking, Lizzie Baby." Oh. My. God. I almost melt like ice in the summer. My stomach flips and somersaults.

"Well, don't. You're weirding me out." He laughs; it's deep and throaty. I watch as his Adam's apple moves. What I'd give to run my tongue along his throat and up his strong jawline to find its way into his gorgeous mouth.

"Hey guys. Dexter has arrived." Lilly brings me back from my fantasy. I watch as Brandon tenses. Jennie is back and hands him a cold one. He raises his hand and passes on it. Jennie shrugs her shoulders.

"Suit yourself. I'll drink them both."

"I don't like my girls drunk." He says coldly. His body is still tense as Dexter has spotted us and heads in our direction. He's a pretty good-looking guy, and if I wasn't crushing so badly on my best friend, I'm sure I'd fancy the pants off him.

"Hey guys. How y'all doing?" He slaps Brandon on the back then Dexter. "Ladies." He gives Lilly and I a winning smile. I notice just how brilliantly white his teeth are and absentmindedly run my tongue across my own teeth.

"Hey Dexter," I say. I'm not a forward girl but right now I can see I'm going to have to be.

"Hey Lizzie. You all good?" His megawatt smile is cute not as cute as Brandon's, but it is cute.

"Lizzie has something to ask you, Dexter." Lilly pipes up. Right! I don't need any help with this, and also right in front of everyone is hugely embarrassing.

"Sure, shoot," he says. Brandon is now glaring at me. His electric-blue eyes are so intense, as if he is trying to communicate with me mentally. Only I'm not able to read minds, but if looks could kill, then this one would for sure.

"Erm, the prom. Are you going with anyone?"

"Sure am, little lady," he says. And as if right on cue, behind him I see Lisa L. Her long dark hair hangs down her back, straight and shiny. She's a stunner with her oriental eyes, high-cut glass cheekbones and the perfect straight nose.

"Why do you ask?" Now we all look uncomfortable. Brandon hangs his head, Lilly has a look of sympathy on her face, and Dexter coughs.

"We were all just wondering." Brandon steps in and saves me from being swallowed by the floor. "You know it's only a few weeks to go and we're just checking who's going with who."

"Sure, no problem. Hey baby." He turns to Lisa L and kisses her full on the mouth. They make a truly beautiful couple. Perhaps they'll be crowned prom king and queen.

I shift and for the second time this evening wish the ground would swallow me up whole.