The music is still too loud to bear. Tommy's carpeted walls are scratchy and make me sweat, but it's the only way I can avoid attention. At this rate, I'll have to melt into the wall in order to make my escape.

"This isn't too bad," Jessica shouts over the roaring. She catches the eye of a nearby boy, who saunters up to her. 

"Hey," he says. Then he looks at me. None of us speak for several seconds. Finally, "Are you having a good night?"

Not one word about my earlier outburst - or rather, Bryce's. I relax my scrunched shoulders and give him an honest smile.

"It's going better now," I say. "Thank you."

"Is that guy from earlier giving you any trouble?"

"Uh... No. I don't think so."

"Good. Let me know if he does, yeah?" He holds out one hand. "You don't need to worry anymore."

"...Thanks."

His vampire fangs poke out from his lips. The red of his contacts fills my vision.

"I'm Jason." He shakes his outstretched hand.

"Amanda," I reply.

"I know."

I give his hand a shake.