(Just letting you guys know that this is my favourite scene I've written so far and I love you all)

Dedicted to @4444Eva4444 for her constant votes and constant support on this book! 

As we walk I take the opportunity to actually look at him properly for the first time tonight and I can feel myself smiling when I see his familiar leather jacket wrapped around his muscles. He's wearing the same as usual, a white top and black jeans but somehow I wasn't bored of it, I could stare at him wearing that outfit every day for the rest of my life and I think I would think that he looks as good as the day before every time.

"I didn't know you were here," I mumble, wanting to make conversation with him as my nerves start to nibble at my mind, doing anything to distract myself from what just happened.

"Tracey invited a few of us, her words being 'any good looking guys are allowed to come'."

"Seriously?" I ask, slightly gobsmacked and Trent smirks at me as we start to walk down the stairs, the smile on my face breaking out as I shake my head in disbelief at Tracey.

"Seriously," he replies.

"So you thought you made the cut?" I tease as we reach the bottom and he steps off the stairs, turning to look at me with an eyebrow raised.

"You don't think I'm a good looking guy?"

It's not his words that make me stumble, it's the wink that he throws in with it and before I know it I trip on the last step, my legs feeling like jelly.

Trent easily catches me and holds me up, chuckling as he steadies me on my feet, "You should really just stop wearing heels, there are safer ways to get me to touch you."

He seems to realise his words immediately because his eyes snap to mine and the smile fades from his lips as we look at each other, the realisation of how close we are dawning on both of us.

My cheeks heat up under his gaze as I try not to think about his words and the dirty thoughts that are trying to break into my mind, his lips being the focus of most of them and it's only now that I can see the slight cut in one of them and I watch as his tongue slips out and licks it as if noticing my stare.

I flick my eyes up to his again and my whole body seems to thrum as I look into them, feeling as though I'm looking into a pool of molten gold and it's as if they are pulling me into him, making me want to itch closer and peer in further.

I study his entire face, drifting between his jaw to his nose and all the way up to his eyes before repeating the cycle, just wanting to take in as much of him as possible and it seems like he's doing the same. I can't help but settle my stare on his lips after a moment, my core clenching at the sheer beauty of him.

Of course, I think you're good looking.

I don't realise that I've said the words out loud until Trent's shocked expression flits across his face and his nostrils flare, his facing moving in even closer to mine.

"I didn't mean to say that out loud," I whisper, my cheeks on fire and I want the ground to swallow me whole as I look away from him.

Why couldn't the music have drowned that out?

A gentle but calloused hand touches my cheek and slowly brings my head back around. I feel myself sink into their palm a little as my head tilts and I close my eyes taking in a deep breath, embracing the warmth and comfort that the one-touch provides me.

"Elle," his rough voice whispers as if hoarse and I open my eyes, smiling softly at him. His chest tenses in response and I feel his hand shake a little on my cheek as I reach up carefully and wrap my fingers around his.

For a moment it's like the world has stopped.

There's a look in his eye that I've never seen before and it makes my heart thump so hard that I fear it's going to shatter my ribs and break through my chest. But I'm not afraid.

The beat of the music seems to fade into the background and all I can hear is my breath slipping out of my mouth as we watch each other, connected by our eyes and our interlocked fingers.

"There you are!"

We spring apart and our hands drop like an anchor, halting the moment we had just created between us.

I spin around and see Kristie coming, her strides quick and I sigh in relief, thanking the gods that it wasn't someone else who had just seen us. If someone other than my best friend had seen how Trent and I were standing, I'm sure it would have gotten around the school by Monday.

"Where have you been? I was worried!" she scolds, her arms wrapping me into a hug and return it fiercely, my heart swelling with the concern she has for me. She pulls back and looks at Trent, giving him a grateful smile. "Thanks for finding her."

I look at Trent in surprise, wondering why he hadn't said anything and his eyes flicker to me but he quickly looks away, his fingers combing through his hair as he shrugs, brushing off her compliment.

"I wasn't going to let you go off to find her, not with that guy hassling you."

Kristie nods at my questioning look, knowing that my thoughts are about Lewis and I feel anger bubble up inside of me.

He'd been hassling her?

"I told him to leave you alone," I hiss and I look at the door to the party behind her, ready to go and find the asshole myself, "Piece of shit."

Kristie laughs and pulls me into her again, shaking her head in amusement at my words and I have to grin back, our giggles floating around us.

"You were gone a while, where were you?" she asks.

I couldn't tell her about Carter. Knowing her she would go and find him right now and most likely murder him, especially if she was already frustrated with Lewis.

"Bitch face Tracey spilt her drink on me so I went to the toilet to wash it all off. It took a while."

Kristie rolls her eyes at my statement and I see her quickly survey my clothes, checking for any stains. While she isn't paying attention I look at Trent and he seems to be trying to figure me out, obviously wondering why I hadn't told Kristie the truth but he doesn't say anything and I'm grateful.

"You guys could have told me that there was a party out here, some blonde girl isn't leaving me alone."

We all turn and look at Cole as he rushes into the hall, his shirt slightly askew and I can't help but giggle at his frazzled appearance.

He glances between Trent and I briefly like he's trying to put together pieces of a puzzle but when he stops to stand beside us he doesn't ask anything.

"That guy asked where you were too Kristie, but I told him you went out the back."

She groans at his words and folds her arms, a sigh leaving her lips.

"This party is so bad," she complains, her eyes moving to me, "It's like the world just doesn't want us to have a good time and it sucks because I don't know the next time I'll get a night with you and Matt won't be over your shoulder."

Immediately, I feel bad. I want to have a good night too and she was right, it was pretty awful so far.

Cole puts his arm around her, bringing her into him and she accepts it, shooting him a grateful smile.

"Well he's going away for the weekend," I tell Kristie and her face lights up, "He and the group of the worst people in the world are spending the weekend on Tracey's dad's boat."

"You weren't invited?" Trent asks from behind me, his brows furrowed in confusion. I shake my head softly while Kristie scoffs.

"Of course she wasn't, Tracey would probably push her off the boat if she got the chance," she jokes and a tight laugh leaves my lips, "Boyfriend stealing bitch."

I flinch at her words and try not to think about Matt and her together but I can't help it. It was hard not to when I felt like it was being thrown in my face.

She'd been so open about wanting him, what if he just gave in.

"You know what," Cole interrupts, drawing me out of my self-pitying moment and we all look at him confused, waiting for him to continue, "Why don't we all get out of here, I have a much better place we can go."

Kristie jumps up immediately, nodding rapidly, the grin on her face lighting up. She glances at me with a pleading look and I hesitate for a moment.

Sure, I want to get out of here, but then I'd be leaving Matt and what if he needed me or was trying to find me? Kristie seems to know what I'm thinking and she reaches out, squeezing my hand.

"Please Elle," she asks, "He won't know." Her eyes are a little pitying and I know what she's saying; he didn't care what I was doing tonight, and even if he did, he didn't have to know. I sigh and nod, knowing that if anything she deserved to have a good night, even if I got in trouble for it.

She claps in response.

"Yay! Okay, I'll go get our bags so that he doesn't see you," she says and turns to Cole without waiting for a response. She grabs his arm and drags him through the door while beginning to question him on where we were going.

There's silence in the corridor and I bite my lip, not knowing what to say to say to the boy standing behind me. Our moment from before was still clear in my mind and I was still trying to figure it out.

"Why didn't you tell me that Kristie asked you to find me?" I ask, turning around.

"Why didn't you tell her about Carter?" he retorts.

"Why didn't you hit him?"

"Why didn't you want me to know that you think I'm good looking?"

I pause at his question, not expecting that to be his response before laughing lightly and shaking my head, leaning against the railing of the stairs, my cheeks blushing yet again. He smiles too and we both seem to just let the questions go, a more comfortable silence settling around us.

"You look very pretty, by the way," Trent states out of nowhere and I know that I'm going to have to give up on trying not to blush around him because it was impossible, especially when he acts like saying that kind of thing makes him flustered.

"Thanks," I mumble and I now wish that I was wearing my hair down so that I could hide behind it and save at least some of my dignity, tomato Elle was probably not the most attractive look I could be sporting right now.

"You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

I look up at Trent in shock, his words repeating around my head as he takes a step towards me, his fingers reaching out and hooking into mine, but just by our pinkies, the slight touch making my back straighten and shiver.

My breath catches in my throat as his eyes trail up my body before staring into mine, letting me see how open he was being.

"That's not true," I whisper back.

"It is," he replies, his voice barely audible, "and it kills me that you don't see yourself the way I see you."

I could swoon at his words as they melt into my ears, his soothing voice making me sigh in pleasure but I hold myself together, my pinky tightening around his as I try to calm my breathing. He smiles at my shocked appearance and squeezes our fingers.

"I'm going to make you believe me one day."

With that, he drops my hand and takes a step back and before I can ask him what he means or why he moved the door beside us swings open and our two friends re-emerge with giant grins on their faces.

Kristie passes me my bag and then holds up another plastic one in her hand, the contents of it clinking together.

"We may have stolen some goods from Tracey's stash," she admits mischievously, looking very pleased with herself, "Serves her right for being such a cow."

I shake my head at my best friend who I'm now realising is a little bit tipsy and she links her arms with me, making me smile at her.

"We ready to go?" Cole asks. "Trent, you coming?"

I look at Trent, wondering if he was going to come or not and for a moment it seems like he's caught up in his thoughts and doesn't hear Cole who is shouting on him, but after a moment he shakes his head as if someone had snapped him out of it and looks up, sights on him and an angry scowl on his face.

"Okay then!" Cole quickly roars, grabbing my other arm and yanking me away from Kristie and then he begins to drag me to the front door, pushing past Trent on the way, "I'm staying with you because he probably won't hurt me if you're beside me." Cole jokes and I laugh.

I peer back over my shoulder and see Kristie and Trent walking together a few steps behind us, both of them glaring at Cole.

"Is he coming with us?" I ask which makes him snort.

"He has no reason to stay here anymore now that we're going," he answers causing me to frown. We get outside and start walking down the path of the house, the warm summer air a nice change from the stuffy party that we had just been inside.

"I'm sure he has other friends here, and there's plenty of girls that would be interested?" I suggest and Cole looks at me like I'm crazy but then seems to catch himself and coughs, stopping beside a large black jeep, "Cole what aren't you telling me?"

Cole's eyes widen in panic as he scratches the back of his head warily, his other hand tapping his leg.

"Well, I meant that he um... he-"

"I was just here for Cole, he dragged me here and now that he's leaving there's no point in me staying," Trent answers as he stops beside us, Kristie following shortly behind. I watch Cole seem to relax but shoot a worried look at his friend as if he was waiting for him to say something else, "Get in."

Kristie and I look at Trent confused and he sighs, before pulling out a set of car keys and clicking the middle button. Beside us, the gorgeous car unlocks and we stare at it in shock as Cole opens the door for us, motioning for us to step inside.

"Shut up," Kristie gapes, "Did you steal this?"

Trent rolls his eyes at her and shakes his head, ignoring her question as he heads around to the other side of the car, opening the driver's door.

She turns and looks at Cole who just shrugs in response, a light laugh accompanying it before opening the other front door and sliding in.

I look at Kristie and we both stare at each other for a second before squealing and running to the other two doors, throwing them open in a second.

Inside is also black and I begin to wonder if this happened to be Trent's favourite colour. I wouldn't be surprised, he seemed like the type of person who would like a shade.

"Trent, is this yours?" I ask, my fingers running over the smooth leather as I settle into the seat, "It's so beautiful."

He looks at me through the rearview mirror and smirks at my awed expression, his golden eyes watching me from the front.

"I got it as a present from my mother," he explains and my interest piques as I realise I've never heard him once mention his family before... although I suppose I'd never asked.

"You must be the favourite child then," Kristie jokes and I watch the easy smile slip from Trent's lips as he switches the engine on, ignoring her statement. Cole brings her into a conversation as we begin to buckle up but I don't listen, I continue to stare at Trent and wait for him to look up. He sits with his brow furrowed and every so often his eye twitches slightly as if he was remembering a painful dream. Eventually, he looks up at me and when he does I give him a reassuring smile.

Are you okay? I mouth to him through the mirror and the lines in his forehead disappear as his expression relaxes and his frown is replaced by a slight smile. He nods in response to my question and I grin back at him, glad that he isn't letting whatever plagued his mind get to him. However, I did still want to know about it.

"Right, so let's go!" Cole shouts, capturing my attention and I look at Trent hesitantly who frowns back at my expression.

"Are you safe to drive?" I ask, "Haven't you been drinking?"

Cole begins to laugh but Trent's hand flies out and punches him in the stomach, not only cutting him off but also making him bend over coughing.

"I don't drink," he answers and I relax into the seat, wondering why Cole was laughing. "Elle," Trent calls, making me look at him again, "You're always safe with me, I promise."

I don't know what it is about him but for some reason, I believe him, I believe that no matter what happens if I'm with Trent, things will be okay.

And so I nod and we pull away from the sidewalk, cheering as we do. 

"Where is this thing we're going to, Cole?" I ask, realising that I didn't know anything about it and had just trusted Kristie to make the decision.

He looks at me hesitantly for a moment, his eyes drifting to Trent as he does.

"It's in Eastern Valley Woods."

GUUUUUUUYS, I've started writing the next chapter already because omg I'm probably fangirling over Trent and Elle the most out of everyone! And plus, it's kind of nice writing nice chapters for a change instead of ones where she gets so much bullshit. And I'm so fricken excited for you guys to meet more of the 'East siders' in the next chapter as well as learn more about Trent and Elle!

I would love to get some comments from you guys and get some feedback because I appreciate it the most but holy smoke are you guys quick at responding to uploads. The last chapter hadn't even been up an hour and there were 15+ votes on it! 

PLUUUUUUUUS we hit 6,000 which is actually insane. You guys are the best people in the world.