Standing in the mirror, I'm at an absolute loss for words.

The dress looks different on me now, maybe it's too tight. And the sleeves are see-through, meaning people can still see how gross my arms are.

"Mom, I'm not going!" I call out, hurrying downstairs.

"Jovie, what-" She stops talking as she turns around, dropping a dish towel. "You look so grown up."

"I look like a navy blue whale." I whine, already taking my heels off.

This is a mistake. I shouldn't wear a dress like this.

Mom walks over, cupping my chin. "Stop and breathe."

Doing as she says, I follow her breathing pattern.

Once she sees I've calmed down, she smiles. "Good. I've never seen you so worked up over a dance."

"I just want to look perfect." I admit, hating how anxious I feel.

"Baby, you're beyond perfect." She hugs me tightly. "After all, you look like your momma."

It gets a laugh out of me but she's right. Mom is beautiful, so I'm just a bulkier version of her.

Gentry walks downstairs, his tie in hand. "Jo, you look pretty."

Slowly, I grin. "I know."

At least I can fake it.

An hour later, I can hear the car doors slamming shut as all of our friends arrive. Offering myself one more determined glance in the mirror, I go to join them. 

Everyone is out front, trying to dictate who rides with who.

"Jo, you be looking good." AJ whistles.

Smirking at him, I shrug. "I know it's hard to resist me but do try."

He laughs, turning his attention back to his date.

Heels sound behind me and I turn to find Meredith glaring at me in a form fitting white dress. The spawn of satan painted to be an angel.

She studies me, clearly unimpressed. "You look-"

"There you are." Aspen cuts in, throwing his arm around Mere. "Houston and his date are gonna ride with us."

Her glare shifts from me to him as she offers the worst smile I've ever seen. "Perfect."

Then she storms over to her mom, complaining about her lipstick being the wrong shade of red.

"She's a real charmer." I remark, grateful he stopped her from saying whatever horrible comment she had prepared.

"As always." He mutters before focusing on me. "I take back hating on that dress."

"And why is that?" I question, fidgeting with the sleeves.

"Because you look damn good, Jojo." He admits, a serious expression on his face unlike the taunt I was expecting.

My surprise is washed away by arms wrapping around me. "Hey there, girlfriend."

Looking back, I smile. "Hey, Boo."

Stepping back, he turns me around. His eyes taking in every detail. "Now I understand why you wanted me to see this in person."

"You like what you see?"

"I love it."

My heart speeds up, mom deserves a hug for calming me down. To think I almost ruined this.

"Although, your hair is interesting." He remarks, twisting a face framing piece around his finger.

Fighting the urge to touch it, I ask. "Do you not like it?"

Mom spent over an hour braiding the top half back and curling the rest.

"It's just not what I was expecting." He assures me, letting the strand go.

Oh, fair enough.

The drive to the park I spend holding Beau's hand while he drives, taking a cute picture to post on my story.

All of the moms have no shame in demanding a thousand pictures while Steve and the other dads sit on a bench with Brooklynn.

"Where's your mom?" I ask Beau as mom finishes up our pictures.

"She went home for the weekend to visit my grandparents."

"What about your dad?" I feel bad knowing he has no one here, parents usually live for this shit.

"He's not supposed to take pictures of me." He snorts, kissing me quickly like I'm cute for asking.

I mean... ok.

After taking pictures with almost everyone imaginable, I wind up next to all of the dads alone.

"Jo, you look breathtaking." Steve hugs me, noticing my anxious fidget.

"Thank you." I grin, reaching my arms out. "Can I?"

Handing Brooklynn over, he chuckles. "I don't know how you functioned without this baby."

I can't remember either and I'm okay with that.

Raising her up in the air, her giggles echo through the park.

"There's my girl." Aspen tickles her tummy, causing a whole new wave of laughter as he joins us.

We continue on, forgetting that we're here to take pictures until she makes a face. Watching in horror, I hand her to him as she ruches her nose up.

"Dad, Brooklynn's pooping." Aspen holds her far from his body as he brings her back over.

"It's all your fault." He grumbles, reaching for the diaper bag. "You two should change it."

That is so not happening but Peyton saves the day, dragging me aside.

"Do I look okay?" She demands, twirling around.

Taking in her light pink dress that accents her rather small chest area, I nod. "Gorgeous, why?"

"Because Will won't touch me." She whines, stomping her foot on the ground.

I find the quiet boy, standing alone, playing on his phone.

"Maybe he's nervous." I offer, holding her in place. Now I see how I must've looked to my mom, high strung. "Peyton Elizabeth, you are beautiful and if he isn't interested then someone else will be."

She nods, taking a few deep breaths.

"That's what I told her." Stacy offers, a camera hanging by her side.

I smile kindly at her, always surprised by how low-key she looks for an important business woman. "Thank you for the reservations, dinner is going to be perfect."

"Anything to make your girls' senior homecoming memorable." She assures me. "I remember what it was like to be young and fun."

Fun, the exact word I would use to describe Peyton. Although she's blossoming.

Offering her a goodbye,  we head back to the cars with growling stomachs.

Let's see how useful Stacy really is.

*****

Dinner is an experience.

Will speaks all of five words, his eyes glued to his phone. Seth is a mumbling fool, unsure of how to interact with his date, Maya. My brother and his date already know exactly where tonight is going to end and now I have pretty clear picture too.

Gross.

The only other person who is apparently struggling is AJ for the first time ever. His date is friends with Meredith, completely ignoring him so they can complain together. While Aspen can deal with it, AJ has different standards.

He can't stand rude bitches.

Beau's thumb traces circles on my knee. "How's your evening been."

"Perfect." I peck his cheek as our food is brought out.

As my plate is set in front of me, Beau studies it closely. "What is that?"

"Ratatouille."

"Like the movie?" He questions.

I laugh, "It's a French vegetable stew, but, yes, like the movie."

A phone hovers over my plate as AJ and Houston video my food. Why would I expect anything less from them?

After everyone has the opportunity to take a picture of my famed dish, I eat. The food dance is unavoidable as I enjoy my meal.

"Mom wants a selfie." Beau says, throwing an arm around me as he takes a picture.

I smile, finding it adorable that he's sending his mom a selfie of us. Someone's a momma's boy.

My smile disappears when I see the selfie she sends back and his reply.

Miss y'all

"Your mom is eating dinner with your ex?" I ask tightly.

He locks his phone but it's too late, I've already seen it. She looks like she loves Amelia.

"Why were you looking at my phone?"

"Because you just took a picture of us and were holding it, so I had a clear view." I snap, shocked that's his response to my question.

He checks his phone again, grimacing. "I'll be right back."

I don't say anything as he stands up, scraping my fork through the left over sauce. Wonder who that could be.

The plates are cleared and white dishes are set in front of everyone.

"We didn't order this." Peyton says, swatting Garner's hand away from his dish.

"It is a gift from the chef, we were informed by a friend that tonight was a fancy night." She grins. "Enjoy the creme brûlée."

We all salivate, the boys digging into their desserts.

"Um, do you have anything that doesn't have eggs or dairy?" I ask, double-checking that I'm not drooling.

"The one's with mint leaves on top are vegan." She smiles and I sigh, digging in.

Now this makes me want to forget all about that picture.

A plate slides my way with strawberries, I exchange them out with my blue berries and send it back.

"Where's Beau?" Gentry asks, feeding his date a bite of dessert.

"I have no idea." I shrug, stuffing my face.

"Can I-"

I'm already sliding my boyfriends dessert towards my brother. No point in letting it go to waste.

Our server comes back over to tell us that our bill has already been covered, shocking Peyton as she pulls out her phone to call her mom and Stacy.

"I get that you're a little iffy with your mom's girlfriend," AJ rubs his full stomach as we leave, "but I'm ready for your mom to adopt me too."

Peyton blushes, turning away so she can finish her conversation.

"Take me in." I beg and my brothers nod their heads in agreement.

We would thrive.

Beau's outside, talking on the phone. He holds up a finger, tossing his keys to me.

"She's here right now, we're gonna be late for the dance if I don't go."

I don't hang around as I unlock his dad's truck.

Five minutes later, the driver door opens and he gets in. "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, is your mom okay?"

He nods, twisting his head to check traffic. "Yeah, she's just a little overwhelmed. My grandparents are getting a little senile."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"You know how it can be." He shrugs.

"I don't have grandparents, but I guess I can understand."

My dad's parents died when I was a baby and my mom doesn't talk to her father. Her mom left when she was a kid.

He takes my hand, "She just needed to see a familiar face and ran into Amelia at the store, so they got dinner."

"I hope they had a nice time." I smile.

"They did. They also raved about how beautiful you look tonight, and I can't help but agree." He kisses my hand and slowly I smile.

How sweet.

Parking, he turns the engine off. "Please don't be mad at me."

I sigh, "I'm not." I guess I can see how everything happened. "Sorry, I'm just new to this."

I really hate that I don't understand how these things work.

"I know, but you have nothing to worry about." He assure me. "You're my girlfriend."

That's right.

Everyone is waiting for us by the entrance, "There you guys are."

"How was your fight?" Seth asks.

"There was no fight, kid." I ruffle his hair as we enter the dance.

At least not yet.

*****

I've got to give it to my boyfriend. He's one hell of a country dancer.

He guides me through the two step and teaches me how to dance to footloose. In return I teach him how to dance to the more fast paced songs.

"Relaxe your body." I order him, holding back laughter.

He stiffly shakes his hips, bobbing his neck back and forth.

"No!" I try to fix him but he wraps his arms around me.

"Why don't you just show me instead." He kisses me and I shake my head.

What a loser.

"Lover " plays over the speakers and while every other person in the room begins to slow dance, my friends take that an an opportunity to make fools of themselves.

Gentry and Aspen wrap their arms around each other, dramatically swaying to the music. AJ and Jay follow suit, the former being short enough to mockingly rest his head on Jay's chest.

I'm in a fit of tears as I record them, almost dying as AJ smacks my brothers ass.

"They're serious right now?" Beau asks, watching the shit show in mild horror.

"Yes, and I believe my lady is calling." I tease, letting Peyton drag me to our group.

We all move amongst each other, flamboyantly singing the words as we sway to the music.

I try to motion for Beau to join us but he just watches, I blow him a kiss as Aspen spins me around. Crashing into my twin, I laugh as I awkwardly sway between the other two parts of my trio.

"I love you guys." I tell them, realizing that in a year we won't be together.

They'll be in college at Florida State and I'll be all alone.

They both kiss my cheeks, "We love you, Jo."

"Such a cute picture." Peyton cries, showing us her phone.

It really is.

The song ends and I breathlessly make my way back to Beau. "Hey."

"Water for your stellar performance." He offers me a cup and I down it in one gulp.

"Damn, that was good."

He laughs, pulling me back to the floor, "Remind me that slow dances are a taken very lightly."

I smirk, "Next slow dance I'm all yours."

I swear.

*****

The after party is in full swing by the time we arrive.

People have already gone through cases of beer with plenty waiting to be drunk.

Houston shouts, loosening his tie. Seth and Garner just as eager to follow and I hold up a hand. "No sex and try to limit yourself to 6 beers."

I plan on having some fun tonight and I don't want to babysit.

"Gentry is gonna get laid." My little brother protests and my twin shrugs.

"I have condoms, you three don't and you don't need any."

"Aspen-" Houston starts, smiling politely.

"Nope." He shuts him down. "The fact you have to ask proves you aren't ready for that."

Seth shrugs, smiling over at his date while the other two pout. Why can't they be as sweet as him?

"Go drink, be merry and remember we plan on leaving by 2." I send them off.

Beau hands me a beer and I shake my head. "I'm allergic."

Keeping the bottle for himself, he grimaces. "That's rough."

"I don't mind." Alcohol makes me do some pretty dumb shit then has the audacity to break me out and swell my face up.

Life just knows I don't need it.

Shoving through the bodies, we find a spot on the dance floor.

My fingers brush through his brown locks, loving how the alcohol loosens him up. A few more drinks and he'll be a seasoned dancer.

Between dancing and kissing I might as well be drunk. I feel invincible.

A feeling that bites me in the ass when a 200 pound football player knocks me to the ground.

Wincing, I'm pulled to my feet as Finn Smith apologizes, his words slurring together.

"I'm okay." I assure him, limping to the kitchen.

Beau follows after me, grabbing some ice from a cooler as I sit down. A purple bruise is already forming on my leg.

"Ouch." He offers, resting ice on the spot.

"It looks like I'm about partied about." I joke, my body aching.

He pulls my legs over his lap, one hand holding the ice in place while the other traces my skin. "We could always find somewhere else to be."

Part of me wants to agree with what he's insinuating, but I stop myself. "Boo, I don't think I want to go there just yet."

"Oh, I'm sorry." He starts, clearly embarrassed.

"I want to." I assure him. "I just... I've always rushed into the bedroom because I knew there was nothing else. I don't want to ruin this."

It's been an instinct because there's never been a reason to try. This isn't like the past.

He nods understandingly, "Please don't feel like you have to."

"I don't. I just want to do this whole relationship thing right." I really, really don't want to mess this up.

"Why do you call me boo?" He asks somewhat amused.

"Because you're my boo and it's cute." I grin, kissing him quickly.

He smiles, pleased by my explanation. "I'm gonna get a towel for the leaking ice."

My eyes wander through the party, trying to do a head count of my group.  Once almost everyone is accounted for, the missing person appears next to me.

"Are you okay?"

"I got taken out by a drunk giant." I joke, displaying the bruise to Aspen who takes the now empty seat beside me.

"Always demanding attention, Jojo." He tsks.

"It keeps you guys on your toes." I tease.

Fingers brush against my cheek, "Did your face hit a bottle cap?"

"I don't know, why?"

My now messy hair is tucked behind my ear. "Because your face is bleeding."

What? I touch my cheek, stinging my skin as I pull back red stained fingers.

Leave it to me.

He stands up, grabbing a napkin from one of the cabinets and dampening it. As my face is cleaned up, I try to imagine what a mess I am.

"On a level from trailer trash to my vandalized barbie dolls, how rough am I lookin' right now?"

He snorts, "You look like a healthy in-between, definitely got raccoon eyes though."

I don't even wipe at my eyes, figures. "It makes the blood pop."

We die with laughter as Gentry joins us, handing Aspen another drink. "And we wonder why mom wanted you to live in a suit made of bubble wrap."

The rest of our group joins us, all in various stages of rachetness. Peyton rests her head on the table, "I'm not cut out for this."

"My date ditched me." AJ adds, sipping on his drink like it's a capri sun.

"I already slept with mine, so I'm ready to go whenever." Gentry says, accepting the high five AJ offers him.

"Mere said she's sleeping at April's." Aspen says, finding his girlfriend swaying with her friends as she downs a White Claw.

It's the happiest I've seen her in a while.

"My date appreciates the offer but doesn't want to spend the night with us." Jay shrugs like it's her loss, which it totally is.

"I think I'm in love." Seth sighs, watching Maya from across the room.

"Dude." Houston slaps him

"Get a grip." Garner scolds.

Such children.

I perk up as Beau enters the kitchen, a towel in hand to soak up the water. "Jojo, why are you bleeding?"

Aspen stills and I hold his arm, don't do anything stupid.

"Boo, as much as I know you'd like a nickname for me, please don't use that one." I beg, flashing him a smile.

"Why not?" He asks. "Everyone calls you Jo."

"But Jojo is different." At this point it's weird to have anyone else call me it.

I just hear the name and I expect to find Aspen saying it.

"So he has it copyrighted?" He challenges.

Looks like I need to learn what Beau is like when he's drinking, because right now I'm getting the vibe he's a drama queen.

"It was literally his first word." Gentry says. "Even I don't call her that and I'm her brother."

The scowl on my boyfriends face is enough to piss me off. "I don't see what the big deal is, I'm your boyfriend."

Before I can say anything, Aspen cracks his knuckles. "Well you're about 17 years too late to call dibs, find a new name."

Beau rolls his eyes, "Or what?"

"Or I won't be very happy." I cut in, slapping the hot headed prick next to me. "Call me a name that you come up with, not someone elses."

"Fine." He grumbles.

"Good, now let's go home." I smile, grabbing his hand as I stand up.

*****

"I'm sorry for earlier." Beau mumbles, hugging me tightly.

"It's okay." I assure him as we kiss. "Just get some sleep and we'll talk in the morning."

He smiles down at me, brushing his thumb across my cheek. "You're such a cutie."

I'm sure I am.

I watch to make sure he gets inside before entering my house. Clothes are strung everywhere, the guys all changed for bed and helping them selves to the pizza rolls mom left in the oven.

Those have got to be gross by now but oh well.

Once I know they're all okay for the night, I creep upstairs. My leg throbs as I peel my dress off, another bruise on my shoulder.

Throwing on a sweatshirt Beau gave me, I make my way back downstairs. Peyton and Seth are already fast asleep, pretty soon Jay will join them.

Putting on an episode of Friends, I make a spot for myself on the floor with my comforter and pillow.

Listening to the group fade into sleep, I'm about scared shitless when someone breathes on my neck.

"Beau's a prick."

Rolling my eyes, I twist around to face Aspen. "The same can be said for you sometimes."

He opens his mouth to protest and I cover his mouth. This is not a fight I want to have.

"He didn't know, it was a mistake." Anyone could've done it.

Once I'm confident Aspen isn't going to argue any more, I move my hand. Readjusting myself, I open the covers for him.

"Use this before you freeze." I order, knowing the windows are open to let the fall breeze in.

He listens, instantly warming me up. "Night, Jojo."

"Night."

*****

And the pissing contest continues. Beau, my guy, let some things go.

But I hope you enjoyed this chapter, go read LiL if you haven't!!