SAM's POV

~30 minutes later~

Leaning against the living room door frame, I sip on some cherry kool-aid while watching the crowd dance to Chris Brown's "Love More". I haven't seen my friends since we got here. I'm the sucky wallflower that nobody talks to. I'm not having any fun at all, man. I could have stayed home. Sigh.

"Alright, ladies. There's more Chris to go around... but now ya boy gotta dry off and get something to drink."

I eye Chris, surrounded by the same girls from earlier, walking from the back porch into the living room dripping wet and shirtless. I try not to stare, but it doesn't really work.

"Awwww," all of the girls whine in unison.

Chris smirks and stops in his tracks. "You ladies wore me out tonight. Can't wait to see you again."

"You better, baby..." I hear one of them croon. Ugh, I think.

The group of pouty girls saunter out to the back porch while Chris walks my way. I sip my kool-aid as he gets closer. He makes eye contact and I quickly look away.

"I see you looking at me..." Chris begins. He leans toward me and whispers in my ear, "You like what you see?"

I rub my ear and roll my eyes, then reply, "Nope."

"Wanna come to my bedroom?"

"Excuse you?" I raise my eyebrow.

Chris chuckles, "Get your mind out the gutter. I just wanna show you somethin' -- plus I gotta change into some dry clothes. You ain't doing anything."

"Okay, and? Who says I wanna do anything with you of all people?"

"I'll make you change your mind... "

He walks out of the room. After a few seconds, I turn around and peep him walking through the kitchen towards the front room. Eh. Whatever.

DIGGY's POV 

Dana took me to a guest bedroom on the first floor... she practically pulled my arm off. Why am I going to a bedroom with a girl I don't even like? Honestly, there's nothing else to do. It's not like something is gonna happen. I've learned my lesson. This party blows since my friends left me to go gyrating on the dance floor. I could've joined them, but I didn't even wanna come here in the first place. I wanted to finish my homework, then chill and watch basketball or something. I'm only here because of Khalil. Looks like things ain't going my way tonight.

Dana turns on the lights and we look around. It's not a big room. There's a twin xl size bed with dark blue bedding, a TV, a night table, and a closet. Nothing out of the ordinary. I walk around the bed toward the window and pull the dark blue curtains back, letting in the moonlight. I glance out the window, looking across the front yard and all the cars parked on the street.

"Cool..."

"I got you something to drink," Dana says.

I quickly turn around to see Dana holding a red solo cup filled with who-knows-what.

"What is that?" I ask with a skeptical expression.

"It's beer." She tilts her head to the side as if I asked some absurd question.

"I don't drink." I shake my head and throw my hands up. "Plus, I gotta drive my friends home."

"It's only half a cup. Plus you can burn the calories off by dancing with me for a few hours before you drive... or by doing another sweat-inducing activity..." She smirks at me, undressing me with her eyes. I shudder a little and clear my throat, moving to the other side of the room.

"So, is this what you brought me in for? To drink? I thought there was some... magical entrance into another dimension or something," I joke, looking around at the pictures on the wall.

Dana chuckles and faces me. "You're silly. I mean, I thought we could just talk. Get to know each other," she concludes, sitting on the bed and sipping the drink in her hand.

I sigh and join her. "You already know me."

"Yes, but not personally. After four years of cheering the boys' basketball team on, I can honestly say that the only things I know about you are that you're an amazing athlete, good-looking, and tall. And now funny," Dana grins.

I nod my head. "Well, what do you want to know about me?"

"Do you have any brothers and sisters?"

"I have a younger brother and sister at home and three other older half-siblings. What about you?" I make eye contact with her, waiting for her response.

"I never told anybody this, but I have a younger sister. She goes to our school, too."

"Is her name London?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"She's in my writing class. We were group partners and she told us about you," I reply.

"Oh, God. She always gotta flap her lips to people." Dana rolls her eyes and takes a few big gulps of her drink.

"Are you ashamed of her?"

Dana shakes her head. "She's just so different. She's nothing like me."

"Is she supposed to be like you?"

"No, but..." Pause. "I can't believe I'm telling you this," she groans and leans over, holding her cup to her head in frustration.

I turn toward her, curious to hear her story. "Go ahead, I'm not judging."

"It's just... we don't have anything in common. I'm fashionable, all about the make-up and heels, and I'm on the cheer squad. I'm sociable... and she's the complete opposite. I swear when she gets dressed in the morning, it's like she doesn't even try. I be trying to give her fashion tips, but she won't hear it." 

She takes another sip of her drink; I can smell the alcohol on her breath, but I ignore the scent and keep listening.

"And that bothers you?" I ask.

"Yes, it does. She plays volleyball, which is okay, but she writes these weird fantasy stories and plays video games all day. She's one of those weird kids. I keep telling her high school is no joke, so she better stop telling everyone she does weird stuff before she gets bullied."

"I don't find anything weird about what you say she does. And I feel like people get bullied no matter who they are or what they do. Just ease up on her a bit..." I reply in a serious tone.

"I can't ease up on her; I'm her protector. I'm all she has." Dana looks up at me, a wrinkle forming between her eyebrows.

"What about your parents?" I ask.

"They're gone." Pause. "Our dad never been in our lives and our mom died when we were little..." She chews her bottom lip and goes into a trance, staring at the wall.

I hesitate and look down at the carpet. "Dang... I'm sorry..."

She shrugs while still in a trance. "It's fine..."

At this moment, I feel really uncomfortable. I feel like I should change the subject but to what? It might be an awkward transition. Oh, sorry about your dead mother - anyway, what's a good book that you've read recently? ... See what I mean?

"We live with our grandparents, but who knows how long they'll be around, you know what I mean? That's why after me and my sis graduate, I'm gonna save enough for an apartment and have her move in with me. Even if she is weird," she laughs, surprisingly. 

I grin a little. "You see? I can tell you really care about her, and I bet she's thankful to have you regardless of what you think of her."

"I guess you're right..."

"Hate to break it to you, but I'm always right," I shrug, bumping her arm with my elbow.

Dana chuckles again and sets her empty cup on the floor. Sitting up straight, she covers her face with her hands and groans.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't believe I told you all that!" I barely make out.

I grab her hands away from her face and look at her. "I'm glad you told me."

"I'm so comfortable around you," she looks back at me.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No... it's just weird I guess. I only let people know a little about me, and that was a lot. But, I kinda like you a little bit more now. I never feel nervous or shy around guys, but you're making me feel that way, Diggy."

"Is this the same Dana from school?"

She chuckles which makes me smile for the first time tonight.

***

SAM's POV

I eat the last cheese cube from my plate and sigh, watching my classmates dance with each other in the living room. It's been an hour already and I've been slumping around, practically glued to the wall. I haven't seen Becca or Khalil at all, Diggy got dragged away by the witch of the wicked northeast, and Chris is trying to hit on me. My feet are killing me, too!

"Hey, stranger."

I jump at the sound of his voice. Oh, mah gawsh.

"What do you want, Chris?"

"You up for a tour?"

"No, thank you," I reply without looking at him.

He smacks his lips. "I forgot how rude you can be... I miss how we were before winter break."

"Well, that was fake."

"Was it?" He moves in front of me, towering over me like a giant, and I feel his glare but I don't give in. "Were those smiles fake, Sam? Those moments spent together? The kisses?"

I roll my eyes while trying to ignore him. He nods and snickers quietly.

"Do you really think I wanted to be with Julie? I only broke up with you to make you happy, so you and Diggy could be friends again. But I guess that doesn't matter now."

I clear my throat.

"You look good tonight with that tight dress on, girl. Making me sweat," Chris says while fanning himself with his hand.

That's it. I gotta shut him down once and for all. I glare up at him and reply, "You know I have a boyfriend, right?"

"So? I can't tell a girl she looks beautiful?"

"I'm not interested, Chris. Please walk away."

"Can I at least have one dance with you? I been watching you stand in this exact same spot all night. At least let me sweep you off your feet," he replies, trying to be charming.

I roll my eyes, realizing that this conversation is going nowhere. I push him gently away from me and cock my head to the side. "Have you seen my friends lately? I need to tell them that I'm ready to go."

He smirks. "Okay, I see how it is. All I know is Diggy went to the guest bedroom. You may not wanna go in there."

"Whatever."

Why is Diggy in some guest bedroom? Where the heck did everyone go? I walk out of the living room and throw my plate away while treading through the kitchen and into what seemed to be the dining room, looking for doors that might indicate a bedroom is behind them. I knock on the first door to my right before opening it: a bathroom. That's good to know. I continue down a random hallway and knock on another door to my right. No reply. I open it and... I can't believe my eyes. 

It's Diggy and Dana making out on the bed. 

What. The. Hell. 

My mouth falls open as I'm somehow mesmerized by this moment... 

I thought he didn't like Dana. Wh-Why is he sucking her face off?! 

My body is frozen.

I feel like... I've been shot in the chest - but why? It's not like I have feelings for him, so why am I so concerned with who he wants to "mack" on at any given moment? Why do I feel frustrated as I watch him stroke her thigh? Why do I wanna punch Dana in the face?! Oh my gosh.

I finally snap out of it, shaking my head. I clear my throat loudly and watch as their heads turn. Diggy pushes her leg off of his lap and wipes his mouth quickly. Dana stares at me like she just took the last puppy that she knew I wanted from the pet store, but she's not apologetic whatsoever. Why do I feel jealous?

"We're leaving... in a few. Alright?" I awkwardly and quietly manage to get out. I don't even shut the door behind me as I march back through the dining room, the kitchen, and into the living room. Wherever Becca and Khalil are, they better show themselves right now! I wanna go home. 

I don't realize that I've been balling up my fists the entire time. My entire body is heated and I feel dumb. I cross my arms and look through the crowd. Finally! Becca and Khalil walk toward me, but their smiles fade away once they see me.

"Girl, what's wrong?" Becca asks.

"Don't ask. Just take me home."

They share a confused look and nod their heads.