Zander confiding in me last night was a big move on his part. An unexpected one. It probably would never have happened if his father hadn't threatened me the way he did. An image of the older Wyatt's condescending expression makes me wince in distaste. 

Based on the ten steps, I need Zander to trust me enough to tell me these kind of things. I need him to see me as a friend he can trust. Although I hope the senator's dislike for me won't complicate things further. 

I just need to date him for a few more months and then it's over. Nothing else is coming in the way of that, especially since Zander so heartlessly mentioned that he doesn't even remember Elizabeth's face. 

He wasn't so specific, I bet he can't even recall her name but it amounts to the same. He dated my best friend, broke her heart and he's still at the top of his game while Elizabeth wastes away at home and in therapy. 

It's not fair. There has to be some check and balance. 

My phone pings and I jump slightly, my body hasn't completely woken up yet. I glance at the screen, half expecting to see Zander's name but it's a text from my father, again. 

Great news. Starting something new. Can't wait to tell you. Call me.

Dread seeps into my skin, sinking me further into the mattress. He's been trying to reach me since yesterday and knowing him, it can't be anything good. I don't reply, slipping the phone beneath my pillow, wishing his text would melt away if I didn't look at it. 

I have to get back to my reading and it's early enough to head to the library. There's a nagging feeling at the back of my head as I freshen up for the day. I can't quite put a finger on it. It's not just my father. 

When the time reads one in the afternoon and I've just finished an iced americano from the Orange Idiot, I realise Zander hasn't texted me all morning. 

Which is highly unlikely of him. 

I try to continue reading but the ground floor has started to spill over with students. Their chatter shouldn't really distract me but today it does. My eyes wander over the crowd, looking for a tall guy with dark hair and dimples. 

I try to tell myself that I'm over reacting but this is Zander we are talking about. What if he lost interest after he told me all those things about his mother. Maybe he regrets that outburst of his, maybe he's embarrassed. And since I'm not dealing with just any college student, my mind wanders to whether he has moved on to someone else because of it. 

After all, there is a never ending line of girls eagerly waiting to take my place. And according to Mr Wyatt, all it takes is three months for a girl to grow boring. Zander and I have been going back and forth for a month plus. 

He started eyeing me when he was still dating Yoona Harry and that was almost three months into their relationship.

My thoughts are racing and I stare at my phone, wondering if I am blowing things out of proportion. Unconsciously, I find his contact number, my thumb lingering over the call button. 

This is ridiculous, I played by the ten steps. He confided in me and hence I have sort of become someone he trusts. I think. 

There's only one way to find out if it worked or backfired. 

I press on the call button and hold my breath as I bring the phone to my ear. My other hand taps the pen over my book cover repeatedly until I earn a glare from the guy on the table next to me. The ringing carries on and on, a bubble of doubt now growing in my chest. 

He's never kept me waiting this long, ever.

I bite my lip, waiting for the call to go to voicemail just has he picks up, his breathing laboured. Now I wonder what's got him so flustered this early in the day. The images that come to mind are not good. 

"Danielle, hey," He's panting and I try to blink away the image of him lying in the sheets, a girls arm wrapped around his torso just as they finish round two this afternoon. 

"Zander, what are you up to?" My voice comes out high pitched and wrong. I frown to myself just as the guy who glared at me, turns to look. He probably found my voice just as unsettling. 

I gesture at him to mind his own business and turn to the side. 

"I'm surprised you called. Missing me already?" I can already tell he's smirking on the other end. 

"Hardly," I say quickly. "I didn't hear from you, that's all. Wanted to see if everything was okay. You know, after last night." 

"All's great sweet cakes. Coach has been grilling us since 9am this morning, I came in late so I had to do over time. I'm so hungry I could eat ten burgers this instant." 

My chest deflates, the bubble of doubt withering into nothing. I'd completely forgotten they had drills this morning, now I want to slap myself for all the over thinking. 

"Where are you?" He suddenly asks and I straighten up, perching my pen over one of the books piled in front of me. 

"Where else-," I mutter and then we both answer in unison. 

"The library." Our voices ring together and we both end up laughing. 

"Should have guessed," He answers and then there is a small pause, making me wonder what he is thinking. 

"So...." He trails off and my impatience grows. 

"So?" I ask him. 

"So there's going to be a small gathering at my dorm tonight. Do you think you could make it?" He sounds hesitant, almost embarrassed and it only peaks my curiosity. After all it's only a dorm party. We have hundreds of those all semester. The rules when it comes to the dormitories here are pretty lax at Daltech. 

"I guess so. What's the occasion?" 

There's silence on the other end again and I have to check to see if he ended the call. 

"Just a casual get together. You can bring Stacey and the other girl if you want." 

"Daphne," I remind him, trying to hide my irritation. He's really bad with names. Either that or he just doesn't bother to remember. 

"Yeah. See you around nine?" Someone else is calling him over in the background and he tells him to wait. 

"Will be there," I reply. I catch Yoona Harry, one of his exe's walking into the library. Her tight leather skirt limiting her movements. She catches my eye and I quickly look away. 

I meet the girls at their room in the evening to get ready and Stacey's words nearly blow my mind. After all the research and stalking, I can't believe I missed it when Zander told me about tonight. 

Tomorrow is his birthday. Now tonights party makes all the more sense and I feel like the worst person. 

"Guys, I'm such an idiot. I should have known. How did I even miss this?" I pace the room while Daphne puts on a black top and Stacey sorts through her curls. "I'm so unprepared, I don't even have a gift."

Although what could I possibly give someone who already has everything. I try to think of something he would like and my mind draws a blank, especially with the kind of budget I have. 

"Do you have any ideas?" I ask my friends desperately and Stacey turns around in her chair. 

She has on a black, strapless jumpsuit that clings to her every curve. If they ever wanted to do a remake of Cat Woman, I think she would be the ideal casting. 

"There's one gift I'm guessing he would want from you." She eye's me up and down suggestively and my cheeks grow hot. 

"That's not going to happen." I dismiss her immediately. If he thinks he's getting lucky tonight, he's crazy. I'd rather lose him than lose my virginity to someone like him. 

The girls laugh and I pull on a dark red dress with thin spaghetti straps. It's a midi that comes down to my knees with a slit on the side. Not too sexy, but the colour really pops on my skin. I thought of Luke when I bought it last week and wonder if he'll be there tonight. He's Zander's best friend after all.

I keep my make up simple and hair down and soon we are walking to the student athlete's housing. 

I forced the girls to make a detour and bought some cupcakes with lemon frosting. The last thing I want is to go there empty handed. 

I'm fiddling with the ribbon I bought to go with the box when Stacey speaks up. 

"You're different today." She notes and I look up, frowning. 

"What do you mean?" 

"I don't know. You never used to care about Zander and now you're fussing all over his gift." She narrows her eyes at me and I turn to Daphne for support. 

"She has a point. Maybe the Zander effect is finally working. Maybe you're falling a little." Of course Daphne would side with her best friend. 

I release the ribbon, letting it fall haphazardly to the side of the box. "Maybe you two shouldn't jump to conclusions so easily. I just want this to look nice, that's all." 

They share a look, which annoys me immensely. The foyer here is much nicer than the one in our dorm and I notice a few people gathered by the lift. We head up to the seventh floor and there's chatter and loud music echoing from the hallway. 

I realise with grating unease that I'm the only one carrying a gift. The common room is packed with students, most of them with drinks in hand and the occasional pizza slice. 

Luke is the first to spot us. My heart thuds furiously when he stares at me, his gaze lingering on my dress for a few seconds too long. Stacy and Daphne lead the way to the makeshift kitchen - a long table with finger foods, pizza and bottles of booze lined up against the all-. 

"You girls look good." Luke says, pouring each of us a drink and I notice he avoids eye contact the entire time. 

"Don't I always," Stacy teases, jutting her hip out exaggeratedly. "You don't look too bad yourself, Luke."

She's wrong. He looks amazing. He's wearing a soft white shirt that has the top two buttons open and light brown shorts. His hair is pushed back and his skin is bronze from running around in the sun all day. Honestly, it's hard to look at anyone else. 

"Are those for Zander?" He suddenly asks me, breaking me from my stupor. It takes me awhile to realise he's talking about the cupcakes.

"Umm, yeah. Thought I should bring something." I mumble. 

A flash of hurt crosses his features and he looks away. "He should be around here somewhere." 

Speak of the devil and the devil arrives. 

"Danielle!" Zander calls loudly and the crowd parts for him as he walks over to me. I cringe under all the sudden attention as numerous gazes shift my way. 

He hooks an arm around my shoulder and kisses my cheek, and I feel them heating up. Luke watched the entire thing and then he turned around, disappearing into the crowd. 

Why did Luke have to be Zander's best friend? He's making it so hard to concentrate right now, all I can think about is where he wandered off to.

"Is this my present?" Zander takes the box of cupcakes from me and unwraps it effortlessly. He bites into one, licking the frosting off his lips as he stares at me. 

Stacy's words come to mind. It doesn't help when he leans in and kisses me on the lips, catching me off guard. Thankfully, most people have gone back to their conversations and no ones staring at us anymore. I hope. 

"Thank you. For being here and for bringing me a gift. I didn't think you knew," His gaze is so intense, it's making me nervous. "Let's go somewhere less crowded." 

"Why?" I stutter. "We just got here." 

He leans in and hooks a finger under my flimsy strap. "Come on, I want to show you something."