Three Months Later:

Hannah

"Shots!" Someone yelled out in the kitchen over the loud music. I totally protested ongoing to this party because I didn't want to see any of the stupid people at school get more stupid when they are drunk. With the writhing on each other, exchanging saliva and stripping, it made no sense to me.

We decided to crash anyway, at least stay for two hours. "Hannah!" My name was screamed out, notifying me that it was my friend Seth from the kitchen by the counter mixing his favorite drink, scotch and soda in a red plastic cup.

"Already in party mode?!" I yelled out amused, he poured a second cup.

"Hell yeah, next year is going to be so stressful!" He responded, huffing out a breath.

"We're only fifteen and sophomore year ended four hours ago!" He's acting as if the end of the world was coming soon while gulping down his troubles away.

"I heard the curriculum is gonna be harder!"

"So?!"

"So?! That algebra test was bad enough, Mr. Wayans lied about the equations from the study guide!" He said drinking the last drop from his cup. The test was all right. He passed with a C. Our teacher wasn't so tough, only one hard equation on it from the lesson he taught us college math. I patted his back, telling him that summer has begun, "you can chill for now!"

"I guess!" He crushed the cup, tossing it to the side and took a can of beer.

I took a sprite from the ice bucket and went to the dance floor looking for Linda but she was nowhere to be found, maybe she's making out with her boyfriend. I started to dance a little when Nicki Minaj's ''Super Bass' started to play. My body swaying to the lyrics, really feeling it when the chorus came in: Boy, you got my heartbeat runnin' away, Beating like a drum and it's coming your way, Can't you hear that boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass? You got that super bass. Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass, Yeah, that's the super bass.

"Hey, gorgeous! Come here often?!" Some guy from behind me asked holding my hips.

"Lame pickup line often?!" I retorted back trying to pull his grip from me so I could dance alone but he was strong. He turned me around to face him. Grey glazed eyes, blonde hair, baby-faced and athletic body.

"Don't tease me, sweetie!" He slurred attempting to whisper sensually but he yelled it to my face. I smelled alcohol and salt on his breath, he was obviously drunk.

"You need water!" Struggling to get away from him but he held on. Does alcohol make a person strong or something? I thought it made you stupid and weak.

"Lay off her, Leo!" Another guy said approaching us. I turned at who spoke: Charlie Hepburn.

I've wanted his attention for so long but I was practically invisible, passing by in the hallways as I admired his looks from afar. My heart beating rapidly if he was near, I had to deal with and view: the girls that hung on his shoulders left a bad taste in my mouth over the years, asking myself what about me? It's a pipedream crush that wouldn't be reciprocal.

Seeing this side of him tonight was refreshing. He was kind and protective, I liked it. I liked him.

Leo heard, putting his hands up in defeat. He stumbled away not before stealing a beer bottle from someone's hand.

"You ok, Hannah?!" He asked, almost reaching my eye level with concern. He knew my name, I squealed internally.

"No big deal, thank you!" I said with a small smile. Charlie returned with a wide smile, I almost melted. I began to walk away but he grasped my arm.

"You wanna dance?!" Hell yes! But I didn't want to seem too obvious.

"I don't think so!" I answered shyly looking at my shoes instead.

"Just one, make it up to me for saving you!"

"I could have handled it!"

He scoffed in disbelief, "yeah right!"

I rolled my eyes at his implied sexist comment, took his hold off of me. Why did he have to be a jerk? Finding the kitchen if my friends were there. Random students laughing and drinking but no sign of a familiar face.

It's been two hours, isn't that enough for a party? I found Linda though, basically dry humping her boyfriend Edward on the love seat while they made out. Wow, my eyes widened before turning away. I spotted Seth tonguing some redhead he pinned on the wall, sloppy and all over the place, he licked her whole cheek.

Ugh. I didn't want to stay up all night, he's our ride home. I missed my bed. Finding the stairwell, I headed upstairs to the room we placed our things in earlier. Which room was in it again? Opening three doors, I discovered students exchanging saliva clothes off. Disgusted, I shuddered and shut the door behind me for their privacy.

Opening the fourth room, finally, an empty one, jackets and purses were piled on the bed. Approaching the bed, I rifled through other belongings for my own. Maybe I could call a cab or Uber to go home; I had some cash anyway just in case. It looked like my friends were spending the night.

"Leaving so soon?" A husky low voice spoke from behind me. I spun around to Charlie leaning against the doorframe. He looked like he was posing for a photoshoot.

"The party's kind of boring," I answered turning forward to continue my search.

"Are you sure it's the party or you?" He questioned, I heard his steps coming closer from behind me. I looked back to scowl at him.

"I'm not boring," I defended.

"Come on, I haven't seen you take a shot of alcohol all night."

"Maybe drinking and acting like a tool is not part of my agenda."

"I didn't say get drunk, one drink."

"I've had alcohol before. Why do you even care? You don't know me." Technically, wine at one of my parents' lawyer parties. Literally one sip, dad took the glass from me and I was grounded.

"We had gym ninth grade, I remembered you were the only girl that climbed the rope to the top."

"Wow, you have eyes, amazing. After all these years," I asked sarcastically. I did remember me and him having gym, thinking he would talk or at least say hi to me. We sat next to each other but no glances. Nothing.

Thee gym teacher was giving out A's for the whole year to anyone who could climb the way up for proof of endurance, everyone was either scared of heights, excuses of their menstruation or allergies to the rope material.

I wanted to do it, to test my upper body strength. And I wanted an A, I surprised myself that day but I had rope burns on my palms from sliding down instead of climbing down.

"I see you now," he replied smugly getting closer.

"What brought this on suddenly?" I shrugged.

"You're cute."

Raising my eyebrow in suspicion, I shook my head, but my fluttering gut said otherwise. I was giddy.

As I continued to look, he took one of my hands into his, interrupted my findings. They were big and warm, my face began heating up.

"If you're not boring, then have a drink with me."

"Why do I have to have a drink to prove that I'm not boring?"

"Fine, then kiss me," he suggested with a glow in his blue eyes.

He wanted me to kiss him?! How could I say no? He's gorgeous, and a sweet scent came from him, I couldn't resist. A kiss from Charlie, it's been a dream of mine: wanting to run my fingers through his soft hair as we made out on a field of wildflowers. Wait, what if thinks I'm a bad kisser, does my breath stink? Am I breathing too hard? I probably sounded like a vacuum.

He leaned in closer until our lips brushed, I heard my heartbeat in my ears.

"No." I turned away. What the hell, Hannah?! I'm making a huge mistake. "I need to go." Locating my jacket on the bed, I grabbed it quick wearing the sleeves in a flash.

"Wow, no girl has ever done that to me before," he said amused.

"There's a first time for everything," I said back, turning the knob.

"Let's get to know each other." His palm on the door as he shut it closed.

"Really? What's the catch?" I asked, feeling his hard chest against my back, I faced him.

"None. Just an excuse to be around you." He shrugged his shoulders as they raised all the way up to his neck.

"Is this your way of seducing me?" I joked, pushing his shoulder lightly.

"Maybe," he raised an eyebrow, walking toward the bed and lying on his back. He patted his hand on the right side for me to sit.

Crossing my arms, I glanced at his body, my footsteps make my way toward the mattress. I sat next to him in a distance.

"No funny business," I told him seriously, pointing a finger and squinting my eyes. I have to play hard to get.

He puts his palms in the air, "my hands are to myself."

I thought he would be the type of guy that would go on about how great he looked, his popularity, how many girls he dated but none of that came up. We spoke of university, future plans, favorite shows and movies, music, politics, and books. Finding out he cried when he read 'The Fault in Our Stars' was cute. I told him my parents were lawyers. His dad worked at the mayor's office and his mom owned a few restaurants in the city. My cheeks hurt from smiling at his grin, a frenzy of butterflies flapped in my stomach as his hand ran through his hair, a chill ran up my spine whenever a slight touch from his fingers made contact with my skin. I was admiring again, this time it was up close and personal.

Checking the time on the bedside dresser, it's almost two a.m. "It's getting late," I told him hoarse from all the laughing when we spoke of the movie scenes in 'Knocked Up'.

"You're not boring after all," he chuckled, I did as well.

"My parents will freak out," I informed him, wearing the sleeves of my jacket.

"I'm good with parents. I can take you home." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"I don't think so. I'm good on my own." Finally standing, I reached for the door.

"Give me your number then we can continue our talk." He suggested behind me.

"And what will your friends think of you talking to a nobody like me?" The negative thought of his friends made me cringe internally. They were the type of people that liked their own.

"You're not a nobody. Besides it's me and you, no one else," he simply said shrugging one of his shoulders. Pouting my lips in thought, I did like our conversations, and like he said no one else would know. We could be friends, for starters, nothing more.

I grabbed my pen and notepad from my purse, writing down my number. I handed it to him. His white teeth gleamed with happiness, he placed a kiss on my cheek. Hiding my blush I turned away and opened the bedroom door to leave.