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Fred rushed around his room, digging through the piles of dirty clothes on his floor.
"Fred," Tom said, glancing quickly at Eric against the dresser, which, if Tom had to guess, was empty since it appeared all of Fred's clothes were on the floor.
"Why don't we take my car and we can pick up the girls on the way?"
Fred stopped digging through clothes long enough to send Tom a disgruntled look. "No freakin' way. It wouldn't be a date if you were driving."
"I don't think it's a date anyway. Who would want to date you?"
"Ha-ha." He pulled a t-shirt out of the pile and inspected it. "Kayla wouldn't have called me specifically to see what i was doing tonight if she didn't want me."
Tom snorted and shot a glance at Eric. Eric smirked, shaking his head.
Fred pulled his shirt off and threw on the one he just picked up. "We'll take my car. What's the big deal?"
"Maybe i don't want to ride with you. Fred, you smell." Eric said, stuffing his hands in his jeans pockets.
Fred straightened, running his hand through his messy hair.



♥ ♥ ♥




The thump of music could be heard out in the driveway as Kayla got out of Fred's car. There were already several cars parked in the driveway and along the side of the road. Lights lit all the downstairs windows of the Victorian-style house and some of the smaller basement windows.


Eric got out and came around the front of the car to meet Cheyenne. "Ready?"


"Yeah."


They walked up together, passing a few girls who were leaving. The girls looked at Eric, smiling flirtatiously until they noticed Cheyenne with him. Then their faces fell and whispers started between them.


They went into the living room, down a hallway, and then rounded a corner to the basement steps.


Music filled the stairwell and got louder the farther they went down. When they were past the overhang of the wall, the temperature rose a good five degrees. It was hot and muggy from so many bodies. Kayla looked out over the basement and was surprised to see a moving mass of people. She didn't think it would be so packed.


When they reached the floor, Kayla pressed into tom as a couple tried to get past her up the stairs. Tom leaned over. "You want to get something to drink?" He shouted.


"Yeah."


Tom took her hand and pulled her through the crowd. They emerged on the other side of the basement where cool air slipped in several open windows. There was a large L-shaped sectional couch in the corner, a pool table directly across from it.


"Come on," Tom said, nodding toward another room of the main basement. There was a bar along one wall where a young woman filled glasses with ice and Vodka.


"Oh, Tom! How are you?" The young woman brushed her hair from her eyes then unscrewed the cap on a bottle of Tequila.
"Uh... I'm fine. Thanks. Can we have two-"


"Sure." The woman handed over two glasses.


"Thanks..." Tom handed a glass to Kayla. "Want to sit down?"


She nodded and he led her back to the main room to the couch. Kayla made herself comfortable on the end of the couch. She fidgeted with her jacket, pulling it around herself to hide her stomach. This did not feel like a skinny day for her. What did she have to eat yesterday? Ham sandwich... Doritos... Oh yeah, a bowl of ice cream. The latter probably didn't compliment her thighs.


She leaned over toward Tom. "I'm gonna dance."


"Okay," he said as she got up.


Tentatively, she approached the throng of dancers looking for someone she recognized and could sidle up to. There were a few girls she recognized from the Empire Rock Club, but no one she knew well.


Then she heard her name shouted over the din of the music, followed by a shrill finger-in-the-mouth whistle.


Fred.


"Hey!" He shouted, coming up alongside her. "Dance with me?"


"Yeah." she started swaying her hips, arm hung in the air. Fred got close but kept his hands off her, opting instead to hook his index finger around hers. She hung her head back and laughed as he twirled her around.


Fred grasped her hand tighter, sliding his other arm around her back as he dipped her. She screeched as she tossed her head back, the ceiling suddenly straight above her, and then Tom popped in her line of sight.


"Mind if i cut in?" He said, giving a sideways grin.


Fred hoisted Kayla back up. "Sure..." He let Kayla go and melted into the crowd, finding another dance partner easily.


By the time the song was over, Sweat beaded on Kayla's forehead and she wiped it away. Tom grabbed her hand and pulled her off the dance floor, thrusting a glass in her hand. She downed a gulp of liquor and her stomach growled, "Is there food here?"


"No," tom said, looking apologetic. "but we could go get something. If you're hungry."


"I'm starving, but I don't want you to leave the party or anything."


Tom shook his head. "It's all right. I came, I made an appearance. Now I'm ready to go. Come on." He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the stairs.




♥ ♥ ♥




"I bet he never played another game of dare after that."


Tom popped a fry in his mouth. "Nope."


Their server, a twenty-something woman with extremely long, light blond hair came up to the table. "Can i get you anything?"


"No, thanks," Tom said. "Kay?"


"I'm fine." She smiled.


"Okay. I'll get you your check." The waitress flashed a smile at Tom, clearly interest in more than serving him dinner. Beth-that's what her name tag said-had been flirting with Tom since they came into Striker's an hour ago. Either Beth sensed that Tom and Kayla were just friends, or she didn't care.


Kayla was waiting for her to ask Tom for his phone number. If Tom went up to the register alone, maybe that's when Beth would make her move.


"Here you go," Beth said, laying the bill on the table face down.


"Thanks." Tom flashed his drop-dead-because-I'm-gorgeous smile and Beth nearly did. Except Kayla suspected Tom had no idea how his smile affected people or that he was so damn gorgeous.


"I'll be right back." he grabbed the check while reaching for his wallet with the other hand. Kayla turned in the booth and watched him saunter up the front counter. Beth was there waiting, conveniently.


She tapped several things in on the register. Tom handed over a twenty, which Beth held on to for several seconds as if prolonging his stay. She handed his change over, then, eyes darting around, she asked him something. Tom paused, smiled, then nodded toward Kayla.


Beth's face fell. "Oh," she said, nodding.


What was that all about?


Tom grabbed two mints from the crystal bowl by the register and came back over to their table. "Here. I got you a mint," he said, tossing the red-and-white-striped candy on the table.


Kayla picked up the mint, stood, and put on her jacket. "So, did the waitress hit on you?"


He laughed. "No. she asked if you and I were together."


"Oh? What did you tell her?"


"I said yeah." He shrugged.


Kayla's mouth dropped open. "You did what?"


Frowning, Tom leaned over. "It's not a big deal, Kay. I don't mind paying. You can pay the bill next time."


Kayla relaxed and shook her head at her own stupidity. "I thought... I mean... the way the waitress had been acting... I thought she had asked are we together, like boyfriend and girlfriend."


Tom scrunched up his nose. "You think that's it?"


She followed him outside, unable to ignore Beth's staring. As if it was Kayla's fault that Tom wasn't into her.


In the car, Kayla shivered, the cool air of the night having crept in while they were eating. Tom turned the engine over and blasted the head. By the time they pulled in front of Kayla's house, the car was a good eighty degrees.


"Well, thanks for taking me to the party and out to dinner."


Tom shrugged, propping his arm over the back of her seat. "Yeah, I had fun."


"Me, too." Kayla reached for the door handle, but Tom put his hand on her forearm. "Wait." She stopped. "Kay... That thing... In the diner..." He shifted, setting both hands in his lap. "Would you, uh, want to do this again? With me?"


Kayla swallowed hard. Sometimes, like now, Tom's eyes unnerved her. "Like, as friends?"


He turned sideways in his seat. "No."


Now her mouth was bone-dry. swallowing was impossible. "Uhh...Tom..." He was asking her on a date. Kayla had wanted to hear something like this from Tom all year.


Shifting again, he turned to the driver's-side window, propping his elbows on the door rest. "Just say it, Kayla. I can take rejection."


Kayla shook her head. "What? No, Tom. I want to go out with you."


He looked Kayla in the eyes. "You do?"


"I do."


The front door of the house opened and Cheyenne stuck her head out. "What the hell are you doing out there?"


Tom grunted, shaking his head.


"Thanks, Tom. Really." She said, pulling the door open.


"You're welcome." He gave her a sheepish smile.


Nodding, she shut the door and watched him drive away.

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