Dusk passed into night by the time they made it to the stretch of forested road that led to Madeline's family's lake house. The moon and the stars lit up the countryside with a heavenly luminescence that made Seth feel a strange kind of magic in the air through the open windows of Madeline's blue classic Volkswagen Beetle. Aside from the distant single headlight of a motorcycle far behind them, they were alone on the road. Madeline and Seth sat in the back while Sarah drove. Sarah kept glancing in the mirror, making an exasperated sigh at any sign of affection. Madeline leaned her head on Seth's shoulder and Sarah made yet another noise.

"Relax, Sarah. I'm sure there's some guy going to the party who's going to be trying to make out with you."

"Yeah, well, I'm not at the party yet, am I, and you guys are so sweet it makes me wanna puke."

Seth leaned forward so his head was right beside Sarah's. "Yeah, just because you like your flings doesn't mean we do. I don't think I've even seen you hold hands with a guy."

Sarah glared at him. "You're a jerk, Seth."

Seth met her gaze. "Did you have a dry spell the entire summer?"

She twisted her lips. "No."

"I have. Now, I'm going to cuddle with my girlfriend."

"God, you guys disgust me."

Seth settled back and placed his hand on the inside of Madeline's thigh while she nuzzled his shoulder. Sarah rolled her eyes and smiled a little. Seth knew she didn't mind, Sarah was just the kind of person who had to be giving someone grief at all times.

"You know David and Anthony's new season is starting up soon, right?”

There it was. Seth snorted.

"They're a joke."

"Everyone says if that's what you're saying, you should show up and prove they are." Seth looked out the window again at the moonlit forest. The thick shadows breathed secrets of a world unseen. Sarah was ruining the ambiance of the night. Madeline chuckled. "Seth has actual fights to train for, Sarah. You and I have both seen him in the ring."

Sarah raised an eyebrow and gave a half-grin. "Bare-knuckle is a different game is all."

"Hey, Sarah," said Seth. "Since you're such an expert on fighting, where do you train?"

"Youtube."

Seth laughed. "Damn, I guess you have me there."

The car pulled to a stop and Seth looked out the front window. There was no space in Madeline's own driveway, and if he knew anything, the garage was taken up with beer pong. He looked out the right side of the car. Yup. No less than three tables had games going.

"How many did you invite?" He asked Madeline.

She started unbuckling herself. "Oh, none. Sarah did all the inviting. I haven't had a phone the entire summer." She placed a hand on his cheek and smiled mischievously. "Or did you forget about how much you missed me already?"

Seth kissed her. "Just living in the moment."

They all exited the Volkswagen, and barely made it halfway up the driveway before someone in the massive throng of teenagers milling through the yard and open lake house started screaming the lyrics of Happy Birthday. The entire crowd was looking at Madeline and singing along.

Seth felt intensely uncomfortable. This wasn't his scene. He couldn't even hear the waves of the lake behind the house over the din, and that was half the reason that he would ever come this far out of the city. He endured the spectacle while Madeline absorbed it, seemingly coming more alive at the attention. She grabbed the side of his shirt and leaned over to his ear as everyone finished singing and began clapping. "I know you hate crowds. I'm gonna say hi to everyone I have to, then I'll meet you upstairs, okay?"

Seth looked down at her and smiled. He gave her a kiss on the forehead, then sped off into anonymity. He and Sarah ran in very different circles and once he left the birthday girl's side, he didn't have to deal with already drunk teenagers assaulting him with vapid, endlessly repeating conversations.

He made his way to the kitchen, unsurprised to find a keg--no, two kegs there. Seth grabbed a Solo cup and filled it up, weaving his way through dozens of people he'd never seen before in his life to the balcony that overlooked the lake. It looked like it contained a million lights, the reflection of the sky bathing the back of the two-story lake house in beautiful astral light. The scene was somewhat ruined by the thumping of music, dancing teenagers, and of course, multiple couples making out all over the patio furniture.

Seth moved past, down the stairs, and walked out onto the dock. He stared out onto the black and white water for a good minute before he realized someone sat on the very end of the pier, legs dangling over the water. They twisted where they sat, their face hidden from him by the light reflecting in front of them.

"You look like you don't like parties," came a feminine voice.

Seth sipped from his cup. "No. Not really."

"That's a shame. It's a good party."

"Says the person away from it all."

"Just taking a minute to text someone." She held up a phone. Seth couldn't see a single feature of her face, but he felt like she was studying him: he had the same feeling when he stepped into the ring with an opponent he'd never faced before. "Don't you have a girlfriend waiting for you or something?"

"In a few minutes, I'm sure I do," said Seth. "But she's the social one and has to say hi to all her friends first."

"It must suck to not be the number one priority."

"Excuse me?" Seth took an unintentionally aggressive step forward.

She held up her hands in a placating gesture, still twisted in her seated position. "I didn't mean anything. It just sounds like her friends are more important."

Seth worked to quell the rising anger in his stomach. "No- I mean... Who the hell are you?"She shrugged and turned to face the lake. Seth squinted. His eyes now readjusted to the night he could make out she had jet black hair. He stared for a minute, unsure of whether to try and have the last word or not, then settled on taking a drink and walking away. Madeline should have been done by then.

He again made his way through the mass chaos of the party before heading upstairs. He produced a key from his pocket and unlocked the guest bedroom, shutting it behind him. He set his cup on the desk and laid down on the bed, tucking his hands behind his head and staring at the ceiling. He waited.

Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes turned to an hour. Seth sat up and pulled his phone out of his pocket. No service. Of course.

The door slammed open."Hey, penguin." Madeline leaned in the doorway, hair tucked over her shoulder, one hand on her hip. Seth smiled. "That took a while."

"Sarah wanted to introduce me to literally every friend she made this summer. You know how she is."

"Yeah, I do."

Madeline stepped into the room and shut the door behind her, locking it as she did so. "I should reward you for your patience." She moved onto the bed, straddling Seth's lap. She kissed him. "It's been a long summer."

Seth trailed his hands down her back, caressing the small of it and eventually settling his hands on her ass. He squeezed. "It sure has."

Madeline leaned in and nipped at his neck. "I've missed you." She ground her hips into his as she came back up and kissed him, just the tip of her tongue brushing against his. She moved back and looked him in the eyes. "Next year you're coming with us."

And still, in the back of Seth's mind, doubt flickered.