I figured Holden had been joking about the invite, but he ended up texting me the address and Crystal had brought it up during class.

"Are you going to the party?" I turned to ask Bonnie.

"Party?"

"On Stephanie's yacht? It's on Saturday," I clarified.

"Right," she said, looking down at her book. She just shrugged her shoulder and I didn't bring it up for the rest of class. On the way out, Bonnie broke off from Crystal and Rebecca and I followed, letting them know I was keen to catch up with them on Saturday.

"Bonnie," I said, coming to a slow jog beside her. I really wanted to have someone I knew a little better at the party with me on Saturday.

"Not heading home?" She asked, continuing down the hall.

"So, about Saturday?"

"Look Daisy, I know you have good intentions and all, but not everyone gets invited to the Top Four's parties."

"No, it's cool. Holden said I could bring anyone."

"I'm busy on Saturday anyway, sorry. Just be careful okay? I've heard some pretty heinous rumours."

If I hadn't already been nervous before Bonnie decided to scare the crap out of me, I was after what she said. After going through my wardrobe, I was sure I had nothing to wear. Then came the thoughts of backing out.

My phone vibrated. It was Amy. "Hello?" I answered, before putting the phone on speaker and leaving it on the table.

"So, photos?"

"No. I did not take creepy photos of my physics partner," I scoffed.

"What a shame. Luckily, I can google him and he comes up," she said gleefully. "Dude, he is cute. How can a guy be simultaneously hot and cute?"

"We have bigger problems. I have nothing to wear to a yacht party on Saturday."

"Hold up, hold up, hold up. Yacht party?"

"Yes. It's on a yacht apparently."

"Holy shit."

"Yes. You see the problem is I have no idea what to wear."

"Something super tight and skimpy!"

"And exactly what do I own that is tight and skimpy?"

"Go get yourself a little black dress. One of the ones with super deep v cuts made of that ribbed fabric that just clings to you – "

I cut her off. "Why did I think you'd help me out with an outfit?"

"I am helping!" She retorted indignantly.

I felt like it'd be stupid to text Holden and ask what the dress code was like. I hadn't exactly been to many parties, and definitely none that were on a yacht. After browsing at the shops for a whole day and trying on many disappointing outfits, I decided on a pair of black skinny jeans and a cute white off-shoulder.

--

Luckily, my mum was free to drop me off at the harbour. "Take this with you," she said, passing me a black cardigan from the back seat. "It might get cold on the water."

"Thanks," I said, wrapping it around my handbag.

"I'm glad you're going to some events and making some friends," she remarked.

"Jeez mum, you make me sound so antisocial."

"Am I so wrong?" She grinned.

---

My jaw nearly dropped as I arrived at the harbor. People were piling onto the yacht. I watched as Crystal stumbled up the ramp. As she turned, she saw me and waved, beckoning me up. I waved back and smiled, about to head in.

On the side of the boat was the label 'First Love'. How could a sixteen year old get a two million dollar yacht for her birthday?

My heels were making it difficult to ascend the ramp gracefully so instead, I ended up looking like a sloth clinging to a branch. A chain of fairy lights adorned the rails along the sides of the yacht. There were long tables on the side of the yacht with different plates of snack and bowls of punch. Several servers wearing white wandered around offering guests food.

Stephanie came out from a set of doors and met up with a group of her friends. She wore a plain, tight black dress with spaghetti straps. Her hair was curled into perfect loose ringlets.

I spotted Holden by the snack table wearing some camel coloured chinos, plain white shirt and button up unbuttoned over the shirt.

"Daisy!" He waved and walked over to me.

"Hey," I answered as he handed me a glass of what looked like orange punch.

"Yo Parker!" Holden yelled. Parker winked at a girl he had been talking to in the group before walking over to Holden, clearly unimpressed.

Parker looked at me for a moment, almost squinting before giving up and just saying 'hi'. Holden raised an eyebrow at his friend and then something seemed to click. "Pizza girl," Parker said. I nodded slowly.

"Holden!" Someone yelled. He looked back and excused himself for a moment, leaving me staring at my feet while both Parker and I struggled to make small talk.

"So how do you guys know each other?"

"Family friends. We've been to the same school since kindergarten," he replied. "What school did you go to before?"

"Carlson high," I replied. He pondered for a moment.

"Never heard of it."

"Not many people have. It's a small school." Then we resumed staring at our feet. Thankfully, Crystal and Rebecca came over.

"Daisy!" They exclaimed, both coming in for those weird half hugs, catching me entirely off guard.

"How's Marcus?" Parker asked.

"Good. He's been roped into the family business though," Crystal said.

"Seriously? Get him to come back and coach the basketball team sometime. The juniors are absolute trash," Parker laughed.

"Aren't you guys on the way to championships anyway?" Rebecca asked.

"Yep. But I hear Blackwood has some interesting recruits this year."

I stood there in silence, turning my head as each person spoke, simply nodding as though I knew what the heck they were going on about. Looking around, I didn't recognize half of the people on the yacht. Moments later, there was an announcement over the PA and the yacht departed the harbour.

I was about to excuse myself before leaving but instead just slipped away, seeing how they wouldn't have noticed anyway. Where was the bathroom on this thing? I was about to enter through some doors when there was a loud crash. The shards of glass from the punch bowl skipped across the ground beside a girl covered in head to toe in what I assumed was punch. Beside her, two guys bumped fists while onlookers stared blankly. "That's what you get," a girl spat.

I wanted to step up and help her, but the coward in me pushed through the door and entered the narrow hallway. Finding the bathroom wasn't too difficult. My legs were trembling as I sat down on the toilet; firstly, from the excruciating pain my feet were in, and secondly from what I'd just witnessed. Was that what Bonnie had been talking about?

On my way out, I heard sniffling outside and recognised the girl from earlier. She was drying down her face with some paper towels.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked. I was never one to get involved in anyone else's business, let alone what looked like one hell of a mess.

She shot a glare at me and I almost regretted asking.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were Clarissa," she sniffled.

"Um. I'm new here. Daisy," I introduced, albeit knowing it was a horrible time.

"Elaine," she replied.

"Do you want to maybe stand in a cubicle and pass me your shirt? I can rinse it out with water and stick it under the dryer for a bit," I offered. She almost laughed for a moment before taking off her shirt and handing it to me right there.

She stood there in her skirt and bra I stood there gobsmacked before beginning to rinse out the shirt in the sink.

"Gosh. You look horrified. You have no idea!" She exclaimed. "Before anyone else gets a chance to tell you all about it, I might as well just tell you. I am Elaine, the biggest whore of the seven seas, at least according to everyone around here."

"Um..." What was I supposed to say to that? "Well, who cares what they think?"

"Gosh, you are adorable. You're not from around here are you?"

"Um, no."

She patted me on the shoulder. "Soon you'll know."

I squeezed out as much water as I could before passing the shirt in through the dryer. Luckily, it was one of those high-tech ten second drying ones that actually worked, and not the ones that just warmed your hands without drying them.

"This looks mostly dry," I said, handing it back to her. She put it back on and glanced in the mirror.

"You seem nice. I'll give you a tip: just stay under the radar and you should make it out in one piece."

Holden bombarded me as soon as I stepped back onto the deck. "Thought you could hide from me, did you?" He grinned.

"Um no," I replied.

"Kidding," he winked, making me realise for the first time that his eyes were a deep green with what appeared to be little gold specks. Or was it the light? "Let me introduce you to some people." He ushered me over to a group. I recalled meeting a Nick, Lauren, Wesley and Grant, but there were so many names and faces I couldn't remember any. That was, until he reached Clarissa. "Nice to meet you," she grinned. She had hazel brown hair and intense, crystal blue eyes. "How are you finding Pemberton?" She asked.

How could Elaine have glared at me thinking I was Clarissa? She seemed nice enough. Then again, no one had done anything when Elaine stood there soaking in punch. "It's very nice," I replied. "All the facilities are amazing; my old school was nothing like this."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Elaine come back out. She caught my eye for a moment before looking away. Please don't blame me for trying to fit in.

I spent the evening meeting everyone who was anyone as Clarissa led me around for the rest of the evening.

The yacht was coming back to the harbour and I hadn't realized I'd be out so late. My phone told me it was already half past midnight. It finally docked and I managed to find Crystal and Rebecca to say bye to them before I left, but Holden was nowhere in sight. I decided to go around the deck one more time and just as I turned a corner, I saw him busy with a girl I'd met but whose name I couldn't remember. I quickly turned back around and decided he wouldn't have minded if I didn't say 'bye'.

Even though I was on her yacht for a whole night, I still hadn't met Stephanie.

Most of the others had been picked up by their parents or drivers, but some had gone off to an after party. That left me standing alone, under a lamppost waiting at the dock. I'd called my mum to let her know I'd be catching a cab home; I didn't want her to be driving around so late and then being half dead at work the next day.

"Get away from me!" I heard a shriek. Still clutching my phone, I followed the sound. Elaine was struggling against some guy grabbing at her wrist.

"Elaine!" I yelled. She turned her head towards me and mouthed something at me.

"Hey, back off!" I yelled at the guy, shoving him. He lunged towards me, hand out.

I grabbed his wrist, stepped in and kicked his ankle, sending his leg out from under him. He went down and I followed, rolling across the ground. There was a shrill rip and I saw the sleeve of my shirt detach. Beside me, I heard the deathly crack of my phone. I quickly got back up and ran over to him before he got up, pinning him down with my knee. He tried to get up but I twisted his arm back and he shrieked.

"Stop! Ok! Stop!" He yelled.

I got up and let him go and he grunted and muttered something beneath his breath before leaving. Elaine stared at me, slack jawed.

"I used to take martial arts," I mumbled.

"You are so dead," Elaine said, shaking her head slowly.

"What?"

"You'll see," she chuckled. She paused for a moment. "But thank you. You're the only one with enough balls around here to do something like that."