Even though the teacher's tried their best, a few students still managed to sneak flasks into the after party being held in the gymnasium after our football team crushed the other team. Before long there was enough dirty dancing going around to film a whole new high school muscial, a dirtier one of course.

Holly, Josie and I stood around one of the cheap tables that were set up in a hurry to accommodate the last minute party. After parties weren't a typical thing around here, or so Holly told me, but since it was our first game of the season and we won 54-14 we just had to celebrate.

"I'm glad we weren't the ones who had to spike the punch this time," Holly giggled, sipping from her cup while Josie agreed.

"You guys have done this before?" I couldn't imagine something like this ever happening at my old school. Everyone would rather party in private and pretend to be goody-two-shoes everywhere else.

"Ha, this is the only way we'd get through these 'parties'" Josie shoved a full solo cup into my hand. I guess a drink or two wouldn't hurt. As I took the first sip and quickly realized the alcohol of choice was a cheap whiskey, someone ran into me from the side and I spilled some of my drink down my sleeve.

"Watch it," I snapped, wiping up some of the liquid with my hand and turning towards whoever's fault this was.

With my luck it would be Kent standing beside me after all.

"How's it going?" He asked, grinning down at me with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"It was going great until you made me spill my drink," I teased, making sure Kent knew I wasn't seriously upset. Although if it was someone else who had caused this stain to appear on one of my favorite sweatshirts I surely would have ripped their head off.

"Ah, sorry about that. Do you want me to grab you another?" Kent began to turn towards the refreshment table where the spiked punch and red solo cups awaited but I quickly reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him.

"It's alright, I'm not a huge fan anyway," I admitted, smiling up at Kent and setting my cup down on a table next to us.

"Not a fan of beer or whiskey? Is there an alcohol you do like?" Kent asked, taking a step towards me and still not being able to wipe the grin from his face. I couldn't help the fact my heart rate had sped up or that my face was beginning to feel hot.

"I don't mind vodka," I said as Kent grabbed my right hand with his left and began to tug me towards the dance floor.

"I'll remember that. Dance with me?" As soon as he asked I realized he had nearly pulled me to the edge of the sea of dancing bodies in the middle of the gym.

"Oh, no, no no, I . . . I'm really not a dancer," I began to tug back against Kent's grip and his smile widened. It was obvious who would win a tug of war between the two of us.

"One dance, that's all Sadie," Kent stepped towards me, slipping his arm around my waist. "dance with me,"

"But I . . . " I glanced around and noticed that our little show hadn't attracted any attention. Other than Holly and Josie who, as tipsy as they were, continued to stare and comment how cute Kent was. Before I was able to finally give in and dance with Kent I was being yanked backwards. The stinging of nails digging into the skin on my back forced me to turn and push whoever was pulling me away.

"What the hell is your problem?" Missy yelled at me, lounging forward to shove me this time but I stepped back and she tripped over her own feet.

"You think I'm the one with a problem?" I crossed my arms and glared at Missy who had not left Kent's jersey on his car, she clutched it in her left hand.

"I came here to give Kent his jersey and you're already trying to move in?" Missy threw down Kent's jersey and stepped on it. "We hardly broke up two hours ago!"

"From what I heard you two weren't even together," I replied and Missy lounged at me again. This time instead of stepping back I shoved Missy, who tripped again and would have falled on her face if it wasn't for Charlie.

"Whoa, calm down Missy," Charlie attempted to soothe Missy but she wasn't listening as she stood back up.

"You really are the worst kind of girl, Sadie!" Missy yelled but thankfully she didn't try to come at me again. Kent was suddenly in front of me, between the two of us.

"Missy, seriously you need to knock it off," Kent warned. The music was still playing but at least half of the students were now watching to see what drama was happening now.

"I can't believe you're choosing that hick twat over me-"

"Enough Missy!" Kent yelled, grabbing my arm when I tried to step forward to hit Missy. If Kent wasn't there she'd be on the ground with a broken nose. "You need to leave, before you make a bigger fool of yourself than you already have,"

"Oh yeah Kent? Do you think I'm scared of you?" Missy spat back at him but Kent remained calm while she screamed.

"I'd leave if I were you Missy, unless you want me to start opening my mouth about things," Missy's lips pressed together so tight they formed only a thin line on her face and her cheeks began to flush. Without another word being said Missy turned and left, most of the students going back to dancing or mingling around.

"I'm really sorry about that Sadie," Kent apologized quickly, picking up his jersey that Missy had thrown down.

"Can I get you a drink?"

"Um, sure," I followed quietly behind Kent until we reached the refreshment table. Almost all the punch was gone already.

"So how'd you enjoy the game?" Kent asked, he seemed relaxed as he poured both of us a small amount of punch.

"It was fun, I'm glad you guys won," Kent handed me my cup and held his out for a toast.

"To junior year," I nodded my head and clicked the rims of our solo cups together. As I took a big gulp of the mixture I immediately regretted it. Kent was coughing from next to me and trying not to laugh.

"Sorry, I . . . uh, should have mixed the punch first," I handed him back my cup with a disgusted face. The only thing left in the punch bowl was whiskey and it was not enjoyable. Kent didn't ask me to dance again, instead he asked if he could walk me back to the dorm.

The after party was ending soon anyway and Jackie and Holly had already disappeared. We walked in silence for a moment until Kent finally broke.

"The Homecoming dance this year is supposed to be a masquerade," It was random for him to say but also managed to get my heart rate beating fast again.

"Oh, I hadn't heard that," I replied awkwardly. Was this his way of asking me to a dance? At my old school there was only Prom and that was only for the juniors and seniors of the school. I had never been asked to a dance before.

"I thought it was sort of a lame idea but the rest of the board didn't," Kent continued to explain.

"The board?"

"I'm on the school board, Vice President actually," He sounded proud and flashed me one of his handsome smiles. Our breaths were visible in the cold air. "Charlie's our President, he wanted it so bad last year so I agreed to be VP instead,"

"That was nice of you,"

"Yeah but now I regret it, the idiot was the one who brought up the masquerade idea," Kent rolled his eyes.

"Why is that so bad?" Kent took a deep breath and stopped walking to face me.

"It's not that the masquerade is a bad idea, it's the fact that I had told Charlie about it months ago and when he presented it to everyone else he only mentioned himself," Kent turned and continued walking down the path and I hurried to catch up. So he was upset Charlie had stolen his thunder, he'd taken all the credit.

"I'm sorry Kent,"

Instead of responding Kent reached his hand out beside me and grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together. We walked almost all the way back to the dorm holding hands and even though it was a chilly night, I wasn't cold one bit.

"Sadie," We had made it to the stairs leading into our dorm but right before we got inside Kent stopped once again and faced me. "Look, if you don't have any plans already I was hoping-"

As if my luck tonight hadn't been terrible already, Kent's cellphone began to ring in his pocket.

"It's my mom," Kent's voice was strained and he suddenly looked stressed. "I've gotta take this, I'll see you in the room,"

Kent hurried off before I could say okay and left me outside alone. I hope it wasn't anything serious, Kent hadn't looked too happy to be receiving a phone call from his mom. I rode the elevator up to our floor and seemed to float down the hallway to our door, even though my luck had been off and the night hadn't gone as planned it was still a great night. "Oh good, you're back," Charlie's voice popped the bubble of euphoria around me and I tried not to look surprised as I turned to face him. He was leaning against his door, shirtless and only wearing sweatpants.

"I was glad to see you at the game,"

"It was a lot of fun," I glanced down at the sign that was rolled up in my hand. The sign I had made for Charlie, the sign I hadn't held up the entire game.

"I hope you can make it to next weeks, it's an away game though," He explained. Charlie was always kind and always cheerful but tonight he seemed off. Like maybe he wasn't feeling well.

"A few of the girls and I are already talking about carpooling, it'll be a lot of fun," I explained, fiddling with my dorm key in one hand and the sign in the other.

"Have you heard anything about the homecoming dance coming up soon?" He suddenly asked and a small lump began to form in the back of my throat.

"I . . . uh, yeah I was just talking to," don't say Kent, don't say Kent, "Jackie! Jackie and I were talking about it, um, after the game tonight,"

"It's going to be a masquerade I guess," He said, pushing himself upright and taking a step towards me. He smelled great, he must have just gotten out of the shower. "If you haven't already been-"

I couldn't help but tune out what Charlie was saying. My mind became fuzzy and clouded. I had to do something! Charlie was going to ask me to the dance before Kent was able to!

And if Charlie asked me there's no way I could say no, I would feel terrible.

Then I wouldn't be able to go to the dance with Kent like I wanted to. "I've gotta get this!" I randomly blurted out, fishing my phone from my pocket and pretending I was receiving a call.

"Can we finish this later Charlie?"

"Wait, I was-"

"Thanks Charlie!" I quickly slipped my key into my door and pushed inside, holding my phone up to my ear and pretending it was my mother calling me. I slammed the door behind me and sighed, finally able to breathe.

That was a close call.