Jake P.O.V.

When I looked at my reflection in the mirror for the fourth time Reece piped up from where he was lounging on my bed,

"You are acting like a fucking girl can we just go please? You look fine."

I glared at him and ran my fingers through my hair. For some reason I was really nervous and Reece could tell. He snickered,

"Why ya nervous, Jakers? Is it cause Bookworm's gonna be there?"

I frowned at him using the nickname my mom had for me and suggesting I cared about what that Bookworm thought of me. I snorted and said,

"Don't make me laugh. I just need to get laid tonight."

Reece frowned,

"You could wear a cardboard box and get laid. Why are you dressing up?"

Then he laughed,

"Do you want Bookworm to read dirty to you?"

He fell off the bed laughing his ass off while I just glared at him. Reece gasped,

"Get it? Bookworm? Read dirty to me? I'm so hilarious."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my car keys,

"Lets go, moron."

~~~~~~~~

The party was in full swing by the time we got there. Reece cheered in the car,

"This party is insane! Someone is definitely going to check Bookworm out."

When I glared at him when he laughed at his own joke.

"Get it? Like checking a book out of the library?"

I rolled my eyes and got out of the car. When me and Reece got to the door Evan Stemer answered the door with a drunk grin. Girls saw us and cheered loudly. Evan handed us a cup of beer and ushered us inside. I took a sip of the beer and nearly spewed it. It tasted like burnt saw dust. I went to the drink table and my jaw dropped. Adriana and Madison were doing shots. The Bookworm was doing shots. Madison stood out with her blue dress and blonde hair but Adriana was what really captured my attention, along with every guy in here that I could see. Adriana's dress clung to every curve and nothing was left to the imagination. Is that the body she had been hiding under those baggy shirts and sweatpants? Her long skinny legs flowed up under her short dress and I itched to see the rest of her tan legs under the dress. She wasn't wearing her glasses and her intelligent green eyes were light and happy. Her brown hair was straight and silky and all I wanted to do was run my hands through it. This wasn't like me. I could have every girl at my feet with a snap of my fingers but not her. She fascinated me. I was about to take a step forward towards her when Madison grabbed her arm and hauled her off to where everyone was dancing. I growled in annoyance when a flock of girls got in my way. Tirana racked her fingers down my chest and purred,

"Want to have fun, babe?"

I shook her hands away and glared at her. Tirana and Reece had a long history and they broke up over Tirana cheating on him. I sneered,

"Well hello Tirana. Aren't you a lovely shade of slut tonight?"

Tirana's face flushed bright red with anger and she hissed,

"Rich coming from you, man-whore."

That reminded me of Adriana and I found myself chuckling lightly. Tirana thought I was laughing at her so she raised her manicured hand and brought it down to give me a hard slap. I caught her wrist and raised an eyebrow at her. She yanked her hand out of my grasp and stalked off with her bitchy followers. I leaned against the wall and watched the Bookworm. She was twirling and had her hands raised high above her head. She was radiating happiness and it was contagious. I found myself smiling. Then my smile fell. Evan had come up behind Adriana and was grinding against her. Adriana looked confused at first but soon relaxed and danced against him. I glared at Evan and was so tense I jumped when Reece clapped his hand down on my shoulder. He giggled and teased,

"Jumpy aren't we?"

He followed my glare and saw Evan and Adriana. Reece smirked and nudged me with his elbow,

"Why don't you go get a dance?"

I shifted my glare from Evan to Reece and growled,

"Why the hell would I care? I don't care."

Reece chuckled and looked at Adriana. He ran his tongue over his lips and whispered just loud enough for me to hear him,

"Well if you don't want her I will take her. Damn...dat ass in that dress...and those legs..."

Before I could think I had Reece by his collar and was glaring coldly at him. I hissed,

"You. Not. Fucking. Touch. Her. Anyone but her."

Reece's eyes widened. I never cursed. I was raised not to. I sat him down on the ground and look away to where Evan and Adriana were dancing. I froze. They weren't there. I looked around frantically. There they were. I saw Evan lick Adriana's neck and her face twisted in panic and disgust. I walked across the room, shoving people out of my way. Evan was about to kiss her. Her eyes met with mine and I saw sadness and panic. I frowned in faint confusion. It was just a kiss. Why is it such a big deal? My eyes widened when I realized what was happening. Could this be her first kiss? If it was I was not letting her give it to Evan Stemer! I lunged forward and pulled Evan away and pinned him against a nearby wall. His eyes were foggy with lust and drunkenness. He slurred,

"Hey we can have a three-some if you want, man."

I didn't hesitate to punch him as hard as I could. I dropped him to the ground, unconscious. I look back to where Adriana was standing. Expecting her to be afraid, I found her gazing at me, impressed.

"I didn't know anyone could punch like that."

I rolled my eyes. Anyone could punch like that.

"Let's get you home."

She pouted adorably and shook her head.

"No Mr. Muscles, I'm here with Madison. Maaaaadisooooon!"

I tried not to laugh. Mr. Muscles? She was completely drunk. I covered up my chuckles with a sigh and pointed to where Madison and some guy were making out,

"Shes not driving you home tonight."

Adriana frowned and said,

"Gross."

Then she giggled drunkenly and said it again,

"Groooss. Groooss."

I said I started to drag her towards my car. Adriana stopped beside the open car door and stood on her tip toes to look me in the face. Her green eyes were serious as she asked,

"You not drunk right? No drunk driving?"

I had only had one beer so I shook my head,

"No drunk driving."

Then she shyly held up her pinky and lightly blushed.

"Pinky promise?"

She was so innocent. I stared at her and wanted to do nothing more than kiss her senseless and teach her everything I knew. Instead I rolled my eyes and wrapped my pinky around hers. I liked seeing her soft petite pinky wrapped around my large calloused one. I shook my head slightly. Maybe the beer was spiked to make me think weird things. I got in the car and grinned when I saw her admiring my car.

"I thought you would have had a bad ass motorcycle, Mr. Muscles."

I bit my lip to keep my laughter contained. How would she feel if she remembered calling me Mr. Muscles? I rolled my eyes and she surprised me by giggling,

"It's cute when you roll your eyes."

I felt myself blushing hard. Jake Collins does not blush! I glared at her and she closed her mouth. The silence was crushing so I asked,

"How was your first party?"

A big goofy smile spread across her face and she giggled,

"It was lots and lots and lots and looooots of fun."

Then her smile slipped away and she whispered in pain,

"But I didn't get to dance with the guy I'm in love with."

She paused and sighed,

"He's the whole reason I got dressed up."

My hands tightened around the steering wheel. What kind of guy ignores someone like Adriana? Then I wondered who the lucky guy was that held Adriana's heart. I asked,

"Who is it?"

She ignored me and continued to ramble,

"But he's like sooooo out of my league. I'm not even pretty so I can't confess to him or anything. He's like the King of Waffles and I am a tiny Lego my Eggo."

I struggled not to laugh. She giggled and suddenly placed a small hand lightly on my arm. I felt heat bloom where she touched and I stiffened. Adriana asked innocently,

"Do you think I am pretty Mr. Muscles?"

Her soft pink lips were pouted slightly and her eyes were wide and sparkling. I felt my mouth go dry. Fighting the urge to kiss her was unbearable. I lied between my teeth,

"Not my cup of tea."

I watched in horror as her beaming face fell and a few tears fell from her eyes. My eyes widened in panic. I didn't want to make her cry! She said with a dull dead voice,

"Stop here."

I felt panic fill my chest. I hurriedly told her,

"Why? This is a bad neighborhood. I'm sorry if I made you upset but I want to get you home so don't get out here."

This was a really bad neighborhood. Its a lock your doors and roll up your windows neighborhood. Adriana simply said,

"I live here. Thanks, Mr. Muscles."

Before I could react she kissed my cheek and got out of the car. I touched my cheek and swore I could still feel her soft lips there. I watched her walk towards a run down apartment. Was it just me or were her footsteps getting heavier and slower as she approached the door? I watched her slowly reach for the door when it suddenly flew open. A large man with a beer belly stood there, his large body filling up the small door frame. His stained grey shirt was full of holes and could barely hold his bulging stomach. I gasped in horror when he roughly grabbed Adriana's hair and dragged her roughly into the house.

I gripped the steering wheel till my knuckles were white. Bookworm had to live in this neighborhood with someone like that? Bookworm was too innocent and fragile for that. I shook my head. While I wanted to do nothing more than storm in there and beat the living daylights out of that pig I had a feeling it would make matters worse. Ignoring the itch of my quivering fists, I pulled out of the neighborhood and drove home.

~~~~~~~~~