The morning that followed was better than yesterday. Kyle was back to his normal self. It was as if yesterday didn't happen at all.

I had made breakfast and Kyle and Teddy ate every single last bit of it commenting at my chef skills. The conversation was normal until my mother brought up last night.

"I heard movement last night." She said, biting her bacon. Her eyes staring straight at me as if she knew exactly what happened.

I tried not to blush as I swallowed what I was eating, but my ears were already burning. Kyle on the other hand stared fixated at his plate, remaining ignorant. I cleared my throat in order to make a plausible excuse.

"I needed to use the hallway bathroom so—" I stopped abruptly because my words were being echoed by Kyle's own sentence as he mentioned that he'd gone to use the bathroom in the middle of the night too.

We stared at each other and my parents had mirrored confused faces.

"So you both went to use the same bathroom?" My mother asked.

"Uh..." Kyle scratched the back of his neck.

"No, I went to use the bathroom. I don't know what Kyle was doing?" I stared him, trying to convey some warning. He just frowned at me.

"Right...whatever." Kelly rolled her eyes, obviously not believing me but choosing to ignore the issue anyway.

The conversation changed right then and there. We finished our breakfast and whilst my parents got ready to go shopping for the backyard garden since it was the beginning of spring and they were planning to trim and plant the garden to perfection, Kyle and I went in my room to do the usual.

"So, are you going back...?" I trailed my question but he knew what I was referring to.

Kyle shrugged. "My clothes are in his house, I have to." He explained, his tone was haunted.

"Do you want me to come?" I asked. "I mean, I don't know when Sav wants me to come over to her house but right now I can get the things I need for tonight...I have time."

He stared at me for a while. "You know you don't have to."

"Ky, you can't go back there alone." I protested.

"He might not be home," He shrugged.

I looked at him long and meaningfully.

"Fine, fine." Kyle held both of his hands up in defeat.

I changed my expression to one containing a satisfied grin.

"Good... I'm gonna take a shower." I told him as I went over to get my toiletries and a change of clothes since there was no way I was walking out of that shower naked. Even if I had a towel to cover my modesty, I didn't want what happened last time to repeat itself.

After taking a shower without any embarrassing incidences occurring, Kyle and I left my house and drove my car back to his house.

It took precisely twenty minutes and when we got there we found out that he was right when he'd said that son of an áss would not be home.

We took advantage of his absence and hung around. It wasn't as depressing as I anticipated since his presence wasn't there to make it depressing. I spent the next hour or so helping Kyle clean the house from all the bottles of alcohol. I scrubbed the bathroom, kitchen and he swept the living area. We managed to make the house look presentable.

For the next hours we did the usual. We watched movies, played on his Xbox—with me losing each time—and laughed each time I tried to crack a joke. It was safe to say that being comedian wasn't my calling.

I decided to play a prank on Kyle's father when I went over to use the bathroom. I emptied all of his toothpaste by flushing it down the drain and replaced it with his shaving cream. It wasn't that of a great prank but it sure made me smile indulgently just thinking of the outcome. The man deserved what was coming.

When I got back to Kyle's room I told him what I did and he just shrugged and stared at me as if I was crazy but we didn't discuss it more.

"What time are you coming to the party?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "Late...what time does it start?"

I shrugged too, "I never got the specifics, but I'm sure Sav would want to be there before everyone."

"Why?" He frowned and I remembered that he hasn't witnessed how Sav has been acting towards Ryland.

"Ryland." I said his name as a way of an explanation.

"She really is into that guy?" He was leaning back at his pillow, looking at me with shrewd eyes. I was currently sitting crossed legged at the edge of his bed.

"Pretty much." I rolled my eyes. "Are you going over at Ned's?"

"Yeah. He won't want to miss this party." He smiled that snide smirk that had me staring at him for more than necessary.

When I blinked again, Kyle was frowning as if having an afterthought to what he had said.

"What?" I asked.

His frown deepened but it wasn't directed at me.

"Ky, what is it?" I shook him.

He blinked as if he coming back from his reverie. "No, I was just thinking."

"About?"

He stared long and meaningfully at me for a moment, his eyes trapping my own into an abyss of green. It was mere minutes before he broke the gaze, smiled at me and shook his head.

It was after that when my phone buzzed in my jeans and the caller ID belonged to Sav.

"Yeah." I answered after the second ring.

"Where are you? I'm knocking your house door and no one is answering." She bellowed. She was annoyed.

"Oh...I'm at Kyle's. Sorry I forgot to text you."

"The party starts in two hours, Keya and Ryly wants me to be there an hour earlier. That means we have one hour to get ready. One hour." She was fuming.

I rolled my eyes.

"Just come over to Kyle's." I told her.

"Nuh-uh. Haven't you heard what I just said? We have an hour to get ready. I don't have the time to drive over Kyle's to get you and drive back home. You have to come over to me." She ranted.

"Sav..." I pleaded.

She groaned on the other end. "No, Key."

"Please...please."

"I swear if you make me late it's your entire fault."

"Just come. You won't be late; it's a freaking party no one needs to be early."

She only murmured a curse before she hanged up on me.

Kyle was staring at me bemusedly. His arms folded across his chest, revealing those biceps that I was starting to love.

"Apparently, Ryly wants her there an hour early." I rolled my eyes.

He chuckled at the way I pronounced the nickname Sav gave Ryland.

"Having your way as always."

"Me? Having my way?" I squelched in disbelief. "Never! Sav is the one always coercing me into things."

"Yeah but, when you want, you can be quite convincing sometimes. Trust me when I say that I'm talking from experience." He smirked.

I narrowed my eyes at him, grabbing the next object that was in my view and threw it at him. It was his dirty socks and he caught them before they struck him.

"What did I tell you? You're attempts are feeble." He laughed.

"Whatever, I'm hungry. I'm gonna go and see what you have that's salvageable in this house." I dashed out of his bed quickly, running downstairs to the kitchen.

Just as I was making some sandwich, I smelt him before I could feel him behind me. My whole back tensed up in anticipation as he reached out to grab a fruit from the basket. His body enveloped my whole body in the process.

I tried restarting my breathing again as soon as he backed away and after a few deep breaths, I faced him as I held out a plate of sandwiches.

We ate in what I would say was the most silent we've ever been and though I tried to ignore Kyle's penetrating gaze, I couldn't. However, I didn't suffer this ordeal for long because Sav began honking her car outside indicating her arrival.

"You better go now before the neighbours start complaining," Kyle said, breaking the silence.

I nodded as I retrieved my bag.

Get it together. Keya, this is Kyle your best friend. Stop looking at him like he's someone to fantasise over!

"I'm gonna leave my car here," I told him. "I'll come back for it tomorrow." The only reasons I made this excuse was so that I could check up on him tomorrow.

He shrugged. "Fine."

"Laters, then."

"Okay." He smiled but I knew that smile was forced.

As I walked out of his house toward Sav's purring car, I was confused by his last expression because I didn't understand it. I wasn't sure if it was because he didn't want me to leave or if yesterday's events still saddened him. But I knew it was the latter.

I just hoped that wherever that alcoholic bàstard was, he wouldn't come back to ruin Kyle's mood.

"What took you so long?" Sav complained as soon as I was in the confines of her car.

"You need to chill. We won't be late." I told her as I buckled my seatbelt when she began cruising away.

"We will be if I'm to do all your hair and makeup." She silently fumed. But I knew I was safe from her annoyance. If I got her to come to Kyle's I was sure I would be safe from whatever spill she would have later.

We got to Sav's house quicker than expected, but that was because she drove like barrelling train. The instant we were inside her house, she dragged me up to her room giving me less time to greet her mother and little sister, whom were busy in the living performing some ballerina dance moves.

"I hope you showered." She commented when she sat me down next to her mirror where all her glamourising equipment was ready to be used.

"I did. Seriously Sav, I get that you like this guy and that you want to impress him and all. But, being late is not that big of a deal! It's a freaking party for crying out loud!" I complained when she began manhandling my face as if she was examining her canvas. Although artists didn't even treat their artwork like this.

She was murmuring cusses beneath her breath again, but, I knew she was far gone. Her mind at the moment was concentrating on getting my face, hair and nails all done into perfection.

I let her do as she wished, I don't know for how long. However, it was surprising when she even took little time to finish with me, because the end result was staggering.

My face was so artistically constructed, I didn't even recognise myself in the mirror. Though, she didn't plaster my face with too much make-up. However, what she used only enhanced my features. My hair for starters; gone were the curls that always inhabited in my head. Instead, my hair was straight for once. I repeat, flat-line straight. My brown hair has always been highlighted with dirty blondish colour, however, this time the colours merged together to give a chestnut brown colour. My hair was perfectly placed in my shoulders with a side fringe.

Let's not even get started on my face. My eyes; boy, were the colour of my eyes so vivid. I think it was the eye shadow she used, because my eyes looked more silver than greenish grey. The mascara along with the eye-liner accentuated my lashes to give this whole catlike look. I had no foundation on my face nor any blusher or bronzer, however, my lips were coloured with darkish red lipstick to go with the colour of the dress I would be wearing.

I had to hand it to Sav, she was a master when it came to make-up. She only gave me a minute to examine myself before she got me up and away to dress myself. My patience towards her impatient attitude was slowing waning, but, I told myself to not lose it. After all, it was just a party.

So going over to change into the red short dress I planned on wearing, Sav became busy fixing herself in the mirror. Once I had finished shimmying into the dress, it had taken her that much time to finish with her face before she got to her hair. But, I did take my sweet time to dress.

She was done when I finished putting on my heels and next thing she did was to put on her outfit.

"Did you shave?" She asked suddenly.

"What?" I exclaimed at her inquiry.

She shimmyed into her own mini dress. Her dress material and make was different from mine in that the dress was white and it showed a little skin not just in her legs and arms but in the curve of her hips. She looked hot, as usual. But I could tell she really went out of her way this time.

"You know what I'm talking about. Since you're planning to swipe your v-card tonight, you must have at least taken precautions. Guys nowadays like it Brazilian!" She was serious. It was that dead pan look on her face that had me staring at her with my eyes bulging out and my mouth agape in utter shock and disbelief.

"What?" She asked.

"Are you joking or?"

"I am being serious here, Key." She frowned. "Do you have a condom?"

"Oh God!"

"I'm guessing you don't. Did you even think of getting one?" She was frantically searching her bag as she said this.

I think my mascara was going to blind my eyes by the amount of times I was blinking rapidly at her. I was still in the state of shock from her Brazilian comment.

"Here." She took out two silver foil packets out and thrust them to me.

When I didn't move a muscle, she dashed toward me to place them in the smaller bag that I was carrying since I was leaving the big bag that contained the rest of my clothes and toiletries.

"Seriously?" I repeated my stunned phrase.

"Hey, safety comes first, Key. You of all people should know that!" She defended herself.

"Seriously?"

She rolled her eyes, ignored me as she went over to the mirror to check herself for one final time before checking the time.

"Shit! It's been two freaking hours already. The party has already started. Damn, Keya, you were meant to tell me the time!" She blamed me as she began dragging me downstairs.

"I am not you're time keeper!"

"Doesn't matter, you should have at least told me." We said our goodbyes-well, I said my goodbyes-to her mother and Lily before we ran like monkeys in heels to her car.

She began the ignition as soon as we were inside and we were off instantly.

"For frúck sake, Sav, I don't want to die yet. Slow down!" I complained when she hit the gas going over the required speed limit.

"You don't understand. He wanted me there an hour earlier." She muttered mostly to herself than me.

"I'm sure he doesn't care. Seriously, Sav, no one is ever early in parties. I'm sure people are just starting to leave their houses."

She shrugged as she swerved off a car getting angry honks from the driver who was now behind us. Five minutes later, we found ourselves at Ryland's house party, just like that.

Already there were people getting out of their cars and some walking into the apartment. By the blustering music that could already be heard from this distance indicated that the party had long started. I guess I was wrong; some people did come earlier in parties.

We were only forty-five minutes late and Sav was trudging up those stairs like she was running away from a serial killer. I lost her sight of her the instant we were inside the apartment.

What a great friend! I thought to myself sarcastically as I tried trudging through a throng of people that were accompanying the hallway.

When I made it to the living, already it felt like a jungle full of animals. The lights had dimmed but they were still glowing in that party atmospheric mood. The lights were the only decorations present.

When I had been in this living area it had seemed fairly big, but, compared to the people occupying it now, it seemed a lot smaller and crowded.

Most people were in the middle of the room where I think a dance floor was made. The dance moves that were being spewed seemed more like people groping one another in some sort of dirty dancing ambiance even when the music playing was far from being slow.

A group of guys and gals were occupying the sofas and though the party may have begun thirty minutes ago, it didn't stop them from eating each other's mouths. Another group were by Ryland's computer system and though I couldn't see neither Ryland nor Sav, I was sure they were there because I knew Ryland wouldn't want anyone touching his stuff.

There was another group assembled in the far corner where some food and drinks were arranged in organised lines. It seamed like some sort of game was being played there and from how much everyone was already consuming, I understood that the organised line would soon be deranged.

It was getting crowded and more people were still coming by the door. The music was too loud and I wanted a drink of something. I tried reaching for that table that contained the drinks but I was stopped in my track when someone dragged me to the dance floor for some dance.

The person was holding me from behind in some sort of spooning dance.

"Enjoying yourself?" I recognised that voice.

"James!" I turned around to face him. I had forgotten his height as I craned my neck to catch a glimpse of him.

I grinned when I saw him smirking down at me. He had scrubbed up pretty well; he was wearing dark skinny jeans with a white t-shirt and a dark blazer.

"You look—" We both shouted from the music at the same time. I laughed and he grinned.

"You first!" I gave him a head go.

"I was just going to say that you look hot! I see you tamed those curls!" He said, taking a lock of my hair in his fingers.

I felt a tug of something beneath my stomach. It was then that I remembered I was attracted to him, and I think my attraction was slowly developing into a crush.

"Thank you!" I grinned and he twirled me around with the music.

I was giggling like there was no tomorrow.

"Your turn!" He pulled me close so that I could hear what he was saying.

It was in this proximity that his scent wafted in my nostrils. He was wearing some sort of cologne and as I breathed in the smell, I felt intoxicated.

"I was gonna say you look great too! I like your blazer!"

He smirked and I couldn't stop grinning my teeth off. The boy was doing wonders to my body, and I didn't know if it was the heat of the room or the heat of his body combined with how he was touching me.

"I know I kook great tonight! You don't have to remind me."

I giggled and playfully smacked him for his vanity. I don't know what was wrong with me. It wasn't like I was drunk. I hadn't even drunk anything yet.

"James, baby!" A girl suddenly bumped into us, forcibly falling unto James's arms.

Like a good gentlemen, he straightened her up and blocked her attempts to throw herself at him. He stared at me apologetically and the girl turned herself around and began grinding herself on him.

And did I feel jealous throughout this ordeal? I was surprised to find that I didn't. In fact, it seemed quite funny to me and I kind of felt sorry for the poor girl.

"Danielle," James said softly as he pulled her gently away.

"Baby, I miss you!" She purred locking her hands around his neck.

It was obvious that they knew each other, whether it had been a fling or a one night stand, I didn't care. But I was annoyed at her intruding. I had been enjoying the dance I was having with him.

While he was whispering something to ear, I took that moment to discreetly flee from them in search for something to drink. Anything would have suited fine at that moment because of how thirsty I was.

I made my way to the kitchen, squeezing through people who seemed intent to remain inseparable in their locked lip embrace. Once I was there, I found the drinks.