"Have you seen the new guy at school? He's totally hot!" Chelsea said from my bed. "No I haven't met him yet." I answered turning to look at her from my makeup table. I glanced over at my phone seeing it light up. Probably Ben. I looked away from it and over at the clock. We still had about an hour before we had to be at the party. I turned back around to my makeup table and finished it. I did a once over in the mirror before going to join Chels in my bed. I stretched out across it. "I really don't wanna go to this party Chels." I whined. "But everyone will be there! We need to go, it could be our last one of senior year!" She argued. I rolled my eyes. "Oh yes I'm sure there will never be another party before graduation." I said sarcastically. Chelsea groaned and rolled over to look at me. "Please go Jay. I'll be all lonely if you don't go!" Chels pleaded. I sighed caving in. "Fine. But I'm not staying really late and you're not hooking up with some Junior in the bathroom this time." I warned. She nodded. "Yes ma'am! No juniors and no bathroom hook ups!" I just shook my head at her impossibleness. We lay on my bed until it was time to leave. I got up and dos a once over in the mirror. My hair and Makeup still looked perfect so I was all good. I slipped on my black heels to match my black dress. I grabbed my clutch and started down the stairs with Chelsea. We hopped in my Mustang and started heading down the road.

***

We walked arm in arm into Jace's house. There were already probably a hundred people there. I looked around and saw Jace and Whitney standing in a corner talking, with Chelsea still with me I started over there. "Nice party loser." I teased walking up to Jace. He turned to look at me and feigned offense. "If it was anybody but you saying that I'd be offended." He said with a smile. I rolled my eyes but walked into his outstretched arms. Whitney greeted us with a polite wave. I smiled back at her in greeting. We all stood there in conversation about life and school and graduation when Chelsea hit my arm excitedly. "That's him." She whispered looking at some guy walking towards us. "Who?" I asked confused. "The new hottie. Rumor has it he's from Spain." She explained. "Actually I'm from Venezuela, but I'm glad I'm cool enough to be speculated about." The new guy answered walking up to us. My cheeks turned pink in embarrassment. He smirked. "Hey man nice party." He said looking back at Jace. He nodded with a smile. "Glad you could come." Jace turned to look at me. "See that's how you pay a compliment to someone. He actually appreciates my effort." I rolled my eyes. "Yeah yeah I know I'm a terrible friend." "Where are my manners. I'm Gabriel." He said looking back to me. He stuck his hand out to shake mine. "I'm Jayla, but most people call me Jay." I said in return placing my hand in his. He flashed a smile at me. "That's a beautiful name." I looked down feeling my cheeks flush. "Thank you."

I remembered Ben and took my hand out of his. Chelsea cleared her throat bringing me back to earth. I turned to look at her before snapping my head back to look at him. "Gabriel, this is my Bestfriend Chelsea." I said. He gave her a nod. "Pleased to meet you Chelsea." She smiled at him. She winked at me before grabbing Jace by the arm and walking away leaving us alone. After dancing a bit and downing a few drinks I needed to sit. "Do you want to go somewhere we can sit and chill?" I asked. He nodded in agreement. I grabbed his hand and started for the back door. We walked out onto the back deck where it was quiet and nobody was out here. I sat down in one of the chairs at the patio table and he sat in the chair beside me.

"So why did you move here?" I asked after sitting in silence for a few minutes. "My family needed a change. We needed a new scenery and a new start. After my grandfather died it became hard to live there so we just packed up and ended up here." I nodded. "I'm sorry for your loss." He gave a small smile. "Thank you." I started to ask him another question but he cut me off. "No ma'am it's my turn to ask you a question." I smirked. "Shoot." "How are you still single?" "How do you know I'm not?" I answered with a question trying to sound mysterious. He got up and lent forward so he was it a mere inches from my face. "Because I haven't seen anyone come out here and try and stop me from doing this." He answered seductively planting a steamy kiss on my lips. I instinctively brought my hand up to his face. Not feeling the familiar scruff on his chin my eyes flew open and I broke away from the kiss. "We...I can't." I mumbled getting up. I made my way inside and pulled Chels off some dude I didn't care to know who he was and headed out the door much to her objection. I jumped in my car and started home. "Are you okay?" Chels asked concerned. I nodded. "Just tired and ready to go home." Once home we went up to my room and I fell on the bed only bothering to take off my heels. I rolled over so I was facing away from Chelsea. My heart ached. I missed Ben.