"So I think we should make tonight a competition like old times." Warner starts his car and he has a devilish grin on his face.

By old times he means how during our entire high school experience we competed for the highest grades. Sometimes we would make competitions out of things that were supposed to be for fun.

For example, in grade ten we both volunteered for an auction and all we had to do was auctioneer some items. Somehow it turned into Warner and I betting on our own items so that we could raise more money than each other. I think I spent $500 that night on a barbeque...I have never even touched a barbeque.

From the corner of my eye, I can see him still grinning at me.

"Fine, but whatever you have in mind I already know I will win." I smile warmly at him and he seems a bit dazed at first, not responding but just staring at me.

"What?" I ask feeling a little self-conscious and wondering if there's something stuck in my teeth.

"Nothing" he shakes his head and then gives me that disarming smile that I've been looking for.

"Nothing," he repeats," You should just smile more often."

I guess he wasn't used to me being so friendly to him. Especially after I yelled at him in the first weeks of school but also throughout our lives. I never used to find our friendly competitions 'friendly'. I also considered him a nemesis rather than a friend. Looking back I was mean to him too, It was just that he had a whole group of friends bullying me whereas I was probably the only person to ever be rude to THE Warner Brooks.

The rest of the ride I try not to look at him or the hand that's resting on the stick shift, dangerously close to my thigh. Once or twice his fingers accidentally brush across it and jolts of electricity pass through my body.

We arrive at the building and I feel my hands start to sweat. Suddenly I am not ready to walk into a room full of important people in a dress this tight. I don't want anyone to look at me anymore, what if all of the lawyers hated me and thought I was dumb?

Warner is busy grabbing the food from his back seat "You ready?". I don't look at him and nod, grabbing my purse.

He tugs at my arm and pulls me back before I walk over to the door. Turning me around he grabs a hold of both my shoulders and tilts my chin to look at him. His eyes penetrate into mine like they're trying to figure something out.

"Are you okay?" He's scanning my face and visible parts of my body for I don't know what.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

I detest sounding so breathless, but he doesn't make a big deal out of it, not teasing me about my reaction to him. It's very un-Warner like and it goes to show our relationship is changing. I don't know if I want that to happen. While it's nice that he isn't terrorizing the living daylights out of me it's even more unnerving to have this sudden tension between us.

"You're acting weirder than usual. Did something happen?"

I roll my eyes "Calm down, I'm fine. Don't we have some rich lawyers to impress?"

Getting out of his grip, I turn my back on him and take a few deep breaths. My heart's racing in a way that's certainly not normal and my palms are starting to sweat. It's hard to believe that the guy whose sight I couldn't once stand has started causing all these strange feelings to explode inside of me.

We meet with all the other upper-year law students in the backroom and hand over the food we made. I peak out at the large dining hall and see lots of families, some with kids some without all dressed up for Thanksgiving dinner. You can tell who the lawyers are and who the families are quite easily.

The lawyers are the balding ones without kids.

After helping set up we are told to enjoy the dinner and that was the time to schmooze. One by one the families got up to get their food. I normally tried to avoid all scenarios where I have to eat in front of other people so I tense up at the mention of food. How could I forget that I might actually have to eat the food we made?

"Are you okay?" a nice upper-year pre-law student I had met while setting up asks me. Her name is Sarah and she was the only one who actually introduced herself to me. The other law students simply gave Warner and me a once over.

Law students were very competitive.

"I'm sure she is just excited to eat a big Thanksgiving meal." Warner cuts in and gives me a look. I knew he was going to make sure I ate something. I had already eaten the sandwich he gave me and that was only a few hours ago! I couldn't eat any more or my dress might not fit.

"Yup." I lie and grab a plate.

I look at all of the food and think to myself "What are the lowest calorie options I can put on my plate but still make it look like I took a lot." Scanning the table I grab green beans, carrots and cranberries, I sit down next to Sarah and watch Warner sit directly across from me.

"Jules! I grabbed you two buns, they are Sarah's homemade recipe you have to try them." He places them on my plate in front of everyone. He frowns at my plate like he knew what I was doing.

"Actually I ate before I came so I don't know if I can eat all that." I give Warner a look.

This was more than my total daily calories, if I wanted to stay slim I would have to work this off. But I couldn't just refuse to eat with everyone staring at me now, they would think something was wrong.

I ate my meal like normal and Warner keeps looking at me to make sure I'm not shoving any in my purse.

God, he is annoying.

"I'm going to start cleaning up." I excuse myself and head toward the bathroom. Before I can even get there a muscular arm is in front of me blocking the door.

"That's weird I didn't think we washed dishes in the bathroom." Warner glares at me as if he knew why I was going into the bathroom. He couldn't possibly know I was bulimic.

I sigh and walk back into the dining hall which is starting to become more social. Now was the time to socialize with the lawyers and try to get some business cards. I scan the room and make eye contact with a creepy bald lawyer who has been staring right at me all night.

"That ones been eyeing me like I'm a piece of meat, I'm starting to feel pretty violated if you ask me." Warner shivers and once again I find myself rolling my eyes at him.

"Hey don't get all high and mighty; I'm the one he has been staring at!" I retort.

"Are you blind? it's obvious that he's been drooling over me, can you blame the guy?" Warner runs his fingers through his hair and I let out a laugh.

"Are you for real? Haven't you seen the way he's been smiling at me all this time?" I turn, challenging him.

"More like death glaring, he obviously doesn't like you being this close to me." He jokingly pushes me away from him to ensure the man knows we aren't together.

I laugh and the bald man seemed to notice we might be poking fun at him so he finally looks away from us.

"Great now you have ruined my chances." Warner pretends to be upset but I just roll my eyes at him.

I was just thinking about how we were actually having a fun night until I hear a familiar voice.

"Oh my god, Warner what are you doing here?" I turn and see Emily who definitely knew he was going to be here. She doesn't even acknowledge me, holding a wine glass in one hand she wraps Warner in a hug while I stand to the side awkwardly.

Thankfully Sarah walks over as well. Emily is really making it a long hug and when she finally lets Warner go she turns to me and fakes surprise. "Oh my god, Juliet you are here too?" She wraps me into a hug and whispers, "Were you one of the poor families they helped?" I couldn't help the shock on my face. She made sure nobody else heard the comment so I try to stay calm and smile.

As if that wasn't enough she then pretends to stumble. Well, I say pretend because there was literally nothing on the ground and the next thing I know her wine is all over my dress. She covers her mouth and puts on a great performance, "Oh my god Juliet I am so sorry I did not mean to do that." I look at Warner and he seems to buy her little performance but I know Sarah doesn't.

"Here let's go to the bathroom I am sure I can get it out for you." Sarah guides me over to the washrooms and when I look back at Warner and Emily she is smiling at me.

If she wanted to be alone with Warner she could've just asked she didn't have to spill wine all over me.

Once we get into the bathroom and the coast was clear Sarah speaks "What did you do to make that girl hate you so much?" she asks me and I laugh.

"Well actually I thought we were friends but I'm beginning to think we might not be." I laugh again and Sarah probably thinks I am a maniac for not being bothered by this. I wasn't bothered because this is nothing compared to the hell I endured in high school and elementary school. I was bullied day in and out for years and it gave me some thick skin.

"It's nothing I can't handle." I scrub at the stain with Sarah's help but it isn't coming out. After a few minutes, I give up.

"I think I might just head out." I don't feel like walking around with stains all over the front of my dress.

"Do you need a ride home?"

"No, I'm okay." I don't tell her that I am going to walk home simply so I can get some steps in and burn off the dinner.

What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

I walk out the back door without saying goodbye to Warner. I feel bad but I don't feel like seeing Emily again and I doubt she wants me back in there. I have no interest in fighting catty girls and would rather just go home and study.