Squid reassured Kent and I that he would make sure Jackie got back to her dorm room safely before closing our door. I was still bundled up on my bed, hugging my knees to my chest while Kent locked the door and shuffled towards me.

"Alright, make room for me," He smiled down at me before plopping down on the bed, pushing me against the wall even more and ripping the blankets away from my already cold feet. We had closed our window a while ago but the room was still chilly. Kent's arm wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me into his warm body, my eyes were swollen and stung from how much crying I had done tonight.

"Do you want to talk about it at all?" Kent whispered, his lips pressed against the top of my head and his thumb was drawing circles on my shoulder. It was comforting to have him there, to have his support, but opening up about one of the biggest regrets I had made me anxious.

Kent cleared his throat when I hadn't answered him for a few minutes and pulled both of us down the bed so we were laying together, facing each other, with my head curled into his chest. I felt the sudden urge to start crying again but my eyes wouldn't allow anymore tears to fall.

"If you don't want to tell me about it, that's fine, I just have a few things to say though," He took a deep breath and my heart hitched for the third time this evening, "I don't think of you any differently, Sadie. Okay? I want you to believe that. If anything it makes me want to get closer to you and to understand you better,"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He wasn't disgusted by me? He still wanted to be around me?

"My whole school saw that picture, Kent. I didn't even. . . I didn't even take the damn picture, it was. . . my boyfriend at the time," Explaining the situation that I had to go through just last year was almost as painful as when it had happened, having to relive the bullying and isolation I had felt from all my friends I considered close to me.

Kent pulled me even tighter against his chest and kissed my head over and over again, and now the tears started falling again, burning more than before. I was so embarrassed and ashamed of my past, I never wanted anyone to know.

"What happened to you wasn't fair, it wasn't okay at all," He took another deep breath and left his lips pressed lightly against my forehead, "It doesn't make you any less of a person and it definitely doesn't change my feelings for you, alright? I'm sorry you had to go through that, but I'm always here for you and you'll never have to go through that again. I got Missy's phone in time, no one saw the picture and no one is going to see it, I promise,"

I didn't say anything after that, I couldn't, my throat was raw and my eyes involuntarily shut on their own, stinging the whole time from tears and staying open for way too long. I don't remember falling asleep, all I remember was listening to the slow and steady rythmic beating of Kent's heart from where my head was pressed against his chest before drifting off into much needed sleep.

=====

The stress from the two tests I had coming up quickly washed away while Jackie worked on putting rollers in my hair and Josie turned on some music. I had snuck into the girls dorm for the night to be with the girls and pamper ourselves for the dance. Although I was still one edge about the bonfire incident, nothing had been brought up about it.

I hadn't heard much from Missy or seen her around for the past couple of days. I had been too stressed with the dance and trying to lay low. I was just thankful nothing had ever come to light about the picture or my past. Everyone who had been around at the bonfire had kept it quiet. I was forever in their debt for that and I knew they really were amazing friends at this point.

"I can't wait to see you in your dress," I commented to Jackie, desperately wanting to change the subject.

"I can't wait to see Squid in a suit," She admitted, the familiar blush creeping up her neck and to her cheeks. Squid and Jackie might just be the cutest couple at school, in my opinion.

"Has he asked you to be his girlfriend yet?" Kailey asked Jackie from where she was lounging and painting her toenails. Holly and Josie tuned into the conversation now.

"Not yet, but maybe tonight. . ." Jackie trailed off, the hope clear in her voice but I could tell she was nervous about it as well.

"Have you and Kent made it official yet?" Josie asked, turning all the attention to me.

"Um, no," I mumbled and the girls gave me pointed glares.

"How do you two live together and you're still not dating? Doesn't make sense to me," Kailey shook her head and stared back down at her toes.

"I think it's sweet that they're taking things slow," Holly tossed a small pillow at Kailey who immediately started to freak out, claiming she could have spilt her nail polish.

I thought back to my second night in the dorm and how Kent had crawled into bed to cuddle with me. Taking things slow, sure, if that's what you wanted to call it. Although we still hadn't kissed though.

I wonder if we'd kiss tomorrow night at the dance.

My stomach felt light and my heart fluttered at the thought of finally being able to kiss Kent at my first high school dance.

"Alright, we need to get to bed before Sabrina comes checking rooms and finds you," Josie said pointing at me and the girls quickly finished up what they were doing and started to pack up to go to their own rooms.

Jackie and I had decided to share her bed tonight but neither one of us got much sleep. We were both too busy giggling about the boys and the anticipated dance tomorrow night.

===

"I hope they aren't late," Holly muttered, mostly to herself, as she peeked out the window of the dorm room for the millionth time.

"I can't get over how perfect that dress is on you," Josie complimented Jackie, admiring the beautiful navy blue dress. All of the girls looked absolutely gorgeous tonight. The rollers had curled my hair almost perfectly, Jackie had to use her curling iron to fix a few places, but other than that I felt like a Princess tonight. How fitting.

"I am so excited!" Jackie squealed, making all of us giggle and squeal as well. High school girl stuff, you know?

"Okay you guys, they should be here in five minutes, let's head down," I stared at the text Kent had just sent though telling me they were about to leave the dorm and how much he had missed me last night.

Jackie rushed us out of the room and to the elevator. Usually we'd opt for the stairs but since we were all wearing heels we decided the elevator would be the best choice. We waited patiently for the elevator and hurried on, I kept tapping the main floor button in hopes it would make the old thing move faster. It didn't.

For the most part we were all silent on the ride down, all of us too excited to see our dates and mostly for our dates to see us.

As the elevator doors flung open, Jackie and I were the first ones to step into the lobby of the girls dorms. A dozen other girls were waiting impatiently for their dates as well. The room looked like a beautiful rainbow with all of the different colors of dresses and styles, it was amazing.

Either the lobby was hotter than normal from all the extra bodies or I was already blushing about seeing Kent all fancy. I wonder how he'd look.

"That's her, that's Sadie Michaels," I turned around at the sound of my name only to see the one and only Missy stomping towards me with a pudgy security guard and the principal right behind her.

"Ms. Michaels would you please come with us?" Mr. Watson, our principal who I had never met until now, asked motioning towards the front doors. The security guard was busy trying to catch his breath while Missy, dark bruises surrounding her eyes and nose, smirked at me with her arms crossed, knowing she had just won. So I had broken her nose, good. I should've waited to punch her until now. Was that what this is about?

"What did she do wrong?" Jackie immediately blurted out, grabbing my arm to pull me towards her, looking as confused as the rest of us.

"You can't take her! It's the homecoming dance and our dates are almost here!" Holly yelled, making all the girls in the lobby turn to watch what was happening.

"We were. . . unaware of Ms. Michaels, uh. . . living arrangements," Mr. Watson stumbled out, his voice quieter than before.

"I was told to go to the Wellington dorm my first day!" I began to defend myself but Mr. Watson was just shaking his head.

"I'm sorry Ms. Michaels, I really need you to come with me so we can discuss this further and in private," Mr. Watson glanced around at all the curious eyes around him, looking more and more nervous by the second. Was he scared of us girls or something?

"Let's not make this any worse, okay?" The security guard, I think his name was Berny of something, finally was able to pipe in. I guess he finally caught his breath. I couldn't help but glare at him.

"What about the dance?" I quietly asked Mr. Watson, not about to let anyone here know just how upset I was.

"Looks like you're going to miss it, huh?" Missy hissed at me, that evil smile of hers plastered to her face while she placed both hands on her hips.

The bitch had sold me out to the school so that Kent and I couldn't be together. How could we be, if I wasn't even at the same school? I tried to calm down but the idea of having to go back home was overwhelming. I had just gotten comfortable, Kent and I were just getting started, I had amazing friends that I still wanted to hang out with!

"You can't do that!" Josie grabbed my other arm now, Jackie still gripped the other.

"Are you going to pay for her dress then?" Kailey jabbed her finger at Mr. Watson, "What kind of asshole doesn't let a junior go to the homecoming dance?"

"Ms. Evans, that's enough," Mr. Watson's voice boomed over the girls but none of them were about to give in. It was hopeless. I wasn't about to let the girls ruin their night for my sake.

"It's alright you guys, don't worry about it," I carefully shrugged Josie and Jackie's death grips from my arm and stepped forward to follow Mr. Watson and Berny.

"This way please, Ms. Michaels," I wanted him to stop calling me that. Every time he said that I got more and more frustrated.

"This is far from over, bitch," I heard Holly threaten who I'm guessing was Missy before I was escorted out of the building.